Standards Rican-ditioned Personnel:John Benitez Hilton Ruiz David Sanchez Papo Vazquez Ray Barretto Adam Cruz Chris Barretto, alto sax Tracks:Lean on Me, Travelin’ Light, Ivy, Suddenly It’s Spring, I Had The Craziest Dream, Something to Live For, Baby, Baby, All the Time, Brandy’s Blues, Strange Music

For this review, I took an excerpt from an NPR article on the late, great Ray Barretto:

"For over 40 years, conguero and bandleader Ray Barretto was one of the leading forces in Latin jazz. His hard, compelling playing style graced the recordings of saxophonists Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, and Sonny Stitt, and guitarists Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.

During the early 1950s, mambo was as hot as the bebop movement. Barretto regularly attended concerts at the Palladium Dance Hall, where timbale virtuoso Tito Puente often led his magnificent orchestra. In 1957, Barretto joined the group, replacing the legendary Mongo Santamaria.

Becoming part of Puente's orchestra, didn't curb Barretto's interest in bebop. He was building a solid reputation as a top rate studio percussionist for jazz heroes like drummer Art Blakey, saxophonist Lou Donaldson and guitarist Kenny Burrell.

Although many bebop fans despised the conga because of its rigid beats, as time and the music progressed, the instrument became more widely accepted. After several years of being one of the most in-demand sidemen in jazz, Barretto formed his first ensemble, Charanga La Moderna, in 1962.

It was with Charanga that he recorded the boogaloo standard, "El Watusi" in 1962. The song became a huge national hit and helped establish Barretto as a bandleader, but to this day the drummer is somewhat critical of its success.

Also during the early 1960s, Barretto began a his relationship with New York-based record label Fania, which specialized in Latin music and was, according to Barretto, the Latin version of Motown. Over the the next decade, Barretto became a member and eventually music director for the label's famed Fania All-Stars. The band included trombonist Willie Colon, vocalists Hector Lavoe and Ruben Blades, and pianist Larry Harlow.

Barretto spent nearly three decades with the Fania All-Stars. But as time went on, he found himself frustrated with the limitations of salsa. So in 1992, he formed his current ensemble, New World Spirit, that places a heavier emphasis on bebop jazz. The group released its third album, Portraits in Jazz and Clave, in early 2000. With the success of New World Spirit and his induction into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1999, Ray Barretto is ready help lead Latin jazz into the next millennium".

--Courtesy of NPR Radio

 When you hear Ray Barretto's voice emerge from behind David Sánchez's , opening notes, listen closely. They are some of the last words many of us will ever hear from the master Barretto. He sounds upbeat, joyful and full of life. As if this session inspired him yet one more time!!

The underlining quality that shines through on Barretto’s Standards Rican-ditioned, is what will remind so many of Ray’s fans over the years, was his love for Jazz and how he loved to push a Jazz rhythm section Latin-style!

Barretto is joined by Jazz veterans David Sanchez and the late Hilton Ruiz, along with some New York veterans, (including Ray’s son, Chris) in a joyfully produced set that will bring a lot of good vibes to both Ray Barretto fans and soon to be admirers!

How ironic it was to lose Barretto, on his last session, playing a music he had so much passion and love for. There are some brilliant performances on this disc as well, especially by tenor player David Sanchez. Sanchez sounds especially motivated playing with Barretto on this recording. But in all fairness, all sound good, professional and energized.

In George Rivera’s notes on the CD, Barreto and company wanted to show they could play in an authentic style of old Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside labels. They were successful, and show the underlining affect that Jazz music has had on World culture. It’s a music that has blended itself with master’s such as Barretto, and a music that has amicable quality to syncopated styles.

If you’re a Barretto fan, you must buy this disc. It’s a treasure in a mist of thousand’s of recordings. You’ll treasure the joy of Ray and company and be able to appreciate one of the great contributors to music in the 20th and 21st centuries.