The second album from
Frankie Dante's
Orquesta Flamboyan was a classic of late-'60s salsa, before the '70s explosion brought artists like
Eddie Palmieri and
Willie Colón from the Palladium to Yankee Stadium and beyond. A traditionalist at heart,
Dante didn't dabble in any of the street forms then current, like Latin soul or boogaloo (except for a brief vocal solo on
the Beatles' "Blackbird"). No, he had obviously absorbed the lessons of Fania godfather
Johnny Pacheco and organized his
Orquesta Flamboyan into a tight, swinging band powered by dual trombonists
Angelo Rodriguez and Billy "Tata" Baxter, and spurred on by his vocals. The eight-person band swings mightily on "Pa' Guaynabo," and
Jose "Juicy" Cruz's added chorus vocals enliven the proceedings. ~ John Bush