The music that has come to be called salsa originated in Cuba, but some of its most talented artists have been Puerto Rican, including
Tito Puente,
Ray Barretto,
Willie Colón, el Gran Combo, and
el Conjunto Clasico. In the 1980s,
el Conjunto Clasico was impressively consistent, and one of the excellent albums that the Puerto Rican group recorded during that decade was
Si No Bailen con Ellos, No Bailen con Nadie. Translated as "If You Don't Dance with Them, You Don't Dance with Anyone," the title is lofty, to be sure, but when you have
Tito Nieves handling your lead vocals and
Ramón Rodriguez doing much of your writing, you're entitled to toot your own horn. In 1981, salsa didn't get much more exciting than "Ni Hablar," "Teresita," "Regreso," and "Quincallero" (all of which are
Rodriguez compositions). The music on this LP is essentially Afro-Cuban music, but
el Conjunto Clasico -- like many Puerto Rican salseros -- doesn't hesitate to bring some Puerto Rican influences to its Afro-Cuban foundation. "Mi Bomba No Muere," for example, employs the bomba rhythm. And the hit single "Son de Puerto Rico" illustrates the Cuban/Puerto Rican connection: son (one of the styles that comprises salsa) originated in Cuba, and this gem expresses the love that many Puerto Ricans have for it. One of
el Conjunto Clasico's most essential albums,
Si No Bailen con Ellos, No Bailen con Nadie is definitely a salsa treasure. ~ Alex Henderson