Johnny Pacheco - Celia & Johnny (1974)

Because multi-instrumentalist and composer Johnny Pacheco found that Celia Cruz’ abilities were underemployed within Tito Puente’s orchestra, he offered her to produce this disc under their two names. An offer that the Cuban singer, whose career has slowed down at the time, couldn’t refuse. The Fania label, headed by Puerto Rican flutist and lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964, was the parent company of the recent salsa phenomenon that laid waste to everything in its path. The best musicians from the Cuban and Puerto Rican communities in the United States had gathered under this banner which united all the Latino styles in a juicy and spicy way. Frightening percussions, gleaming trumpets, supercharged pianos, supple bass and very Cuban melodies carry the singer and the flautist towards dancing heights. The album is bursting with hits, Quimbara, Toro Mata or Canto a la Habana, and revives the career of Celia Cruz, who lands the title of Queen of Salsa. Becoming a golden disc just a few months after its release, Celia & Johnny is a milestone of Latino music and one of the best salsa discs that you can listen to.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Quimbara (4:52)
1.02 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Toro Mata (5:42)
1.03 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Vieja Luna (3:15)
1.04 - Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco - El Paso Del Mulo (4:40)
1.05 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Tengo El Idde (5:02)
1.06 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Lo Tuyo Es Mental (3:15)
1.07 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - Canto A La Habana (5:31)
1.08 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - No Mercedes (4:18)
1.09 - Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco - El Tumbao Y Celia (4:54)
1.10 - Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz - El Pregón Del Pescador (5:04)