“Celia & Johnny” by Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco

Programming note: This week, I’m spotlighting some of my favorite records released between 1970 and 1979. I’ve selected albums that cover multiple genres and deliberately avoided the well-worn titles that top all “best of” lists for this decade. In other words, this week’s theme isn’t an excuse to restate tired talking points on the likes ofDark Side of the MoonandRumors*.*

Hope you enjoy it!

To kick off 70s week, a towering achievement in salsa music, framing a legendary voice with infectious rhythms.

13 years after her post-Revolution exile from Cuba, Celia Cruz was instrumental in changing the face of salsa and Latin music in the United States. On Celia & Johnny, her first studio LP release with Fania as well as her first of many successful collaborations with instrumentalist and bandleader Johnny Pacheco, she helped usher in the “Matancera” movement in salsa. By incorporating more traditional sounds from her homeland, such as the guaracha and the rumba, into the soundscape, the album brought mid-70s Latin music back to its Caribbean roots, standing in stark opposition to the more experimental arrangements that dominated the genre (and Fania’s catalog) up to that point.

The most recognizable number is the lead single “Quimbará,” which is one of the most exciting, propulsive arrangements in Pacheco’s canon. Effortless harmonies float atop driving percussion and bright, tropical horns as Cruz declares “La rumba me está llamando” (”the rumba is calling me”). The quality never lets up from there. “Toro Mata” and “Canto a la Habana” are certified Afro-Cuban bops, while “Vieja Luna” is a stunning, sensual ballad that showcases Cruz’s unmistakable vocal range. Since her passing in 2003, her profile as one of the world’s most iconic divas has only grown in stature, with mainstream samples of her work introducing new generations of fans to her music. However, even in the face of so many hit records, none hit me quite as hard as this sparkling career reinvigoration.