Joe Cuba Sextette - Steppin' Out (1963)

In this reissued collection, Joe Cuba makes you get up and dance. The 12 tunes on this disc are a roughly equal mix of dance numbers and love songs, but the emphasis (as indicated by the album's title) is on moving your feet. In fact, each tune is classified in the liner notes by the dance the listener should be doing -- mambo, pachanga, cha cha cha, etc. The instrumentation consists of a spare, all-rhythm combo: timbales, congas, bass, piano, vibes and various hand percussion. On top of this minimal arrangement, the vocals do all the melody work -- three untrained, natural voices in soulful harmony recorded with just a touch of enriching echo. Fundamental salsa music celebrating dance, love and Puerto Rico, this is simple and very satisfying.~Bruce Ishikawa