Man and His Songs: Alma de Poeta

Editor: Ernesto Lechner.
One of the best and most famed songwriters in modern Puerto Rican history, Catalino "Tite" Curet Alonso or C. Curet Alonso wrote songs that graced the LPs of virtually every salsero hero in the business between the late '60s and the end of the millennium. He wrote on a broad range of themes (from sociopolitical realities to romance) and made virtually every song come alive -- especially in the hands of his greatest interpreters: Cheo Feliciano ("Anacaona"), Ismael Rivera ("Galera Tres"), Johnny Pacheco ("La Esencia del Guaguancó"), Willie Rosario ("No Llores Corazón"), La Lupe ("La Tirana"), and Hector Lavoe ("Periódico de Ayer"). Most of those songs are here, on a two-disc Fania tribute that includes the best of the label's artists doing Alonso's songs (which is just as good as the best of any label). Granted, Alonso was hardly the natural choice for Fania's two-disc compilation series -- which previously saluted the giants Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colón, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, etc. -- and the most fanatical Latin fans may find that most of these tracks come from LPs they already own. Still, his influence is great and it's an intriguing proposition for Latin fans as well as a badge of honor for the rejuvenated Fania label, continually faithful to its founding fathers. ~ John Bush