Me Gusta Todo

Photographers: Sandra Alayón-Stanton; Phil Stanton.
Los Nemus del Pacifico are from northern Colombia's Choco district. Nemus is an African term for the idol people who dance around. Formed in 1989, they combine son montuno and Colombian salsa into a potent mix they call montuno Colombiano. The rhythms of the Pacific coast of Colombia are in danger of dying out. They are making sure that the unique sounds are alive and kicking. This compilation is a testament to their aim of preserving those rhythms. It is chock-full of first-rate dance music from a beleaguered country. The montuno sound that permeates their music is firmly rooted in the Cuban son montuno tradition. Their brand of music is crisp, incorporating plenty of percussion punctuated by biting horn riffs. This is salsa brava at its best. They certainly deserve wider recognition worldwide for the consistent quality of their moving music. The Me Gusta Todo compilation gives you two more tracks than the one on the Fuentes label. Six tracks on this compilation are included on the Fuentes collection. This album would probably be the best bet as an introduction, unless the die-hard fan can't get enough of one best Colombian groups kicking the dancefloor. Highly recommended. ~ Mark Romano