JOE BATAAN Vinyl & CDs

Review: Spanish Harlem, New York native Joe Bataan is a king of Latin soul and boogaloo who has brought plenty of freshness to those genres over the years. His Salsoul album found him breaking down new borders with American soul fused to Latin rhythms to compelling effect. The title comes from the fact the music mixes salsa and soul and marked a high watermark in the NuYorican scene. Standout cuts like 'Latin Strut' and 'Aftershower Funk' are included and more straight-up Latin jazz like 'Sunny Gets Blue Mambo' is also featured.