Celia Cruz La Incomparable Celia

Another early classic from the queen of salsa. One of her first for the important New York salsa label Seeco, La Incomparable finds Cruz backed by the equally incomparable Sonora Mantancera and his big band. The mix is a classic offering of mambo, guarachas, and danzons, which Cruz commands with her usual strength, flexibility, and inventiveness. And in addition to several fine solo outings here, she also teams up with various Mantancera singers for standout duets like "Madre Rumba." Not necessarily a better first disc than a roundup like Rhino's 100% Acuzar, La Incomparable still will delight fans in need of more of their favorite Latina star. ~ Stephen Cook

• Format: Vinyl
• Genre: Latin