"Salsa On Mushrooms"

(foto taken by Shau)

Orquesta Dominante - Quien (1973)

San Juan Puerto Rico - Label : Latin Sound L -1

LEADER: Chegui Mendez

1st : Trompeta: Rigoberto Camacho

2nd Trompeta : Joe Morales

Trombon: Felix Avila

Sax Tenor - Chegui Sanchez

Piano: Roberto Santiago

Bajo: Amilcal Acosta

Conga: Fernando Diaz

Timbal: Papa Ramos

Bongo: Junior Simons

Cantantes: Eliut Sanchez, Junior Jimenez & Orlando Morales

Producer: Dario Gonzalez

Lado A

1. Quien (Jorge A. Morales Benitez)

2. El Mismo Pago (Eladio Jimenez)

3. A Mi Que (Jorge A. Morales Benitez)

4. Conmigo No (Jorge A. Morales Benitez)

Lado B

1. Gardel (Eliut Sanchez)

2. Mirala Donde Na (Eladio Jimenez)

3. Los Pelos Del Corazon (Junior Celpa)

4. Soy Sincero (Jose L. Mendez Clara)

The album realesed by 'Orquesta La Dominante - Quien', is one of the strongest salsa dura lps that was every released in the 70's. 'It is like listening to salsa on mushrooms' says my friend Stefan, when I played it for him. I laughed and definatley agreed with him. I want to take you through the record and focus on the highlights and sprinkles of magic heard over and over, on almost every track. This album is a marvelous masterpiece & so special for me and perhaps also for you in time to come.

The was the first track I ever heard from La Domnante was ' Quien '. Like most others perhaps know, it was released on a bootleg compilation that I got my hands on somehow. Shortly after I was handed a copy from my buddy Dj Guachi Guaro, who managed to swindle a cleanly ripped cd copy from one of the collectors in NYC. Great !!! Thanks mano...

After listening to this album over ' A GAZILLION ' times I have broke down the recording techniques like so:

BASS & ORGAN/KEYS: Always accompanying one another. Especially in the bridges, coming up with very hypnotic myesterious sounding montunos. The organ is has a very special unique sound that was beyond its time. I cannot put a finger on what the keyboard is exaclty, however I believe it was one of those old ass Rhodes analog that had those phat sounds. If you know drop in and share the info. Anyways you'll hear the clips and be able to understand what I mean by hypnotic montunos. It always makes me feel like I am in a dark room, or falling from space, or walking through a jungle, or being on ACID or Mushrrooms!! lol, not that I have however taken such a thing. This is especially I get when I hear the organasmic & bass moments in this recording.

PERCUSSION: Ok let me start to just say that all of these cats are killer musos. I personally like the producers work ' Dario Gonzalez' where he is experimenting with the stereo imaging, panning the montuno bell from the timbales to the right speaker, and the bongoceros campana bell to left about 75 % each way, that surely makes the swing rock the bed post through the neighbours walls. (lucky chick) You will hear great repicas and good feel from the young bongocero ' Junior Simons ' who I think is the youngest of the members in the band. If you go to the photo of the band, you can see him sitting on the right, with his hands placed in a conmfy bongo position. Junior also knows how to make the cowbell sound like a weapon a gangsta would use at Halloween. 'Fernando Diaz' plays the congas like tracks were built around his his train. He doesn't play over the top at all, but very consistently, considering his fellow musicians. I love his slight soloing in the montuno parts of the song and also changes swiftly through the different rhythms crossing from guaguanco, rumba, bomba, & son. The timbalero 'Papa Ramos' is very elegant and is playing with that old skool feel. I love his strong cascara and also the way he uses the abanico changing up & down gears especially when he visits the montuno moments with clever flavourable hints of magic.

BRASS: Chegui Sanchez the leader and also on Tenor Sax is accompanied with 2 trompetas played by Rigoberto Camacho & Joe Morales, blending with the warm sounds of Felix Avila on the Trombone. When this brass quartet blow, you are feeling their hearts literally coming out of their instrument. I think the arrangements in general are lead by the brass section giving the call, and then the rest of the ensemble responding. There are very cool moments in many areas of this album, however the standout ones are in the Quien when the sax and bass join forces doing a freaky hook leading to the trompetas responding and blazing all over the top of the coro screaming' Se va cavar....este mundoo.... '. You hear this team work happening all over the recording, with some very high notes hit and rapidly played notes being played to the T.

VOCALS: Eliut Sanchez from Naguabo is one bad ass vocalist. When he sings I get hooked and want to know what he is saying. His voice has so much sorrow and depth that simply hits & triggers emotions. Let's just say I believe 100% that he believes and feels what he is singing and really wants the world to hear his statement. The coro and harmony work sung by 'Junior Jimenez & Orlando Morales' are out of this world. The harmony is at times so laid back you feel that they are really stoned or something, (no offence guys) especially in tracks like ' Gardel ' whey they are so back you feel that tension uffff !!!!! I LOVE IT !!!! I am a true lover of harmony and espcially that almost raw like sound where you hear hints of them singing off key. That type of balance and control that comes to them so naturally simply makes my adams apples smile.

I will finish of by saying that this recording from LA DOMINANTE is where I currently am in my life today. It suggests so many different emotions and triggers many deep feelings that is released when the needle drops on this wax. . I strongly reccomend and hope you also find either a recording or something that helps you release what ever you have bottled up inside of you. As you will end up feeling so much better. Thank you ORQUESTA LA DOMINANTE for feeding my soul with your energy and neverending flame that burns still with all the heads of the salsa dura world today.

Dustin Anthony Hogg / April 6 2009

There was another band also titled ' LA DOMINANTE ' that released a cd in 2007 that does a cover of the song ' Quien '.

BACK COVER MESSAGE

"La musica moderna requiere muchos sacrificios para poder pegar un numero debido a lo competido que esta el mercado disquero hoy dia. Por esa y otras razones es que los grupos se esmeran tanto en hacer arrelgos modernos que sean del agrado y aceptacion del publico discomano que diariamente esta al tanto de lo de ahora.

La Dominante es algo nuevo en el concepto de la musica moderna. Su Director, Chegui Menez, quien es natural de Naguabo, junto a Eliut Sanchez el cantante y los demas muchachos de la agrupacion han puesto su empeño para que su primer lp sea un rotundo exito. Latin Sound Records les ha brindado la oportunidad y estamos seguros que ellos la sabran aprovechar. Solo nos resta decirles que lo dejen escuchar en su tocadiscos y estamos seguros que este L.P. DE LA DOMINANTE Sera uno que ocupara un sitio privilegiado en vuestras discotecas"

Chico Velez - D.J.

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