A1 	Quimbara 	4:55
A2 	Toro Mata 	5:38
A3 	Vieja Luna 	3:12
A4 	El Paso Del Mulo 	4:40
A5 	Tengo El Idde 	4:59
B1 	Lo Tuyo Es Mental 	3:12
B2 	Canto A La Habana 	5:30
B3 	No Mercedes 	4:16
B4 	El Tumbao Y Celia 	4:51
B5 	El Pregon Del Pascador 	5:03

Celia Cruz - Primary Artist, Vocals
Johnny Pacheco - Choir/Chorus, Flute, Guiro, Percussion, Primary Artist 
Justo Betancourt - Choir/Chorus 
Papo Lucca - Piano 
Luis "Perico" Ortíz - Trumpet 
Ismael Quintana - Maracas
Charlie Rodriguez - Tres
Victor Venegas - Bass
Héctor "Bomberito" Zarzuela - Trumpet 

Being so used to Celia Super Star, it's hard to believe that by 1974, she was definitely the older generation as far as the young idea was concerned. Then came this record, pairing the star of the parents and the star of the kids in a stroke of musical brilliance and marketing genius. The rest is history, except that this -- the first of the series -- was also the best. ---John Storm Roberts, AllMusic Review

In 1974, Latin music in the US was about to get a kick in the pants. The audience for the big bands was (as we say today) graying; younger, US-born Latinos thought of the classic Cuban forms — the mambos and sones and guarachas and guaguancós — as their parents’ and grandparents’ music.

But Johnny Pacheco, a bandleader and star percussionist, had formed a new record label with a new approach. Fania Records, based in New York, put those forms together with influences from Puerto Rico, Colombia and other countries, and called it salsa.

“There was always this debate between [bandleader] Tito Puente and Johnny,” says Ana Cristina Reymundo, a biographer of singer Celia Cruz. “Tito would say, ‘Johnny, pero que la salsa, se come, no se toca — We eat salsa, we don’t dance it, and we don’t play it.’ And then Johnny would laugh and say, ‘But Tito, the kids don’t know that.’ It was a truly brilliant marketing strategy to repackage to these beloved rhythms.”

Pacheco wasn’t the first to use the term salsa to describe music, but Fania Records made it nationally popular, and “Celia & Johnny” was its first breakout hit. It set Cruz, a singularly talented and popular singer who had worked with Puente, in front of a much smaller band that left a lot of room for vocal improvisation.

“When I was rehearsing the band,” Pacheco remembers, “I saw that we had Dominicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans and two Jewish fellows. When you make a sauce, you have different ingredients. And when I saw the band and the singer I thought, this is what we got. We got salsa.” ---Devon Strolovitch, pri.org

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01. Rock & Roll
02. Cha Cha Guere
03. Pa' La Paloma
04. Me Voy A Pinar Del Rio
05. Tuya Y Mas Que Tuya
06. Saoco
07. El Lleva Y Trae
08. Luna Sobre Matanzas
09. Y Mi Negro Esta Cansao
10. Mi Amor,Buenas Noches
11. Vamos A Guarachar
12. Oya Diosa Y Fe

Celia Cruz's early albums are among the most precious treasures in her vast discography. This outstanding collection, which draws on her 1956 recordings with bandleader Sonora Matancera, spotlights Cruz's rhythmically precise singing and charismatic delivery, while exuding old-world charm. The intricate webs of Latin percussion, circular piano motifs, big-band arrangements, and Cruz's mellifluous vocals all conjure images of the packed dance halls of mid-20th-century Havana.

Sophisticated and elegant, yet downright groovy, this is nightclub music par excellence. The vibe is persistently up-tempo, with tunes such as "Rock and Roll" and "Saolo" keeping the polyrhythms simmering. While Cruz's sultry croon gives a balladic feel to many of the tracks, only "Luna Sobre Matanzas" and the melancholic "Diosa Y Fe" offer an opportunity for slow dancing. Just as appealing decades later as it must have been in mid-'50s Cuba, this timeless, romantic music dares listeners to keep still.

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01 Así Empezó El Son Montuno
02 A La Buena Si
03 El Tumba'o Y Celia
04 No Mercedes
05 Dos Jueyeas
06 Soy Antillana
07 El Guabá
08 Pun Pun Catalú
09 Todos Somos Iguales
10 Oriza Eh

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01. La Negra Tiene Tumbao 
02. Pa' Arriba No Va 
03. Hay Que Empezar Otra Vez 
04. Tararea Kumbayea 
05. Corazon De Rumba 
06. Dejenme Vivir 
07. Que Culpa Tengo Yo 
08. Mi Mercancia 
09. Taita Bilongo 
10. Sin Clave No Hay Son

Celia Cruz - vocals
Hector Casanova - Maracas
Hector Colon - Trumpet
Ray Colón - Bongos
Guido Diaz - Guitar
Richie Flores - Congas
Sergio George - Keyboards, Piano, Producer
Jorge Gonzalez - Bongos
Carlos Henríquez - Bass
Nelson Hernandez - Sax (Baritone)
Jhon Jairo Ibañez - Vocals (Background)
Marco Antonio Ibanez - Vocals (Background)
Isidro Infante - Keyboards, Piano, Producer
Joe King - Vocals (Background)
Papo Lucca - Piano
Ozzie Melendez - Trombone
Johnny Pacheco - Harmonica, Percussion, Vocals (Background)
Marc Quiñones - Percussion, Timbales
Luis Quintero - Percussion
Roberto Luis Rodriguez - Trumpet
Rubén Rodríguez - Bass
Willie Rodriguez - Piano
Bill Romero - Congas
Nestor Sanchez - Vocals (Background)
Pablo Santaella - Trombone
John Scarpulla - Sax (Baritone)
Jose Tavares - Bass 

Forever the innovator, the undisputed Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, has topped the charts with her 2001 CD release, La Negra Tiene Tumbao. Mesmerizing tumbao rhythms permeate this recording that has captivated critics and fans alike. The warm and zesty music appeals to both younger and older audiences. Cruz, in her eighh decade of life and fifth decade of recording, is also hot with the young set. At her historic appearance at the 2001 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the audience was jammed with young people who came to pay homage to the living legend. She did not disappoint, dressed in dazzling sequins and belting out tune after tune in her vibrant and seasoned voice. Keeping up with the times, the title track of the CD features a long rap sequence that has made it wildly popular with not only young Latino fans, but English-speaking audiences as well. The song and album that are up for a Latin Grammy can be heard not only on the big Latin American stations in L.A., New York, and Miami, but on many English-speaking stations as well. While "La Negra Tiene Tumbao" may be the CD's biggest draw, there are many other outstanding selections on the recording. Backed by a big sound of trumpets, trombones, and percussion instruments, Cruz puts out a musical feast of Afro-Cuban sound, such as on "Tatia Bilongo" and "Sin Clave No Hoy." The latter tune features a wonderful piano solo by Isidro Infante. Cruz sings a couple of great duets with musical colleague Johnny Pachecho. "Dejenme Vivir" and "Tararea Kumbayea" are a happy union of the voices of these longtime friends. From start to finish, the CD swings, as the electrifying and indefatigable Celia Cruz proves once again that being young is a state of mind. ---Rose of Sharon Witmer, Rovi

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1.Ella Tiene fuego
2.José Caridad
3.Ríe y Llora
4.Ay, Pena, Penita
5.Diagnóstico
6.La Niña de la Trenza Negra
7.Me Huele a Rumba
8.No Estés Amargao
9.Pa' la Cola
10.María la Loca
11.Yo Viviré (I Will Survive)

Celia Cruz - Vocals
Jose "Majito" Aguilera - Bata, Bongos, Cajon, Coros, Percussion, Timbales, Tumbadora
Bandolero - Raperos
Julio Barreto - Coros
Juan Cerro - Spanish Guitar
Cherito - Coros
William Duvall - Coros
Sergio George - Bajo Sexto, Keyboards, Piano
Oscar Gomez - Coros
Ivan "Melón" González - Piano
Yrvis Mendez - Bajo Sexto, Coros, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Keyboards
Juan Munguía - Trumpet
Alain Pérez - Bajo Sexto, Coros, Keyboards, Tres
Marc Quiñones - Percussion
Luis Quintero - Percussion
Rubén Rodríguez - Bajo Sexto
Bernd Schoenhart - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) 

The final recording of the mighty Queen of Salsa's career, Regalo del Alma was certainly in keeping with the exuberant, joyful tone that her enormous fan base has come to expect from her. With stylistic influences and production value a bit more modern than one might expect from a legend whose recording career has spanned 45 years, this album will hook yet another generation on Celia Cruz's regal, earthy presence. Cruz is joined by a cast of consummate professionals including producer Sergio George, percussionists Marc Quiñones and Luis Quintero, and many of the usual suspects that one might expect to find on a record of this caliber. These contemporary masters bring a freshness to the project that is invigorating. There are several loop-driven tracks like "Ella Tiene Fuego" and "La Nina de la Trenza Negra" that propel Cruz and her loyal fan base into the 21st century. There are times when this production masks the subtle richness of Celia's vocal performance. For this reason, there could be some Cruz purists who are turned off by the new approach. The final track on the album is a creative rendition of the disco classic "I Will Survive." Like a declaration from beyond, chilling lyrics and a gorgeous arrangement hit their mark with force. "In the soul of my people, in the skin of the drums, in the hands of the conga player, in the feet of the dancer, I will live on." ---Evan C. Gutierrez, Rovi

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01. Tamborilero
02. Juntitos Tu Y Yo
03. Cuidate Bien
04. Baila Baila Vicente
05. Lalle Lalle
06. Nadie Me Lo Quita
07. Al Vaiven De Palmeras
08. Tumba La Cana Jibarito
09. Sigo Esperando
10. Para Tu Altar
11. Resurge El Omelenko
12. No Hay Nada Mejor

Celia Cruz. No doubt about it, there have been few singers in the world in the same league as Celia Cruz. Often compared to Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan, she had a star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame" and was made Doctor Honoris Causa at Yale University even though her English was far from impeccable. But above all, for the past 40 years she was UNANIMOUSLY hailed the Queen of Salsa ; that alone was something of a feat. Charismatic with a devastating amount of energy, the exceptional singer Celia Cruz was born in Barrio Santo Suarez, a little town near Havana (Cuba) on 21 October 1924. Her talent for singing was noticed during her teenage years. The story goes that the neighbours would even go to listen at the door to hear her singing lullabies to her little brothers and sisters. Her career was mostly a classical one. Encouraged by one of her cousins, she took part in a singing contest organised by the Cuban radio. She won hands down, joined the conservatory of music and was later engaged by one of the most popular Cuban orchestras of the time, La Sonora Matancera. Their singer -Myrta Silva- had left the group and Celia arrived at just the right time. At first, Myrta Silva's fans were strongly against Celia who they took for an imposter. But the Cuban radio and the group were behind her. In 1951 the first album by La Sonora Matancera featuring Celia Cruz was released. A series of international tours followed (Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, Europe…), films, television shows etc which brought the Lady of Salsa little by little to the forefront. The turning point in Celia Cruz's career came during a tour by La Sonora Matancera in the Americas. It was 1960, Fidel Castro had taken power one year earlier. In Mexico, Celia decided to leave Cuba and move to New York. The Latino community in exile, especially the Porto Ricans of which many lived in New York, welcomed her with open arms, asking her to be their spokesperson. She refused to play such a clearly political role, but naturally became a symbol, not only for Cubans and Porto Ricans but also for Colombians, Mexicans, Argentineans... in other words, all Hispanics. "My English is not even that good, she admitted. And then there are words that cannot be translated. The word "Sugar" does not have the same flavour as our "Azucar !" ("Azucaaaaaar !" was her war cry, a word she pronounced in her very own special way, an exclamation often heard during her songs).

Over the years, Celia Cruz made some historic recordings. Her collaborations with Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Fania All Stars (the super-group of which she was a leading figure), Willie Colon... and even David Byrne have left their mark on the history of Afro-Cuban music. She has acted in several films (including "The Perez Family" in 1995 alongside Anjelica Huston and "The Mambo Kings", a film made in 1992 with Tito Puente, Antonio Banderas and Maruschka Detmers). Regardless of the latest fashion, her concerts were always sold out, bringing together people of all ages and origins. "But the most incredible thing about Celia Cruz", according to one of her photographer friends, "was that she did not even seem to realise that she was a star. She answered the telephone herself, and was the same person in town as on stage". Since 1962, she was married to Pedro Knight (the lead trumpet player with La Sonora Matancera). He taught her to cook, she washed his shirts herself when they went on tour (and they say that she hung the wet washing up between the hotel rooms). She said that he was her inspiration. They were Salsa's mythical couple.

Celia Cruz passed away on July 16 2003. A great lady whose death is a tragic loss for Latin music. ---Magali Bergès

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1 Danos Tu Luz 04:37 
2 Tu Voz 03:21 
3 Por Si Acaso No Regreso 05:50 
4 Cuba Que Lindos Son Tus Paisajes 05:32 
5 Tres Gotas De Agua Bendita 04:17 
6 Celia s Oye Como Va (Oye Como Va) 04:07 
7 Vasos Vacos 04:38 
8 Burundanga 03:28 
9 Yo Vivire (I Will Survive) 04:30 
11 Ay Pena, Penita 04:56 
12 La Negra Tiene Tumbao 04:13 
13 La Candela 07:05 
14 La Vida Es Un Carnaval 06:44

Celia Cruz was one of Latin music's most respected vocalists. A ten-time Grammy nominee, Cruz, who sang only in her native Spanish language, received a Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement award, a National Medal of the Arts, and honorary doctorates from Yale University and the University of Miami. A street in Miami was even renamed in her honor, and Cruz's trademark orange, red, and white polka dot dress and shoes have been placed in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute of Technology. The Hollywood Wax Museum includes a statue of the Cuba-born songstress. According to the European Jazz Network, Cruz "commands her realm with a down-to-earth dignity unmistakably vibrant in her wide smile and striking pose."

One of 14 children, born in the small village of Barrio Santos Suarez, Havana, Cruz was drawn to music from an early age. Her first pair of shoes was a gift from a tourist for whom she sang. In addition to spending many evenings singing her younger siblings to sleep, Cruz sang in school productions and community gatherings. Taken to cabarets and nightclubs by an aunt, she was introduced to the world of professional music. At the encouragement of a cousin, Cruz began to enter and win local talent shows. Although her father attempted to guide her toward a career as a teacher, Cruz continued to be lured by music. In a 1997 interview, she said, "I have fulfilled my father's wish to be a teacher as, through my music, I teach generations of people about my culture and the happiness that is found in just living life. As a performer, I want people to feel their hearts sing and their spirits soar." Enrolling in Cuba's Conservatory of Music in 1947, Cruz found her earliest inspiration in the singing of Afro-Cuban vocalist Paulina Alvarez. Her first break came when she was invited to join the band la Sonora Matancera in 1950. The group was revered as the Latin equivalent of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Cruz remained with the group for 15 years, touring throughout the world. She married the band's trumpet player Pedro Knight on July 14, 1962. With Fidel Castro's assuming control of Cuba in 1960, Cruz and Knight refused to return to their homeland and became citizens of the United States. Although they initially signed to perform with the orchestra of the Hollywood Palladium, Cruz and Knight eventually settled in New York. Knight became Cruz's manager in 1965, a position he held until the mid-'90s when he began to devote his attention to serving as her musical director and conductor of her band.

Leaving Sonora Matancera's band in 1965, Cruz launched her solo career with a band formed for her by Tito Puente. Despite releasing eight albums together, the collaboration failed to achieve commercial success. Cruz and Puente resumed their partnership with a special appearance at the Grammy Award ceremonies in 1987. Signed by Vaya, the sister label of Fania, Cruz recorded with Oscar D'Leon, Cheo Feliciano, and Hector Rodriquez in the mid- to late '60s. Cruz's first success since leaving Sonora Matancera came in 1974 when she recorded a duo album, Celia and Johnny, with Johnny Pacheco, trombone player and the co-owner of Fania. She subsequently began appearing with the Fania All Stars. Cruz's popularity reached its highest level when she appeared in the 1992 film The Mambo Kings. Cruz also appeared in the film The Perez Family. She sang a duet version of "Loco de Amor," with David Byrne, in the Jonathan Demme movie Something Wild. In 1998, Cruz released Duets, an album featuring her singing with Willie Colon, Angela Carrasco, Oscar D'Leon, Jose Alberto "El Canario," and la India. Cruz continued to record and perform until sidelined by a brain tumor in 2002. While recovering from surgery to remove the tumor, she managed to make it in to the studio in early 2003 to record Regalo de Alma. Her surgery was only partially successful and she died July 16, 2003. The passing of the "Queen of Salsa" left a huge gap in Latin music, but also a remarkable catalog to document her reign. --- Craig Harris, All Music Guide

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01. Pun Pun Catalu
02. Son Matamoros
03. Quimbara
04. Cao Cao, Mani Picao
05. Bemba Colora
06. Cucula
07. Isadora
08. Besitos de coco
09. Tatalibaba
10. Canto a la Habana
11. Preferi Perderte
12. Burundanga
13. Se que tu
14. La Dicha Mia
15. Mi Caso
16. Las Divorciadas
17. Yo soy la Voz

Celia Cruz was the Cuban-born salsa singer, who sang only in Spanish, but who received plaudits from throughout the United States. Her career amassed a back catalogue over 50 studio albums, 23 of which were gold-selling, three Grammys and four Latin Grammys. Cruz was born in Havana, where she sang in clubs and bars in her teens before going for a formal music education at the Conservatory of Music. After graduating she joined Cuban orchestra La Sonoro Matancera, and sang with them all over the world. When Castro took control of Cuba in 1960, Cruz took US citizenship and moved to the States, where joined up with established US-Latin star Tito Puente when she left the band in 1965.

The Cruz/Puente collaborations were, at that time, unsuccessful, her major break through came in 1974 with the Celia and Johnny album, recorded with Johnny Pacheco. Pacheco was of the co-owner of Fania Records, who specialised in Latin American music. He formed the Fania All Stars, which featured members of the labels salsa bands, and Cruz joined them on their tours. She toured and performed throughout the Eighties and Nineties, with Latin and pop stars, including a duet with ex-Talking Heads frontman David Byrne from his Rei Momo album. The track was featured on the film Something Wild, she also made an appearance in the film The Mambo Kings. Cruz died from complications resulting from to a brain tumor in 2003.

Celia Cruz (ur. 21 października 1925 w Hawanie (Kuba), zm. 16 lipca 2003 w Fort Lee (New Jersey, USA)) – jedna z najpopularniejszych i najlepiej zarabiających piosenkarek latynoamerykańskich. Większą część życia spędziła w USA, gdzie tworzyła, przez co zdobyła sławę i uznanie na całym świecie.

Ukończyła konserwatorium muzyczne w Hawanie. 1950-1965 śpiewała w La Sonora Matancera, najpierw na Kubie, potem w Meksyku, na początku lat 60. wyemigrowała do Stanów Zjednoczonych. W 1966 związała się z Tito Puente, współpracowała również z innymi zespołami i wykonawcami np. z gwiazdą muzyki pop D. Byrnem. 1973 wystąpiła w operze Hommy L. Harlowa w Carnegie Hall, zagrała również w kilku filmach (m.in. w Mambo Kings). Słynęła z ekstrawaganckich kreacji estradowych, talentu muzycznego i sztuki improwizacji. Odbyła liczne tournée w krajach Ameryki Łacińskiej, Ameryce Północnej i Europie.

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