I’m a huge fan of Ray Barretto’s work – from his early boogaloo hits through his days as a salsa superstar, his participation in the Fania All-Stars, and of course, his seminal Latin Jazz recording – I have so much love for Ray’s work; my favorite Barretto album though, would have to be The Message. The live recording captures the tight knit work of his group, balanced with a natural swing and a love for improvisation. The songwriting is both deeply rooted in tradition and experimental, gently pushing the genre into new territory. Barretto’s conga work is always of interest to me, supportive at all times and fiery when in the spotlight. There’s so much to love here, but at the root of it all is the best element – the stone cold groove of bassist Andy González.

I’ve taken a masterpiece from this album, “Con El Cimarron” and transcribed the bass work. I’ve always loved Andy’s bass playing; put him beside Barretto’s conga playing and that’s a line I have to learn. This one is an upbeat Cha Cha Cha with some catchy and intricate written lines. Andy play those lines with a ferocity that pushes the groove, while adding some serious creativity once the line breaks into a more open section. The depth of Andy’s stylistic knowledge, combined with his musical instincts make for an amazing study. I got a lot from transcribing, learning, and playing this one!

The full transcription will be available in my Patreon community this week. You can join HERE

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