album rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Salsa dura / salsa. …De Frente y Luchando ('…Facing Forward and Fighting') is the debut album by Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor, a Venezuelan salsa ensemble, released in 1978 on Velvet Records. The group's founding was the direct result of a split with singer and bandleader Oscar D'León: in 1976, D'León had left the celebrated Dimensión Latina to form his own orchestra, Óscar D'León y su Salsa Mayor. Two years later, seven of the musicians in that band — timbalero and musical director Alfredo Padilla, vocalists Leo Pacheco and Pellín Rodríguez, bassist Pedro Pacheco (Miguel Pacheco), trombonists William Puchi and José 'Pipo' Pérez, and trumpeter Henry Camba — decided, reportedly for economic reasons, to form their own independent group. They initially considered calling it La Salsa Suprema, but settled on Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor. After legal disputes with D'León over the name, Padilla took the definitive leadership of the orchestra and directed the recording of this debut album. The album was recorded at Estudio Master Piece Record Studio. Arrangements are by Bobby Valentín (tracks A1, B5), Ray Santos (tracks A2, A4, A5, B4), Jorge Millet (tracks A3, B1, B2), and Alfredito Linares (B3). The three lead vocalists are Carlos 'El Grande', Leo Pacheco and Pellín Rodríguez. Trumpets: Carlos R. Blanco, Elias Lopes and Henry Camba. The ten tracks include 'Fuimos Amigos' (written by Maritza Blanco de Puchi), 'Avelina', 'Compay Póngase Duro', 'Bajo el Palmar', 'Ven, Cosa Buena', 'Lo Que le Pasó a Luisita', 'Camina y Prende el Fogón', 'Sonerito', 'Corazón No Llores' and 'Envidia e Hipocresía'. The Sabor Caribe programme on La Pedagógica Radio described the album as 'the first salsa success' of the orchestra, bearing the name 'De Frente y Luchando' as a statement of intent.
Label: Velvet Records (Venezuela/Colombia), 1978. Catalogue: LPV-1787 (Venezuela), 252032 (Colombia).
Producer: Not individually specified in publicly available sources. Musical direction: Alfredo Padilla (timbales, band director).
Recording studio: Estudio Master Piece Record Studio.
Critical reception: …De Frente y Luchando was received positively within the Venezuelan and Colombian salsa circuits, establishing La Salsa Mayor as a significant independent voice in the salsa dura tradition. Rate Your Music users give the album a 3.78 average. The Sabor Caribe radio programme dedicated a full episode to the album, describing the orchestra as a key figure in Venezuelan salsa history. The rich arranging roster — Bobby Valentín, Ray Santos, Alfredito Linares, Jorge Millet — connected the album to the highest levels of 1970s New York and Caribbean salsa production.
Commercial success: …De Frente y Luchando was distributed across Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador, establishing the orchestra's regional following. The album was successful enough for the group to record further material in 1979 (Fuerte y caliente… Strong & Hot, and Nuestra Orquesta La Salsa Mayor) and 1980 (Sabrosa). The Velvet label also released a US edition in 1999 on CD (catalogue 5280-2). La Salsa Mayor has released a 40-year retrospective (Velvet, 2007) and continues to be regarded as an important chapter in Venezuelan popular music.
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Recording studio: Estudio Master Piece Record Studio, San Juan de Puerto Rico (Adding Info).