Rough Guide to Celia Cruz 2005

Celia Cruz was the undisputed ÔQueen of SalsaÕ, and when she died in 2003, after a career spanning nearly seven decades, she left Latin music without a figurehead. Her career began in 1930s Havana and, in 1960, she moved to New York and became a central attraction at Fania Records Ð the Motown of Latin music and powerhouse of salsa. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, CeliaÕs recordings with percussionist and bandleader Tito Puente (the ÔKingÕ to her ÔQueenÕ) and producers Johnny Pacheco and Ray Barretto won streams of awards. This album showcases the unique range and rhythmic versatility of her dazzling voice and the brilliant soloists who surrounded her.