Hard Hands

Hard Hands

On Ray Barretto’s bold Hard Hands, the New York bandleader brings his global percussive prowess to the fore. An exciting document that merges sonic and cultural diversities, the electrifying “Got to Have You” infuses James Brown–leaning piano blues with salsa-driven brass. Clanking its way midpoint into a hip-shaking percussive frenzy, the Ivory Coast–inspired “Abidjan” is a tribute to the high-energy fêtes of West Africa, and the rustic “Mi Ritmo Te Llama” is pure guajira glory, charged with biting chants prone to inspire a rumba dance-off.

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