Ya Tengo lo Que Queria!

Ya Tengo lo Que Quería! doesn’t sound like an album made in London. In that sense it’s great evidence of the talent among the Latin Americans currently living in the UK, two of whom define the sound of Conjunto Sabroso: Colombian lead vocalist Luz Elena Caicedo and Venezuelan arranger Wilmer Sifontes. Their self-released debut album demonstrates why many consider them to be the finest salsa group London has. Whether tackling uptempo numbers such as the title-track or boleros like ‘Historia de un Amor, the group excel with their measured interpretations, leaving Caicedo’s mellifluous delivery and the sublime horn section plenty of room to breathe.

Keeping the arrangements tight and focusing on the essentials shows real courage. Their salsa version of the Kenyan song ‘Malayka’ is a delight from start to finish, with an infectious groove, interjections of virtuoso piano and a call-and-response finish bringing the whole thing to a more-than-satisfying conclusion. Even when they venture away from salsa into guajiro or cumbia they are just as comfortable; the second of these incorporating accordion deftly into their sound. Conjunto Sabroso barely put a foot wrong. This is pure, unadulterated salsa with plenty of swing, and a must for the traditionalists.