{"id":3173,"date":"2012-04-03T11:46:46","date_gmt":"2012-04-03T15:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/?p=3173"},"modified":"2019-12-05T16:04:16","modified_gmt":"2019-12-05T20:04:16","slug":"salsa-music-best-all-time-coristas-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/2012\/04\/03\/salsa-music-best-all-time-coristas-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Salsa Music Best All-Time \u201cCoristas\u201d: Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

The chorus is an integral part of Salsa music. Good “coristas” can make or break a song. In this Part 2 of the best “coristas” I’ll cover some of the more contemporary “coristas”.<\/p>\n

Their work may overlap with some of the “coristas” I covered in Part 1<\/a>. However, even if the chronology is not exact, they merit to be mentioned among the best.<\/p>\n

Adalberto Santiago as Fania\u2019s Premier \u201cCorista\u201d<\/h3>\n

Adalberto Santiago<\/a> was the lead singer for Ray Barretto\u2019s band for many years, and then moved on to co-found the Tipica 73, and Los Kimbos. The Puerto Rican singer was probably one of the best \u201ccoristas\u201d around, as he could blend his powerful voice in tones necessary to make a chorus sound harmonious and \u201cfull\u201d.<\/p>\n

Adalberto understood how harmony and contrast are used in a chorus to make them more effective. Perhaps because of this skill and his voice, he was one of the most sought-after \u201ccoristas\u201d during the golden years of Salsa music in the 70\u2019s, 80\u2019s, and even into the 90\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Tito Allen and Nestor Sanchez; Chorus Masters<\/h3>\n

Besides Adalberto Santiago, other two singers that worked the New York scene as \u201ccoristas\u201d later in the 80\u2019s where Tito Allen and Nestor Sanchez.<\/p>\n

\"Tito
Tito Allen, here with Adalberto Santiago, replaced the latter as singer in Ray Barretto’s band.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In my opinion, Tito Allen had one of the most beautiful voices in Salsa music. Tito also had good technique and used his voice in very creative ways. When Ruben Blades was coming up in the Fania Records label, he was used frequently as a \u201ccorista\u201d. In those days, Ruben used his voice with a lower tone, trying to emulate his idol Cheo Feliciano. As a result, he was frequently paired with Tito Allen on recording chorus.<\/p>\n

Tito worked as “corista” in many of Fania recordings. Some of those recordings include some for the late \u201cSonero Mayor\u201d Ismael Rivera. His work with Sonora Ponce\u00f1a in the albums “Musical Conquest” and “El Gigante del Sur” are memorable. The song “Noche Como Boca’e Lobo” is a perfect example of Tito Allen dominating a chorus. He also worked in Ruben Blades later work Son del Solar.<\/p>\n

Nestor Sanchez gained prominence as lead singer of Orchestra Harlow. From his success as singer, he started to participate as “corista” in other Fania recordings. His melodic voice and singing tone also made for a good chorus. When Ruben Blades decided to go solo, and evolved his Seis del Solar into the trombone-backed and more Salsa sounding Son del Solar, he frequently recruited both, Tito Allen and Nestor Sanchez to help with the chorus. The three of them could do some great things behind the microphone.<\/p>\n

Chorus Recording on “Anacaona”<\/h3>\n

You’ve probably seen this video many times before, but here’s the Fania All Stars song “Anacaona”, with a part in middle where Ismael Miranda, Adalberto Santiago, and Cheo Feliciano work on dubbing the chorus at the recording studio.<\/p>\n