A Great SHO

In salsa, it’s easy to separate good bands from bad, but explaining what divides the better from the best takes some work. Is it energy, ability, or technical proficiency? Is it spirit, soul, or faithfulness to the essence of Afro-Latin sounds and styles? After hearing the Spanish Harlem Orchestra lay down some tracks, we’ll come out and say it: Either you swing, or you don’t. Either you’re at the top of your game, or you’re not. Simply put, you can’t fake it by playing louder and faster, or by throwing some flashy stage antics into the mix. The Fania All-Stars had it, La Perfecta had it, and — though it might be too soon for comparisons to such legendary outfits —the 13-piece Spanish Harlem Orchestra has it. The tight arrangements and brass-heavy tracks on United We Swing, its third album, sizzle with a classic yet contemporary sound that bursts with energy. Under the direction of Oscar Hernández, the ensemble — named after New York’s El Barrio, the birthplace of Nuyorican salsa, Latin soul, and boogaloo — performs original and traditional compositions in the style of old-school salsa dura, or hard salsa, with such verve as to establish themselves on the same level as the greats from the ’60s and ’70s.
Fri., April 24, 8 p.m., 2009