Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Lucky 7 (Remastered 2026) (1975/2026)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 50:29 minutes | 1,85 GB | Genre: World, Latin, Salsa
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Craft Recordings

Craft Latino marks the 50th anniversary of Lucky 7 with a special reissue of the landmark salsa album from pioneering bandleader Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound. Featuring the mega-hit “Mi desengaño,” plus such cross-generational favorites as “Fea,” “Mala maña,” and “Que me castigue Dios,” the long-out-of-print album returns for the first time since its 1976 release – now in a 24bit remaster version.

This special anniversary edition of Lucky 7 features all-analog (AAA) mastering cut from the original tapes by Dave Polster and Clint Holley at Well Made Music.One of the most important names in salsa music, Roberto Roena (1940–2021) was a multi-talented artist, whose work as a bandleader, percussionist, and dancer helped to pioneer the genre. A native of Puerto Rico, Roena was just a teenager when he caught the attention of legendary bandleader Rafael Cortijo, who not only taught Roena to play the bongos and cowbell but also made him a member of his world-renowned orchestra, Cortijo y su Combo. When the group dissolved in the early 1960s, Roena reunited with former bandmates to assemble El Gran Combo. The salsa orchestra would soon become one of Puerto Rico’s most famous acts.

By 1969, Roena was eager to strike out on his own and assembled a 12-piece band, Apollo Sound—a name which reportedly came about after their first rehearsal coincided with the historic launch of the Apollo 11 mission. Taking a stylistic cue from the fusion bands of the day, the group created a distinct, funky sound that was defined by a heavy brass section, featuring two or three trumpets, a trombone player, and a saxophonist. Their live shows were equally electrifying, as Roena—a consummate performer—was known to emerge from behind the bongos, keeping crowds on their toes with an awe-inspiring spectacle of aerial tricks, psychedelic lighting, and an arsenal of dance moves.

Within a year, Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound caught the attention of New York City’s Fania Records. Over the next five years, the prolific group released a series of self-titled albums under Fania’s International Records imprint (Apollo Sound 1-6). Their seventh studio album, 1976’s Lucky 7, found the innovative band reaching new levels with their sophisticated arrangements, soulful grooves, and dancefloor-ready rhythms. At the forefront is Papo Sanchez—who had recently joined the group as co-lead vocalist—alongside Sammy Gonzalez. The pair deliver emotive performances throughout, including “Mi desengaño,” an up-tempo track whose buoyant energy contradicts its melancholic themes of disillusionment in love. The song, along with many selections from the album, became an instant salsa classic.

Other popular highlights include the Ruben Blades-penned “Que me castigue Dios,” the merengue “Mala maña,” as well as favorites like “Fea,” “La hija de la vecina,” and “Me le fugué a la candela.” Joining the Apollo Sound were a number of powerhouse artists, including Justo Betancourt, Paquito Guzmán, and Mario Álvarez on backing vocals, plus pianist Carlos Rodriguez, while various celebrated arrangers—including Papo Lucca, Elias Lopes, Jorge Millet, and Luis “Perico” Ortiz—helped bring Roena’s vision to life.

Upon its release, Lucky 7 quickly became one of the bestselling salsa albums of all time and has long since been considered a salsa dura masterpiece, thanks in large part to the breakout success of “Mi desengaño,” a major hit for Roena that Latin Music Café writes, “took Salsa music mainstream. The poetic lyrics, the smooth and slow ‘son,’ mixed with a bossa nova-based mambo made this an easy song to listen for those that didn’t listen to Salsa music before.”

While Apollo Sound were well on their way to becoming one of the greatest salsa bands of all time, Roena also enjoyed significant success as a solo artist—particularly through his involvement in the legendary Latin supergroup Fania All Stars, as well as his high-profile work with Cameroonian star Manu Dibango. A consummate showman with a career that spanned over six decades, the International Latin Music Hall of Fame inductee continued to command the stage well into his 70s.

Tracklist:

1-1. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Que Me Castigue Dios (Remastered 2026) (05:56)
1-2. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – A Bailar Mi Bomba (Remastered 2026) (05:00)
1-3. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Te Voy a Tratar (Remastered 2026) (03:40)
1-4. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Estás Equivocada (Remastered 2026) (05:59)
1-5. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Fea (Remastered 2026) (05:52)
1-6. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Mi Desengaño (Remastered 2026) (05:35)
1-7. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – La Hija de la Vecina (Remastered 2026) (04:20)
1-8. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Hoy Mi Día Triste (Remastered 2026) (03:46)
1-9. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – La Mala Maña (Remastered 2026) (04:59)
1-10. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Me Le Fugué a la Candela (Remastered 2026) (05:19)

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Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound (Remastered 2024) (1970/2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 34:26 minutes | 1,07 GB | Genre: World, Latin, Salsa
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Craft Recordings

This reissue celebrates Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound’s first release for Fania Records in 1970. Founded in 1969, “Apollo Sound” was considered one of the best salsa bands in Puerto Rico. Standout tracks include “Tu Loco Loco, y Yo Tranquilo,” “El Escapulario” and the Bobby Capó classic “Soñando con Puerto Rico.”

Tracklist:

1-01. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Tu Loco Loco, y Yo Tranquilo (Remastered 2024) (03:19)
1-02. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Sing A Simple Song (Remastered 2024) (02:43)
1-03. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Consolación (Remastered 2024) (03:28)
1-04. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Soñando con Puerto Rico (Remastered 2024) (03:47)
1-05. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – El Escapulario (Remastered 2024) (04:27)
1-06. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – El Sordo (Remastered 2024) (03:47)
1-07. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – El Pato de la Bahía (Remastered 2024) (03:15)
1-08. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – El Barrio Sin Guapo (Remastered 2024) (04:23)
1-09. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Han Pasado Algunos Dias (Remastered 2024) (02:59)
1-10. Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound – Spinning Wheel (Remastered 2024) (02:14)

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