Born José Manuel Cobles, Puerto Plata is an 84-year-old sonero who's a virtual encyclopedia of the acoustic guitar traditions of the Dominican Republic. He's known as a master of the son genre; however, as the tunes on this disc demonstrate, he's a master of a lot more than just that kind of music. For instance, opener "Amarro con Fé" is a lively guaracha about a man who escapes the clutches of a woman who tries to hold him with witchcraft. The lovely "Santiago," also the name of Puerto Plata's hometown, is a bolero. "Los Piratas," a meringue, is an original tune dealing with the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and features a fiery guitar solo by Frank Mendez. This music is an extraordinary listening experience, in terms of the proficient acoustic guitar work and Puerto Plata's marvelous vocals.—Philip Van Vleck