Barretto transformed what was originally an obscure Cuban folk tune into a smash hit. It remains as forceful as it is catchy. In many ways, this album displays an older and wiser Barretto. Having ridden the youth-oriented boogaloo craze of the '60s, Barretto no longer saw the need to shout or rush himself. The music exudes contentment and exquisiteness. For a long time, Barretto had wrestled with questions of what to do and where to go next. The cleansing fanfares of “Eso Es Amar” and “Vale Mas Un Guaguanco” suggest a king who's learned to slow down and bask in his accomplishment. Though the horns had unquestionably become the lifeblood of the conguero’s music, Barretto closes with an epic of pure percussion. “Canto Abacua” is delivered with an intensity intended to silence any critics who might have whispered that Barretto was losing his edge.