Tagged "the Latin Motown", Fania is perhaps most famous for its recordings during the coming of age of salsa from the late 60's to the late 70's, when Latin (often Cuban) dance formats like rumba, guaracha, mambo, son and cha cha fused with big band American jazz and the gritty punch of US R&B in the unique melting pot of New York. Strut begin their programme of Fania albums with a series entitled Fania Essential Recordings, tracing the development of the many genres featured on the label from Latin soul to boogaloo to descarga. The first instalment, 'Salsa Explosion', provides a handy introduction to the classic Fania sound through some of the label's major artists including Celia Cruz, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ray Barretto and the Daddy of the Fania family, Johnny Pacheco.