Ironically, El Gran Combo turn in quite a memorable effort with Amame, despite the romantic/erotic wave that was hitting the salsa trend in the late '80s. Rafael Ithier wisely used arrangers Louis Garcia and Ernesto Sanchez to add extra color and variations to a firmly established sound. The title tune, "Aguacero," "Brindis a la Vida," and "Todo Bien" are gleeful tunes, the antithesis of the not-so-durable erotic trend that evolved into a strictly romantic styling. An interesting variation of the familiar, tastefully done