This compilation LP, like all others of its kind, recaps this distinctive group's amalgam sound of pop/funk, Latin and soul elements. Five of its major hits are the cornerstone for this package and are indeed as exciting and unique today as when the first singles were issued. The seven members' cohesive style makes the music flow. The cuts are from five previously released LPs and showcase the strong playing of Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B.B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar and Howard Scott. Best cuts: Previous hits like "Slippin' Into Darkness," "Cisco Kid," "The World Is A Ghetto," "Why Can't We Be Friends."

Bonus Reviews!

This band lives up to its name. The powerful, deceptively torpid groove evokes the pace of inner-city pleasures like "All Day Music" and "Summer." But however jokey and off-the-cuff they sound, they're usually singing about conflict, often racial conflict -- the real subject of "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?," which many take for novelty songs. A-

- Robert Christgau, Christgau's Record Guide, 1981.

If you can find this collection (only available on vinyl), get it. Greatest Hits truly lives up to the title, with tracks like "Summer," "All Day Music," "Cisco Kid," "Slippin' into Darkness," "The World Is a Ghetto," and more. * * * * *

- Rick Clark, The All-Music Guide to Rock, 1995.

You may be amazed at how many of these tunes you know and love concur connoisseurs who consider this Cali funk outfit one of the greatest Afro-Latino groups to ever record. There's enough variety here to entertain everyone and make you appreciate how good they were, from classics such as "Cisco Kid" and "The World is a Ghetto" to loose grooves like the fun "Low Rider." * * * *

- Zagat Survey Music Guide - 1,000 Top Albums of All Time, 2003.

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