This Panamanian salsa songwriter has provided electrically literate material to tropical music's greatest talents since breaking out with Willie Colón's gutsy 1989 rebuke of homophobia, "El Gran Varón." Whether tailoring "Bembelequa" to Celia Cruz's soulful voice or fashioning pure pop sophistication for Son By 4 with "A Puro Dolor," Omar Alfanno can raise any performer to the next level.