Latin | Brazil Vinyl 482 Items

For number 90 in the Brazil45 series, we share a couple of lesser-known discoveries that have become recent favourites here at Bongo HQ.

First up we head to the north of Brazil with funky Forró / boogie hybrid monster, 'Vendedor De Mangaios' by Josan. Originally released in 1981 on the album 'Rio De Renovações’ on Copacabana Records. This addictive dancefloor gem is still relatively under the radar, but it has become a firm favourite at Bristol's Worm Disco Club parties and amongst the DJ's and collectors of Brazil's underground dance music scene.

Taken from the illustrious singer Bartô Galeno's self-titled 1977 album on Tapecar Records, 'Vou Tirar Você Daqui' is an unusual one. Not easily pigeon-holed, the song sits somewhere between MPB / funk and rock, yet isn't really any of them. Backed with a big orchestrated sound and tripped-out synths, the track has a truly unique feel.

We hope you dig these finds. Another testament to the diversity and depth of Brazil's rich musical heritage.

Dominican multi-instrumentalist Alex Malajunta is back on wax with a super hot, up-tempo, original merengue with "Rumbón." Party tested and dancer approved! The B-side is an updated version of the 1980s Ramon Orlando hit "Weo" featuring the merengue legend himself! Excellent call and response on this song for audience engagement.

London based band Son Yambu are back with their second album full of original son Cubano, continuing the Buena Vista legacy that put Cuban music back on the world map in 1997. Featuring a new line up of the very best of Cuba's musical diaspora, 'Tremendo Ambiente'reflectsthe evolving nature of the music whilst at the same time paying homage to its roots. Recorded in London, 'Tremendo Ambiente' features Son Yambu's traditional 'sonora' sound of two trumpets.Made up entirely of original songs, the album features a varied collection of Cuban and Caribbean rhythms.

Henri Guédon is an artistic legend from Martinique. Musician, painter, sculptor and one of the main architects of modern Caribbean/Antilles music. Taking the music to truly new and progressive territory from the late 1960’s onward. Karma, his 2nd album is one of the holy grails of the Caribbean cosmic Latin/Jazz scene, near impossible to find in this day and age. Released in 1975 on a small Parisian label, La Voix Du Globe, a label releasing Algerian, Moroccan and Egyptian records, the album was an anomalous release in their catalog. Karma was a convincing and unswerving statement following his stunning landmark debut LP (Cosmozouk Percussion). Incorporating African, Latin and West Indies styles (Gwoka, Mazouk, Biguine, Bel-Air, Bomba...) with cosmic synths swirling all over intense roots percussion. The songs are propelled with a spiritual Jazz vibe mixing with deep ethno-folk music from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The LP belongs to the same vein as as Marius Cultier, Louis Xavier or William Onyeabor for its totally original take on a hybrid music.

It's About Time To Uncover The Most Unknown Brazilian Music Style. Unlike Other Brazilian Musical Traditions As Samba And Bossa-Nova, Never Ever Anything Of Caipira Music Has Been Released Outside Brazil. Repairing This Huge Gap, Vampisoul Presents Helena Meirelles - A Rainha Da Viola Caipira, A Stunning 25-Track Compilation Of The Revered Queen Of The Viola Caipira, Mrs Meirelles.A Stunning Compilation Of The Revered Queen Of The Viola Caipira, Helena Meirelles, Once Included In The Top 100 World's Guitar Players By Guitar Player Magazine.On This Double-Lp Anthology You Will Face Some Of The Most Expressive Helena's Creations. 'Guaxo', For Examplecontains An Ultra-Melodic Guitar Riff That Will Stick In Your Ears For Ages While 'Mercedita' Has An Evolving Rifferama. 'Saudades Do Meu Velho Pai', On The Other Hand, Is A Typical Baiao, A Very Peculiar Northeasternrhythm In Brazil, De-Constructed By Her Very Own Style. 'Flor Da Guavira' Is A Delicious Caipira-Ballad. These Are Only A Few Great Ones, Amongst So Many Other Exquisite, And Unusual Delights.A Fascinating Journey Into One Of The Lesser Covered Brazilian Genres, Caipira, Rich In Folk And Country Music Elements. Reissued On Vinyl For The First Time.Considered By The Guitar Player Magazine, One The 100 Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time, Don't Miss The Chance To Discover A Brand New Kind Of (Brazilian) Folk Music.

Cerrero, Llorona Records Founder's Solo Project, Joins Young "Gaita Flute" And Trumpet Wizard El "León" Pardo (Ondatrópica) For An Acid Cumbia Infused Dub Journey To The Underground Electronic Sound Of South America. Blend Of Ritualism And Futurism, Rough Ethereal Sound, Melancholic Voices And Analog Dub Mixing For A Unique Record That Presents The Work Of The Thriving Electronic Acts From Colombia. Llorona's In-House Act, Cerrero, Teaming Up With Another Colombian, Gaitero And Trompetista, El Leon Pardo. The Enigmatic And Cult Like Figure Has Featured On Many-A-Colombian Record In Recent Years, Including, Ondatropica And Velandia Y La Tigra. Though This Might Be One Of The Most Exciting Match-Ups Yet. Cerrero's Minimalistic Electronic Beats Channeled Through An Analogue Console Alongside The Abraded Howls Of Gaita And Accentuated Trumpet Work. The Deep And Bassy Four-Track Ep, Canción Para Un Amigo, Was Justly Named To Mark The Meeting Of These Two Brilliant Minds. Mixed In The Extemporaneous Ambience Of A Live Recorded Session, It Makes For A Riveting Listen. Six Standalone Tracks, Bound Through Crescendoing Loops Which Culminate In An Ethereal And Atmospheric Ritual Of Sound Which Evokes Colombian Ancestry. From The Spellbinding Opening Of Gaita-Led "Canción Para Un Amigo", The Ep Evolves Through "Todo Te Llevaste", A Track Skillfully Stitched Between Its Vocal Interludes By The Rat-A-Tat Of Accented Tambor, A Fanfare Of Trumpets And Underpinning Bass Line. Closing Out Via "Cumbia En Lejanía"'S, Gaita / Trumpet Led Interplay Into "Despedida", A Pining Jazz Melody Soaked In Reverb, It's As Complete Of A Work We've Heard Yet From Cerrero And Represents Another Glistening Gem In The Ever Increasing Bows Of The Llorona Catalogue. Inescapably Mesmeric As It Is A True Delight.

Recorded in Brazil after spending the late 70s in the US, Marcos Valle brought together his innate talent and diverse influences on this irresistible record bursting with groove. Among a selection of top musicians, the line-up features Lincoln Olivetti & Robson Jorge and Leon Ware. Includes the Brazilian boogie anthem ›Estrelar‹, Marcos Valle's biggest hit from the 80s and one of the most celebrated songs in his entire career.

The album is full of soaring disco tracks, killer vocal boogie numbers and blissing instrumentals over a well-balanced tracklist that satisfies both the listening pleasure and the dancefloor needs. Essential! Presented in facsimile artwork.

If you order additional products from our site they will be sent out with 'Toni Tornado - 'Sou Negro' / Zeca Do Trombone 'Coluna Do Meio'', so please place a separate order for those. For volume 86 in the Brazil45 series, we return with a pair of stellar 1970s Brazilian-Funk / Black Rio nuggets by two of the greats of the genre, Toni Tornado & Zeca Do Trombone. 'Sou Negro' (I'm Black) is taken from Toni Tornado's (aka Antônio Viana Gomes) sought after 1970 four-track compacto EP on Odeon Records. Already having had some experience in show business as a dancer in the 1960s, Toni started his musical career in 1970 and adopted the stage name 'Toni Tornado'. The influence of James Brown flowed through his music, with Toni becoming one of the first Brazilian artists (alongside Tim Maia) to introduce the soul and funk sound into Brazilian music. Together with other contemporary musicians and bands such as Banda Black Rio, Gerson King Combo and Cassiano, this new sound led to DJ's throwing soul parties. This unique Brazilian take on soul and funk (and later on disco) became coined as 'Black Rio'. A movement that celebrated pride in its Black identity and consciousness. Zeca Do Trombone has an impressive repertoire which has seen him releasing a handful of solo albums and working with some of the greats of Brazilian music, such as Tim Maia, Ivan Lins, Joyce, and Luis Vagner. The track 'Coluna Do Meio' is taken from his 1976 collaboration project 'Zé Do Trombone E Roberto Sax' with saxophonist Roberto Sax, which additionally features the heavyweight Wilson das Neves on percussion. This catchy Wah-Wah guitar-led dancer has become a favourite with DJ's over the years and will continue to be championed for years to come.

Compilation of the best tracks of Mocko Jumbie's only two albums, infectious blend between funk/soul/soca, has a disco tinged feel on 'Children Children' and a electronic edge on 'We Can Live Together', flipside holds lovely soca tunes. The second youngest of eight children, Hugo Leanzo Moolenaar was born on September 23rd, 1948, in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. His mother was from Puerto Rico; his Dutch-German father worked as a contractor, but also played the guitar and had a 6-piece band that performed at house parties. The young Hugo was a born entertainer. Watching his elders, particularly an uncle who played the ukulele, he began to teach himself to play guitar, practicing on his own. Eventually he began to perform his own songs as he gradually gained confidence and ability. As well as being a proficient musician, Hugo would also become a highly skilled Mocko Jumbie — a performer of the carnival stilt dancing tradition which has had a presence in the Virgin Islands for several hundred years, and which historians consider to have been brought to the Caribbean by enslaved West Africans. Carnival in the Virgin Islands was revived in 1952, and from then on it became an annual event. The two most famous Mocko Jumbies at this time were John Magnus Farrell and William Richardson (to whom Hugo would dedicate his second album). The pair mentored a young talent named Alvin “Allie” Paul who later in turn would go on to teach many others. In 1964, at age 14, Paul entered the St. Thomas carnival as a stilt-dancer, and revolutionized the Mocko Jumbie style. While Farrell and Richardson would perform in a more European influenced outfit — usually a conical shaped hat, a female dress and a wire mask — Allie brought back some of the older African influence, wearing what some say is a Ghanaian-style hat and striped pants to cover the stilts. Paul founded his own troupe in the late 1960s. He was the first to allow female students, starting by teaching family members and friends. One of his best students was Hugo Moolenaar, who quickly became known as one of the fastest dancers on the 6’ stilts, and was renowned for adding kung-fu-style moves to his performances. In 1968, Hugo enlisted in the US army. He served in Vietnam, where he was severely injured. In 1970 he was honorably discharged and was awarded the prestigious Purple Heart for his service. Nevertheless, his injuries did not stop him from returning to Mocko Jumbie performance, and his reputation continued to grow. He also began to work for local government in St. Thomas. In the fall of 1982, Hugo was asked to become a resident performer at the Hotel Shibui in Contant Hill, St. Thomas after a convincing audition for the manager. Hugo brought in his girlfriend Juanita, a singer since high school, and a duo was born. Together, they performed Hugo’s compositions. Eventually, Juanita started to learn Mocko Jumbie as well. The couple, who were married in 1983, later founded a Mocko Jumbie school, that at its peak had 75 students. The steady income from the hotel residency provided financial opportunity that the entrepreneurial Hugo seized. Travelling with their band to Puerto Rico, Hugo and Juanita hired a local horn section and created Hugo’s first album, entitled High, High, High, a reference to the Mocko Jumbie tradition. The cover depicts Hugo dressed in a golden outfit on stilts, on a palm beach, holding a guitar while Juanita looks on from the ground, holding their two children. Hugo’s second release, Mocko Jumbie Jamboree, came out not long after and also featured original compositions. It was recorded at the local Virgin Island studio Turtle Point. Both albums were self-distributed and feature a heady cocktail of island and popular sounds – from jump-up calypsos and kaisos to drummachine modern soul and upful disco. During his career, Hugo performed the Mocko Jumbie on many neighboring Caribbean islands, as well as in the US, in New York, Portland, Oregon, and at the 1979 Super Bowl show in Miami, alongside the Grammacks band from Dominica. He also performed in Japan, as well as at the Festival de Música del Caribe in Cartagena, Columbia, where he appeared in a bullfighting arena with a group of the finest Mocko Jumbies and a local Virgin Islands band. But in 1989 a hurricane — ironically named Hugo —destroyed many of the Moolenaar’s belongings, including master tapes and photos, leaving them with very little to show for their long careers. Hugo retired in 2008, after working 32 years for the local government. In 2009, the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism adapted a new logo, a Mocko Jumbie. I’d like to think Hugo Moolenaar was a part of the reason. Hugo passed away on January 25th, 2012, from cancer. It is thought that the disease may have been a result of exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Vietnam. To his very last day, Hugo lived by his motto: “Peace, Love and Happiness Always”.

LOS Disco Duro are back with a futuristic/retro reworking of the Celia Cruz y Sonora Santanera guaracha classic "Pa' la Paloma" in their signature vocoder style. Robot vocals meet the laid back electro beat surrounded by FM synthesis for extra weirdness while the white hot timbale solo brings it all back down to earth. This soon to be collectible one sider is pressed on a limited edition clear flexi for extra space saving advantages. ¡No te lo pierdas!

Renata Lu is a bit of a mystery figure... She only made a few albums in the 1970s and sang backup on many more such Tim Maia and Nonato Buzar but for whatever reasons never seemed to make it into the MPB upper echelons. Debuted solo in 1971 on her self-titled album for Copacabana Records with a heavyweight fusion of US style soul and funk with added Latin percussion. This features Renata Lu singing over a hybrid samba/boogaloo backing track rich in jaunty bass, rasping horns and jazzy electric piano riffs. Rare LP finally reissued on a deluxe edition. One of the landmarks of Funk Carioca.

Brazilian music at it's finest! 2x7" set with four beautiful songs from Piry Reis. Disc one is a reissue of his 1975 "Heroi Moderno" and includes the sought after 7inch version of "Cisplatina". The second holds the rare cuts "Reza Brava" & "Céu De Manágua". The project came together with the blessing of Piry Reis himself and is released on the sub-label of Rush Hour recordings, New Dawn - set up for less electronic but equally adventurous releases by artists we love. Artwork by Amsterdam's Sekan with a touch by Megin Hayden.

El Salvador, the last frontier... the psychedelic revolution also reached this small country from Central America in the 60s, resulting in the formation of many teen garage bands. Until now, little was known about this amazing local music scene that took place in the late 60s and early 70s... a true musical revolution. Due to the lack of resources, musicians often had to build their own fuzz and effects pedals and in studio recordings, primitive tape experimentation and echo were often used... the result was a very unique sound, 100% raw & wild. Hear tremendous fuzzed-out covers of Doors, Blue Cheer, Country Joe & The Fish or Alan Bown along with cool self-penned songs. All tracks taken from very hard to find 45s, most of them unknown outside of El Salvador until now. Feat: Kiriaps, Los Saltos, San Miguel, Los Vikings, Los Rebeldes, Los Junior’s, Los Intocables… Includes color insert with detailed liner notes in English/Spanish and cool photos.

Sérgio Dias, the only remaining original member, led the band until its dissolution in 1978. During this time, they released one more studio album, a live album and an EP. Two unreleased albums were released many years later, the aforementioned O A e o Z and Tecnicolor recorded in 1970 and released in 2000. Here’s a brilliant performance of the band just before they disbanded embracing a more solid prog-rock vibe

Mi Conga es de Akokan is built on the Conga de los Hoyos rhythms from Santiago de Cuba. Saxophones and trombones alternate with vocals imploring the listener to dance over intensely syncopated percussion, leading to a melodic flight by the masterful trumpeter Reinaldo "Molote" Melian. The horns re-enter, and the Orquesta takes off to soaring heights of rhythmic intensity and sophistication. La Guajira is a slow country rhythm told by the tres guitar and percussion onto which horns and strings add slinking, narcotized harmonies. Pepito tells a sensual tale of romance with a girl from the country (la guajira), which slowly builds in intensity over soneos, coros and mambos until all parts interlock in a lugubrious climax.

Gary took 25 years to make his debut Gods in Brasil but less than 1 year to make his follow up. Songs from the vaults newly recorded with the same great band featuring touches of Steely Dan, Marcos Valle & Leon Ware, Brazilian Boogie, 70s Samba Soul and even a hint of Scott Walker. “A joyous revival of 1970’s musical moods, under smart contemporary arrangements and sweet interpretations.” Arnoldo Medeiros