Latin | Brazil Vinyl 300 Items

I was in Lima, hanging out with collector-extraordinaire Victor Zela, who had spent the previous few years pouring his passion for Peruvian Cumbia into the blog „la cumbia de mis viejos“, a trove of incredible music. But after the birth of his first child, his priorities shifted and he decided to part with some of his rarest LPs. I was one of the lucky few given an early chance to examine his treasures, and when I picked up the album Manzaneando com Manzanita, Victor said: “Take it! its one of the best LPs ever recorded in Perú … easily in the top five”. That was all the encouragement I needed … two years later many of the songs from that masterpiece have made it onto Manzanita y su Conjunto, a compilation of electrifying Cumbia sides from Manzanita’s golden era.

Berardo Hernández – better known as Manzanita – first surfaced during the psychedelic Cumbia craze. At the head of the scene were the magnificent Los Destellos, whose leader, Enrique Delgado, was such a six-string wizard that other guitarists found it impossible to escape his shadow. But when Manzanita arrived, his electric criollo style sent shockwaves through Lima’s music scene and posed a serious threat to Delgado’s dominance as king of the Peruvian guitar.

Manzanita had come to Lima from the coastal city of Trujillo, five hundred miles up the coast – a place where Spanish, African and indigenous populations had been living and making music together for centuries – and came of age at a time when the first wave of psychedelic rock from the US and UK was starting to sweep the airwaves. But the sounds of Cream and Hendrix disappeared from the radio just as quickly in 1968 when Juan Velasco seized control of the country in a military coup. The new regime, which favoured local traditions over cultural ‘imports’ from the north, was a blessing in disguise for the Peruvian music scene.

Record labels flourished as new bands, raised on a hybrid diet of electric guitars and Cuban rhythms, rushed in to fill the vacuum created by the lack of imported rock. A new genre, known as Peruvian cumbia, was born and Manzanita quickly became one of its most original voices.

Starting in 1969, Manzanita y su Conjunto released a steady stream of singles that used Cuban guaracha rhythms as the foundation for dazzling electric guitar lines. After countless 45s and several years on the touring circuit, the band signed to Virrey, an important Peruvian label, and recorded two LPs acknowledged as masterpieces among aficionados of tropical music. Most of the songs on Analog Africa’s new compilation Manzanita y su Conjunto are drawn from those legendary sessions of 1973 and 74.

Although he scored a few more hits in the later 70s, his dissatisfaction with the music industry caused him to withdraw from the scene for several years; and when he finally retired for good, the golden age of Peruvian cumbia was a distant memory. But when Manzanita was at the top of his game he had few equals. Victor Zela was right: this is some of the best music ever recorded in Perú.

Classic Brazilian soul funk from 1976 in the same vein as Tim Maia, Jorge Ben or Carlos Dafé's recordings from that period. All four tracks are stunning and feature dramatic vocals, fat drum beats and sophisticated arrangements, following the tradition of the best funk music coming from the States in the '70s. First time reissue.

Tony Bizarro was a Brazilian songwriter, producer and singer who worked with most of the greatest soul and funk artists in Brazil. Boogie and disco music were making headway and soon became popular in the Brazilian market. His own discography comprises just one solo album, released at the peak of his career, a bunch of compactos and some later LPs that did not get any bigger than his best-known hit 'Estou Livre'. This 1976 EP has been a long-time dancefloor weapon for DJs in the same vein as Tim Maia, Jorge Ben or Carlos Dafé's recordings from the same period. All four tracks are stunning! The opening song 'Que Se Faz Da Vida' is a downtempo funk joint with some dramatic vocals by Tony Bizarro, fat drum beats and Isaac-Hayesque wah-wah sounds that could have easily been included in the soundtrack of a blaxploitation movie_ The strings and sophisticated arrangements featured on the flipside elevate this record to the top of the best Brazilian funk ever recorded in the '70s. Very hard to find, especially in good condition, this record now gets a proper reissue for the first time.

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.

A limited edition 7” release by FOXY, both tracks taken from the “GET IT ON” LP. Again DYANMITE CUTS give you never been on 7” release. Including a wonderful re-production of the original sleeve.

One of the 'holy grails' of 1960s Cuban music was not recorded, produced or released in Havana or New York; in fact it was made in Lima, Peru under interesting if somewhat unexpected circumstances.Pianist Alfredo "Alfredito" Valdés Jr. (May 31, 1941, Havana - January 23, 2016, New York), one of the most important figures in Latin music, came from an illustrious musical family in Cuba. In 1956, he emigrated to New York with his family, making him one of the forerunners of Cuban-based salsa music in the US.Three years later at age 18 Alfredito joined Arsenio Rodríguez and his conjunto; then in 1961 Ray Barretto recruited him for his Charanga La Moderna. Alfredito kept himself very busy, studying music and literature during the day and playing at night with the bands of Tito Puente and Machito as well as Arsenio and Barretto. He was a quick reader and writer of music and displayed an impressive versatility and level of skill on the piano.It was precisely these qualities, combined with random chance, that saw Alfredito become substitute pianist for Machito and His Afro-Cubans for a tour that would take him to Colombia and Peru for a number of engagements in the winter of 1964 and into the new year. While in Lima, several problems arose with the Argentine businessman and tour promoter Mauricio Támara who took the Machito gang to the Peruvian capital but forfeited their pay and left them stranded and penniless to fend for themselves in December of 1964. Machito's brother-in-law and musical director Mario Bauzá had to travel to New York to get money for the return of the entire company; meantime the rest of the musicians had not even enough to eat. They ended up being stranded for a total of 3 months.It is from this embarrassing and depressing turn of events that the enterprising Alfredito Valdés Jr. was able to spin musical gold in his newfound Peruvian home. Saying to his band mates, "I am not going to starve here," Alfredito began searching the streets of Lima for record labels. Thankfully...

The musician Roberto Enrique "Tito" Chicoma forged one of the most solid and constant career paths in Peruvian music. Self-taught, he started playing tenor saxophone in his father's orchestra, also playing the trumpet, piano or trombone when the occasion arose.In 1959, at the age of 23, Tito moved to Lima, where he soon joined ensembles such as the Koki Palacios and Armando Boza orchestras, which took him abroad for the first time on tour. A recognized musician in his own right, Tito would later decide to form his own orchestra, which was soon hired by América Televisión, starring on programs such as "El Show de Juan Silva", where he accompanied international artists that visited Lima.In 1966, Tito made his first record under his own name on the MAG label, performing two cumbias by the Colombian group Los Teen Agers. The praise the single received led to the recording of his first LP, "El ritmo de moda", where he continued to compile Colombian songs.At the end of 1967, he dedicated his new LP project to recording two fashionable rhythms at the time: cumbias y boogaloos. The Colombian cumbia became popular in Peru from 1964 onwards, when local orchestras like those of Andrés de Colbert, Mario Cavagnaro, Eulogio Molina and Lucho Macedo recorded cumbia hits, then the genre soared when groups like Los Pacharacos and Los Demonios del Mantaro mixed it with Andean music. Boogaloo in Peru was popularized chiefly by the record label MAG, which kept its listeners up to date with developments in tropical music in New York, releasing and distributing records by Alegre Records and recording versions of hit songs such as 'El pito' and 'Mamblues' with local musicians.The recording sessions for "Cumbias y boogaloos" began in December 1967, when Tito released one of his first compositions: 'Dale U'. He also recorded the instrumental track 'La cigüeña' and 'Plaza de toros', two compositions by the Venezuelan artist Hugo Blanco.At the beginning of 1968, Tito and his band traveled to Buenos Aires, hir...

This album marks the debut recording for Venezuela's Velvet label by pianist Ray Pérez and his trombone-led salsa band Los Dementes. Heavy dance numbers and the distinctive vocals of Perucho Torcat make this historic 1967 rarity a sought-after collector's item.Now the LP has been lovingly restored, mastered from the original tapes, with its original artwork intact, preserving the legacy of Los Dementes for today's generation of salsa lovers everywhere.First time reissue.Salsa pianist, vocalist, composer and arranger Ray Pérez, acquired his nickname "Loco" by being a free, independent spirit, an innovator and iconoclast who was initially branded as "crazy" for the freshness and audacity of his sound.Amazingly, he is not that well known in the US, where he spent some time in the late 1960s and salsa was king during the 1970s. Yet he was quite popular in his home country from the beginning, especially amongst the working class of Caracas and Maracaibo, who adopted Cuban music played by New York Puerto Ricans as their own and called it "salsa" years before the term was employed by US labels like Fania as a marketing tool. Pérez is revered in Venezuela, as well as in Mexico and Colombia, and his storied career, which spans seven decades and thousands of concerts, has yielded more than 35 albums recorded by his various bands, including Los Dementes, Los Kenya, and Los Calvos, all of which are collector's items today.At the start of 1967 Pérez debuted Los Dementes, with vocalists Claudio Zerpa and Perucho Torcat backed by an ace band featuring only trombones in the brass section. Titled "¡Alerta mundo! Llegaron los 'The Crazy Men'" the record was released on the small Venezuelan label Prodansa. Soon after, Prodansa folded and Los Dementes were left without representation or much compensation for their efforts, being paid only in records.In the end of February of that year, Pérez returned to Caracas from a stint in Maracaibo in order to finish his first LP with the well-established and...

Limited Edition for Record Store Day 2022.

If the first album from Venezuela’s Los Calvos, despite its greatness, could be considered to have a varied sound, then this second, and lamentably final, album found them creating a signature sound with the musicians given free rein and a stronger push to the dance floor, this is música bailable personified. The drum kit was instrumental to their image and sound; it was an instrumental unusual in salsa at the time. So much so that their own drummer Frank “Pavo” Hernandez had said disparagingly that “salsa with a drum kit is like pasta with avocado”. Kudos then to “Pavo”, along with fellow drummer Alfredo Padilla, who seamlessly integrated the instrument into the line-up, allowing its heavy hits to add energy and power to the group’s sound; just listen to the drum solo in “Suenan Los Cueros” and you will be in no doubt that it was a genius move. Vocal duties throughout are split evenly, five tracks a piece in fact, between Carlos “Carlín” Asicio Rodríguez and Carlos “Calaven” Yanes. It is Calaven who surprises the most, his mischievous delivery and ability to improvise and scat placing him in the higher echelons of vocalists, and not just within salsa. “José”, which is also a showcase for bandleader Ray Perez to free wheel on the piano, is a perfect example of Calaven’s ability to enliven any descarga (jam) with unexpected vocal turns; but then, even on the album’s original single “El Moño De Maria” he shows that with a few variations on the chorus, he can elevate any song. His partner in vocals, Carlín, is no slouch either, leading the driving “Tiene La Razón” with ease and showing that he can get down and dirty on the percussion-heavy “El Tumbeleco”, guiding the song through to its pulsating conclusion. Perez was one of Venezuela’s finest bandleaders, also helming the legendary Los Dementes, Los Kenya and others, and he brings a number of famous friends and allies to the party. Professional lucha fighter turned composer Gustavo “El Chiclayano” Seclén contributes the playful “El Marciano y Yo” (“The Martian and Me”), which allows Calaven plenty of opportunity to improvise, his imitations of intergalactic beings a wonderful thing, with what sounds like the rim of a wine glass being used to create Mars-esque special effects. You can also hear Perucho Torcatt, a regular collaborator of Ray Perez’s in Los Dementes, adding his voice throughout the album. ...Y Que Calvos! is not for the idle, it’s an album which does not allow you to sit down. Powerful, inventive and abundant of rhythm, it’s everything you could want from a salsa album, and a fitting way for Los Calvos to sign off their far-too short career. Perhaps now it will finally get its dues as a lost salsa classic.

"Hope and liberation reign free on an album overflowing with Caribbean cumbia flavours.

On his debut album as El Drágon Crillo, Colombian producer, musician and singer Paulo Olarte Toro finds a meeting place between bouncing Caribbean cadences and dance floor- ready beats that threaten to propel your body into motion.

Pase Lo Que Pase (translating as Whatever Happens, Happens) is one of those albums that threatens to take you some place new, in this case to the Colombian Caribbean some time around the 80s or 90s, when analog synths, punchy drum machines and Afro- Caribbean guitar melodies ruled the roost. The fact it was this era when Olarte Toro was growing up in Colombia should not go unnoticed. Now based in Geneva, Switzerland, it’s like he’s dialing back the years to a more innocent musical time, re-imagining what it was like for those early pioneers of reggaeton (long before it became so commercial) and for the musicians on Colombia’s Caribbean coast augmenting their tropical vinyl sets with rough-and-ready samples and lo-fi drum sounds.

Within this sonic milieu, there is joy at every corner, from the moment opening track “La Número Uno” sets off on its stripped-back champeta rhythm. In its swirling guitar lines, programmed beat (slowed down to cumbia pace) and unrushed vocals it’s impossible not to lose track of time. Scratchy samples that mimic a dog’s bark and a beatific synth that enters the fray late on only add to the summery shimmer. Further twisted guitar lines are to be found on following track “La Brisa”, which was influenced by US West Coast 90s rock a la Jane’s Addiction (spot the reference if you can), while “Líbrame de Todo Mal” finds an unlikely union between reggae, a disarmingly-anthemic 80s synth line and stinging guitar, with the odd klaxon letting you know this is a party you’re at. It’s a fiesta at which you’re never far from cumbia, as on the mesmerizing “Cumbia Fantasia”, but also throughout the album, where cumbia’s rhythm, instrumentation and traditions are continually hinted at. If musically there is much playfulness and a hint of nostalgia, albeit thrust up-to-date thanks to Olarte Toro’s production (lest it be known he has been making electronic music for nigh on 20 years), lyrically there is a heavy heart at play. The title track is a perfect example, as Olarte Toro states:

“’Pase lo que pase’ talks about the situation that Latin America is experiencing at the moment. It’s a situation that, even though it is old, has become more important and has gained much more awareness on the part of the people. It talks about how the new generations are afraid of a situation that is no longer bearable, that people want a change and that they no longer care at what price, they no longer care if the price they have to pay is their life.”

While despairing at the continued inability of Colombia, and Latin America as a whole, to find peace, equality and a sense that the fight is there to be won, Olarte Toro is also hopeful. “Hoy No Moriré”, with a Brazilian influence in its percussion and guitar, is the story of someone who faces social injustice every day and has grown increasingly tired of the struggle, yet in its chorus, “Hoy No Moriré” (“Today, I Will Not Die”) it also shows their resistance and hope for a better time. “Ojos de Bosque”, a duet which likewise has a sprinkle of Brazilian bombast and is unafraid to get close to ‘pop’ terrain, was written when the first pandemic hit. It’s dedicated to Olarte Toro’s daughters, telling of the sadness that came with uncertainty and confinement, but likewise it’s optimistic, looking for inspiration in daily life and showing that you should never lose the desire to continue.

With his arsenal of guitar, bass, analog synths (chiefly Roland Juno-106 and JX-3P), samplers and percussion, not to mention his guiding voice, Olarte Toro has created an album that could only have been made by him, by a Colombian who grew up with Latin rock, reggaeton, cumbia, champeta, etc., and who moved to Europe to become a noted name in underground dance music circles. Since switching to making music wholeheartedly with a Latin tinge a few years ago he has not held back, releasing albums as a member of Acid Coco and Contento, with one from Jaguar to come.

Now, with his first solo album as El Drágon Criollo, we find him at his most playful, joyous and paradoxically realist, summoning a mesmeric sound that represents the Colombian Caribbean’s past, present and future."

Impossible Rare 1968 Album By An Enigmatic And Uncredited Studio Group That Brought Together Some Of The Best Artists Of Mag (Melcochita, Coco Lagos, Rafael Rios Of Los Guajiros_) Under The Direction Of Manuel Antonio Guerrero, Owner Of The Peruvian Label.The Record Comprises Cumbias And Guarachas Across 9 Songs And 3 Instrumental Tracks, Most Of Them Previously Recorded By Other Peruvian Artists Such As Los Destellos, Pedro Miguel Y Sus Maracaibos Or Melcochita Y Su Conjunto. Reissued For The First Time. -Details:Cuban And Colombian Rhythms Form "Tropical Guitars" (Mag, 1968), The First Lp Of The Silvestre Montez Y Sus Guantanameros Orchestra, A Group Whose Conductor And Members, Despite Their Name, Have No Direct Relationship With Any Caribbean Country, And Whose Conception Illustrates Us About The Particular Way In Which The Peruvian Record Company Mag Was Managed.Manuel Antonio Guerrero (Founder And Owner Of Mag) Made Significant Profits With The First Albums Published, Mostly Focused On Música Criolla. He Soon Encouraged His Friend Lucho Macedo, Director Of Lima's Favorite Sonora, To Record The Main Hits Of Sonora Matancera, Reinterpretations With Innovative Arrangements That Exceeded Market Demands. Thus, They Continued To Repeat The Formula Of Releasing Songs "In The Style Of", And Soon They Published Hits Of Tango, Cuplé, Pasodobles, Ecuadorian, Argentine And Paraguayan Music, Reinterpreted By Local Musicians.Tropical Music Records Were Always The Label's Favourites, Especially Because Guerrero Knew Cuban Music Well Due To His Visits To The Island When He Was Young. In Addition, The Record Company Had An In-House Orchestra, Called Mag All Stars, Always Ready To Experiment And Improvise On New Recordings. Stars Such As Joe Di Roma, Coco Lagos, Mario Allison And Pablo Villanueva "Melcochita", Among Others, Were At Some Point Part Of This Orchestra, Which Had Different Line-Ups, Who Accompanied, With The Same Skills, Singers Of New Wave, Huayno, Rock, Boleros Or International...

Highlightsaustin-Based Future-Cumbia Group Money Chicha Presents A Fascinating Exploration Of The Nexus Of Peru's Legendary Fuzzed-Out Early Chicha Sound And The Band's Unique Application Of Chicha-Influenced Sounds To Their Own Original Compositions.The Result Is A Fascinating Temporal Exploration Of Two Stunning Faces Of Tropical Psychedelia Converging.The Album Features Legendary Peruvian Guitarist/Composer Jose Luis Carballo (Chacalon/La Nueva Crema) And Colombian-American Vocalist Kiko Villamizar As Well As Nemegata Frontman Victor Cruz On Percussion.Description"Chicha Summit" Is The Newest Album By Austin-Based Future-Cumbia Group Money Chicha. The Album Features Legendary Peruvian Guitarist/Composer Jose Luis Carballo (Chacalon/La Nueva Crema) And Colombian-American Vocalist Kiko Villamizar As Well As Nemegata Frontman Victor Cruz On Percussion. The Album Explores The Nexus Of Peru's Legendary Fuzzed-Out Early Chicha Sound And Money Chicha's Unique Application Of Chicha-Influenced Sounds To Their Own Original Compositions. The Result Is A Fascinating Temporal Exploration Of Two Stunning Faces Of Tropical Psychedelia Converging.The Album Itself Is Divided Between Two Sessions, Each Representing A Different Side Of The "Chicha Summit" Mountain. Side A Was Recorded During A Long Weekend In Which Jose Carballo And Money Chicha Convened For A Rehearsal, Recording Session, Workshop, And Concert. The Event Was Captured Altogether In A Single Room By Money Chicha Guitarist Beto Martinez At His Lechouse Music Studio In Buda Texas And Recorded Directly To Tape Via His Vintage Tascam 388. Subsequent Sessions Were Recorded By Greg Gonzalez At His Own The Electric Basecamp Studio And Vocalist Kiko Villamizar's Wepa Estudios To Capture Additional Percussion, Vocals, And Overdubs. The Result Is A Tribute To The Highly Influential And Much-Beloved Music Of Peru Performed With Jose Carballo, One Of The Genre's Greatest Performers And Composers And The Man Responsible For Introducing His Trad...

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.

Afrosound's Mission Was To Emulate The Guitar-Heavy Tropical Sounds Emanating From Perú And Ecuador At The Time. To Add To The Hippie Vibe, There Were Plenty Of Whacky Improvised Vocal Asides (Called 'Inspiraciones'), Plus Custom Fuzz, Wah-Wah, Flange And Echo Effects Boxes For The Guitar And Keyboards. A Barrage Of Odd Sounding Synths, Drum Machines And Other Electronic Flourishes Were Also Sprinkled In To Spice Up The Proceedings. The Dozen Tracks On Afrosound's Debut Long Play Make For A Surprisingly Diverse Palette From Which These Colombian Musicians Painted Their Daring Portrait Of Peruvian Cumbia, Returning The Favor In Bold Colors That Still Resonate Almost 50 Years Later. "La Danza De Los Mirlos" Kicks Off With Most Famous Afrosound Hit Of All, 'Caliventura', A Genius Blend Of Funk And Cumbia. Aside From The Cumbia Amazónica Title Tune, There Are Several Other Covers Including Three Popular Songs By Nelson Y Sus Estrellas, Plus Radically Reimagined Versions Of Various Colombian Costeño Classics Published By Fuentes. Mario "Pachanga" Provides A Sad But Still Groove-Oriented Christmas Son Montuno / Cumbia Hybrid While Fruko Brings Us The Bomba-Funk Ditty 'El Chorrillo' And The Rocking Cumbia Andina Gem 'Cabeza De Chorlito' Where Sepúlveda Channels Enrique Delgado. Fruko Collaborator Hernán "Hercovalle" Colorado Vallejo Rounds Things Out With The Melancholic Psychedelic Cumbia 'Esperando Por Ti', Proving That Every Tropical Party Has To Have Its Down Side As Well. The Record Was Also Released In The Us, Ecuador, Perú, Panamá, Mexico And Venezuela, And Probably Had An Influence Of Its Own, At Least In South America. The Cover Of This Lovingly Restored Reissue Features The Artwork For The Peruvian Edition, Which Was Licensed And Issued By Lima's El Virrey Label In 1974. The Original Fuentes Artwork, With A Far More Outrageous "Cheesecake" Image, Can Be Seen On The Back Cover.

This Highly Collectible Lp From 1974 Is A Nonstop Salsa Dura Party Album From Start To Finish, Comparable With Any Of New York's Finest Like Ray Barretto And Willie Colón From The Same Era, But With Its Own Unique Sound And Joyful Vibe. Includes The Anthems 'Mi Nuevo Ritmo' And 'Alma Y Sentimiento/ Soul And Feeling' Recorded At Different Sessions In Colombia And Peru. Presented In Its Original Artwork And Pressed On 180g Vinyl. The Highly Collectible Lp Alfredo Linares Y Su Salsa Star "Mi Nuevo Ritmo" (1974) Is A Nonstop Salsa Dura Party Album From Start To Finish, Comparable With Any Of New York's Finest Like Ray Barretto And Willie Colón From The Same Era, But With Its Own Unique Swinging Sound And Bright, Crisp, Joyful Vibe. There Are Plenty Of Straight Up Cuban-Roots Based Salsa Tunes, Plus Some Latin Jazz And Latin Soul And A Bolero. Trumpets, Hand Claps, Loud Cowbell, And Vigorous Vocals All Make For A Great Listen And An Even Better Dance Experience. As The Track 'La Música Brava' Proclaims, "Yo No Quiero Que Pare La Música Brava!" (I Don't Want The Badass Music To Stop!). The Record Is Actually A Patchwork Of Different Recording Sessions Made In Peru And Colombia, Featuring Differing Studio Sound And Musician Lineups. Linares Had Just Returned To His Adopted Home Of Medellín From A Period Spent In Peru And Was Looking For A Record Deal. He Had Brought Master Tapes With Four Songs Recorded In Lima And Was Shopping Them Around In The Hopes Of Securing An Album Contract. Linares Also Cut Some Colombian Sessions Which Feature Roy "Tayrona" Betancourt As Well As Henry Castro And Enrique Fabián. Unfortunately, Neither Discos Fuentes Nor Sonolux Or Codiscos Were Interested. At That Time, Vinyl For Making Records Was Scarce And Over-Priced Due To The Petroleum Crisis And Hence The Labels Were Reluctant To Try Out A New Artist. "There Was Nothing To Be Done. The Only Company That Had Vinyl Stock Was Ins. So I Did The Business With Them Even Though They Didn't Have A Known Name In...

The record was produced by the twenty years old Alex Tony Okoroji at the legendary ARC Studios in Lagos, a facility set-up by Ginger Baker. This is the third production for the Alex Tony Okoroji’s fledgling independent label Love Records, the previous record was the pioneering release by Udu - Sound of the People (Love Records, Nigeria 1976) also reissued by Dig This Way in 2020. Musically these two records are poles apart but similar in as much as both the band and producer present a personal musical vision that sounds nothing like their piers’ at the time… The Springs Band formed in Ibadan (Oyo State) which is roughly 130km northeast of Lagos. The seven members met while training to be Reverend Fathers for the Catholic Church and come from both Nigeria and Sierra Leone… in retrospect as unlikely as this sounds (particularly when you hear the record) the band were the Seminaries event house band at the time… Musically, the record consists of five prime time dancefloor gems with two very subtle afterhours numbers to close - not a bad track on here - which at times in itself is unique for records from the region in the late 70s. The first five tracks are complex hypnotic afro funk with an almost mesmerizing organ groove, that is deep and raw at the same time which well represent the time, the place and the people involved in the recording... As odd as it may sound the spiritually of the bands chosen profession is reflected in the fluid deep funk of the groove ... not being there we can only guess how the live performances of this "band in full flight" must have been ... as luck would have it the recording captures all of those elements and that’s what the end result sounds like near unbeatable! Judge for yourself via this enlightening release!!! Reading the original hand written press release for the record it would be fair to say, at the time, the members of the band were potentially not entirely focused on their chosen vocation and, reading between the lines, were mildly concerned what their educators might think… years later it’s pleasing to discover that all of the survivors became as good as it gets in their original career choice… better still… for the Afro-Centric music collector… the very same set of individuals (in their wilder days) recorded one of the most forward thinking and dance floor friendly records of the period… little known until now… “This is our dream world cristalised in vibes. In a world of uniform hate where people experience death in a trance , it is through love's cry that we see through the eyes of wisdom that he needs somebody. Music is the message transmitted in this super disko funk for funky people, to tell the brandifield dad the truth or ask a music-minded-lass, introduce me to your loving. So, if you have anything to say, why not join us and say it...after all it's a happy world... We have a right to the good things of life.”

Color de Trópico is a carefully-compiled work of healing and reconstruction, documenting a special moment in the history of Venezuelan music, when the country’s democracy was just a few years old and the profound impact of the oil industry on society had only just begun. DJ El Palmas and El Dragón Criollo have chosen eight impossibly hard-to-find jewels, originally released between 1966 and 1978, reissued here for the first time on vinyl. In this period, Venezuelan musicians assimilated a wide range of influences and styles, both local and global, to generate something new, a “modern” identity for Venezuelan music; artists who set their eyes on the future without giving up the search for their own sabor (flavour). This is how jazz, rock, salsa, funk, psych, prog and disco, sat next to guajira, cumbia, cha-cha-cha and even the hugely-popular Venezuelan style of joropo. It started a long tradition of Venezuelan musical pioneers, many of whom are still to get the recognition they deserve. Seconds after the needle drops on the vinyl, “El Despertar” (“The Awakening”) kicks off things with a goodbye for it was the last single Los Darts released before their dissolution in 1974. In the 60s they became the youthful face of pop, however, “El Despertar” settles into a later maturity, having digested the tumult of the times. A cha-cha-cha rhythm with bossa nova piano, bluesy stylings and a Caribbean context – a blueprint for tasty miscegenation – with the use of electric guitar, arriving in waves of chords, signalling the onset of modernity. “Guajira con Arpa” by the pioneering Hugo Blanco, who lists the creation of countless rhythms and his early adoption of rhythms like ska amongst his claims to fame, is a fusion that arrives without complexities. It approaches indigenous forms from a multitude of different angles, yet in the middle of its Caribbean approach it creates a melody so close to the pajarillo that the song seems to flip on its head. With “Zambo” the party is on. Here we have an all-star line-up comparable to master Cortijo’s brief project with his Time Machine in Puerto Rico. Alex Rodríguez, one of the most important jazz guitarists in Venezuela and his Retreta Mayor give a twist to the fusion by daring to venture into Latin jazz, funk and salsa. “Gaita Universal” by El Combo Los Capri, gives us a moment of solace, recalling the cultural, rhythmic and even spiritual brotherhood of Venezuela not only with the Caribbean but with the continent, South America and neighbouring Colombia. This cumbia is special, it interweaves musical phrases in the style of a popular party wanting to propose the permanence of culture. Rhythm is the point of union between all human beings and, as its name indicates, its proposal goes beyond the physical and particular. It’s pure tropical hedonism. Nelson y sus Estrellas reminds us once again of the Caribbean wave but here under his “urban” outfit. Nelson plays guaguancó in the style of original salsa, specifically in this version (the theme evolves over time) with a disco-soul twist on “Fantasía Latina”. It takes the sound of early masters like Eddie Palmieri but is developed with eclectic elements, a climatic structure in which a trumpet with vibrato, salsa-rock riffs with acoustic guitars and a flute that, unlike the charangas in those that Johnny Pacheco partook at the same time, rather have a cinematic character. The cosmic “Tu y Yo” from Almendra plots a journey between soul-jazz and psychedelia that sails over a Moog until ending as a P-Funk descarga. Despite the fact that the principal instruments are an organ and a synthesizer, the acoustic guitar provides a unique colour. A tropical psychedelic journey from beginning to end seasoned with congas. The album closes with Tulio Enrique León y Su Organ playing “Bimbom”, a European pop-styled track from 1975. It’s a version of Bimbo Jet’s Eurodisco “El Bimbo” that immediately became famous among popular easy listening orchestras throughout summer in Europe. Tulio Enrique shines by turning it into an enigmatic and spectral cumbia. Tulio was an organist whose blindness did not prevent him from becoming one of the most popular artists in the world, as cited by Billboard in 1965. We have left the politically-incorrect “Socorro, Auxilio” by Germán Fernando for the end. According to music journalist Alfredo Churión “those who saw him attested to having witnessed something indescribable”, a mysterious man who doubted even his sanity and of whom today practically nothing is known. He was someone who dared to show a completely foreign effrontery, signing unintelligibly, moving frantically and throwing himself to the ground before the stunned gaze of his audiences. Venezuelan writer Luis Armando Ugueto states: “his art could go from the sublime to bad taste – and it was craved by the press – when he subjected viewers to strange songs where he pleaded for socorro and auxilio [help].” Germán Fernando had a histrionic proposal that was a thousand times misunderstood and that even popular presenters of the time like Renny Ottolina dubbed “his follies”. A theme close to the jazz orchestra soundtracks of James Bond and Batman accompanies the showman here who comes across like a creole Screaming Jay Hawkins. He creates a whirlwind of sound that, while as agile as a featherweight, is also capable of knocking out all the old ideas we had about Venezuelan music.

The aptly named Goza La Salsa (Enjoy Salsa) is the second album by Los Afroins, the flagship salsa band of the obscure but beloved INS label (Industria Nacional Del Sonido Ltda., Medellín, Colombia). The combo's repertoire focused mostly on cover versions hit tunes from New York, Cuba and Puerto Rico, both classic and contemporary, but for this record, their sophomore outing from 1975, their arrangements got tighter and there are more original compositions, which makes for a satisfying evolution in both style and content. Pianist Agustín "El Conde" Martínez, who would later work with Joe Arroyo and Juan Piña, led the group and did some arranging, with studio session production by INS artistic director Alfredo "Sabor" Linares. The vocals were handled by a pair of fresh-faced singers, Lucho Puerto Rico and Roy "Tayrona" Betancourt, who would later go on to fame in the 1980s, the former with his own Lucho Puerto Rico Y Su Conjunto Sonero and Conjunto Son Del Barrio (both in collaboration with Alfredo Linares), and the latter with Willie Salcedo, Reales Brass De Colombia, and Los Caribes. Additional arrangements were by Luis Felipe Basto of Los Black Stars and Luis E Mosquera, while the rest of the band was made up of INS related studio musicians. Goza La Salsa is just as hard to find as their first record and contains 10 bright and sassy salsa dura treasures that light up the dance floor with their incessant rhythms, syncopated trumpets and trombone and buoyant melodies. There are smoking covers of hits by Panama's Bush y sus Magníficos ('Salsa Al Pindin') and Bronx timbalero Orlando Marín and His Orchestra ('Está De Bala') as well as updated renditions of old Cuban chestnuts 'La Masacre' (written by Joseíto Fernández of 'Guantanamera' fame, and a hit for Cuarteto Caney) and 'Matusa' (originally titled 'Macusa', composed by Francisco Repilado aka Compay Segundo and made famous by Duo Los Compadres). This time around there are six excellent originals with the hottest pair being Lucho Puerto Rico's theme s...

The time has come again: Another edition of the much-loved and highly praised by critics from all around the globe compilation «Paz E Futebol» will be released on Sonar Kollektiv. After 2006 and 2016 this is already the third sequel of this terrific series of light-footed Brazilian gems and other rarities transporting the Brazilian feel for the ball musically.

Two times Jazzanova took care of the collection, now Junior Santos is responsible for digging up the tunes. The Brazilian drummer and producer is a true expert when it comes to Brazilian music. He already caught the attention of Jazzanova’s Jürgen von Knoblauch with the 2014 released compilation «Brazilian Disco Boogie Sounds (1978-1982)» on Favorite Recordings. Together the two diggers selected eight songs that fit simply perfectly. Due to licensing reasons, the digital compilation features 2 additional songs. Chico de Abreu and an unreleased track by Beto Luiz called "Uma Canção Que Fale” chosen by Juergen von Knoblauch.. Although the contributions originate from three different decades (1979 - 1992) they all have the discoid and boogiesque vibe in common mainly to come alive in productions from Maranhão, Rio and Bahia.

The release is accompanied by extensive liner notes by Junior Santos (in Portuguese and English). Just now in the colder and greyer season this compilation is great fun and radiates so much joy like only Brazilian music can.

180 gram pressing

Newborn french label Raoi Records is proud to release for the first time a remastered and fully licensed compilation of the two sought after records of Joe Sembene: Heart of Africa & Weur Di Dane/Le P’tit Quinquin. Side A is "Heart of Africa" with the songs "Gorelle" & "Autrefois", two timeless and unparalleled afro/electronic tracks. The first song on Side B is "Weur Di Dane", a perfect blend of afro and boogie vibes. The voice of Joe's wife, Josy Sene, stands out all along the track, a pure bliss! This is followed by a cover of a traditional song from the north of France called "Le P'tit Quinquin", but Joe gives it a strong reggae twist in the vain of Serge Gainsbourg’s "Aux Armes Et Cætera"! However, it had little success at the time... After recording these two remarkable and hard-to-find 7 inches at September Records in Lille (Fr), Joe suddenly disappeared… Who knows where Joe Sembene is right now?

Following the huge success of the first volume (three pressings!) in 2009, the long-awaited 'Cajun/Zydeco Vol. 2' is finally here! The long wait was not due to a lack of inspiration, but rather to the creator's diligent research, and as such this awesome second volume has taken five years to come together. The result is a rich compilation of rare gems, some of which had never been pressed onto vinyl since their original release! The LP represents a trip into the South of Louisiana, where this music -a blend of worlds and traditions- took shape at the beginning of the 20th century. It's a selection of tracks from the past, featuring local legends (Nathan Abshire) and unknown craftsmen (Jimmy Peters), who all, in their own way, have left their indelible mark. Waltz, two-step, one-step, blues, the record pays tribute to the unique blend of European dances with African rhythms. Each track has been weighed up for its historical as well as for its musical interest. A combination of melodeon and, for the Zydeco side, button accordion, triangle, rub board and fiddles. This LP comes with sleeve notes and a magnificent poster from one of the masters of Cajun fiddle, Dennis McGhee. Presented in a silk screened cover and limited to 1.000 copies.

Tampo is a mystic sextet from somewhere out of the hustle and bustle of the busy Helsinki scene. They operate on a level of their own, performing latin jazz inspired by cumbia and mambo. This 7" single release by We Jazz Records features two high calibre cuts, "Keumgang" and "Tampomambo", making this one a solid choice for all lovers of psychedelic music with character.

Any DJ set tells you, unconsciously or not, about its author.

Through the record choices and the way they are organized, one can feel the DJ’s state of mind and find out a bit more about the musical deposit discovered that is being shared and dug through by him or her at the moment.

The appetite for diggin’, the quest for a novelty or a forgotten rarity is what makes a DJ set a true organic living matter constantly fueled although not always, unfortunately, respected.

Time stretching. Too many DJ’s made a pact with this diabolical creature. A true digital steamroller that runs over the rhythm to fix the tempo while leaving behind an agonizing drummer whose sole crime was to have been carried away by his energy and having moved forward the BPM. At the end, everything that gave charm and life to the track, its imperfections and the peculiar fact that it makes you dance faster towards its end… all these along with all the lively movements contained within the track are reduced to nothing.

My conception of music and DJ sets is the exact opposite. Since the first volume of Straight From The Decks, my DJ sets have been redesigned, refreshed and improved. However, there was no preexisting plan, they evolved naturally following my new desires. The famous core of my indispensable musical choices started to morph little by little into something different without losing sight of its center of gravity which remains undoubtedly afro-tropical.

No matter which track, its style and its origin, the quality of the music that is brought to my ears is always my sole and primary concern.

In this selection, you’ll find 7” vinyl records available to everyone sitting proudly next to some rarities found online and acquired through nerve-raking auctions battles. There are indeed exclusive remixes along with titles that until now were only available in their digital formats. Now for the first time they are available here in vinyl format. Obviously, if you have chosen the CD format, that precision doesn’t really matter… Sixteen titles which have become the heart of my sets throughout this past year. A heart which in a year will beat to a certainly different drum…

Pura Vida

Guts

Spanish soul and funk collective Nación Funk All-Stars join forces with Koko-Jean Davis on this project aimed to bring rhythm and groove to the Christmas festivities. This 7” includes their covers of ‘Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)’, originally recorded by Darlene Love for Phil Spector’s ‘A Christmas Gift for You’ album from 1963, and ‘Merry Christmas, Baby’ by Lou Baxter y Johnny Moore, which has been previously performed by Ike & Tina Turner, Otis Redding, Elvis Presley or Bruce Springsteen, among others.

This single includes two unreleased tracks recorded during the sessions of their first album ‘Shaken & Stirred’: ‘Sick & Tired’, a song with a classic flavor and a great showcase for Anton Jarl’s drumming, and the ballad ‘Let Me Free’ with a brilliant vocal performance by Koko-Jean Davis and an exquisite guitar solo by Dani Baraldés.

An explosive collaboration between Los Mambo Jambo and Cecil James McNeely, better known as Big Jay McNeely. These unreleased recordings of ‘Blow Big Jay’ and ‘Tondolayo’ will knock your socks off. This single is part of the collection of 7” celebrating the 15th anniversary of the label Buenritmo Records.

This is the debut album by Koko-Jean & The Tonics. It includes 12 new songs, including the singles ‘Pattin’ Juba’ and ‘Never Said No’, recorded at Feelback Studio in Barcelona with producer and mixer Marc Tena Aguade (The Excitements, Nu Niles…). A joyful mix of soul, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues that will shake your body and lift your spirit.

Favorite Recordings proudly present a new series of 7" reissues with a simple concept: each side dedicated to one French funky track coming with its original artwork. You just have to flip it! Starting with "Funky Baby Love" by Paul Fathy, it could not get funkier! The French boogie track originally compiled by Charles Maurice on French Disco Boogie Sounds Vol. 3, is your perfect tool for the dancefloor. It brings together all the ingredients of a great production with irresistible disco strings, a catchy chorus supported by beautiful backing vocals and its final climax will bring the dancers to a point of no return. On the other side, you get an exclusive reissue of West-Indies band Corail', with their song "Karukera C'est Comme Ça" taken from their eponymous album. This under-the-radar, zouky and funky track will surprise every listener with its appealing arrangement and lyrics: "Ça va danser / Sur l'île aux oiseaux". Soon, you won't be able to get it out of your head. The bass is groovin', the rhythmic guitar is infectious and digital keyboards are on point: we're pretty much sure this one will become sooner or later a banger of its own.

We are true to the principles of the first "¡Naino!". Flamenco rumba fusion which in the hands of intrepid producers becomes Catalan Rumba under the influence of sounds coming from Cuba and Puerto Rico in the early 1960s, Rumba Pop under the umbrella of the British Invasion and American pop of the late 1960s, and Disco Rumba with the arrival funk and disco from the USA in the mid-1970s. Everything happens thanks to a flourishing record industry located mainly in Barcelona with labels such as Belter, Discophon or Vergara. After the death of the fascist, sanguinary dictator Paquito Franco in November 1975, the international record industry establishes in Madrid through major labels CBS, RCA, and a new fusion led by producer Jose Luis de Carlos and labeled as Gipsy Rock, Caño Roto or, in the Flamenco field, especially in couplets, Flamenco Pop. As Oriol Farràs pointed in the previous volume, rumba moved from tablaos to discotheques, understanding the concept of discotheque at that time with a slightly different meaning and less conditioned style-wise. The selection on offer here complements volume one. Starting with an A side packed with floor fillers, with Peret's "Chavi" as the top example of gypsy funk fusion under production of Josep María Bardagí and Josep "Rabbit Rumba" Cunill, and four examples of the answer to that sound as produced by Jose Luis de Carlos, showing the four cardinal points of this fusion success: Las Grecas, Los Chorbos, El Luis and Chango. De Carlos transforms the sound of Madrid's flamenco artists spicing it with soul, rock, glam, dub, funk, disco and gospel. These five opening tunes alone could feed a whole scholar course on the possibilities of rumba fusion and its incredible dance potential. Back to the record. There are not only examples of Afro-American flavored fusions. Progressive rock and Anglo-American psychedelia of the seventies are also influences represented here. They started a path that would later be known as "rock progresivo andalúz" (Andalusian progressive rock) with a crowded band scene and a hardcore hash impregnated following. But before reaching that point, here are some early efforts on side B. Synth-fueled rumba with Canterbury sound inspired electric guitars. A sound that, as it happened with rumba funk and flamenco pop, also had its moment of glory with the arrival of bands and solo artists such as Triana, Gualberto, Smash, Storm or Medina Azahara, or even the more blues-rock oriented Pata Negra.

When in 1960 Elza da Conceição Soares released her debut LP she had already gathered a great experience as a stage artist, having toured Argentina with Mercedes Batista. The big success of her Se acaso você chegasse single was a firm statement of the undeniable quality and unique style of Elza Soares, who brought the scat style of Louis Armstrong to samba. The jazz influence anticipated the phenomenon of bossa-nova, which in the style of Soares was marketed as "a bossa-negra" and is present through the sources of this, her debut LP.

Elza Soares would of course become a widely known international star touring Europe and the U.S. and spreading her career over the last 60 years, scoring numerous chart hits and collecting prestigious awards and having been chosen as "Best Singer Of The Millenium" by the BBC back in 2000.

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.

Quero Ver Você Dançar is a collaboration between Rome-based DJ/producer The Rebel, Portuguese DJ/producer Dedy Dread, and Brazilian jazz singer Keila Abeid. Other musicians playing on the track – including Neney Santos (percussions), Marco Ravallese (keys), and Fab Samperi (flute) – masterly contribute to its soulful favela vibes. Housed in a single jacket with beautiful artwork by Roman illustrator Federica Fruhwirth, the 12- inch single also features a super groovy remix by Mo’Horizons whi ch, wi t h i t s powe r ful combination of bossa and drum’n’bass rhythms, makes this release a must for tropical-music aficionados. Also available on all major digital outlets, with two additional remixes by young Brazilian producers Afterclapp and Brasila Strut.

Mastered and cut at 45rpm for high quality and loud sound, these 7"s are packaged in lovingly produced Brazil45 sleeves. Dancefloor essentials for all DJs and collectors!

180g LP. On his debut album Travesseiro Feliz (Happy Pillow) Rio de Janeiro based dreamer and new Far Out Recordings signing Ricardo Richaid melds his tropical heritage with his love for psychedelic music, jazz and rock.He also takes inspiration from the many Brazilian greats - Caetano Veloso, Arthur Verocai, Hermeto Pascoal, and Azymuth (to name a few) - who he has worked with as an engineer, assistant and producer, in Rio's former RCA studio, Cia dos Tecnicos.

Following the success of the Retro-Zouk mixtapes series (4 volumes / 15k plays on Soundcloud), Secousse Radio proudly presents its first official vinyl reissue of a long lost Zouk banger.
Originally released in 1993-1994, those two tracks have been road-tested in various clubs and parties for months and the feedback is clear: it’s dancefloor devastation business.
Their author is Jules Henri Malaki, an established and self-produced artist from Guadeloupe, a French overseas island in the Southern Caribbean Sea.
As the popularity of Zouk music keeps growing every day in Europe, America and Asia, just whisper the name “Makiyaj” to any of the best DJs from the current tropical diggers scene and watch their eyes scintillate… This secret weapon shall not remain secret very long.

Since the release of his 2 first albums on Favorite Recordings, Lucas Arruda has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young artist and composer from Brazil. His music is filled with fusion style, mixing influences and elements from his Latin musical background, with his genuine admiration for Jazz, Soul and Funk music.

In spring 2015, it was also not surprising to find Lucas Arruda back with a new LP called SOLAR, receiving great supports and feedbacks from international media and tastemakers. One of the highlight of the album was the song “Melt the Night”, on which Lucas asked legendary producer Leon Ware for his help, reminding his collaborations in the 80s with Marcos Valle, when they perfectly merged together the sophisticated Boogie and AOR touch from California, with the blazing sense of rhythm from Brazil.

Today, Lucas Arruda and Favorite Recordings proudly present a brand new single, announcing the release of Lucas’ third efforts later this year. This new opus is pursuing the music direction set with SOLAR, mixing touch of Blue-Eyed-Soul, Pop, Soul and Brazilian styles together, and influenced by the path of legendary Brazilian producer Lincoln Olivetti, who recorded some of the biggest stars of Brazilian music (Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia…).

In Lucas words: “These two tracks represent the whole spirit of the new album. In this record I really wanted to honor Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. They are the main influence on this record. We recorded the basic tracks for the album in the same studio that Lincoln Olivetti did his last works. So, this was very important to capture the true essence of Brazilian Funk/AOR tradition. Hope you guys enjoy it!”

"When Greg Caz and Deano Sounds teamed up to create The Brasileiro Treasure Box Of Funk & Soul they created a collection of vintage Brazilian music that stretches across the scope of funk, soul, and psychedelic. Co-compiler and Brazilian music aficionado, Greg Caz says: “Without necessarily having a central theme
other than funky nuggets from the first half of the 70s, we believe this compilation displays its own particular
sense of logic, and that these songs ultimately all sound fantastic together. Regardless of one’s familiarity, or lack thereof, with artists like Antonio Carlos & Jocafi, Os Incríveis, Toni Tornado or Celia, the material on these 45s speaks its own truth and justifies their inclusion here. Many of these were originally available as singles, while others were taken from albums, but all are guaranteed to find their way into many
DJ boxes and playlists.”