Latin | Brazil Vinyl 322 Items

You know that long hot days are fast approaching when it is Brazilian music that you crave. Thankfully the Scruniversal has got us covered with a second release that is as scorching as the first. It pairs MPB, samba and Latin flair with hard-edged hip-hop and funk stylings across a pair of tunes from Scruscru, each one a different collaboration. The first is alongside Tony Lavrutz and has gorgeous vocals and organic percussion paired with cut-up beats and jazzy keys that will ignite any floor on 'Rave Du Brazil.' It is Los Protos's jazz funk groover 'Primavera' that gets the good vibes going on the flip.

Two brothers, two guitars, two distinct identities, who become one soul when they compose music. Stephan and Alejandro, are the Hermanos Gutierrez, an instrumental music band with an unmistakable genre that is rooted in Western and Latin American sound. Born from an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father they grew up being forged by both cultures, bridging between two worlds, both of which are home.

Their mix of identities, that constant search across different countries clearly emerges in their songs. Their music takes the audience on an intimate journey through time evoking remote spaces. A magical sound that touches the heart, that sparks passion and nostalgia. An open invitation to a constant dialogue of melodies and instruments.

Playing together since their early childhood, a profound musical and interpersonal symbiosis ties the two brothers. If one of them has a melody, the other one completes it with harmony. There is a deep understanding between the two of them, without any need for words.

Active as a band since 2015, they have recorded four albums: “8 Años” (2017), “El Camino De Mi Alma” (2018), “Hoy Como Ayer” (2019), and the newly released LP “Hijos Del Sol” (Children Of The Sun). A body of work that has been inspired by their journey through the vast natural landscapes of Mexico, the silence of the desert, the sun, and their love for this country that made them feel “like going home”, as they affirm. Out came a soundtrack of the sceneries they’ve been exploring.

"Eternamente“ is the perfect introduction to Hermanos Gutiérrez and their unique
"Instrumental Western Sound". This collection features 12 selections spanning four
albums, including songs; "Hijos del Sol", "El Jardin", "Esperanza" & many
more. Packaged in a stunning Gatefold and meant to be passed with love to our
next generations.

This Edition is limited to 500 copies and shared with Guts. 350 are available via HHV and 150 via Guts.

"All DJs have their own way of building their set. Some pick records entirely on the spur of the moment and trust their instincts, others write down a precise list on a piece of paper and never stray from it; the set is a kitchen where the DJ is the Chef. It doesn't matter how it’s done, as long as it's done properly and enjoyed by everyone, that's what matters the most.

I think I'm combining these two methods when building my set, except that instead of a meal, I'm talking about a story. A story that crosses styles, countries, atmospheres, and that I tell in a different way every night. With, however, a method that I respect.

Between the new stuff I get from the labels, the stuff that friends and fans send me, and what I dig myself, I have enough to make a different set from A to Z, every night! However, before these treats can delight the dancefloor, each of them has to go through a quite precise process.

The first step is to digitalize my tracks in high quality. I can play several dates in a week, so carrying boxes of records to places that are sometimes far apart is out of the question. The WAV format has become my best friend. With it, I can edit some tracks, cut parts or lengthen others. Sometimes, an interminable intro is not necessary, while a furious break needs to repeat itself a bit longer.

Then, the second step consists in classifying the tracks by genre and origin. A real library is thus created where each title has its own place. Accessible (almost) without searching. I know all too well the experience of getting lost in one's own collection, trying to read the spines, pulling out a record halfway from its shelf only to put it back in it immediately. No, that's not the one... where did I put that other one then?...

From these folders I then draw the titles which will be part of the third stage: the selection for the DJ set. Nothing is set in stone, tracks come and go on a regular basis. I have year-round squatters as well as residents passing through for a few weeks. Or days. It is from there that I begin to elaborate the story that I will be telling for three or four hours.

The beginning of the set is always the same. Welcoming the dancers gently. Letting them take their marks with a musical apéritif of tracks at 80/90 BPM, something that many DJs don’t do or no longer do.

The end is always the same. Parting with the dancers gently. Letting them go down peacefully. Their evening with me is over, but it is perhaps another one, more intimate, that will be starting for them.

In between these two moments, it’s all about the story itself, with its cumbia, reggae, hip hop, lusophone music, funk, soul-jazz twists... A rich story which tells itself in the mood of the moment and back on the dance floor. Depending on the general atmosphere, the rise in musical power can start after an hour and thirty minutes of preliminaries, or it can happen only after 45 minutes. The climax is reached with the Afro-house part, a furious passage that makes overexcited music from Zimbabwe and punk music from South Africa confront each other along a total experimentation with tracks so disturbing that they put the dancers' legs out of sync. This represents a moment of rupture in the narrative, its only purpose being to help reconnect with the dance floor as soon as it is over and to re-launch the story with even greater interest.

Those who have already come to see my DJ set know this: each of my stories is unique.

I hope you’ll enjoy the one I’m telling you in this third volume.

Pura Vida

Guts"

Two brothers, two guitars, two distinct identities, who become one soul when they compose music. Stephan and Alejandro, are the Hermanos Gutierrez, an instrumental music band with an unmistakable genre that is rooted in Western and Latin American sound. Born from an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father they grew up being forged by both cultures, bridging between two worlds, both of which are home.

Their mix of identities, that constant search across different countries clearly emerges in their songs. Their music takes the audience on an intimate journey through time evoking remote spaces. A magical sound that touches the heart, that sparks passion and nostalgia. An open invitation to a constant dialogue of melodies and instruments.

Playing together since their early childhood, a profound musical and interpersonal symbiosis ties the two brothers. If one of them has a melody, the other one completes it with harmony. There is a deep understanding between the two of them, without any need for words.

Active as a band since 2015, they have recorded four albums: “8 Años” (2017), “El Camino De Mi Alma” (2018), “Hoy Como Ayer” (2019), and the newly released LP “Hijos Del Sol” (Children Of The Sun). A body of work that has been inspired by their journey through the vast natural landscapes of Mexico, the silence of the desert, the sun, and their love for this country that made them feel “like going home”, as they affirm. Out came a soundtrack of the sceneries they’ve been exploring.

Limited to 1000 copies for the European market.

Music by Madlib, arranged by Kieran Hebden, better known as Four Tet. Gil Evans to Miles Davis…. Holger Czukay to the ensemble known as Can….Jean Claude Vannier to Serge Gainsbourg on Histoire de Melody Nelson. That’s the only way to explain the specificity of Four Tet and Madlib’s collaboration, in this special album that showcases a two-decade long friendship that has resulted in an album that follows Madlib’s classics like Quasimoto’s The Unseen, Madvillainy and his Pinata and Bandana albums with Freddie Gibbs. “A few months ago I completed work on an album with my friend Madlib that we’d been making for the last few years. He is always making loads of music in all sorts of styles and I was listening to some of his new beats and studio sessions when I had the idea that it would be great to hear some of these ideas made into a Madlib solo album. Not made into beats for vocalists to use but instead arranged into tracks that could all flow together in an album designed to be listened to start to finish. I put this concept to him when we were hanging out eating some nice food one day and we decided to work on this together with him sending me tracks, loops, ideas and experiments that I would arrange, edit, manipulate and combine. I was sent hundreds of pieces of music over a couple of years stretch and during that time I put together this album with all the parts that fitted with my vision.” - Kieren Hebden AKA Four Tet

We’ve taken a selection of the most in-demand and asked-for titles in our Brazil 45’s catalogue and given them a loving remaster and repress.

This edition takes two hugely sought-after tracks from Quinteto Ternura, and their original outfit Trio Ternura, and cuts them loud and proud on either side of a seven inch.

First up, a hit of pure sunshine from Quinteto Ternura. Trio Ternura, who were made up of two sisters, Jussara, Jurema and their brother Robson, also formed Quinteto Ternura by joining forces with Léo and Zé Roberto. ‘Baby’ is an absolutely killer, blissful Brazilian modern soul jam written by Caetano Veloso, arranged by Arthur Verocai, covering Gal Costa. Once a real rarity in Brazil, this beauty is now accessible for all to enjoy and is one that rarely leaves our record bags. Taken from the Quinteto Ternura self-titled LP from 1974.

On the flip side, ‘Filhos De Zambi’ is an exquisite, uptempo samba-funk cut from the same year, but released as the siblings original Trio Ternura lineup. Infectious, feel-good fire from the trio, co-written by their father Umberto Silva and José Ribamar. Contains a brilliant, harmonised chorus and wondrous key change that is sure to light up any dancefloor.

One per customer only!

The fourth release of Selva Discos is one that has been bursting audiences into flames for a good while. Barbatuques, a well-known Brazilian group of body percussionists, adapted "Baianá" back in 2005 (first released on the "O Seguinte É Esse" album) and since then it became a staple of their concerts, getting crazy reactions from the children to the elder, being featured on soundtracks and sampled by trap duo Tropkillaz.

The first instalment in our new ‘Mr Bongo Record Club’ compilation series – a
selection of favourites, recent discoveries and sought after obscurities, which
form the basis of our DJ sets and our radio show of the same name. Including
cuts by Claudia, Cortex, Dave Pike Set, Fruko, Neno Exporta Som, Connie
Laverne, Barbosa and more.
The original concept for ‘Mr Bongo Record Club’ was a radio show that allowed
us to air our treasured record collections, recorded and broadcast once a
month. We wanted to create an outlet free from any genre or BPM restrictions,
not constrained by the need to beat-mix every record, a space where we could
play latest finds alongside favourites. The only self-imposed rule being that
it had to be played from vinyl.
We have always DJ’d across-the-board, but playing in an eclectic way hasn’t
always been easy. Recently DJ’s such as MCDE, Floating Points, Nick The Record,
Leon Vynehall, Four Tet, Jeremy Underground, Antal (Rush Hour), Sassy J and
Young Marco – to name a few – have opened things up with very diverse sets to
younger audiences; Brazilian samba-rock, next to modern soul, highlife, disco,
boogie, jazz, house, techno and beyond.
We’re seeing a rare groove like sensibility. A shift towards the attitude of
legendary club nights hosted by the likes of Mr Scruff and Gilles Peterson,
where you could hear house, hip hop, Turkish funk, boogie, jazz, dub and Latin
back to back. At the same time it isn't a nostalgic or retro movement, people
have a progressive attitude and a thirst for new-old music. It is a vibrant and
exciting time – we are proud to be a part of it.

Brazilian funk-soul at it’s finest. Both tracks taken from the increasing more expensive and sought after ‘Cartão Postal’ LP, originally released on Odeon Brazil from 1971.

Both tracks are heavy on the drums, bass and horns, with Evinha’s lead to top them off. ‘Esperar Pra Ver’ is a mid tempo funk soul jam, and ‘Que Bandeira’ moves between funk/soul and bossa/MPB grooves.

‘Que Bandeira’ was released on a 7” EP, featuring tracks from ’Cartão Postal’ LP, on Odeon under the artist name ‘Eva’, in 1972… Ridiculously expensive now, as you have no doubt come to expect – so, released here for your affordable pleasure!

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.

Mr Bongo’s Brazil 45’s series serves up another pair of Brazilian classics in the form of Rita Lee & Tutti Frutti ‘Agora É Moda’ and Pete Dunaway ‘Supermarket’.

'Agora É Moda' is a psychedelic, disco-boogie-groove monster brought to our attention by Greg Caz and Sean Marquand aka Brazilian Beats Brooklyn. Originally released on Rita Lee’s 1978 album Babilônia LP on Som Livre, this sublime track is drenched in squelching guitar licks, funk drums and sensuous cosmic vocal flavours.

Lee was the lead singer of Brazilian psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes and a hugely important figure in the Tropicalia movement. She sadly passed away in 2023 but her legacy well and truly lives on, loved both in and out of the music world.

On the flip side, Pete Dunaway’s ‘Supermarket’ is a rare groove/AOR masterpiece with a killer bassline, swaggering guitar and luscious string section layered with a perfectly delivered English vocal.

Pete Dunaway, real name Otavio Cardosa was a singer, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist from Sao Paulo, who spent the majority of his time composing for TV themes and library instrumentals.

Remastered with refreshed artwork.

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

In Mr Bongo’s opinion, 'Imprevisto' is one of the most unmistakable Brazilian jazz records ever made. Dramatic intro and hypnotic piano line, decorated with panned percussion before the hats come in. Then the upright bass. A true classic.

Bossa Três formed in 1961 in Rio. They spent most of their early years touring jazz clubs in the USA, before the original line up and their pianist (and perhaps most well-known band member) Luis Carlos Vinhas, returned to Brazil. This is the final track on their Em Forma! LP from 1965, released on Forma. The original pressing of this Brazil 45 was the first time ‘Imprevisto’ had been released on a 7”.

We know very little about Ana Rosely. She released four 7” 2-track records between 1975 and 1984, the latter featuring the brilliant ‘Skim Dum Dum Dum’. The original version was released by RGE Discos in 1984, which came as a surprise to us given the sound. It is very difficult to find an original copy in good condition and they are, as ever, increasing in price.

Remastered with refreshed artwork.

After the anniversary edition about the illustrious Ngoma label, Planet Ilunga moves forward in time with its upcoming release. With the new series 'Les éditeurs congolais' Planet Ilunga aims to honour and highlight the phonographic and entrepreneurial work of the first Congolese record label bosses. We kick off with a compilation of one of the most significant labels, Les Editions Populaires, founded by Franco Luambo Makiadi.

'Indépendance Cha Cha' was an historic song, not only because it immortalized Congo’s independence in its lyrics, but also because it was the first single published by a Congolese-owned record label. Joseph Kabasele’s label Surboum African Jazz indeed paved the way for several Congolese musicians to become record publishers. It resulted in the 1960s in a plethora of newly found Kinshasa-based record labels, run by the biggest musicians of the time.

Les Editions Populaires was founded by Franco in 1968 after he first co-founded with Vicky Longomba the labels Epanza Makita (+/- 117 singles) and Boma Bango (+/- 50 singles) and after starting his first short-lived label Likembe (+/- 5 singles). It ran until 1982 and was mostly dedicated to the output of OK Jazz (later TPOK Jazz).

This compilation brings together an original selection of 16 tracks from the first three years of Les Editions Populaires. They are a showcase of the sound Franco had envisioned for his band. The focus was less on cha-cha-cha and Spanish lyrics, but on lingering rumba and bolero ballads in Lingala, tradition-rooted songs in Kikongo, Kimongo and even Yoruba, collaborations with Ngoma artists Camille Feruzi and Manuel d’Oliveira and not to forget solid tributes to American funk, which were showing that the OK Jazz musicians had an open-minded view on music and were capable of excelling in many genres.

All DJs have their own way of building their set. Some pick records entirely on the spur of the moment and trust their instincts, others write down a precise list on a piece of paper and never stray from it; the set is a kitchen where the DJ is the Chef. It doesn't matter how it’s done, as long as it's done properly and enjoyed by everyone, that's what matters the most.

I think I'm combining these two methods when building my set, except that instead of a meal, I'm talking about a story. A story that crosses styles, countries, atmospheres, and that I tell in a different way every night. With, however, a method that I respect.

Between the new stuff I get from the labels, the stuff that friends and fans send me, and what I dig myself, I have enough to make a different set from A to Z, every night! However, before these treats can delight the dancefloor, each of them has to go through a quite precise process.

The first step is to digitalize my tracks in high quality. I can play several dates in a week, so carrying boxes of records to places that are sometimes far apart is out of the question. The WAV format has become my best friend. With it, I can edit some tracks, cut parts or lengthen others. Sometimes, an interminable intro is not necessary, while a furious break needs to repeat itself a bit longer.

Then, the second step consists in classifying the tracks by genre and origin. A real library is thus created where each title has its own place. Accessible (almost) without searching. I know all too well the experience of getting lost in one's own collection, trying to read the spines, pulling out a record halfway from its shelf only to put it back in it immediately. No, that's not the one... where did I put that other one then?...

From these folders I then draw the titles which will be part of the third stage: the selection for the DJ set. Nothing is set in stone, tracks come and go on a regular basis. I have year-round squatters as well as residents passing through for a few weeks. Or days. It is from there that I begin to elaborate the story that I will be telling for three or four hours.

The beginning of the set is always the same. Welcoming the dancers gently. Letting them take their marks with a musical aperitif of tracks at 80/90 BPM, something that many DJs don’t do or no longer do.

The end is always the same. Parting with the dancers gently. Letting them go down peacefully. Their evening with me is over, but it is perhaps another one, more intimate, that will be starting for them.

In between these two moments, it’s all about the story itself, with its cumbia, reggae, hip hop, lusophone music, funk, soul-jazz twists... A rich story which tells itself in the mood of the moment and back on the dance floor. Depending on the general atmosphere, the rise in musical power can start after an hour and thirty minutes of preliminaries, or it can happen only after 45 minutes. The climax is reached with the Afro-house part, a furious passage that makes overexcited music from Zimbabwe and punk music from South Africa confront each other along a total experimentation with tracks so disturbing that they put the dancers' legs out of sync. This represents a moment of rupture in the narrative, its only purpose being to help reconnect with the dance floor as soon as it is over and to re-launch the story with even greater interest.

Those who have already come to see my DJ set know this: each of my stories is unique.

I hope you’ll enjoy the one I’m telling you in this third volume.

Pura Vida

Guts

Jorge Ben is a name that any lover of Brazilian music will be very familiar with. He is widely regarded as the James Brown of Brazilian music and is famed for writing the Brazilian anthem ‘Mas Que Nada'. For the duet ‘Carolina, Carol Bela' he teamed up with the singer and guitarist Toquinho. Toquinho is best known for his collaborations, as composer and performer, with bossa nova poet Vinicius de Moraes.

'Carolina, Carol Bela' featured on the album Toquinho by Toquinho. It was originally released in 1970 on the small independent Brazilian label, RGE. The song was sampled by DJ Marky and XRS for their Drum & Bass track ‘lk’ (V Recordings, 2002). This went on to be a huge chart hit across the world, and a number one hit in the UK.

João Donato is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist. He has collaborated with many of the greats of Brazilian Music, including Tom Jobim, Astrud Gilberto and Gilberto Gil. He was one of the few Brazilian artists who went over to perform in the States during the bossa nova boom of the late 60’s. The song ‘A Rã’ was originally released on his seminal album Quem é quem, (emi, 1973), an album that is full of great tracks and was considered as one of the 100 best albums of all time by the Rolling Stone magazine.

Some crate-digging compilations are often the result of someone hand-picking their choice favourites from another country’s musical history, perhaps unaware or uninvolved with its cultural lineage in the process. On Soundway’s latest release - a treasure trove of synth jams, pop, samba boogie, balearic and electro from 1980 & ‘90s Brazil - the tracks are picked by Millos Kaiser, one half of the Brazilian duo Selvagem, who are at the helm of throwing some of the country’s best dance parties. It’s a rare compilation that offers Brazilian music actually picked by a Brazilian.
Whilst names such as Ricardo Bomba, Villa Box, Fogo Baiano, Electric Boogies and Batista Junior may not be household names, they tell an untold, yet rich and important part of musical history in Brazil. The release also covers a decade that has been intentionally forgotten and brushed aside by many in the country.
Onda De Amor is a release that is loaded with smooth grooves, bubbling bass, glistening synthesisers, funk strutting guitar lines and sheen of production that undeniably marks it of its time. For Kaiser this compilation is about reintroducing music during a period of reappraisal, catching a new wave and hoping contemporary listeners will ride it with him. “The idea is to do justice to these songs. Songs that combine all the right ingredients that should have put them on radio playlists when I was growing up or at least in the cases of more adventurous DJs”.
Millos Kaiser is a DJ, digger, vinyl junkie/dealer born in Rio de Janeiro and living in São Paulo for the past 8 years. He launched the dance party/club night Selvagem with partner Trepanado in 2010, bringing thousands of dancers one Sunday a month to a public square in the heart of São Paulo.

“Déjà Vu”, a true labour of love project featuring 5 previously unreleased songs from two of Brazil’s most celebrated artists, Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. Recorded between 1982 and 1986, these tracks take off from the legendary boogie-disco, jazz-funk fusion sound they presented in their first – and only – album together and allow us to have a glimpse of what their planned second volume would sound like. This collection of songs is a must-have for DJs, Brazilian music fans, and music aficionados alike.

Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti have been influential figures in the Brazilian music scene for decades, with their innovative and groovy sound inspiring many artists in Brazil and beyond. They participated in more than 1,000 records, including groundbreaking work with Tim Maia, Marcos Valle, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Rita Lee, and Jorge Ben, either arranging, producing and/or playing in their albums. This release offers a unique opportunity to experience some of their never-heard-before material, each song expertly restored and remastered from Lincoln Olivetti’s vaults to ensure that the original recordings were preserved.

For disco DJs, this record is a treasure trove of dancefloor gold, specially the opening track “Suspira”, certified material to get any party started. Brazilian music fans worldwide will appreciate the unique blend of Brazilian rhythms with disco and funk elements. And for music aficionados, this release is a rare gem, offering a peek into the creative process of two legendary musicians and producers. In the end, this very special release has the potential to be a hit with a wide range of music lovers.

Comes with an 8-page insert with photo's and liner notes in portuguese and english.

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.

Here it comes the first tropical Uluru! The A side sees an instant classic from uprising french producer Yeahman! Produced in 2016, this jewel sees the light for the first time on a 7” and featured some “badman” lyrics on a crispy cumbia beat. On the b side we welcome to the label Austrian trio Restless Leg Syndrome with a classic cumbia re-work called Hornrace. Pull up guaranteed! Pressed on high quality black and turquoise vinyl (38 gr.) Edition of 500, coming with “hand stamped” paper sleeves.

Here it comes the first tropical Uluru! The A side sees an instant classic from uprising french producer Yeahman! Produced in 2016, this jewel sees the light for the first time on a 7” and featured some “badman” lyrics on a crispy cumbia beat. On the b side we welcome to the label Austrian trio Restless Leg Syndrome with a classic cumbia re-work called Hornrace. Pull up guaranteed! Pressed on high quality black and turquoise vinyl (38 gr.) Edition of 500, coming with “hand stamped” paper sleeves.

Heralded by the “Soul Drum” 12” EP (scep507, 2022), Gerardo Frisina’s new double record “Joyful Sound” represents another step forward on his ongoing travel towards new musical paths. Joyful sounds narrate a journey made of wisely distilled notes, bright and sometimes mysterious atmospheres, harmonies that wander through shadows, silences, and lights. A chameleonic Gerardo enchants with every release, mixing jazz, Latin, Afro-Cuban sounds, oriental fragrances, electronic beats, tribal percussions, funky variations and, to summarize, elegant symphonic arrangements with refined mastery. “Joyful Sound” once again sees the participation of the late Enzo Frassi (double bass), Fabrizio Bernasconi (piano, Rhodes), Gendrickson Mena (trumpet, piano), Alfonso Deidda (sax, flute) and Ernesto Lopez (drums, percussion), with the addition of Piero Perelli on drums and Giovanni Guerretti on piano, Hammond and Rhodes. This new record, carefully orchestrated and produced by Gerardo, required over a year of intense work, however it is worth every second of its 75 minutes of music. As the great Charles Mingus once said, “Play it in the key of your soul”. Without a doubt, Gerardo always gives his soul in full!

Argentinian artist Chancha Via Circuito (aka Pedro Canale) makes his return to Wonderwheel Recordings with his fifth full length: “La Estrella.” Cutting his teeth early at Buenos Aires’s legendary ZZK digital cumbia parties, the Chancha moniker became known worldwide as the originator of the cumbia-inspired electronic music that takes cues from environmental sounds and South American folkloric traditions. Pedro’s musical progeny include names such as Nicola Cruz, El Búho, Dengue Dengue Dengue, King Coya and many more.

Texturally rich and highly emotive, the album spans 11 songs that meander between lush instrumental soundscapes and upbeat vocal numbers, all tied together by Chancha’s signature production style. “La Estrella” - meaning “the star” in Spanish - opens with “Dandeleon,” which plays like a meditation of fluttering vocalesque pads and sonorous bass; while Pedro is joined by the acclaimed Argentinian trio Fémina on “Cometa,” where his refined beat offers an ideal space for the three singers’ voices to inhabit. “Cometa” (“comet”) also furthers the album’s celestial themes, which also touch on spirituality, love, ephemerality, and nature. Frequent collaborator, (Polaris Prize-winning / Grammy-nominated) Lido Pimienta offers her vocal chops on “Amor en silencio,” which showcases the Colombian-Canadian’s harmonizing prowess over an instrumental of panning percussion and syncopated xylophone chords. Additional features come by way of artists such as the Meridian Brothers (recently acclaimed in a longform New York Times piece) on “El pavo real”, as well as Las Añez (“Ese peso”), Federico Estévez (Moninja) "El árbol y el hacha", Manu Ranks (“Ouh Lord ouh Dios”), and María José Montijo (“Aguacero”), whose various nationalities, backgrounds, and styles help give the album a pan-Latin feel as refracted through Pedro’s mystical, multi-colored lens.

Pedro Canale has been working on Chancha Vía Circuito, a musical project that has allowed him to travel the world and put his mark on what is now known as Latin American electronic music, since 2005. Beginning his explorations in digital cumbia, but soon moving into electro-acoustic experiments inspired by his travels and encounters with Indigineous traditions of the Andes and beyond, the “Chancha sound” has transformed into a notable reference for an entire new generation of artists, in turn birthing a new sound that spans the globe. To date, he’s released 5 albums (including “La Estrella”) which have expanded far outside of Latin America and can be heard playing at the top festivals in Europe and the U.S. such as MUTEK, Roskilde, and Vive Latino. The general public will recognize Chancha’s sound thanks to one of their remixes, “Quimey Neuquén,” being used in an unforgettable scene in “Breaking Bad”.

New single by legendary Brazilian singer DI MELO, 40 years after his classic self-titled Samba-Soul LP. Performed and produced by French brilliant combo COTONETE, this single and collaboration will be followed by a full album early 2019.
Florian Pelissier speaks about the project: “On tour in Brazil with Cotonete, we had a few days off in Sao Paulo and I really hoped to make a collaboration with an important artist or band from the Brazilian funk scene. We had thought of Marcos Valle, Meta Meta or Ed Motta... but Rafaela Prestes our Brazilian "sound ingineer/genious" told me: "I worked for the return of Di Melo in Rio 2 years ago. He rocks, he’s adorable and he lives in Sao Paulo, here’s his number, he would be perfect for Cotonete."
No sooner said than done. I'm a huge fan of Di Melo and had already tried to contact him for Cotonete 6 years ago. The next day, on a Sunday, he arrives at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in front of us in the kitchen, and gives us a private show of 3 hours… we cried the tears of joy.
He had 400 original songs never recorded, a gold mine. On the same night, we started working the arrangements for 2 days, followed by a rehearsal and two small gigs in Sao Paulo. Immediately after, we recorded in the magical Epsilon B studio. All with the participation of Gabi, his 10-year-old daughter, and future star.
This album is the summary of this moment, of these 5 days of madness spent together between “the best band in the world” and the legend Roberto Di Melo… Simple, beautiful, Brazilian-French, human music…”

Tempo dos Mestres (Time of the Masters) is the second album from the tireless, young Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento.
It finds its roots in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, passed down through generations of Native Brazilians, and is imbibed by
the Afro-Brazilian culture that arose after Portuguese colonization. This blend is not new in Brazil, and is represented musically by
great Brazilian musicians both known and celebrated - the guitarist Baden Powell and catalyst Hermeto Pascoal, both direct
influences on Do Nascimento - and less exposed, like the experimentalist Carioca, one of Do Nascimento’s mentors, and the
Brazilian psychedelic pioneer Lula Cortes, whose album Paebiru rewrote Brazilian rock’s history in 1975.
It is the third Brazilian album released on Now-Again, following Seu Jorge and Almaz and Do Nascimento’s debut Dança dos
Tempos. Do Nascimento's is joined on Tempo dos Mestres by his long time percussionist, Ricardo "Tiki" Pasillas on trap drums
and percussion, and Sam Gendel on saxophone and flute. Vocals are performed by Thalma de Freitas and Carla Hasset.
These tracks were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, straight to 2” analog-tape, and only sparingly mastered to focus
on the subtleties of the performances. Do Nascimento’s fans include legendary percussionist Airto Moreira, who recorded Dança
dos Tempos and can be found playing live with Do Nascimento. "He’s Brazilian but (his mind is) from a place in Brazil that is not
common.” Moreira states. “Fortunately, we still have some musicians who like to play music and who like to touch the instrument
and who like that energy!”
Do Nascimento takes his music, and his place in Brazil’s lineage, seriously, and he often travels the vast country, spending time in
the rainforest, living life as it was lived in the distant past, while studying with still living masters as he searches for new directions
of the path trod by the geniuses whose influence abounds in contemporary music, but whose names are still unfamiliar.
“Being a musician - feeling, studying, experiencing, living music -this comes first, right?” Do Nascimento questions. “ Second,
we hope that the depths of knowledge in the music from the masters before us can be shared more, each time, to the younger
generations coming.” In Tempo dos Mestres Do Nascimento answers himself with a beautiful entry into the evolving language of
timeless Brazilian music.

The Bongo Hop is the new afro Caribbean project presented by french trumpetist Etienne Sevet. On Satingarona Pt.1, friends from his Colombian years, like vocalist Nidia Gongora (Ondatropica, Quantic) rapper Maikcel (Zalama crew), but also famous producer multinstrumentalist Patchworks (Voilaaa, Dynamics, Taggy Matcher, Uptown Funk Empire,…) among others, join in for his first musical travel diary, inspired by 8 years as a Cali resident. In this first project, you can hear his personal take on tropical tempos, as he launches a storm of infectious grooves – ranging from highlife, to vallenato-meets-dub, dance hall, afrobeat, or kompa, combined with warm horns.

This release comes on heavy-weight 180g vinyl. With all the cosmic energy and masterful musicianship you'd expect from the three-man orchestra, Azymuth rise from the ashes.

The Minyo Crusaders' 2017 debut album “Echoes of Japan” LP will be back in stock on vinyl! Purists beware, as these ten Japanese musicians have decided to give a cumbia, reggae, salsa, ethiopian groove and afro-funk twist to min'yo, an ancestral Japanese folk song genre of which they were all fans before they met. Their debut album, the eminently exotic (even zany) Echoes Of Japan, features ten tracks from the min'yo repertoire sung in the grand tradition of the style, to the sound of Afro-Latino brass and percussion. A delightful example of successful fusion, however unlikely it may seem.

Santa Suerte is an album that pays homage to the Cumbia known as "Regia" of the megalopolis of Monterrey in the northeast of Mexico.

“Leão Leonardo” and “Guajiru”, here gathered in an exclusive 7-inch record, represent the first two steps in a journey that will lead to the Spring 2024 release of the new album by Toco, a Brazilian singer-songwriter with a unique sensibility and taste. “Leão Leonardo” is a very heartfelt and engaging song that constitutes a homage to a childhood friend, a tribute to a deep and everlasting bond, as well as a return to a place very dear to Toco: the Guarapiranga water reservoir near São Paulo in Brazil; it is mainly inspired by two great samba jazz masters, Jorge Ben and João Donato. “Guajiru”, a classic sambarock track inspired by Orlandivo’s swing and Jorge Ben’s sensuality, explores the more romantic side of Toco’s multifaceted style and tells of a fleeting summer love in northeastern Brazil, where the indigenous fishing village of Guajiru, on the coast of the state of Ceará, is located. As the whole new album, both “Leão Leonardo” and “Guajiru” have been recorded at Schema Records’ Blue Spirit studios and produced by Stefano “S-Tone Inc.” Tirone, who skillfully captured the spirit of these tracks and elaborated the essence and energy of their songwriting. Both of them see Toco’s alluring voice masterfully surrounded by an ensemble of exceptional musicians: Donatinho (keyboards), Tuca Milan (percussion), Ramiro Levy (guitars), Edu Hebling (bass), Mauro Martins (drums), Priscila Ribas (vocals), Gianluca Petrella (trombone), Mirco Rubegni (trumpet) and Marquinho Baboo (percussion). This 45rpm is therefore a tasty appetiser for an album that we expect to be unique, just like Toco’s style!

An undeservedly obscure Fruko album from 1973, full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up (hence the title, "The Violent One"). The record is a pleasing mix of originals and covers and contains the anthems 'Tronco seco', sung by Wilson Saoko, and 'Nadando', a hit for Joe Arroyo. But there's a whole lot more, including hot holiday tunes and the stomping descarga 'Salsa Na' Ma'. This album is "all killer and no filler", designed to set the dance floor ablaze! Details:The 1973 album "El Violento" was the fifth full-length salsa LP led by Julio Ernesto Estrada Rincón, aka Fruko, and the second credited to Fruko Y Sus Tesos. Though it did not contain hits like 'A la memoria del muerto' or 'El Preso', it's a collector's item today in places like the US, Europe and Japan, perhaps precisely because it is obscure yet full to the brim with unrelentingly hard and heavy salsa bangers that never let up from start to finish (hence the title, which translates as "The Violent One"). A mix of originals and interesting covers, the LP is "all killer and no filler", purposely designed to set the dance floor ablaze. It features Fruko's two main vocalists that took over from the first pair of Humberto "Huango" Muriel and "Píper Pimienta" Díaz, namely the beloved duo of Alvaro "Joe" Arroyo and Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma. Los Tesos were a talented "wild bunch" who listened to their fearless leader, with Fruko holding down the bottom end on electric bass, Hernán Gutiérrez in the piano chair, the Villegas brothers on hand percussion (Jesús tickling the bongos and Fernando slapping the congas), augmented by Rafael Benítez on timbales and an ace horn section of Freddy Ferrer and Gonzálo Gómez (trombones) and Jorge Gaviria and Salvador Pasos (trumpets). While "El Violento" may not be as well known as some Fruko records, it certainly deserves a new look and should be assessed on its own merits as a very powerful, confident entry in the historical evolution of Colombi...

"Vente pa'cá" started with an afro-funk groove made by Jah Sazzah who has produced Dub, Reggae & a recent Deep Global Electronic album for Turntables on the Hudson called "Horizons." When asked for a possible vocalist, Nickodemus made some edits & mixes and sent it to Colombian vocalist Jimena Angel who quickly put her signature vocal style in as a catchy chorus saying "venue pa'cá" meaning "come here." Jimena has been on recent Captain Planet album with a hit song "Pambelé" as well as releasing many Latin/ Electronic / Alternative singles the past few years. The song's afro disco funk feel then got a heavy Caribbean style four to the floor Poirier remix with an entirely different melody for the dance-floors. Poirier is best know for his remixes & modern Afro-Caribbean productions & has a strong selling album on Wonderwheel Recordings called "Soft Power."

Folkloric Brasilian/Afro-Brasilian music taken into the future. Featuring Airto Moreira. Dança dos Tempos is the debut album from thrilling, young Brazilian guitarist Fabiano do
Nascimento, and it features legendary percussionist Airto Moreira in his first album project in
over ten years. Dança dos Tempos follows folkloric Brazilian music as experienced through the
mind and able fingers of an expansive musician, not yet thirty years old, and combines the
heady ‘60s and ‘70s experimentalism of Hermeto Pascoal and Baden Powell with the childlike
elegance of music played and passed down by native Brazilians for generations. It is the
second Brazilian album released on Now-Again, following Seu Jorge and Almaz.
Moreira, the bandleader, songwriter and producer who recorded a bevy of titles under his own
name, with his wife Flora Purim, and whose resume contains the names of - seriously - every
musician worth mentioning from America or Brazil from the past 50 years - plays percussion on
the album and is joined by do Nascimento's long time drummer, Ricardo "Tiki" Pasillas on trap
drums. Do Nascimento and Kana Shimanuki handle vocals on what is otherwise an airy instrumental
album that allows the guitarist's virtuosity to shine through originals, folkloric Brazilian
songs, and select covers by the likes of Pascoal and Powell, both formative influences on the
guitarist.
These duets show the camaraderie that two master Brazilian musicians - of two different
generations, but of the same spirit - share with comrades of ages past as they imagine music
for the years to come. These tracks were recorded live in the studio with no overdubs, straight
to 2” analog-tape, and only sparingly mastered to focus on the subtleties of the performances.

Moar is back with his Badlibs, this time covering a track composed by legendary producer Jay Dee aka J Dilla. This time the Badlibs are joined by pianist Floriant Pélissier, who covers the main theme on piano, accompanied by Elisabeth Jutel (Double Françoise) on backing vocals and Jean-Louis Potin on saxophone. Moar is behind the MPC to produce and arrange the track, while he entrusts his long-time friend King Most (SF / Usa) with the task of remixing it for an explosive Samba version. The artwork is by the young and talented Arthur Zupashaf, and the logo by friend Eno Kruger.

First time vinyl reissue of this awesome 1978 Latin jazz-funk gem by Venezuelan guitarist Alex Rodríguez, featuring top musicians like Jorge Dalto, Nené Quintero and George Benson's band members Dennis Davis and Stanley Banks, among many others.Originally self-released and distributed in tiny quantities, "Búsqueda" has reached grail status among collectors worldwide. The album contains quite a few heaters for the dance floor, like 'El Mercado', and tight, keys and guitar punctuated fusion jams! (just check the groovy opener 'Cumana'.)Rodríguez is a classical and jazz trained guitarist who in the early days of his career joined some of the best orchestras in Venezuela, including Aldemaro Romero's Onda Nueva. He put together a brief project, La Retreta Mayor, in 1976 which only released one album and would later move to New York where he had the opportunity to record his own songs with renowned musicians of the city at that time, like Víctor Paz, Charlie Camalliari, Sam Burtis, Mario Bauza, Guillermo Edgil, Bernard Purdie, Jorge Dalto, among others.It took him a little more than a year writing the songs and preparing the material for "Busqueda" but in 1978 Alex Rodríguez would return to New York City. Jorge Dalto had spoken with Dennis Davis (drums), Stanley Banks (bass) who played together with George Benson, and Víctor Paz contacted Alex with Ronnie Cuber (saxes), an excellent saxophonist, who later recorded 'Cumana' on his own album "The Eleventh Day Of Aquarius".Before going to the recording studio they did a rehearsal to review the music, and the next day Dalto, Banks, Davis, Cuber and Alex Rodríguez were recording in the CBS studio on 52nd street in Manhattan.The production and mixing of the album were finished in Caracas, at Sono 2000 studios, with the participation of excellent Venezuelan musicians such as Nené Quintero, Lucio Caminiti, Edgar Saume, Carlos Acosta, Alberto Naranjo, Rolando Briceño, Leo and Frank Quintero, among others. The resulting album contains quite a few...

We are celebrating the 100th release in the Brazil45 series with a massive track. The enticing and exotic samba 'Redondo Sambão' is pure Brazilian fire. With beautiful female vocal-group arrangements, floating flutes and vibrating rhythms, this song oozes charm. Its only downside being that it is over far too soon. Originally released in 1967 on a compact 7" on the Som Maior imprint, to our knowledge, the group sadly only had a couple of releases.

'Brasileiro' is taken from Jorginho Telles' self-titled 1971 album and also featured on a 7", both released on Copacabana Records. The track switches between a hoarse male vocal crooner and a rough and raw psych-guitar, RnB dancer: totally magic!

Record Store Day 2023 limited run / regional release limited to 1000 copies.
New one-off limited-edition heavyweight special-edition yellow vinyl pressing exclusively for Record Store Day 2023 of Soul Jazz Records’ Gipsy Rhumba: The Original Rhythm of Gipsy Rhumba in Spain 1965 – 1974, with a 28-page booklet and download code. The extensive booklet in this release contains definitive sleevenotes by the musicologist Jose Manuel Gómez, record designs and stunning photography from the celebrated photographer Jacques Leonard.

Soul Jazz Records’ Gipsy Rhumba is the first album outside of Spain to focus on one of the most exciting musical culture clashes ever. In the early 1960s, Gypsies from the Catalan region of Spain, primarily known as the creators of Flamenco, came up with a fascinating hybrid style – Gipsy Rhumba – which blended the Latin and Rhumba music of Cuba and the Caribbean together with their own Flamenco, as well as the emerging Rock ‘N’ Roll from America.

“A capsule of supercharged clapping and joyous vocals” -- The Guardian

“Must-have”. “You all know Gipsy Kings’ blend of flamenco and Latin rhythms … but where did this convergence of Latin music styles occur? This compilation demonstrates how mid-1960’s Barcelona hot-housed gypsy musicians who employed the rumba rhythm… Gipsy Rhumba unearths a forgotten corner of Europop.”-- The Sunday Times

“Musicologists aren’t the only ones who will enjoy pulling at the threads that bind this particular sound clash … Messing with the traditional form is daring at any time, but the result was something quite fantastic, potent and intriguing, full of marvelous grooves and compelling rhythms.”-- Irish Times

“A victory for gipsy party music… A collection worthy of conquering the world”--Dagens Nyheter, Sweden

“Punchy, rhythmic and popular …specialist Rhumba research starts here with this compilation released by the London Soul Jazz label. Another genre of pop history.” -- Junge Welt, Germany