Latin | Brazil Vinyl 270 Items

Words from Discothèque Tropicale: Guadeloupe’s Manix is a self taught musician drawing inspiration from traditional Caribbean Folk and Beguine, to Salsa, Reggae and beyond. In 1980 Manix met the group ‘Tamtam 2000’ in Mulhouse, France. Embarking on many worldwide tours, Manix cemented his place in the group with 'Ti Cherie’ becoming a global hit beloved throughout the Antilles, Cape Verde, and La Réunion. Describing his singular philosophy of inciting joy ”At this moment I realised quickly that the simple act of playing wasn't just about one’s own satisfaction, but rather the need to create and share music”.

Browsing the French Football Federation's website, Dijon’s ‘Under Radaar’ was able to track down Manix as he was once the match report coordinator for his club ‘Red Star Richwiller’. It’s now our pleasure to share his music once again.

Words from Manix: "Now in my 70s, what a joy it is to discover my songs now being loved in new parts of the world that I could never have imagined them spreading to in the mad 80s. A reissue is like a renaissance, a second wind that reaffirms my believe that both music and love will never die”

We are so excited to share our debut release which has already received support from Antal, Hunee and Palms Trax.

New Parisian label, Disques Messager, presents its first release and not the least. As its name suggests, the label has a simple leitmotiv: to place itself among the best messengers for rarities and sought-after gems of the international rare groove. A mission which begins rather well, with the official reissue of these two stirring titles by Brazilian singer and composer Cristina Camargo. Native of Rio De Janeiro, Cristina Camargo had quite a short career, releasing only 2 albums in 1980 and 1981, but still enough to collaborate with some of the best composers, musicians and producers at that time. Her first self-titled album was therefore produced by Robson Jorge & Lincoln Oliveti and recorded with some of the finest musicians. “Moral Tem Hora” comes from this same LP and is a perfect example of the unique alchemy that emerged when the Disco and Boogie invaded the Brazilian music scene. A quite hard to find Boogie killer, composed by famous brothers, Marcos and Paulo Sérgio Valle. On B side comes “Minas Do Rei Salomão”, a more chilled-out title extracted from Cristina’s 2 nd album, Santa Maravilha. With its funky slapped bass, airy keyboards and the sweet vocals of Cristina, the song seems made to sip a nice cocktail at Ipanema.

Continuing the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics Series, we shine a light on Los Reyes 73 and their sensational debut LP from 1975. The album had multiple different pressings under various titles and artworks, but the music stayed the same and speaks for itself. The group set the bar high with this fiery Afro-Cuban-funk gem, letting loose a vibrant Latin workout combining psych rock trippiness with a heavy dose of deep funk. Elements that fuse to firmly cement this album as a ‘70s Cuban masterpiece and one of our favourites here at Mr Bongo HQ.

Releasing just two albums and a handful of 7-inch singles, the band were a popular and influential group in Cuba at the time. Since then, they have featured on several compilation albums across the 2000s that have helped raise their profile amongst new audiences worldwide.

Produced by the magical Raúl Gómez, the album featured a list of heavyweight Cuban musicians. Directed by Santiago Reyes and Ovidio Guerra, with orchestration from greats including Ricardo Eddy Martinez who also released the much-loved album 'Expreso Ritmico' in 1978 alongside Ignacio Herrera, Mario Valdes and Gilberto García. The album also features the writing prowess of Los Van Van’s Miguel Ángel Rasalps.

Blending traditional Cuban Son aesthetics with funk influences and psychedelic touches, the music housed within showcases a cosmic fusion that stands up on any modern dancefloor. The scintillating opener ‘Grandes Amigos’, the tripped out ‘Adeoey’ and the grooving ‘Un Lamento Hecho Cancion’ are just a handful of examples that exhibit the sheer musical melting pot of this album.

For this reissue, we have chosen to use the artwork from a Mexican version of the album released on Pentagrama Records that features the beautiful bird illustration cover art. The Cuban edition was released on the state-run Areito.

An outstanding and wondrous Latin record that has long been calling out for an official reissue.

Reissued on 180 gram vinyl in gatefold sleeve!

This isn’t just a seminal album. It is an estuary. All the black rivers that would form Brazilian funk/hip-hop flow through it. Led by Paulista pianist Salvador Silva Filho – Dom Salvador – “Som, Sangue, e Raça” from 1971, one year after the explosion of Tim Maia on the scene, catalyzed the bossa nova and jazz background of its leader with the rhythm and blues of its members like saxophonist Oberdã Magalhães, nephew of samba-enredo master Silas de Oliveira and future leader of Banda Black Rio, who since the group Impacto 8 (which had, among others, Robertinho Silva on drums and Raul de Souza on trombone) had already been trying to reconcile MPB with Stevie Wonder and James Brown.

Add to all this a mixture of samba, Nordestino accent, and even the black side of the Jovem Guarda represented by the authorial presence of Getúlio Cortes (older brother of Gerson King Combo, our James Brown “cover”) in ‘Hei! Você’. Alongside these elements and the presence of Rubão Sabino (bass), who still called himself ‘Rubens’, drummer Luis Carlos (another member of Black Rio), the record enlists the trumpet and flugelhorn of symphonic musician Darcy in place of the original Barrosinho (yet one more founder of Black Rio), who was traveling during the recording but would end up being a leading force of the band.

The album ‘Som, Sangue e raça’ paves the way for future generations of musicians and producers of the Carioca scene at the beginning of the 1970s. The lyrics that dealt with the question of race and the explosive fusion of samba, soul, jazz, and funk, elaborated by Dom Salvador and his troupe, Abolição, established the bases for the development of new sounds and tendencies in Brazilian music.

In 1975, Joyce Moreno, who had just wrapped up a tour with legendary Brazilian composer Vinicius de Moraes, found herself in a studio with producer Sergio Bardotti in Rome, Italy.

She had been taking a break from writing and she decided to pick up a selection of her favorite compositions from contemporary Brazilian writers who‘s songs were beacons of hope in times of an ongoing intense Military leadership in her home country. Unlike their previous albums, these recordings live from their reductiveness and intimacy.

For a long time, Passarinho Urbano was considered a secret masterpiece and was highly sought after by record collectors, now Week–End Records is glad to be making it available internationally on vinyl for the first time ever.

Polysom Brazil vinyl LP repress import, released in 1971. Erasmo Carlos sounds even cooler here than usual – still working with tunes penned with his brother Roberto – but also taking on music by Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, and Marcos Valle too!

Two gypsies with pedigree backgrounds in Flamenco got together with a drum machine in a studio during the early 80's and the result was Chipen, a somewhat poppy chart oriented project featuring Peret Reyes the grandson of legendary Catalan Gitano musician Peret (aka "El Rey de la Rumba") and Johnny Tarradellas. "Volao" is a mid tempo effort to bridge Pop and Rumba, mixing catchy funk guitar riffs with elements of Flamenco in unprecedented ways. "Chiribiri" sounds like it could be the theme song to a Catalan morning show or even a Japanese 80's Toyota Camry ad, reeks of stereotype and cliche, except that Chipen is the real deal, as real as the darkness of the hair dye on the cover photo. Extended version of Volao on the B side. Remastered at Manmade Mastering in Berlin.

An icon of Brazilian popular music, Tim Maia was a musical polymath and prolific recording artist best known for introducing American soul to the Brazilian music scene, pioneering the sambalanço style by blending elements of soul, funk, rock, and samba. Maia recorded four self-titled albums for Polydor Brazil, this fourth release from 1973 arguably the best, with its outstanding hits ‘Réu Confesso’ and ‘Gostava Tanto de Você’; ‘Do Your Thing, Behave Yourself’ shows how the soul form fitted him perfectly and ‘O Balanço’ full to bursting with Brazilian flavour. A superb set from start to finish, it’s a must for all Tim Maia fans.

The fertility of the Cuban music scene in the 1970s was rich and blooming. FA-5’s self-titled album from 1976 is a perfect example of the energy and vitality emanating from the country’s musicians and marks the next release in Mr Bongo’s Cuban Classics series. A unique musical fusion that encompasses Latin rock, funk, soul, disco and Afro-Cuban rhythms to form a diverse and alluring album.

The exquisite, funk-fuelled opener, 'Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon', is maybe the most-known song on the album. It is a super catchy cut powered by a dynamite bassline, joy-filled horn playing and splashes of drum breaks that will ignite any dancefloor.

The record surfs through genres as it progresses. 'Di Tu Que Haras Sin Mi’ and 'Paso Sin Mas' lean back with a West Latin rock / AOR flavour to their grooves. Elsewhere, the dreamy, cosmic, Balearic-tinged 'El Blue' and fuzzy funk-rock breaks of 'Pero Lo Cierto Es Que No Quise Mas' further show the breadth of styles at play on the LP. Another big highlight on the album is the Latin, disco-funk sounds of 'Casa De Ladrillo', which morphs into a cover version of the Commodores 'Brick House'. The result is a superb alternative take on a much-loved classic.

Released on the state-owned Areito Records, the album was directed by Nestor Caballero, who arranged the songs alongside Aneiro Taño and Osvaldo Caraballoso. The prolific Tony Taño produced the album with the recording courtesy of Tony Lopez who worked with Juan Pablo Torres, Los Reyes 73, Grupo Los Yoyi, Raúl Gómez and many other Cuban greats that we have featured in the Cuban Series.

A fabulous, under-the-radar classic, that will enrich any collection.

Why you'll love it...
To multiple generations of fans, [Héctor] Lavoe would become the greatest salsa vocalist of all time, a barrio poet who spoke to the kids on the street while honoring a legacy of musical traditions. Posthumously, he’d be enshrined as a popular hero throughout Latin America.

Lavoe’s third solo album, Comedia, topped Billboard’s Latin Albums chart after its release in 1978, with “El Cantante” appearing on salsa singles charts. The track remains inseparable from the story of the singer’s intense, musically influential and too-short life. He will be forever known as “El Cantante de los Cantantes” – “The Singer of Singers.”

Limited to 500 copies. Latin Funk Psych Fuzz Blaster basically covers all the realms of rare record collecting in one shot!!
There's the Funk Fuzz Blaster "Maranatha" or the Ray Barretto Latin Jazz Groove cut "El Que Se Fue" with freaky synth blasts.
The Texas Easy Funk moves of "Squeeze" which remind of Steam Heat, or the lounged out soul rendition of Stevie Wonder's classic "Bird Of Beauty”. Something for everyone and impossibly rare!!

The most requested Mr Bongo reissue /// Ze Roberto aka Joaquim Roberto Braga is a composer, singer and instrumentalist from Brazilian folk music roots.

'Lotus 72 D' is a tribute to the Brazilian Formula 1 world champion driver of 1972, Emerson Fittipaldi.
In Roberto's own words: "Lotus 72 D is a tribute to the sensational talent of Formula 1 driver, Emerson
Fittipaldi, who was crowned world champion in 1972. I can't remember the names of the musicians who participated in the recording because they were hired by the original record label, RCA/Victor. The production team consisted of artistic co-ordinator, Henrique Gastaldello, and arranger, Severino Filho. The year of recording was 1973. I'm not aware of another fast version of the song 'Lotus 72 D'... My contract with the RCA/Victor was for 2 years. All my musical works belongs to me.”

The mystery surrounding the ‘fast version’ stems from the Via Brazil compilation from 2001 – the version featured was pitched up.
Hence, a lot of people know it at that tempo, because it is otherwise impossible to obtain!

Released in 1977 on Harvey Averne’s Grammy winning Coco Records, Visión Divina set New York’s dancefloors alight with its incendiary brass and blazing rhythms… Salsa had been reignited!

Averne was a student and lover of Latin music and his signings to the label showed his deep knowledge and Latin Music featuring the very best of New York’s talent led by Eddie Palmieri capturing the sound of mid-70s New York salsa, it was nominated and then won the inaugural Latin Grammy award in 1975.

Enter La Controversia under the supervision of executive producer and NYC’s premier salsa pianist Larry Harlow, son of opera singer Rose Sherman and Latin bandleader Buddy Harlow. Hot from his production run at Fania Records – where he met Harvey Averne – Harlow employed his accumulated knowledge and passion to create and unleash the masterpiece Visión Divina, reissued here worldwide for the first time. Harlow would go on to win the Latin Grammy Trustees Award in 2008 in recognition of his dedication and contribution to Latin music that must include this sensational body of work.

Mad About Records officially reissues super rare private press Quintessence’s 1981 LP. With every famous jazz recording, many others remained on the shelf of oblivion without ever receiving the recognition they deserved, and this is the case of Quintessence.

Led by Ron Ancrum, with George Sovak, David Gaedeke, Winston Johnson and Steve Muse recorded an exceptional and fundamental album of 80's jazz.

If you are into Fender Rhodes, this is an LP to be collected.

Altercat proudly presents the definitive reissue of one of the crown jewels of South American jazz. Essentially the brainchild of Argentinian jazz's leading figure Jorge López Ruiz, the project Viejas Raíces marked Lopez Ruiz's departure from the traditional forms of jazz. The trio that recorded this album, consisting of López Ruiz joined by his life-long friend drummer Pocho Lapouble and gifted Chilean pianist Matías Pizarro, created a thrilling blend of jazz and Uruguayan candombe, surrounded by an undeniable cinematic feel spurred by López Ruiz's long experience in the soundtrack field. When read as one element, the cleverly chosen combination of group name and album title (in English: 'Old Roots of the Colonies of the River Plate') readily hints at the kind of sounds the listener will be challenged with when diving into this LP.

Released in 1971 while Gil was living in London, this is the third self-titled release from the bossa nova and tropicalia legend. Gil recorded this album while in political exile from his native Brazil and its somber, straightforward tone is a welcome change from the experimental, psychedelic assault of his 1969 long player. Featuring 8 originals and a brilliant cover Steve Winwood's 'Can't Find My Way Home,' this Water release also contains 3 bonus tracks including covers of Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles. A tropicalia classic.

A great 70s album by Os Novos Baianos – a wonderfully youthful group that was one of the bright spots in Brazilian music after the Tropicalia years. The band had a style that mixed folksy percussion with honest personal songwriting, plus occasional touches of elements gleaned from the larger influences in Brazilian rock at the time. The album has a sound that's a lot more intimate than later work, with some especially great work on guitar and bandolim, and great production on the band's vocals. Titles include "Sorrir E Cantar Como Bahia", "Dagmar", "Vagabundo Nao E Facil", "Cosmos E Damiao", "Com Qualquer Dois Mil Reis", and "Os Pingo Da Chuva".

For a very long time, we have been trying to re-issue this record; a true and complete album masterpiece in every sense of the word, considered by many people to be one of the greatest ever made, regardless of genre. Recorded at Studio Somil, Rio De Janeiro in 1972, the album was produced, arranged, directed by the self-taught, Arthur Verocai. Previously he had worked on many records in various capacities, with artists including Jorge Ben, Ivan Lins and Celia, but this album gave him the chance to do his thing in it’s most pure form. The 29 minute masterpiece, perfect in it’s arrangement and fusion of sonics, epitomises the sound of Brazil at the time; strings, guitars, pianos, break beats, bass lines, synthesizers, vocals from the wonderful Célia, Carlos Dafe and Oberdan (Banda Black Rio), plus percussion from Pedro Santos and Paulo Moura on sax. Bossa nova, samba, jazz, MPB, psychedelics and funk sit side by side effortlessly. The album transcends the genre of Brazilian music, and infact all genres. Highlighted in part by the number of artists that have sampled from it; MF Doom, Ludacris & Common, Little Brother, Jneiro Jarel aka Dr Who Dat?, Dibiase and Action Bronson amongst others. The original Continental version of the album now fetch around $2000. Our definitive re-issue is an exact replica of the gatefold original LP and the source master is taken from the Continental tapes, re-mastered in 2012 under Arthur’s supervision.

Imagine for a moment that Arthur Russel had learned to speak Brazilian and then moved to Italy to produce an Italo-Disco single back in 1984. There's a good chance it would sound like the Dub version of the B side on this record (Remixed by Bob One). A percussive foundation channeling Latin Freestyle beats sets the groundwork for the chill sunset vibed melody to pleasantly unfold intertwined with the alluring Brazilian lyrics. The recording engineering on this production is clearly at a higher standard (than the usual neighborhood italo disco studio from back in the day) with some of the techniques at play giving it a very balanced and sophisticated sound for its time. The meticulous remastering this re-issue underwent allow for a generous low end with crystal clear mid range – game changing on any well calibrated dance floor sound system.

The King of Miami's Cuban music scene, the late Ray Fernandez, is featured here fronting his enormously talented family band on an album that first brought him into the spotlight.

Heavily influenced by deep funk and Latin music, their psych-tinged creations also incorporated many other kaleidoscopic sound infusions, including soul, calypso, Afro-Cuban and salsa. Fronted by Ray Fernandez, his band included his very talented wife and two sons and proved to be a highly influential group on Miami's Latin music scene in the late 70's. What also made them stand out was their versatility; this group could easily shift from Cuban funk to Reggae in a blink. Their instrumentation was also different to the 'norm', and where a lot of similar sounds were saxophone-led, this band used a bass clarinet. Instead of bongos, Ray and His Court played with the unique Osi drums from Africa.

Sampled heavily by DJs worldwide (including DJ Shadow) On High presents a must have piece of music for any serious Latin, funk, or rare groove collector. Remastered and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl for your listening pleasure.

Brothers Gerard Mendes (also known as Boy Ge Mendes) and Jean-Claude Mendes display the intriguing combination of Creole Portuguese-African polyrhythms, American boogie, and Brazilian samba; the duo became massive stars among the Cabo Verde diaspora.

This LP includes the killer boogie anthem “Mitamiyo”

Back in 1981 Haze were a band consistently touring the south west of England, rocking shows from Torquay, Exeter and slightly further beyond, their release, recorded to campaign to save milk bottle tops for the local disabled school, did quite well.

On the record is a few classics, a cover of Johnny Cash, a cover of Abba, a cover of… Azymuth? Yep, the trio from Rio made an impression on Tony Ridley as he took it to the band to include on their record.

For 43 years their version hasn’t even graced youtube, and with only 3 wants at the time of writing on discogs this version truly did get lost along the way. Now Panorama unearth this gem in their trademark 7inch format, from Rio to Torquay - Haze knew how to jazz funk.

Panorama Records is a newly established label based in London, is dedicated to rediscovering and showcasing musical gems with a fresh approach. With early support from notable DJs such as Gilles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Rainer Trueby, Mr Bongo DJs and Zag Erlat from My Analog Journal. Their unique take on Jazz and Funk from the further afield has shown they will become trailblazers in the reissue game for a long time.

Vinyl LP pressing. Reventó is iconic salsa singer Hector Lavoe's eighth solo album released on Fania Records. The classic New York salsa album was critically acclaimed and very popular among fans, with hits like "¿De Que Tamaño Es Tu Amor?," "La Fama" and "Déjala Que Siga." Reventó remained on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart for five months in 1985. Featuring (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes, this remastered reissue is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a classic tip-on jacket.

One of the most obscure records ever released in Venezuela that was originally distributed in tiny quantities as a promo-only album in 1972. A magic blend of protest songwriting, with a strong environmentalist statement, and folky pop with psych ingredients -such as the use of sitar sounds- recorded by the collective of artists "Una Luz", and "El Zigui" who was once described as the local Bob Dylan. Latin, Psych, Folk - First time reissue, 180g LP, RSD exclusive release, 500 copies ww.

Imagine for a moment that Arthur Russel had learned to speak Brazilian and then moved to Italy to produce an Italo-Disco single back in 1984. There's a good chance it would sound like the Dub version of the B side on this record (Remixed by Bob One). A percussive foundation channeling Latin Freestyle beats sets the groundwork for the chill sunset vibed melody to pleasantly unfold intertwined with the alluring Brazilian lyrics. The recording engineering on this production is clearly at a higher standard (than the usual neighborhood italo disco studio from back in the day) with some of the techniques at play giving it a very balanced and sophisticated sound for its time. The meticulous remastering this re-issue underwent allow for a generous low end with crystal clear mid range – game changing on any well calibrated dance floor sound system.

"Mestiço" was originally recorded in 1975 to be the first release of Luiz Henrique´s own label Itagra, after coming back from fifteen years as a sucsseful musician in the U.S during the 60´s. Mestiço, meaning, "mixed race" in Portugues plays this exact roll mixing a variety of genres manking it impossible to be labeled a a single bossa-nova or samba-jazz album. Featuring Laércio de Freitas, Tenório Jr. Chico Batera with arrangements by J.T Meirelles, Mestiço was a precious jewel, only pressed 300 copies at the time.

The Brazilian label, Somatória do Barulho dug deep for the original master tapes for this reissue, and was blessed to find three extra themes, never heard before. A real masterpiece brought back to life, with incredible remaster work and a gatefold version for the beautiful sleeve designed by Florianópolis artist Hassis.

Includes 7" with bonus tracks.

Super thick heavy cardboard cover, this is what “deluxe” is meant to be in all terms.

Fantastic Proto-Zouk from Georges and Pierre-Edouard Decimus NSI (New sound From the Islands) is a concept launched by the Decimus family, and the album was released at the end of 1981, at the same time as Kassav's Album "n'4" with the singer Jocelyn Moka.

Under exclusive license George Decimus

History has proven that the recording industry allows more than one artist or band with the same name, and the least successful isn’t always the less talented. Take the case of British Nirvana and American Psychedelic band Genesis, or even the Jazz projects like the Americans Air and Marc Moulin’s Placebo from Belgium.

The coincidence in the name Hazel Scott with the popular Trinidadian pianist from the New York jazz clubs scene did not bring any disadvantages to this English singer who traveled the world spreading her love for the music of Brazil.

It cames with 8 pages booklet, photos and postcard

Killer tracks for the dance floor!

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Adarce proudly presents the reissue of ‘Clásicos con Ritmo’ by Paco Ros. Originally released in 1978 on Discos Maller, still sounds as special and out of time as when it was released; a strange album that has become one of the most sought after jewels - and most hard to find - for lovers of Spanish Groove. 'Clásicos con Ritmo' offers a mix of sounds that range from a kind of analog pre-Balearic to something similar to Library Music, passing through a slow cadence groove based on sinuous layers of Hammond organ, Fender pianos, vibraphones and xylophones. During the 11 songs on the album, Paco Ros revisits his life trajectory through memories: his Valencian childhood in Godella, his professional beginnings in Madrid and his musical adventures as a backing band, his return to Valencia -where he would form 'Los 4 Ros, then simply the Ros - to finally take refuge in his Mallorcan retreat, cradled between Party Rooms, Hotel Discotheques and endless sunrises, moved as always by his infinite love for music.

It’s hard not to notice such an unforgettable sleeve, and if the music it protects is half as memorable as the artwork, you know you just have to hear it. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed because yes, this is the majestic 1971 album Un Muñeco De Madera, courtesy of the shadowy Sola, and it sounds exactly as you’d want it to. Originally released on RCA in Mexico, it’s kaleidoscopic Acapulcan-funk. The album’s endless grooves are propelled by softly rocking, quasi-library funk breaks. Vocally, Sola is in step with the 60s French pop-chanteuse style, but of course her lyrics are delivered in sensuous Spanish. Her voice is beautiful. Pillowy soft and tender, it can suddenly explode in mystical anger. These are ten tracks of moody, mysterious vibes that stir the spirit and sooth the soul. The LP was written, arranged and directed by prolific Spanish composer Manuel Alejandro, the man behind an incredible number of now classic Latin love songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s. As for Sola herself, next to nothing is known about the Mexican singer except the occasional whisper heard in only the darkest corners of the annals of music history. It’s said that upon growing disillusioned with the music industry she ended up in a convent of Carmelite Sisters. Fitting perhaps, given that Un Muñeco De Madera is a spiritual wonder of a record. Much-loved single and title-track “Un Muñeco De Madera” opens the album. It introduces us to Sola’s sparkling Latin-funk, bursting with swaggering grooves sewn by tight drums, sweeping strings and lush keys.

First ever vinyl reissue of this fabulous French / West Indies afro-jazz-funk-caribbean-fusion album from 1976, originally released on the Moshé-Naïm label by poet-singer-painter FRANCK VALMONT, accompanied by multicultural progressive jazz-rock band SYNCHRO.

Featuring JO MAKA (Intercommunal Free Dance Music Orchestra) on sax, LOUIS XAVIER on bass & fuzz-bass, GEORGES NOUEL on electric piano and organ, GERARD CURBILLON from Magma related prog-fusion band SPEED LIMIT on electric guitar, YVES DOLPHIN on drums…

Since 2019 the collective of Parisian partygoers, Pardonnez-Nous, have decided to launch their own label. Just like their parties, their goal is to shine a light on dancing music.
Constantly looking for new tracks to enlighten the dancefloors, their outings are in line with the vision of deejaying defended by its founders. Finding forgotten pieces that are the geneses of dance music and mixing them with more contemporary sounds. Re-editions, edits, remixes or original productions the label doesn’t just stick to one style but aspires to represent all the music of partying!
For its 1st release, the label strike hard and unearthed a quite surprising hidden track by one of the most famous band from the French Islands.
La Compagnie Créole: born in 1975, this mythical band known by all the francophones will be remembered by future generations, thanks to all those super hits spread over the course of 23 albums, mixing music from the Antilles, Guyane and popular tunes from the French metropole.
Amongst all those classics, making people dance in all the French ballrooms, one stands out: A.I.É, written by Daniel Vangarde in 1987, his Creole lyrics and melodies have won over the entire francophone diaspora, as well as the rest of Europe and North America.
From then on, in 1988, a NY DJ, known by the name of Larry Levan, produced a remix of this track for the soundtrack of the film Sweet Lies. A mix not released, which remained relatively unknown up to this point. “Pardonnez-Nous” (Excuse us), but here it is.

Sweet Soul Funk from 70s Brazil. Ronie aka Ronaldo Mesquita, the drummer of Bossa Três Combo! This album's got a smoother groove and luxurious use of Fender Rhodes, gliding alongside sweet samba soul arrangements in a mode that's a bit like some of the funkier 70s work by João Donato. Reissue on vinyl for the first time in a 180 gram heavyweight vinyl.

Apparently when this album was originally released in 1972, confused and bewildered fans, expecting more of the same found on Transa, released earlier that year, returned the album to the shop, demanding a refund. Meanwhile, critics raved, and many now consider Araçá Azul known as CAETANO VELOSO’s “experimental album” to be one of his great creative moments. To be fair to his many fans, it was a stark departure from his previous releases, which were decidedly more pop, but Veloso had been through a lot recently, having just returned from political exile in the UK, so it is no wonder that the artist was feeling a bit like he needed to fly in the face of conformity. In Veloso‚s own words, “I made this album without thinking, without taking the time to stop to think.” He refers to the album’s “insolent experimentalism” and calls it a kind of “last stand.” Color vinyl version.

Polysom Brazil vinyl LP repress import, released in 1973. Definitive Brazil 70s album, featuring the charasmatic and high pitched vocalist Ney Matogrosso. 180gram vinyl

África Brasil is a 1976 release by Brazilian artist Jorge Ben. It was Ben's 14th studio album and a milestone in his career with a switch to electric guitar and funk music leaks. For África Brasil Ben reworked three of his earlier compositions: "A Princesa e o Plebeu" from Sacundin Ben Samba, "Taj Mahal" from Ben, and "Zumbi" from A Tábua de Esmeralda. The album's opening track "Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)", a song about an African football striker, became a well known soccer-associated track and it was later included on David Byrne's 1989 compilation Brazil Classics Beleza Tropical, prompting rotation of a video for the track on Vh-1

THE RECORD IS SHRINK-WRAPPED BUT WAS OPENED DUE TO A SUBSEQUENT STICKER ON THE INSERT!

Jards Macalé’s biography is a testament to the electrifying energy of music and the unwavering spirit of artistic rebellion. Macalé has remained true to his vision, unapologetically embracing the unconventional and challenging the status quo. His music, a conduit of emotion and a mirror to society, continues to weave a sonic tapestry that resonates with the souls of listeners.

In 2022, Macalé celebrated the momentous 50th anniversary of his debut solo album, a groundbreaking masterpiece released by Philips in 1972. This iconic record gifted us timeless tracks such as “Vapor Barato”, “Mal Secreto”, “Farinha do Desprezo”, “Revendo Amigos”, and “Hotel das Estrelas”. Its sheer brilliance united the realms of Brazilian music, infusing samba and bossa nova with the fiery essence of rock, classical harmonies, and the improvisational spirit of jazz. As the years passed, a new generation of musicians and fans discovered this gem, fueling its resurgent popularity and inspiring fresh collaborations.

Last year, Jards Macalé assembled a formidable new band, igniting stages across Brazil with a tour that now sets its sights on Europe. Together with Gui Held on guitar, the Paulo Emmery on bass, and Thomas Harres on drums, Macalé conjures an exhilarating homage to his illustrious body of work. This live performance embodies the untamed spirit and boundless musical freedom that define this visionary artist, transporting audiences to a realm where the past intertwines with the present in a breathtaking display of artistic prowess.

El Palmas Music rescues a hidden gem of Venezuelan salsa

With the vinyl reissue of En La Conquista del Mundo Latino (1979), by the Salsa Suprema Orchestra, it pays a fair tribute to Larry Francia.

“Larry Francia's work deserves nothing less than transcendence,” says Miguel Álvarez, the Venezuelan musical collector and archaeologist who one day came across with this Salsa legend from his country without planning it and knew it was fair and necessary to spread this magnificent work.

Born in Barlovento, an Afro area of Venezuela where the drum rules, Larry Francia grew up in San Agustín del Sur, a Caracas neighborhood that is salsa territory par excellence. When he was barely 12 years old, Víctor Piñero, one of the most popular orchestra singers in Venezuela in the 60s, summoned him to record choirs. An early initiation that marked Larry forever and at the same time revealed his indisputable talent.

“His driving force is singing. If you're talking to him, he often stops talking to sing" says Álvarez. “He was a man who never stopped being a musician, even though his living conditions were never the best. And the legacy of Salsa Suprema is key to Venezuelan popular music.”

When that orchestra stopped working (there were no producers who supported their tours, their records were pirated in Spain in the 80s), Larry suffered an emotional breakdown and even gave up devoting himself to music for a few years. He was someone who undoubtedly lived for and through music.

Larry Francia left this world in 2023, but we are left with a fabulous album like En La Conquista del Mundo Latino, recovered from the chest of memories by Álvarez and the Suicide Diggerz collective, specialists in rescuing hidden gems. “It’s a collector's item of the most exquisite and least known Venezuelan salsa” he defines.

The El Palmas Music label - created by musician, DJ, designer and cultural agitator Maurice Aymard, whose base of operations is in Barcelona - has been committed since 2020 to making known the best and least visible of the rich heritage of the popular music from Venezuela. Now he is pleased to present the reissue of this fundamental album as a posthumous tribute to an artist with capital letters: the great Larry Francia.

Todos Os Olhos is one of the most important Brazilian records of all time. Tom Zé is considered the most “paulista” of all Tropicalistas. He came from Bahia, but his wry urban poetry, infused with the uncomfortable sounds of the largest metropolis of South America, is pure Sao Paulo.

Reissue of the 1988 zouk album Pa Flipé by Odissey.

Odissey is a group formed by the Adams brothers (Pascal and Richie), born in Paris to a mother from Guadeloupe and a father from Martinique. At the time, Pascal was a DJ and radio presenter and Richard was a guitarist, both being trained singers. They had been making demo's for some time when one day they met Jolème Narayadou who was a well-known producer in the country, specialized in charming music who wanted to produce something other than slow and bolero (very popular music at the time). The three ventured in the studio and this resulted in the album Pa flipé (which is a Creole expression which means don't be afraid).

The tune Marie Hélène was a hit and is one of the great successes of Zouk in Martinique. The song is about a man in love with an Indian girl and takes place in Martinique, a small island in the French West Indies which saw the birth of Aimé Césaire but also Jean-Philippe Marthély, Jocelyne Béroard, Jean-Claude Naimro from the Kassav group, the legendary band which was born in Guadeloupe and which has toured the world multiple times.

Check the stand out songs : "Viré Love" & "Songe"

Black Vinyl Edition.
Still shrink wrapped but opened.
Cover as new with slightly dented corners.

El Palmas Music are reissuing a rare 1970s Venezuela salsa record that spotlights the work of enigmatic Caracas guitar maestro, Andrés Moros Given his singular vision on the 1976 salsa masterpiece, Andres y Sus Estrellas, the absence of information on Venezuelan musician Andres Moros, also known as “Morito”, feels almost criminal. What we do know is that Morito first began his musical journey as a live performer in the bars and nightclubs of Caracas in the 1960s-70s, at the full height of the Venezuelan salsa boom, and was a core figure on the scene. Alongside a small band, Morito would frequently perform in the bustling live music circuits of Caracas and La Guiara, where he first met the notable singer Nano Grant. Andres y Sus Estrellas was the result of a long-held dream of Morito’s to partner with Grant to record an album. This album, Morito’s debut project, is now getting reissued by El Palmas Music. With big band compositions spiced with the flavour of Caribbean rhythm, the album is a seminal example of Venezuelan music at the height of its salsa movement. Grant’s effortlessly smooth flowing vocals chronicle tales of love, passion and party, masterfully guided under Morito’s cohesive musical direction. Here, the arrangement flows with succinct percussion, dramatic pauses, and satisfying brass bursts all timed to perfection and employed with astonishing versatility from track to track. “Canuto” is a soft, sensual calling to end the tears, “no quiero que llores más”, soulfully implores Grant. “No Quiero Bailar Pegao” is an upbeat merengue-infused track that humorously chronicles tales of sweaty, intimate dancefloors. On the bolero-ballad “Condición”, a female vocalist known today only as Yara passionately navigates heartbreak and reconciliation, the anguish of her vocal underscored by sweeping brass. Meanwhile, “La Mazucamba” is a skittish ode to the act of dancing, a gleeful celebration to what the record as a whole evokes: dancing with feeling; come joy or sorrow; the rhythm moves us. Andres y Sus Estrellas is a cult classic that encapsulates the very best of Venezuelan’s golden salsa-era; a must-have for any collector looking to add an overlooked gem of the genre to their music library.