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Introducing the next release in Names You Can Trust's long-running collaboration with the prolific and symbiotic musical universe of Bogotá, Colombia. Mau Gatiyo y Los Años Maravillosos formed in 2021, arising from the very same fertile ground of the Teusaquillo neighborhood that has spawned many records and musical mischievousness. At the heart of this experimental movement is what can only be described asTropicanibalismo, where a deep hunger for the roots of Colombian tropical music are only satiated by dissecting it, consuming it and ultimately creating something new again as some kind of untraditional, unholy, and yet referential form of musical sustenance.
Within this concept, there's a clear lineage of inspired and visionary artists that have been featured throughout Nyct's record catalog for the last 15 years that includes luminaries Frente Cumbiero, Meridian Brothers, and Romperayo. Each of these artists' tentacles have touched several parallel projects from their talented neighbors and friends, and whether through production, playing, engineering, or mixing, these collaborations have heavily contributed to a very fruitful and colorful scene that could only exist within Colombia's capital, while also gaining notoriety in the nooks and crannies of northern latitudes like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Mau Gatiyo, a talented accordian player and vocalist, together with his group (translated as The Wonder Years), is precisely one of these projects, a collective that has found their calling in the echoes of thevallenatosandcumbiasthat once populated the nation's airwaves throughout the 20th century. It's a traditional format that has always lent itself to storytelling, whether it be anecdotes about daily life, or using one's voice to raise uncomfortable questions in protest against the system. This is where Mau Gatiyo's poetic, almostnew wavetimbre finds a lane of its own, straddling a 2020s societal landscape under the guise of ostensibly old-time accordion music.
The debut 7-inch from the group, an excerpt from their recently released album Baño Unisex, was recorded at Mambo Negro studios by Ivan Medellin (La Sonora Mazurén) and mixed by Eblis Alvarez of Meridian Brothers, both familiar names and contributors to the Nyct catalog. Alvarez himself, who has emerged in recent years as an international beacon of this new tropical avant-garde, is no stranger to flipping traditional styles on their head, or at least respectfully off-kilter. Mau Gatiyo y sus Años Maravillosos proves to be another great vessel for this veryBogotano expression, draping the classical playing of its group members in a modern day cosmopolitan expression of righteousness, both outwardly in their dashing, performative fashion sense, and lyrically with their cheeky "420, Reloj"ganja-tune promotion – or even their outward dissenter objections to paramilitary and firearm power in "Poder Militar."
Ultimately, these songs lie at the crossroads where two cultural eras connect and become something unique, a protestation one with performance, dance, and artistic expression. This cathartic ritual of protest has a storied history in music, and these two new entries into the Nyct catalog will hopefully find their place amongst a modern day canon, or at the very least, have your feet moving and your head nodding in just approval.

For Mancha 'E Plátano, la bomba is a transformative exercise, a way for this group of transplanted young women to teleport to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and step into the land of their birth, la isla de encanta, Puerto Rico. Bomba has become a way to be in two places at once for them, a tool of expression in their adopted city of Barcelona, itself a Mediterrean melting pot filled with diverse cultures and countless musical influences. Formed in 2018, the group has been studying and performing the bomba tradition alongside an adoring collective of multi-national musicians and collaborators, strengthening their reverential pride in this uniquely Caribbean cultural tradition. Their debut release was produced and recorded together with Names You Can Trust while in Barcelona at Nación Funk Studios, and contains one original composition, "No Me Da Pena," and one traditional, "Remigio Tombé." This balance of tradition and new growth represents their life and musical movements within the bustling borders of Barcelona. It is also a dedication to all those who are constantly fighting for their own representation and a thank you to those who have accompanied these talented women on their journey thus far, both on and off the island of Puerto Rico.

A Espetacular Charanga do França is Sao Paulo's most hyped carnival collective and brass band led by Thiago França - best known as a founding member of Afro-punk explorers Metá Metá. The collective combines retro horns with cumbia, baile funk, jazz and features Brazilian vocal legends such as Lucas Santtana, Tulipa + Jucara Marcal.

Many music fans will remember Jimmy Salcedo due to his wonderful work as arranger and producer with the duo Elia and Elizabeth in the early 70s. Their delicate songwriting acquired, after his treatment, a special Tropical aroma that even included the funk influences received by Salcedo at that time. He released with his band, La Onda Tres, a few LPs and singles that had a limited distribution, mainly in Colombia only. This anthology comprises a selection of songs that celebrate Salcedo's sound signature: a base of coastal funk with vocals and melodic bubblegum-bomb arrangements and hints of light psychedelia. Many of the compiled songs became popular radio hits in Colombia that Jimmy Salcedo and La Onda Tres recorded and arranged at the Zeida studios in Medellín.These recordings include Latin-jazz tracks ('Mira') with stunning percussion solos, songs recorded under a heavy Caribbean-soul influence ('¡Qué linda es Colombia!' and 'Lo mismo de siempre') 'Maranguango', an irresistible mix of Afrolatin percussion and catchy Tropical harmonies spiced up with moog keyboard sounds, fuzz and wah wah guitars and even touches of hammond, in a psychedelic funk style, an exhilarating moog driven instrumental with a heavy Afro-funk rhythm ('Moogambo') and revisited Latin classics ('Moliendo Café').Jimmy Salcedo's big popularity in Colombia is due however to his long career as TV presenter at 'El Show de Jimmy', running for over 20 years, where he would also perform with his band and act as a comedian. His life was tragically cut short and died in 1992, when he was only 48, due to health issues. This compilation celebrates his superb musical legacy and makes most of these songs available again for the first time.

"Cocinando" is an epic historical treasure that captures the explosive impact of the tropical music movement on Peruvian culture. It includes salsa, guarachas, rumbas, chichas and boleros, all masterfully performed by MAG's session stars under the direction of Martín López. Originally released in 1971, this Latin music gem comprises many outstanding dance floor tunes like 'El Botecito', 'Pa' Bailar' or 'No Me Dejes'. Get ready to be blown away! In 1969, singer and police lieutenant Pedro Gregorio López started recording a series of instrumental tracks and songs on the MAG record label in Peru, ranging from guaracha to cumbia, all cooked with musical eclecticism and simmered to appeal to a wide audience. Many of these musical ingredients combined on the 1971 album entitled "Cocinando", in reference to the similarities between Peruvian cooking and tropical music. López began his career as a singer and orchestra conductor many years earlier, when he joined the backing singers for Lucho Macedo's Sonora. After completing his police training, he adopted the stage name Martín López, in order to preserve the anonymity his job required. Between 1969 and 1971 Martín López y sus Estrellas recorded all the tracks comprised on this album, including salsa, guarachas, rumbas, chichas and boleros, proving their knowledge and mastery of the tropical music lexicon. It is not surprising since the orchestra was made up of the most talented label's session stars: including the double bassist Joe di Roma, singer Pablo Villanueva "Melcochita", percussionists Ñiko Estrada and Coco Lagos, and trumpeter Tito Chicoma.

The b-side wins again! Sampled to fame by Madlib for the mighty Madvillain album!

Japanese pressing. With OBI and insert. Cover is close to NM.

Japanese pressing with OBI.

Far Out Recordings proudly presents laid back Brazilian groove maestro Joao Donato's synth-heavy collaboration with his son Donatinho. Sintetizamor sees the father-son duo jovially hurtle through space and time across ten tracks of sparkling pop, Brazilian boogie and club friendly disco-funk.

Record Store Day Exclusive. For the first time on vinyl! One of the world's best bassists with an MPB legend feat. Azymuth drummer Ivan Conti, percussion master Marcos Suzano & Dudu Viana on piano.

The second release for Discos Fuentes by Peregoyo y su Combo Vacaná, recorded
circa 1967, is rich with diverse sounds and festive rhythms, from the exotic tranceinducing
coastal Afro-Colombian polyrhythmic syncopations of the currulao, abozao
chocoano, porro, cumbia and aguabajo to the more well-known genres of Cuban and
Puerto Rican origin like descarga, bomba, guaracha and son montuno. The ninemember
combo was formed by composer and tenor saxophonist Enrique "Peregoyo"
Urbano Tenorio in the Pacific coastal city of Buenaventura. His stated mission was to
modernize the folkloric music traditions of his region, proudly displaying AfroIndigenous
origins and spotlighting previously marginalized musical roots yet playing in
a contemporary way with Cuban-inspired instrumentation and arrangements, uniting
disparate genres into a commercially viable whole, thus contributing to the foundation
of future developments in transnational tropical Latin music. Presented in facsimile
artwork and pressed on 180g vinyl.

Limited Clear Vinyl edition, 300 copies! Joao Gilberto's self titled third album, is the fruit of the collaboration between Gilberto and the great composer and arranger Antonio Carlos Jobim and Walter Wanderley and his ensemble. This is one of the greatest pieces of work in the field of Brazilian music. Gilberto's delicate singing moves on top of extremely subtle, elegant orchestral arrangements of various songs from the classic repertoire, "Samba da Minha Terra" and "Saudade da Bahia" (Dorival Caymmi), "O Barquinho" (Roberto Menescal / Ronaldo Bôscoli) without forgetting essential numbers by Carlos Lyra, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim. A timeless masterpiece, period!

Japanese pressing without OBI, with insert. Cover with foxing inside, otherwise VG+

Following on from last years's "Mondo Organico" compilation, the latest Invisible Inc compilation EP "Mondo Ritmo" sets its sights firmly on rhythm and percussion. Featuring a global array of artists hailing from Argentina to Senegal and everywhere in between, the influences and styles featured include latin, afro, dub, dancehall, experimental, acid and more. Proven and tested dancefloor bombs are Mytron & Balam's opening track "Cabasa Loca" which label boss GK Machine has been spinning at his Wrong Party nights and elsewhere for the last 6 months or so...and the house/dancehall hybrid floor filler "Wicked Can't Run" by LA producer Tom Chasteen (Exist Dance/Dub Club) featuring legendary Jamaican DJ and toaster U Brown, and mixed by equally legendary producer/keyboardist David Harrow who first came to our attention through his regular keyboard contributions to all things On-U Sound related in the 1980s.

The rest of the tracks may not be peak time bangers but they are sure to please the more esoteric and adventurous dancefloors out there...it's an honour to have on board Calypso Records head honcho Thomass Jackson, Thomash (Voodoohop) and Gats (Suçuarana / Curuba) who together as Changa Boys bring in Senegalese drummer Ndiaxo dal Jaam, and last but not least a certain Machine with assistance on percussion from the mysterious Congo Caveman.

Sweet soul and sentimental music has never really gone out of style, and in the particular cases of the innovative wave of 1950's filin era Cuban boleros, or 1960's Nuyorican street soul, they both remain a thriving beacon of timelessness and universality, capturing a particular style of breezy Caribbean romantic music that has stubbornly thrived in the tough concrete landscape of New York City.
Perhaps there is some love in the heart of the city, as the new ensemble La Triunfadora has managed to tap into something of significant substance on their debut recording, Clasicos Sentimentales Para Una Nueva Generación. Co-produced by band leader Benjamin R. Juliá and renowned talent William Holland aka Quantic (recorded and mixed at the latter's Selva Recording studio in Brooklyn), the group has managed to capture the essence of this reemerging style of classic music, while further injecting their own inspired vision of experimental and psychedelic arrangements.
On A-side display for this debut 7-inch release on Names You Can Trust are two canonized Cuban boleros from maestro composer and guitarist Cesar Portillo De La Luz, stacked together in an old school continuous medley, and transformed with lush orchestration that has the talented musicians sparkling behind the duet of lead vocalists Candace Camacho and bandleader Juliá.
The B-side jumps from 1950's filin into Ralfi Pagan's iconic 1969 latin soul masterpiece "Hijo De Mama." Once again La Triunfadora peppers in just enough exquisite arrangements and musicianship to transform the original into something fresh, yet still guided from an analog sensibility, and ultimately performed with a familiar romanticism that these classic lovers' songs have managed to express over the decades to different generations.

1984 reissue.

Japanese pressing, comes with Obi and inserts.

Vinyl with many scuffs and hairlines

Exactly three years ago, "Matasuna Records" released a hot Latin 45 feat. two songs by the Venezuelan band "Phirpo y sus Caribes", led by musician, arranger and conductor "Porfi Jiménez". Now, fortunately, two more tracks from the band's only album, "Parrilla Caliente", are being reissued on vinyl by Matasuna - and for the first time, on a 7-inch! The original pressing of the 1972 album on "Philips" is a rare and valuable collector's item. Officially licensed by the family of the late musician. Don't miss this gem! "Y Esa Pava Que?" on the A-side of the single is an explosive Latin funk joint written by Porfi Jiménez. An irresistible groover, opulently and densely orchestrated with virtuoso musicians showing off their musicality. Heavy drums, powerful horns, funky & slightly psychedelic keys & guitars are the basic ingredients, enriched with solo parts and vocal interludes. A real treat! The B-side features "Pa' Los Rumbero", a cover version of the song by New York Latin maestro "Tito Puente". In 1972, Puente recorded a great new version of his original 1955 composition. Phirpo y sus Caribes used this new version as the basis for their cover, compressing the Puente song to about two and a half minutes. The result is an energetic and upbeat song that proves that Porfi Jiménez and his bandmates were among the continent's finest musicians. Vamos que la rumba ya va empezar!

Artist info
"Porfi Jiménez", whose real name was "Porfirio Jiménez Núñez", was born in 1928 in Hato Mayor del Rey in the "Dominican Republic". He began his musical training at the early age of 9. After studying at the Municipal Academy of Music he became a member of an orchestra at the radio station "Voz Dominicana". Its director "Enrico Cabiatti" introduced him to the art of arranging.
Due to the Trujillo dictatorship, he left the country in 1954 and went to "Venezuela", where the young musician became famous as a trumpeter and played in the most important groups of the time. The quality of his original arrangements opened the doors of the most famous record companies of the time in Venezuela. Porfi also became one of the most outstanding composers and arrangers of those years, rebuilding Cuban "José Pagé's" Cuban label "Velvet" in Venezuela and working for all the label's national and international singers.
At the end of the 50's until the beginning of the 60's, he worked in orchestras of various TV stations in the Venezuelan capital Caracas. In 1963, Jiménez founded his own orchestra, which became known as one of the most important musical groups in Venezuela throughout Latin America.
In the 70's, musical transformations resulted from the emergence of new musical styles & rhythms. Porfi Jimenez, as a contemporary artist and passionate jazzman, began to incorporate new musical elements into his songs that distanced him from the prevailing commercial style. This resulted in the album "Parrilla Caliente", which was released as the band "Phirpo y sus Caribes" and remained the band's only album. The production, practically unknown, allowed him to experiment and express his artistic creativity, distancing himself from the traditional style of his dance orchestra.
Salsa music and its orchestras lost importance in the 80s and were displaced by new music. However, another Caribbean rhythm filled the gap: the "Merengue", which triggered an international boom. Porfi also embarked on this path, releasing an album that immediately catapulted him back to fame. It was a period in which he received numerous awards, such as two gold and one platinum disc.
Shortly before his death, on June 9th 2010, Porfi Jiménez managed to realize his lifelong dream: the formation of his jazz big band, with which he performed at numerous festivals in Caracas. With it, he left an important musical legacy, with several original compositions and arrangements of the most prominent names in jazz history. In 2007, Porfi Jiménez was honored by the "United Nations" as one of the most outstanding musicians of the continent.

To hear the quintessential synthesized sounds of "El Hombre Orquesta" aka Ricardo Suntaxi is analogous to studying the detailed schematics of your favorite electronic contraption. For the initiated, it's a peek under the proverbial hood, an invitation into the engine of a sound and color that has played a part in powering and defining a treasure trove of modern Latin American sound-system music.

Still untouched by human settlement barely 500 years ago, the islands of the Southwest Indian Ocean, Mauritius, Reunion Island, Rodrigues and the Seychelles were colonized by Europeans (French, English and Dutch) from the end of the 16th century on and operated as trading posts on the Indian route. Slaves were deported from Africa and Madagascar to cultivate coffee, spices and sugar cane. On the margins of the plantations, during clandestine gatherings, they exorcised their daily lives through percussion, singing and dancing. It is the tschiéga, chéga or sega, from Mozambique and Malagasy influence.

The gradual appropriation by the Creole populations of Western instruments and European melodic traditions (quadrilles, waltzes, polkas, scottish, romances, mazurkas), as well as the cultural contribution of committed workers from India laid the foundations of the modern sega.

This crossroads of influences was to continue to grow, especially from the 1950s, when the first phonographs arrived, playing all kinds of varieties but also jazz, soul, rock'n'roll, and even Cuban or Brazilian music.

For the Sega, these were the first steps towards a period of intense creativity that would cover the 1960s and 1970s. Amplified instruments arrived, and electric guitars, basses, drums and keyboards quickly replaced violins and accordions. Record production exploded and saw the advent of many micro-labels featuring genius arrangers such as Marclaine Antoine, Gérard Cimiotti, Eric Nelson, Claude Vinh San, or Narmine Ducap who explored the Sega in its many facets. Psychedelic keyboards, fuzz guitars and undulating basses invited themselves on the furious ternary polyrhythms of drums, ravannes, bongos, claves, triangles and maracas, to produce a unique style.

Here are some pearls from this golden age of the segas of Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion Island that are compiled in this volume 2 for our greatest pleasure!

The Coastal Invasion’ highlights the golden age of big band cumbia and the maestro who is often seen as Colombia’s most influential composer, Lucho Bermudez. This compilation contains a selection of the music of Lucho Bermúdez y su Orquesta recorded during the years that they lived and worked in Medellín, probably the best work the orchestra ever recorded.

Copy without OBI! Original Japanese pressing.

"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.

Grupo Casabe can lay claim to being Ray Pérez’s last great group. Fresh from the successes of Los Dementes and Los Kenya, Pérez was at the forefront of salsa in the mid-70s, and still experimenting with música bailable and all the danceable hornblazing styles that were beginning to be known collectively as salsa. The finest tracks of this short-lived combo, active from 1974 until 1975, are now being celebrated by El Palmas Music on a new compilation simply titled Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe. Pérez was bandleader for an astonishing number of groups, which was partly due to his in-demand status, with each move to a new label meaning he needed a new band name. Such was the case with Ray Pérez y El Grupo Casabe, formed when CBS came calling. Their line-up built on his previous groups, with both a drum kit and percussion for additional power, with Pérez himself belting out those trusty piano montuños, however there was one significant change, with Pérez using saxophones for the first time, alongside his usual brass section of trumpets and trombones. With him for the ride were vocalists including Rodrigo Perdomo (brother of “El Negrito Calavén”, from Pérez’s earlier group, Los Calvos) and Rafael Morillo. The compilation begins with “María Antonia”, the first 7” Grupo Casabe released in 1974. Instantly, it’s clear why Pérez is so loved in salsa circles, for this is salsa of the highest order, the focus switching between piano, vocals and brass effortlessly, while the drums restlessly inject the song with energy; then there’s the breakdown, Rodrigo Perdomo stretching his vocals to a rasp and throwing the brass into an extended passage; suddenly, they stop and Ray, El Loco as he was affectionately known, lets loose with a piano solo that’s elegant in its efficiency, before the band return for one more trip round the salsateca. 1974 and 1975 were important years in the trajectory of salsa. It was this period when salsa became a collective name for urban orchestras playing Latin music styles like son, guaganco, mambo, cha-cha-cha and rumba. Though undoubtedly salsa – Ray was a “rey de salseros” after all – there is so much nuance in the music. “Campesino Nuestro” is a slow-building rural son, taking the Cuban countryside to the dancefloor; “Santa” and “Oye Nena” are twisting guaguancos, the former possessing one of Perdomo’s finest vocal performances, and the latter the finest showcase for the band, with percussion, brass and piano on fire. “La Reina”, a danzón, show that the band can do the slow numbers too, and then there’s “Sábado En La Tarde”, Perez’s take on surf with a melody seemingly taken from the finest Steve McQueen crime caper. There are few that come close to Ray Pérez for musical inventiveness and a sheer ability to keep dance floors moving. If Ray had been born and raised in New York then no doubt he’d be regarded as one of salsa’s pioneers. He’s had to work harder for his reputation, but there can be no doubt, he deserves to be one of the greats, and his work with Grupo Casabe is even more proof.

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We’ve been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
‘E Novamente Mas Que Nada’ is the opening track from Reseda’s 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our opinion.
‘Ginga’ is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti’s self-titled masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.

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...

Japanese pressing with OBI and insert. Cover and vinyl are close to NM.

Japanese pressing without OBI, with insert. Vinyl with a couple of light scuffs, close to VG+.

Japanese pressing with obi. close to NM

The Latin Jazz classic that started it all! Mandatory!

Record Store Day 2020 Release.
Limitation: 1000 copies.

180g vinyl reissue of the mega rare Mexican-only Luiz Eτa album from 1970 in facsimile artwork and remastered sound.The Brazilian pianist and founder member of Tamba Trio is accompanied here by a large group of top-notchBrazilian musicians.

This mega-rare 1969 album pays tribute to the Bronx and Brooklyn neighborhoods where young Latinos had invented the boogaloo a few years earlier. This record highlights the quality of Peruvian boogaloo and the talent of musicians such as pianist Otto de Rojas and percussionist Coco Lagos.First time reissue.In the mid-sixties, when young Latino musicians in New York fused Afro-Cuban rhythms with rock, soul and jazz, they had no idea that their boogaloo bang bang would reverberate just as strong and loud in a distant South American country.From 1955, La Sonora Macedo, took Cuban music to every corner of Peru, backed the leading musicians of the Peruvian tropical universe, such as Ñiko Estrada, Joe di Roma, the double bass player Pepe Hernández, and the trumpet players Tito Chicoma and Charlie Palomares. All diehard fans of Cuban music, always alert to any new artist arriving from the island.In the early sixties, light rock, doo-wop, ballads, Italian songs and bossa nova paraded across Lima's stages, making performances by Cuban bands, previously so frequent, a thing of the past. Moreover, the unanimous success of the Beatles from 1964 onwards, gave the impression that music from the English-speaking world would dominate the rest of the decade.But this was not the case. In large part because of Manuel Guerrero's good relations with U.S Latino labels, such as Alegre Records, which released the initial recordings by Johnny Pacheco and Charlie Palmieri, allowing listeners in Lima to follow the development of the salsa movement almost from the beginning.MAG was undoubtedly the best representative of these new sounds. In 1969, the LP "Acabo con Lima, huyo pa' Nueva York" was released on this label, a project which brought together three figures from Lima's show business world: Manuel Antonio Guerrero, owner and founder of MAG, who wasn't shy of joining in on the chorus and percussion during recordings, Pablo Villanueva "Melcochita", a multifaceted artist from a talented musical family...

To launch Mr Bongo’s new Cuban Classic Series, we are thrilled to present this sought-after, psychedelic-funk masterpiece. A fusion of traditional Latin and Afro-Cuban rhythms meets disco, jazz, and funk, with hints of 70s soundtrack productions, this much-loved cult album featuring nine predominantly instrumental tracks is a real treasure that deserves a much wider appreciation. One look at the trippy artwork and you know it is going to be special.

Originally released in 1977 on Areito Records, a sub-label of the state-owned label Egrem, it has become one of the rarest (even in Cuba) and most in-demand albums to come from the label. It is the sole album from Grupo Los Yoyi and was composed, orchestrated, and produced by the mysterious, Jorge Soler Leó.

After Castro ring-fenced Cuba with an embargo on, among other things, Western music, the ‘Yoyi’ album had a sound more left of centre than what was normally allowed to be recorded there at the time. It subtly and covertly flirts with disco, jazz-funk, and electronic sounds coming from the US and Europe. It is probably best known for the space funk, bubbly club cut 'Paco La Calle’. A track that was edited in 2008 by the fantastic DJ / producer, Nick the Record, and one that is guaranteed to set a discerning dancefloor alight. However, ‘Yoyi’ is far from a one-track album. Other highlights include, 'Banana’, with its call and response trombone and horn section, squelchy keys, pulsating breaks and percussion, and a loose, floating vocal arrangement. 'Tu No Me Puedes Conquistar' is a beautiful, bouncing plodder with a variety of instruments interchanging as the track progresses. 'Ruta 30' takes things in a straighter Latin direction, which we are accustomed to from Cuba at that time, yet it is still full of personality, treats and vigour. Take our word for it, this album is strong throughout.

This is one of our favourites and most beloved albums to come out of Cuba and is the perfect flagship for our Cuban Classics Series. Look out for plenty more to come real soon.

Still in shrink, but opened, with hype sticker

Out of the social unrest and revolutionary times of the early 1970s a new musical art form emerged on the streets of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. A group of young guys started to combine poetry with drumming and created the musical art form that is known today as Rapso.
Poets known as much for their fiery verses as they were for leading protests were at the vanguard of the 1970s Black Power revolution. There was a new consciousness building in the Trinidad and Tobago arts scene. The two most influential characters were Cheryl Byron and Lancelot Layne.
Lutalo ‘Brother Resistance’ Masimba and others would play basketball during the day and come back out at night, ‘liming’ and playing drums. Other people from the block would join with instruments and Brother Resistance would perform his poetry on the rhythms. The prestigious boys school that Resistance attended refused to acknowledge his attempts at creating verses that reflected the rhythm of the Trinidad and Tobago creole. ''They said it wasn't poetry. They didn't want to put it in the school magazine.''
Resistance and his friends toyed with other words to describe their style. They came up with 'rapsody' but one night during a show in Santa Cruz somebody in the audience shouted out ''How you could rap so!'' And the rest is history.
They recorded their first album ‘Bustin Out’ in 1980. More albums followed and they started to work as producers. In 1986 the band performed at ‘Caribbean Focus’ festival in London and toured the U.K. which helped to lift their reputation internationally. The same year Brother Resistance decided to produce his first solo album and went to England to record ‘Rapso Take Over’. This album contains the highly acclaimed tracks Ring De Bell, Dancing Shoes Rapso and Star Wars Rapso. An unreleased take of Wars In Rapso is featured on this Cree Records 12''.
The band wasn’t too impressed with the ‘English’ production and they decided to record a new version of the song. Junior Wharwood recorded the guitar tracks. Resistance came up with the idea of Tonight Is De Night. The more or less improvised song became a big carnival hit in Trinidad and he went to perform it live with bands like Sound Revolution, Shandileer and Charlie’s Roots.
At the time, these tracks received little airplay in Trinidad and Tobago, but they're undeniable hits that continue to be in demand dancefloor bangers. For this 12'' we have selected four of Brother Resistance's most in demand tracks. Long live Kaiso – Rapso take over!

We thought turning five this year would be a good reason to ask some friendly DJs and producers to go through our catalogue and select their favorite track to do an edit or remix on.
The first selection by DJ Nomad from Berlin is Barbara Hernandez' 'All Nite Tonight', written and produced by Leston Paul from Trinidad. Nomad's edit drives the song's dance floor ambition even further beyond the top. As a DJ Nomad does not necessarily put a label on his style, but always expresses love for Polyrythms, Soulful harmonies and the African drums and Percussion. He's notorious for finding fresh world music dance tracks all around the globe, before they become hits, and a massive collector of Tropical Soul, Funk and Disco.
His energetic and surprising , always fresh DJ set's earned him a residency in Paris's infamous ‚Tropical Discoteq’ Parties among the best Dj's of the genre. He is the founder of ‚Vulkandance’ Parties, Blog and Label in Berlin .. He's together with Edna Martinez cofounder of ’El Volcan’ - The first continental European Colombian Pico Soundsystem. As a Producer he's breaking ground and travelling the world together with Dirk Leyers and the transcultural Project Africaine 808, besides working as a master Editor for other artists around the globe. Keshav Singh who is part of Trinidadian/British production duo Jus Now put his hands on Trinidad's Mansa Musa's ’Beat The Drum’.
Being a percussionist in his own right he transformed the song into a housy Soca track and pure dance floor fiah! With his partner Sam Interface, he has produced soca music with EDM influence for Bunji Garlin, Machel Montano and 3Canal. Keshav commutes between Trinidad and the U.K.
The next two tracks are taken from our upcoming compilation ’Gotta Nice Buzz - The Funky Sound of Semp Studios Trinidad, W.I.’. French DJ & record collector Waxist gives Zodiac's ’I Believe’ a proper treatment. ’I Believe’, written by Francis Escayg, is an uptempo Caribbean Disco tune with a strong Giorgio Moroder influence with Denise Plummer on vocals.
Waxist, based in Lyon, France, started his love story with records as a teenager when he bought his first reggae 7 inches. If his love for Jamaican music has survived through the years, the DJ has progressively extended his interests to different, more dancefloororiented music genres like Disco, Modern Soul, Boogie or even a touch of House when needed... Being careful with the technique, as well as with the coherency of his selection, his sets are an invite to a dancing musical journey taking the audience from Disco to Modern Soul, through more Caribbean or Brazilian sounds.

Japanese pressing without OBI, with insert. Gatefold cover with foxing on the inside, otherwise VG+.. Vinyl close to VG+

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”.

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.

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.

Special reissue of Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound-the self-titled Fania Records debut from one of the greatest salsa artists of all time. Originally released in 1970, the album not only showcased Roena's distinct new style through classic hits like "Tu Loco Loco, y Yo Tranquilo," "El Escapulario" and his popular rendition of "Soñando con Puerto Rico" (plus a handful of English-language covers, including Blood, Sweat & Tears' "Spinning Wheel") but also launched the bandleader, dancer and percussionist's prolific career.

US original.

The next release in the Mr Bongo Cuban Classics series, is one of Juan Pablo Torres' most-known and loved albums, the iconic Super Son from 1977. A wonderful record of tripped-out rumbas, psych-Afro-Latin funk and quirky orchestrated tracks with a big band horn section courtesy of Torres’ band, Algo Nuevo.

As well as being the director of Algo Nuevo and Cuban all-star ensemble Estrellas De Areito, the trombonist, bandleader, arranger and producer also released a wealth of albums under his own name predominately on the state-owned imprint Areito/EGREM.

Post-revolution, there was a contrast in Cuba’s musical world. State censorship was at play, but professional musicians were on the government payroll which gave them an artistic freedom. Experimentation emanated in the ‘70s and ‘80s and Super Son is a prime example of that. ‘Y Que Bien' kicks off the album taking you down a tripped-out, cosmic rabbithole, psych guitars and skat vocals opening up into a joyful funk groove laced with jazzy Afro-Cuban horns stabs. Tracks such as 'Pastel En Descarga' seem to come out of nowhere and are completely unique. Fuzzed-up guitar lines and percussion lay the groundwork, with those jubilant horns adding to the energy of this forever building track.

Elsewhere, there’s the ‘70s TV theme-tune feeling of 'Con Aji Guaguao', a playful funk number that boils and bubbles with blistering trombone playing by Torres. Or ‘Son A Propulsión' and ‘Son Riendo’, two more brilliant examples of psychedelic funk, wrapped up in a blanket of Afro-Cuban rhythms. The former sweeping you up in rushes of wind as trumpets, trombones and distorted guitars trade off, the latter, an intergalactic fiesta of tradition and exploration.

Super Son is up there as one of the funkiest Cuban records around, a playful fusion of ideas from a producer, player and group on fine form and, for us, one of our favourite gems to come out of Cuba in this period. A sheer masterpiece.

A warmly intimate album from Joao Gilberto – one that has the singer and guitarist in the same special space as his wonderful albums from the early 70s - a bit more sophisticated than the bossa years, but equally personal throughout!