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

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

‘O Bofe’ is the title track from the soundtrack to a Brazilian soap opera of
the same name, released on Som Livre in 1972. All music on the soundtrack was
written by brothers Roberto and Erasmo Carlos.
Catchy whistles and MPB vocals over a samba rock groove. Previously unreleased
on 7”.
‘Cho Chua’ is a capoeira-samba groover by Brasil Ritmo, who we know very little
about…

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.

For number 84 in the Brazil 45 Series, we headed to the North of Brazil with these dancefloor monsters by Magalhães and Os Panteras. 'Xangô' by Magalhães is taken from his 'E Sua Guitarra' album, from 1986, and originally released on Gravasom Records. A stunning, driving Lambada track with haunting vocals and a compelling gusto energy. It has been gaining popularity over recent years with DJs and is a sure-fire, get-out-of-jail dancefloor saver. On the flip, we find another biggy from Os Panteras, 'Lambada Pauleira’. Also released on Gravasom Records, but a year later in 1987. It is best known for Joutro Mundo's fine re-edit of the track, but here we have it in its original form and with all its quirky brilliance. It is easy to see why, over the years, it has been a staple of some of Brazil's finest DJs’ sets, such as Augusto Olivani (aka Trepanado). We are super happy to once again present these two red-hot tracks back-to-back.

For number 93 in the Brazil45 series, we presented two favourites from the Harmony Cats. A female vocal quintet (who later became a trio) from São Paulo. They formed in 1976 and were most prolific in the disco period.

'Harmony Cats' Theme' from 1976 is probably the group’s best-known track outside of Brazil. Owing a lot to Rhythm Heritage's version of 'Barretta's Theme (Keep Your Eye On The Sparrow)’ its wonderfully spacey breakbeat and percussive production with lush, floaty vocals makes it a real crossover classic record.

'Seja Como Nos (De Pe No Chao)' is instantly recognisable. Tucked away on the B-side of their 1979 single 'Tem Dinheiro Nisso' on Young Records, it is a beast of a cover version of The Jacksons' classic ' Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)'. Nothing subtle or sophisticated here. Just a song of pure disco joy, enhanced with awesome Brazilian production and the Cats' trademark vocal arrangements. A get-of-jail-free card for any DJ that finds themselves stuck with an empty dancefloor, but also one that will put smiles on the faces of the more discerning leftfield club crowds.

If you order additional products from our site they will be sent out with 'brz45087', so please place a separate order for those. A: Lafayette – Sol De Verão / B: Marissa Rossi - Quem Vem Lá For Brz45087 we present a split release comprised of two tried-and-tested favourites from the Mr Bongo record bag. Rio-born pianist and organist Lafayette’s career started in the mid-60s and saw him become a prominent member of the Brazilian musical movement entitled 'Jovem Guarda’. For his inclusion on this selection in the Brazil45 series we move things along a few years to 1982 and the Brazilian boogie gem 'Sol De Verão'. Taken from his album 'Edição Especial’ and originally released on Copacabana Records, 'Sol De Verão' was written by Jorginho Gomes from one of Brazil's greatest bands Os Novos Baianos. It's a superb slice of 80s boogie/funk brilliance with a super catchy ear-worm of a vocal - definitely one for the dancers! For the flip, we include an absolute monster from the fantastic Marisa Rossi, who we featured previously on number 38 in the Brazil45 series. 'Quem Vem Lá’ is a heavy driving Samba Rock / MPB groove track with female and male call and response vocals. Originally released on a very rare and exclusive 7" also on Copacabana Records, but this time in 1971. Marisa would go on to work with the legendary Arthur Verocai in the 1980s. Two very different slices and styles of Brazilian music, but both absolute gems.

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.

‘2 Minutos De Um Novo Dia’ – pacey samba-funk-MPB that originally appeared on a 7” from 1969 released on Odeon Brazil. Soaring vocals, strings and horns over alternating full and half-time funk drum breaks. Very big indeed.

‘Candomble’ has been a resident in our DJ sets for a long, long time. A retrained, deeper opening section drops into drum heavy, rich uptempo jazzy-MPB. Super catchy vocal hooks and piano lines sit over the top from start to finish. Taken from their self titled album from 1975 on RCA.

‘Ye Mele’ is a very firm Mr Bongo favourite, and always a contender for end/start of the night track. A true classic.

Opens with a distinctive vocal harmony/chant and claps before dropping into bossa piano, organ and drums, which calms for a moment before reaching the chorus… and then building more into a horn section, that plays until the end. Immense.

Taken from Vinhas’ now relatively expensive and very excellent ‘O Som Psicodelico’ LP from 1968.

‘Berimbau’. And again - another favourite. Awe inspiring arrangement, of the highest order.

Opens with what is very reminiscent of a Brazilian Western soundtrack, before soaring into vocals, strings and horns. And then THAT end section…!

Golden Boys were a male vocal group, of brothers. ‘Berimbau’ is taken from their self-titled 1969 LP.

Anilza Pinho de Carvalho, better known by her stage name Anilza Leoni was a Brazilian actress, singer, former ballerina and painter.

Balumba is uptempo samba jazz at it’s finest. Originally appeared on a very obscure 7” on Copacobana in 1967 entitled ‘Enfarte Musical / Festa Do Balamba’, and was included by Nicola Conte on his Viagem Vol. 4 compilation.

Sambalanço Trio were formed by Cesar Camargo Mariano, Humberto Clayber and Airto Moreira in 1960’s Sao Paulo. The group released some of the most important records of the period and in the genre of samba-jazz.

When the group split in 1965 Airto formed Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal, and Cesar Mariano went on form Som Tres.

Sam Blues is a Mr Bongo HQ favourite - uptempo bossa jazz fusion, taken from their self-titled LP originally released on Audio Fidelity (Brazil) in 1964.

“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!

The Polydor label released a few singles in the late 1960s that became very obscure and unknown, even to researchers. Most of these 7 inches are super psychedelic and very creative, but totally anti commercial. Own compositions, recordings and good productions, always with a top team. These works were not promoted or publicized by the label and very few copies circulated at the time. The impression is that the intention was to freeze or disappear with the artist in question. Vermelho is one of them, a work that is little talked about or known but that always attracts the attention of those who have access to these two tracks. Arrangement by Rogério Duprat, who was proud to have participated in these recordings, with Rafael Moreno on bass, Alberto Niccoli Junior on drums, Bolão on Sax and Marcos Ficarelli, the “Vermelho” on guitar and vocals.

Marcos already knew well the ways of recording and producing an album, having participated in historical groups of Brazilian rock in the 60's such as Top Sounds, Código 90 and Loupha, to name a few. At this stage, he had already acquired good knowledge of recording and studio management. Excerpts such as “And in the hole of the corners, to look for, is what I try in vain” presents the listener with the mood of the dark times of that time, and today seems a premonition about the difficulty of finding this single, even in private collections.

“Parabéns Meu Bem” and “Gira-Gira” are tracks with an advanced rhythm for the time. Drums very well marked, with an original take and very close to North American funk. The bass is consistent and strong and the guitar full of effects and very reminiscent of the sound and energy of Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Blood Sweat & Tears. There is yet another musical layer created by Duprat, who managed to insert a mini orchestra along with the sound mass created by “Banda do Vermelho”.

Supreme MPB/bossa-nova vibes here on both tracks from our leading Brazil 45’s lady, Claudia.
‘Diexa o Morro Cantar’ features on Claudia’s very first 7”, relaeased in 1965 by RGE Brazil.
Claudia’s version ’Mas Que Nada’ is more of a jazzy, folk-funk take on the Ben classic. A relatively recent discovery made during our last trip to Brazil!

Krishnanda is an album in the truest sense of the word – a spiritual, psychedelic Brazilian masterpiece from start to finish – celebrated by everyone from Seu Jorge and Kassin to Floating Points, Madlib and DJ Nuts. These days, originals change hands for thousands of dollars.

Pedro dos Santos, born in Rio in 1919, was a percussionist virtuoso, composer and inventor of instruments that apparently included oddities such as the ‘Tamba’ (electrified bamboo drum) and the mouth berimbau whistle. Nicknamed Perdo ‘Sorongo’ after the rhythm he invented, that features throughout ‘Krishnanda’. A highly spiritual man who was regarded as a philosopher by many.

He worked with greats including Baden Powell, Elis Regina, Maria Bethany, Elza Soares, Sebastião Tapajós, Roberto Ribeiro, Milton Nascimento, Clara Nunes, Paul Simon and Arthur Verocai, playing on his legendary self-titled LP. In the same vein as Verocai and his self-titled LP, ‘Krishnanda’ was Pedro’s chance to shine with his own, and only, solo recording.

Krishnanda was produced by Hélcio Milito, the drummer of Tamba Trio, and arranged by conductor Joppa Lins, and originally released in 1968 on CBS (Brasil). Musically, the album touches folk, samba, afro-brazilian and psychedelia plus added effects, with a lyrical depth and diversity to match; themes including morality, perception, existence and ego.

Despite the genius of the record and the influence that it had on musicians at the time of release, it disappeared into obscurity. We first discovered the record around 2003, through a friend Julio Dui. Around that time Brazilian funk and bossa was the flavour of the day, so didn’t catch our ear immediately, however it continued improve with age and now we consider it to be one of the best albums ever made, regardless of genre or origin.

The Mr Bongo reissue is produced as a replica original LP / audio master by Ricardo Garcier at Magic Master (Rio de Janeiro) / artwork restored by Andrew Edwards, from the original copy borrowed from Julio Dui – thank you, sir!

Deep', also known as 'Oh Poor Me' is a mid-tempo latin soul/boogaloo from singer Quetchy Alma aka La Lloroncita. Taken from the very rare LP ‘El Sol Brilla Para Todos’ on Tico.

'Identify Yourself' is a stone cold Nu Yorican funk/soul hit. Drum heavy, huge horns and punchy Rhodes lines. Taken from their self-titled LP on Vaya, released in 1974.

Edson Frederico double featuring tracks from his sought after and VERY pricey ‘Edson Frederico E A Transa’ LP.

‘Tava Mas Nao Tava’ is a psychedelic boogie-samba fusion with 4/4 drums and traditional rhythms alternating throughout.

‘Bobeira’ is a jazzy samba-MPB workout, with bubbling rhodes, layered backing vocals, horns, percussion and whistles.

Previously unreleased on 7”.

The Polydor label released a few singles in the late 1960s that became very obscure and unknown, even to researchers. Most of these 7 inches are super psychedelic and very creative, but totally anti commercial. Own compositions, recordings and good productions, always with a top team. These works were not promoted or publicized by the label and very few copies circulated at the time. The impression is that the intention was to freeze or disappear with the artist in question. Vermelho is one of them, a work that is little talked about or known but that always attracts the attention of those who have access to these two tracks. Arrangement by Rogério Duprat, who was proud to have participated in these recordings, with Rafael Moreno on bass, Alberto Niccoli Junior on drums, Bolão on Sax and Marcos Ficarelli, the “Vermelho” on guitar and vocals.

Marcos already knew well the ways of recording and producing an album, having participated in historical groups of Brazilian rock in the 60's such as Top Sounds, Código 90 and Loupha, to name a few. At this stage, he had already acquired good knowledge of recording and studio management. Excerpts such as “And in the hole of the corners, to look for, is what I try in vain” presents the listener with the mood of the dark times of that time, and today seems a premonition about the difficulty of finding this single, even in private collections.

“Parabéns Meu Bem” and “Gira-Gira” are tracks with an advanced rhythm for the time. Drums very well marked, with an original take and very close to North American funk. The bass is consistent and strong and the guitar full of effects and very reminiscent of the sound and energy of Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Blood Sweat & Tears. There is yet another musical layer created by Duprat, who managed to insert a mini orchestra along with the sound mass created by “Banda do Vermelho”.

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.

Marketed as “workout music" at the time, ‘Estrelar’ was his best-selling record with a total of around 90,000 sales.
‘Alleluia’ is a mid tempo groover, with rich horns, guitar, synth and vocal lines. An end of the night jam if ever there was one.

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

Betino's Records proudly presents its third release: an EP by the very sharp collective The Big Hustle. The band founded in 2014 by bass player and composer Sébastien Levanneur, brings together 70's old school funk with the hippest actual sound with influences spanning from Steely Dan to Snarky Puppy, from Mandrill to Lettuce and from Herbie Hancock (Manchild era) to Soulive. With mighty horn players, a rock and funky rhythm section, and percussions added to it, The Big Hustle’s music has a very large variety of sound landscapes. Still, the music never loses the groove and always stays close to the funk.
The A side opens with "Afrorever", a tribute to African culture and music. The guest of honor on this song is legendary Malian musician Cheick Tidiane Seck, longtime partner of Salif Keita, and collaborator of Joe Zawinul, Carlos Santana and Damon Albarn to name a few. After Cheick’s introduction, the songs jumps into a typical afrobeat vibe featuring a tight and powerful horn section, suddenly breaks into an electro funk groove and ends in a furious percussive party.
Second track on the A side is "Faure is the Magic Number". It is dedicated to Thomas Faure (co-composer of the track) and François Faure (both featured on this song on tenor sax and keyboards respectively). This piece displays the band’s ability to blend jazz-funk groove with a heavy hip-hop beat. Kind of DJ Premier meets Steely Dan.
The B side starts with "Afrorever (Sun's Up Mix)". Through this mix, one can acknowledge instantly Olivier Portal's touch. From the very first chords, he conveys us into his realm blending warm and melancholy keyboards with an old school deep-house rhythm pattern.
The fourth track is called “1, 2, 1, 2”. It is a purely improvised moment in the studio while the band was sound checking before recording with special guest rapper Raashan Ahmad. Nicolas Gueguen had the good idea to press the R button and what you hear is basically what happened afterwards.
Enjoy!

Sometimes the best things take time to come into fruition, and here we are, ready to finally unleash Brazil45 number 88 - the missing 7"! Featuring two Mr Bongo favourites that we have been longing to share with the world.

First up is a lesser-known Brazilian Boys track titled 'Super Herois’. This slightly trippy and quirky funk-rock groove is taken off an obscure 7" on CID records and was originally released in 1975. 'Super Herois' is super catchy, addictive and a guaranteed complete earworm. It’s a muti genre, crossover nugget that will branch scenes and tick all sorts of boxes.

On the flip is the driving, jazz-rock-samba dancefloor joint 'Tudo Ai’, a cut taken from Rubinho E Mauro Assumpção's highly sought after 1972 album 'Perfeitamente, Justamente Quando Cheguei’. Originally released on Tapecar Records, this short in stature track packs a real punch!

Club Internacional dig deep to launch their new global reissue series in style with two long lost cuts from Rio-based label Top Tape. First up is Jose da Silva aka Zeca Do Trombone. A massively respected instrumentalist, he has worked his trade over the years with many of Brazil's leading artists such as Tim Maia, Milton Nascimento, Elizeth Cardoso, Beth Carvalo, Martino Da Vila, Gonzaguinha and Carlos Dafe amongst others. He also produced a very much sought after LP in 1976 alongside Roberto Sax which was finally re-released this year on Mad About Records. Tema Do Brisa dates from a few years later in 1978 and is Zeca's only solo 45 single. Never released on digital and never reissued on vinyl before, it is with great pleasure that Club Internacional re-launch this psychedelic jazz and heavily funk influenced gem with its still stunningly fresh sounding drum patterns to a new generation of listeners.

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

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

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

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

After Sweet Sweet Dreams album, Jamwax is very proud to finally release D'Hardest on its original maxi 12'' format.
“D'Hardest” was recorded at K.H. studios in Trinidad in 1980 and another version/mix was released on the Wake Up album. This song is everything, thanks to Winston Bailey aka Shadow and all his team.

New Parisian label, Disques Messager, presents its new and second release. 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 began like fire last year with a 7inch reissue release including two Brazilian Disco bangers by Cristina Camargo. For this second efforts, the label doesn’t deviate from the artistic and quality path taken, however also making quite a U-turn, this time presenting 2 underrated kind of musical UFO, both from the French scene. Not many info can be found about Yoanson & Karamie, two young artists from the French African diaspora, who randomly met with Nessim Saroussi and his label Ness Music in the late 80s. Nessim himself doesn’t remind much about the 2 guys, except that he quickly offered to produce them, which resulted in their only EP release, Kalimba (1988). Part of this EP, “African Leaders” is a stunning track melting Afro-Tropical percussions, Disco bass, Early-Electro beats and Leftfield vocals in a way that could remind of Doctor L or Arthur Russel productions. On the contrary, Philippe de Lacroix-Herpin (aka Prof Jah Pinpin) has a long musical career started in the mid-70s and became a renowned saxophonist playing and recording for many famous French acts such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, Alain Chamfort, FFF, or even rap band NTM. In 1994, he moved definitely to the Reunion Island where he quickly launched the Prof Jah Pinpin 4tet, in his own words willing to play “free/funk/jazz/rock/tropical” music… Quite a vast and large musical tag, but which immediately make sense when listening to the surprising “The Final Bird” track. Only released as CD in 1996, this instrumental production has indeed a unique sound and flavor mixing all kinds of elements together (even samples of Weather Report). Well as you can understand, words are not the best way to describe these 2 hidden treasures, so we strongly recommend the spinning to make your own view!

"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."

Brazilian singer and songwriter releases a new album of exuberant and vintage tropical pop music.

Somewhere, we get back to the carioca João Selva where we left him: sailing on the mythical Black Atlantic to create exhilarating music whose vibrations invite us to Rio, the Brazilian Northeast, the Caribbean, Cape Verde or even Angola. His latest album, “Navegar” (2021), acclaimed by critics, is an invigorating dance and dream machine that updates the tropicalist revolution of the 70s by offering a turbulent mix of samba, soul, jazz and funk.

Continuing to spread wings with “Passarinho” (2023), this time it is flying like a bird that the singer from Ipanema takes us into his musical universe, always as sunny as it is abundant. The 10 tracks of this new album span a generous palette of musical influences: from Angolan semba to Cape Verdean funaná, via Caribbean zouk or Congolese rumba – João Selva's music channels the musical pulse of the Black Atlantic. In the most (im)pure Brazilian tradition, he also digests the contribution of North American music and freely incorporates elements from elsewhere into the irresistible rhythms of Brazil.

Prolonging a fruitful collaboration with french producer Bruno Patchworks, this new LP is full of sound nuggets and offers a wide range of emotions and sensations. The contagious optimism of "Cantar cantar" backed by a radiant groove worthy of the best productions by Marcos Valle or Joao Donato. Psychedelic folk as Devendra Banhart on "Mar de estrelas" or "Cirandinha" often carried by orchestral arrangements which bring an unexpected freshness to this bewitching album. Of course, we do not give up to party on the irresistible “Seu Carnaval” or “Menina me encanta” and we dance with the rain in “Chuva”. In a more deep mood, the song "Por um amor" evokes the romantic relationship with psychedelia and sensuality.

After two years “without Carnival”, the Brazilian songwriter has chosen to celebrate hope and the joy of being alive in these lyrics written largely during successive confinements. In the title song “Passarinho” he wonders: how can a little bird keep singing in a cage? Before answering it on "Cantar cantar" by recalling that "when things are bad, you just have to sing that it already goes a little better". Universal and captivating poetry that drives songs that are both sensual and catchy. Ultimately, an album made to spread wings and fly high, the ideal soundtrack to offset a certain saudade and feel free as a little bird.

Names You Can Trust presents the debut release from Netherlands-based group Lola's Dice, an ensemble born and battle-tested by years of punk and hard rock before fusing into its current form, a consolidated tropical-rock rhythm machine. Fueled in equal parts by the group's South American roots in Venezuela and Chile, and the creative freedom of their long-time home in Amsterdam, the band's evolution has resulted in music that is a pure body-moving delight — a fuzzy blend of guitars, synths and musical sabor that is very much rooted in the percussive sounds of Latin America, yet still comfortable in its punk-ethos vandalization of tradition and status quo. Helping to guide the band in this first studio recording is the talented touch of percussion maestro and engineering wiz Alex Figueira (Fumaça Preta, Conjunto Papa Upa) at his Barracão Sounds studio in Amsterdam. The resulting 4-track EP is a perfect match of genre-defying psychedelic madness and Caribbean cool.

The next MOTON release comprises of three tracks carefully selected by Love Vinyl's Jake Holloway.
Jake co-owns the second hand department in the store with The Mighty Zaf. He also is a graphic designer working for one of the world's most prestigious labels Barely Breaking Even/BBE Jake DJs in around London with regular sets at Brilliant Corners, Spiritland, Servant Jazz Quarters and will be playing at The Southern Soul Festival this summer in Montenegro.
When label bosses Dave Jarvis and Diesel asked Jake to choose the tracks for the release he soon got to work and come up with these three under the radar gems...
"Morning Shunt" is a ferocious Afro/Disco/Reggae uptempo dancefloor bomb, hailing from London this fantastic genre crossing tune was ripe for an edit.
"Jaques Theme" is another off-radar Carib-Disco banger which will appeal to both the Disco and Balearic heads.
"The Bandit" with it's tuff breaks and Spanish guitar will also appeal to the Balearic fraternity as well as the B-Boys.
So three tracks, all of which fall into differing genres making this a very different and varied sounding release!

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.

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…”

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...

With some of the best DJs and selectors there is a certain mysterious sound or underlying feeling which unites the music they play, regardless of genre, year or tempo. Luke Una is a master of telling a story through music and this compilation is a perfect example of his musical alchemy in action. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, it is a collection of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world, all united by Luke under the banner of “E-Soul Cultura”.

It’s best described by Luke himself, who writes: “As the 5AM city sleeps and the strobe lights are slowly turned off, we gather on the wrong side of town in a transcendental journey alone together. We are the late night disenfranchised holding on in various after parties, flats, lofts, random kitchens and basements into the outer cosmos with É Soul Cultura. Music from exotic tear jerkers, Afro-spiritual jazz, cosmic Brazilian celestial grooves, machine street soul, dark horses, lost B-sides, £1 bargain-bin bombs, hidden gems, late night Italo dubbing, deep velvet N.Y.C garage, bass buggin sonic futurism, wrong speed 33bpm pitched up +8 new beat, majestic sunset strings, sweet vocals from heaven, no half steppin jazz dancing in outer-space and odd numbers. Yes… magical moments, together, holding on in witness protection suburban cul-de-sacs and Castle Court flats. Cosmic É high, 3000ft above the city getting evangelical to murky, wonky timeless beautiful music. This thing of ours dreaming of better days. Fail we may, sail we must, the sun will come up again.”

Beginning his career as an original Sheffield house young blood in the mid 1980s, Luke’s move to Manchester and partnership with Justin Crawford saw the birth of Electric Chair, a cornerstone cult night in the UK underground club scene, and later Electric Elephant, a Croatian festival paying homage to their wild eclecticism from Balearic to Brazilian to E soul, house, disco and techno. Luke’s much loved, long running Homoelectric night and more recently Homobloc sell out festival for 10,000 souls has been at the forefront of Manchester’s Lgbtq cultural landscape.

Luke’s Friday evening show on Worldwide FM has captured imaginations and has already become a cult four hour must-listen monthly journey with fans all over the world. Today Luke remains, as ever, at the forefront of a changing scene, pairing the momentous legacy of Manchester’s 80s and 90s scene with the delivery of what today’s club communities need to get down.

Guyana folk music reinterpreted and infused with Afroroots and culture, reissued on vinyl for the first time. A year after their debut album ‘Ojinga’s Own’, the Yoruba Singers from Guyana released the singles ‘Black Pepper’ and ‘Basa Bongo’. These two songs were recorded in Barbados and released on the Green Shrimp label and became extremely popular throughout the Caribbean and South America. The music also became an integral part of the very beginnings of what was later to become the Champeta Criolla sound in the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

Born in 1949 in Recife (Brazil), Roberto De Melo Santos, despite a very light discography, is among the true icons of the Brazilian Soul music under his artist alias, Di Melo. He’s indeed only needed an eponymous album, released in 1975 on Odeon, to assert himself as a star in his native country, but also as a legend for all collectors and connoisseurs of the world. More than 40 years after its release, this famous album sells for several hundred euros in its original version, and even for the few reissues that were offered. Not very active since then, Di Melo however returned in 2016 with the album O Imorrível, released on the Brazilian label Casona Produções.
It is then that a year later, came a meeting with the French group Cotonete, that Florian Pellissier, founding member and keyboard within the band tells us about: “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 she’d worked with Di Melo for his recent comeback and gave me his number. No sooner said than done, as I'm a huge fan of Di Melo. The next day he arrived at our house with Jo, his wife, and Gabi, his daughter. He takes the guitar in front of us 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. 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…”
Today, Atemporal found its final version in collaboration with Favorite Recordings and is proudly presented as what we believe will become the genuine long-awaited follow-up to the classic Di Melo’s LP.

The best kept secret of the new album by El Dragón Criollo, the jewel in the crown, a song that, like the best of Latin music, comes with dynamite, gasoline and candela for the dance floor as well as reflective and sensitive with the reality of our countries, especially Colombia, where the oppressed are getting worse and worse and those from above always fall on their feet. But let's not forget that dance is catharsis and a good song is the key that opens our senses. "Sentencia " plays this wonderful role, not in vain has it been the last song on the album to be finished with this objective clearly in mind and verified before the release and, gentlemen, the dance floor does not lie. People get lost in this pure fantasy. "Sentencia " goes beyond the ordinary, it is the product of the countless styles that Paulo Olarte has perfected throughout his career as a producer, at a sound and musical level, it has innumerable elements that have influenced his entire personal life and that, without a doubt, comes to shake us with its extreme flavor. "La Número Uno" Dedicated to love and the dancefloor, hot as the earth, a song with the intention of transmitting the most authentic vibes of affection with movement and party. “La Número Uno” arises from El Dragón Criollo’s love for the four women in his heart. At the same time, it does not skimp on fanning the heat of the track. An arsenal of classic elements of champeta and Panamanian reggae from the 90s. The presence of the classic Casio Sk-5 and samples that you will recognize instantly if you are a connoisseur of this real sound, the kind that ignites the rumba in the neighborhood. It is a dedicated theme to fill the energy track while dedicating it to your number one.

Announcing the debut album from one of London’s most electrifying acts, New Regency Orchestra. An 18-piece Afro-Cuban big band, inspired by the musical melting pot of NYC in the 1950s, but with the punch and power of a whole host of London’s best Latin and jazz musicians. Blowing new life into these compositions, the album is a reimagining of some of the finest music from that golden era. From early 1950s René Hernandez and Tito Puente, through to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin, produced and performed with fresh fire.

NRO is the brainchild of its artistic director, and the man behind Total Refreshment Centre and Church of Sound, Lex Blondin. Through a long-held passion for jazz, Lex discovered the explosive Afro-Cuban rhythms of mid-1940s NYC via the godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A time when two musical worlds collided in a fusion of creativity and energy, jazz luminaries like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker joining forces with Cuban greats like Machito and Chano Pozo. This vibrant sound was music to dance to and found a home at The New York Palladium, a formative space of freedom and expression that was key to the scene’s development.

Although dance-focussed in their makeup, those early recordings are not often heard in modern club environments and Lex dreamt of retelling their story with a contemporary dynamism. A slice of serendipity followed, as a slot at a new festival opened up and Lex jumped at the chance to make this idea a reality, an 18-piece big band breathing new life into these beloved songs.

Enlisting the expertise of some of the capital’s finest talent, Lex and co-captain Andy Wood, of Como No fame, put together a world-class line-up of talent. Bringing in Eliane Correa as musical director and bandleader, a fluid and interchanging 18-piece band was formed.

The album itself is a hand-picked selection of timeless Afro-Cuban jazz classics, reimagined with NRO’s unbridled energy. It contains ten incredible instrumental tracks including 'Pregon' with its anthemic horn stabs and the addictive head nod bounce of 'Mambo Rama', alongside two scorching vocal numbers in 'Papa Boco' and 'Labasta Llego'. Coupling a heavyweight rhythm section with a wall of horns, they provide a fresh spin on songs from Tito Puente and Chico O'Farrill, René Hernandez through to Rafael Labasta.

“Some of the tunes like Tito Puente’s ‘Mambo Rama’ and ‘Scarlet Mambo’ might sound like they went to a gym as extra drums and bass synth were added to them whilst the tune ‘Sahib & Tito’ is a mix of Tito’s ‘Mambo Buda’ and Sahib Shihab’s ‘Nus’. Our intention is to be both respectful to the innovators and inventors of this incredible music and to pay our dues, but also to add something special from London where the city’s new jazz scene connects with its Latin American musicians and the musical influences around us.”

This pure collective joy, shared experience and music you can’t help but move to.

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.