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Artist: Orchestra Harlow
Track: Freak Off
Label: Vampi Soul
Catalog#: 45017
Format: Vinyl, 7”
Country: Spain
Released: 2008
Credits:
Top Vampi Soul Jukebox Series reissue of ‘Freak Off’, originally released in 1971. Directed by Johnny Pacheco, Produced by Johnny Masucci. Recently featured on Giles Peterson's Fania DJ Series.
Some 12 years ago, I was lucky enough to take my Vinyl crusade to Central and South America, as a free, semi-skint but fearless, young Knight, fresh out of training. Whilst travelling around Colombia and Brazil I made it a matter of practice to go record hunting whenever I could. Some of the records listed here are tracks I found on my travels.
Finding good vinyl, the real bad ass tunes, even in musically rich countries such as Colombia and Brazil, was not as easy as I thought. One of my most memorable moments involved traveling into the depths of Bogota to locate this little man who sold discos out of a portable record shack, kind of like a portable Kebab van/trailer that was just dumped unceremoniously on the side of the street. The whole thing was rammed to the roof with vinyl and a multitude of homemade speakers - the guy hardly had any room to move, let alone get out. It was like someone had built his castle around him. The locals and Mr. Disco took me under their wing. The Salsa and Descarga flowed, as did the Aguadiente (which is to the Colombians what tequila is to the Mexicans). The local collectors pulled out tunes for me, Mr. Disco dropped them on his system and we danced in the street all night.
Whilst in Colombia I also fell in love with one the country’s most famous exports… Shakira! Shakira, if you’re reading this… I do love you and I’m sorry I left you standing in the rain like that, but my quest for the Holy Grail of Vinyl was (and still is) the most important thing in my life. Next time chicariña… I promise.
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Artist: Téo Azevedo
Track: Para Milton
Label: Central Park
Catalog#: CPD – 23 201
Format: Vinyl, 7”
Released: 1977
Country: Brazil
Credits: Written by Téo Azevedo
If anyone has any information on this Brazilian artist, please share it with me. Thanks.
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Artist: Fania All Stars
Track: Son Cuero Y Boogaloo (from the LP, Fania All Stars Vol. 2 – recorded ‘live’ at the Red Garter)
Label: Fania Records
Catalog#: LP 364
Format: Vinyl, LP
Released: 1969
Country: US
Credits: Fania All Stars in this line up: Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Monguito, Johnny Pacheco, Bobby Quesada, Louie Ramirez, Ralph Robles, Monguito Santamaria, Bobby Valentin. Special guest stars: Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Ray, Jimmy Sabater. Other members: La La, Hector Lavoe, Ray Maldonado, Ralph Marzan, Ismael Miranda, Bobby Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez, Pete ‘El Conde’ Rodriguez, Barry Rogers, Adalberto Santiago, Oreste Vilato.
Fania Records poster group from the late 60’s/70’s New York Salsa scene in which anyone who was anyone in Latin Jazz featured in at some point or another. This is the first part (of a two-part series) in what proved to be an historic, live Latin concert/jam session and ‘Son Cuero Y Boogaloo’ is the best track on the album.
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Artist: Manu Dibango
Track: Cha Chan Nana
Label: Philips
Catalog#: 424.831
Format: Vinyl, 7” EP
Released: 1968
Country: France
Credits: All tracks written by Manu Dibango
Absolute gem from the early part of Manu’s career. Cha Cha Nana melds mambo with the deeper, harder bugalu sound that was stirring on the New York scene (see my previous listing). Beautiful cover artwork too.
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Artist: Kako and his After Hours Orchestra
Track: Vitamina (from the LP, Tribute To Noro Morales)
Label: Alegre
Catalog#: LPA - 833
Format: Vinyl, LP
Released: 1963
Country: US
Credits: Too many to mention but the line up did include; Kako – Leader & Timbales, Charlie Palmieri – Piano, Luis Ramirez – Vibes, Hector Riviera – Piano. The LP was produced by Al Santiago.
Noro Morales, pianist, composer and orchestra bandleader died on January 14th, 1964, in the county of his birth, Puerto Rico, after many years of bandleading in the states. Kako, famed puertorican bandleader and percussionist and personal friend of Noro’s organised an 18 piece after hour band, thus called because the only way to unite these excellent musicians was to ‘kidnap’ them as they finished playing with their respective bands and hustle them over to Nola Studios at 5 A.M. for this Alegre session. Vitamina is a top Descarga number and my favourite track on the album.
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Artist: Cuban Jam Session under the direction of Julio Gutierrez
Track: Theme de Perfidia (from the LP Cuban Jam Session Vol. 1)
Label: Panart
Catalog#: 102 - 28041
Format: Vinyl, LP
Released: 1957
Country: US
Credits: I think it important to list them all here due to the improvised nature of this recording. Pianos – Julio Gutierrez, Pedro (Perruchin) Justiz, Trumpet – Alejandro (El Negro) Vivar, Alto Sax –Edilberto Scrich, Baritone –Osvaldo (Mosquifin) Urrutia, Tenor: Emilio Penalver, Tenor – Jose (Chombo) Silva, Flute – Juan Pablo Miranda, Bass – Salvador Vivar, Timbales – Jesus (Chuchu) Ezquijarrosa, Bongo – Oscar Valdes, Tumbadora ¬– Marcelino Valdes, Drums ¬– Walfredo de los Reyes, Jr. Orchestra led by Julio Guitierrez and Pedro (Perruchin) Justiz.
Open/improvised recording sessions, such as Ry Cooder’s Buena Vista Social Club, have a certain romantic appeal about them. However, Buena Vista Social Club was by no means a one off, especially in a land as musically rich as Cuba. The story behind Cuban Jam Session pre-dates Buena Vista by 40 years. Way back in 1957, Havana, the guys from Panart Records enlisted Julio Gutierrez to hold an open jam session to go through a number of interpretations of the various basic Latin rhythms and the response they got was overwhelming. They opened the studio doors at 10:30 P.M. and recorded about six hours of uninhibited, unhindered and unheard of before music. Using the various skills of Julio’s orchestra, the doors were open to all the talent in Havana that wanted to come buy and participate. The constant flow of musicians did not stop until about six hours later. All the numbers on this album were improvised and the results have been edited down only to the point of eliminating anything that would lessen the general flow of the full-improvised renditions. Enjoy!
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