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Rich blend of Brazilian samba and Afro percussion, more like the jazz of Getz/Gilberto than the bossa nova of, say, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66. An exquisite album, that stretches the boundaries of Bossa Nova.

Centered around Philip K. Dick's writings, Telectu's debut album "CTU" released in 1982 in

Portugal through Valentim de carvalho, is still very much under the radar, probably for being

so far ahead of its time. Considered by some to be at the vanguard of Art-Rock in Portugal,

CTU is much more than this. It's the pinnacle of a new epiphany of sound that came together

naturally when Jorge Lima Barreto (Anar Band) and Vítor Rua (GNR) met and decided to

direct their creative minds towards an outspoken experimental project riveted in layers of

sound mirroring an era of renewal, a true "nouvelle vague" that did for music something akin

to what Fassbinder and Godard did for Cinema. CTU lives and vibrates in a hermetic world

of its own, where colours, sound and language slowly dissipate. Limited vinyl reissued fully

licensed by Valentim de carvalho.

In 1969, producer and boogaloo godfather Bobby Marin conceived this undeservedly obscure funky, psychedelic Latin soul gem. Released on Ralph Lew’s short-lived Dorado label and engineered by Jon Fausty, Bobby was backed by a top-notch studio band that included Ricardo Marrero, Joey Pastrana, Bernard Purdie, Louie Ramirez, Orlando Marin and Ozzie Torrens. Includes liner notes by genre expert Pablo Yglesias telling the story behind the music. 180g vinyl. Generally, when discussing the first wave of Latin soul and boogaloo, it’s the bands and their leaders, the singers and the songs that get all the recognition. But what of the producers, composers, and arrangers? One of the top old-school New York Latin music producers, Bobby Marin, was behind the scenes for some of the best independently produced boogaloo and salsa of the ‘60s and ‘70s. “Saboreando - Pot Full Of Soul”, is the album Bobby created in 1969 for his friend Ralph Lew’s newly launched Dorado label. Fifty-five years later, Bobby confirms that he commemorated his humble Barrio beginnings playing stickball on West 107th Street and singing doo-wop while some kids played percussion on junkyard drums, by christening the band The 107th Street Stickball Team. The 107th Street Stickball Team was basically the same pool of friends as Ricardo Marrero’s group (Bernard Purdie on drums, Mike Viñas on guitar, Ricardo Marrero on vibes), with the addition of Louie Ramirez playing piano and organ, Orlando Marin, Joey Pastrana and Ozzie Torrens on percussion, Mike Viñas handling the electric bass, and Butch Johnson and Danny Agosto on lead vocals for a few numbers. At that time, soul music was seen by the present Latin generation, indeed the youth market in general, as something that was different, that broke with tradition. The record, with Bobby singing several of the best tunes including ‘Mojo Shingaling’ and ‘Rhythm and Soul’, highlights an affinity or connection between African American and Cuban music in a convincing blend that was emblematic of the scene and allowed the young generation to feel they had a fresh kind of music all their own. No wonder the LP notes boast The 107th Stickball Team is “a bunch of groovy youngsters.” We are now happy to make this undeservedly obscure funky, psychedelic Latin soul gem available again!

Bryan Ponce's delicate, plaintive vocal, this time accompanied by the sweet, rich timbre of Adriana Flores make for two earnest duets that exude palpable chemistry.
On "Tangled Up" the pair sing of a love affair that has run its course but (against their better judgement) lingers in the form of late night entanglements and dream-induced longing - imprisoning the lovers on a carousel of heartache and despair. "Soon Enough" is a gorgeously sparse ballad rife with melancholic guitar, percolating percussion and a groove that will have you swaying side to side with the one you love.

Heavy-duty Colombian salsa group The Latin Brothers were formed in 1974 by the Discos Fuentes A&R team as a sibling band of Fruko Y Sus Tesos in order to provide the local market with a trombone-heavy ensemble in the mode of the popular Nuyorican Willie Colón orchestra. The band was led by Julio "Fruko" Estrada on bass, featuring basically the same musicians as Los Tesos, minus the trumpets and highlighting the cutthroat trombone work of Gustavo "La Pantera" García. At the time Fruko's Tesos were going through a transition and his talented former lead vocalist, Píper Pimienta, left to sing lead in The Latin Brothers while Joe Arroyo and Wilson "Saoko" Manyoma took over vocal duties in Los Tesos. "El Picotero" was The Latin Brothers' debut album and remains to this day a favorite of salsa dura fans the world over. The album established The Latin Brothers as a bona fide contender in the crowded field of trombone-centric salsa bands taking over the airwaves and dance floors around Latin America. With this bold and brassy record The Latin Brothers would inspire future Colombian salsa orchestras as well as helping establish Medellín as a center of salsa almost as famous as Cali.

Coltrane, Shorter, Hubbard, Davis & Perkins from a Latin perspective! The Mantecas represent one of the finest concentrations of experience and talent in Latin and Jazz music ever to be based in the UK. A pure uplifting Latin Jazz music celebration. NOT-TO-BE-MISSED!! Recorded at different locations in London during 2022/23. Mixed at Abbey Road Studios in March 2023. The Mantecas (formerly known as "Manteca") is an eight piece, London-based, Latin Jazz, Soul and Boogaloo band well known for creating a party mood at festivals and gigs everywhere they go, from Glastonbury, Ealing Festival and Tropical Pressure Festival to The 606 Club and The Jazz Café in London. They have a particular ability for bridging the culture gap with any audience getting all crowds up hitting the dance floor in a jive. The Mantecas will blow your mind with a mesmerising mix of salsa, Cumbia, Funk, Latin jazz and Boogaloo. For this new release album, the band is exploring the legacy of some of the Jazz giants through a Latin lens, reworking timeless pieces by Coltrane, Shorter, Davis, Hubbard and Perkins, giving them the infusion of Latin rhythms while remaining true to the Jazz language. The band is made up of some of the best musicians in the Latin, Jazz and Pop scenes in London: TRYPL HORNS: Paul Booth (Incognito/Brand New Heavies), Trevor Mires (Jamiroquai/Incognito), Ryan Quigley (Gregory Porter/Beverly Knight) Dave Oliver: Keys (Lisa Stansfield/Snowboy) Satin Singh: Percussion (Jazz Jamaica/Roberto Pla/Pucho and the Latin Brothers) Javier Fioramonti: Bass and arrangements, MD (Alex Wilson/Jack Costanzo/Joe Bataan/Salsa Celtica) Flavio Correa: Vocals (Omar Puente/New Regency Orchestra) Will Fry: Percussion (Tom Misch, Tony Allen) Rob Luft: Guitar (Dave O'Higgins, Byron Wallen) "Expect loads of hard-hitting salsa, exploding drums and outrageously funky boogaloo". Time Out * "Ripping new Latin Jazz band from the finest musicians of London". Fact Magazine * "One of the best Latin Jazz-funk bands working the scene today". The Jazz Café, London Ltd Ed.

This is one of the most obscure records ever released in Venezuela in the 60s and the only recording of The Pets. This 1967 album shows perfectly what the influences of the Venezuelan nueva ola (new wave) scene were at the time, including versions of The Doors, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Paul Revere & The Riders_ as well as the outstanding original "El Entierro De Un Hombre Rico Que Murio De Hambre", one of the finest garage tunes to emerge from Latinamerica. It followed the global triumph of the Beatles that made the wave of beat groups gets bigger and bigger and lots of new bands emerged, some of which would last while others would definitively go into oblivion, and a small number of them would leave at least one recording that today is considered a highly valuable collector's item. This is the case of The Pets. Originally, they were not called The Pets, but The Playboys, and basically the group was formed to liven up the parties and gatherings at Casa Italia, a very important institution in Los Teques, near Caracas, where they formed. At one of these parties, they were heard by a representative of the Discomoda label who insisted on recommending the group to the company, completing the signing of their contract almost immediately. First time reissue, audios remastered from the original tapes and pressed on 180g vinyl.

Los Romeros transport the listener to the Andalusian region of Spain for an album of Flamenco improvisations and songs. Noted Mexican singer/actress Maria Victoria provides vocals. Recorded at United Recording Studio, Hollywood, December 27–30, 1966. Prior releases have included heavy-handed dynamics processing and added echo. For this issue, the first-generation master tapes are presented as they were recorded, transporting the listener into the room and into a true Flamenco performance by the Royal Family of Spanish Guitar, and Ms. Victoria.

The Silvery Boys was created in 1965 in the district of Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro, featuring a unique blend of organ, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, and trombone. They became known as "The Famous Bandinha de Campo Grande" and released their debut album on RGE in 1967.

At the end of the 60s, the sound of the garage beat and the bossa nova and samba coexisted smoothly in the repertoire of a good number of Brazilian bands. You could find playful farfisa licks and guitar riffs combined with moving bossa rhythm drum patterns and powerful brass arrangements, groovy club tunes next to lounge mood
sounds, across the tracklist of so many albums released at the time. That is exactly what the second album of The Silvery Boys (1968) comprises.

Band members José Carlos (trombone) and Fernando Soares (guitarra) sign most of the songs on this self-titled record that also includes some versions of the Spanish famous Duo Dinámico, 'Amor amargo' and 'A Recordar', as well as other international hits (Tommy James & The Shondells' 'Gone, Gone, Goner'). However, 'Você Balança Meu Coração' -composed by José Messias- is the stand-out cut here and became a much sought-after club tune after being included in the second volume of the cult compilation series "High Jazz" in the early 00s. A dance song so irresistible that makes the search for this elusive Brazilian album worthwhile.

After years unavailable and with originals currently selling for outrageous prices, we are thrilled to offer The Silvery Boys LP, reissued on vinyl for the first time in its original artwork and quality 180g pressing.

Weaving its way through the tapestry of influences from Lonnie Liston Smith, Softmachine and Ravi Shankar, the title track takes a more contemporary approach merging U.K. urban / spoken word, with a meandering melancholic melody, driving home the message that it’s a 'Matter of Urgency’.

Opening the recording, 'Jazz Emergency' has a laid back vibe, coasting on a hypnotic bass line, with layered wailing trilled horns, creating a blanket of tenor sax, delayed Rhodes and pianos over and around.

Crooked Urge (Part 1 & 2) (Trk: A2, B1) came about from a first time session with drummer Sergiu Fanica, Ozan and pianist Aziz. Although a jam, the band were keen to share the spirit of this recording!

The track 'Matter of Urgency' is a call to the inner self, to take care of the world around us and to pave a better world for the generations ahead. It is an enchanting fusion of wailing horns with spoken word poetry over the top.

'Sound of Pulsar' is another spaced out journey that came about from a jam night in the studio, bass line looped and off into the musical cosmos...

Once again we thank all the amazing musicians and friends sharing their creativity on this album and to those who inspire us to create!

The story of The Zara´s, a musical group of five brothers and sisters (Marino, Kitty, Jesus, Toto and Anita) starts in Tafalla, Navarra, Spain, in the early fifties and ends in 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. For almost three decades they resided in five countries (Spain, France, Italy, Germany and the US), where they performed continuously, releasing six LPs, an EP and a single. They performed with several of the most famous artists in history.



In 1950, Vicente Zaratiegui lost his wife. Marino, the oldest was turning nine. Vicente was an amateur musician of popular music. His mission became to train his five children as professional musicians. Here the saga began. He enrolled them in musical theory classes, guitar, piano and accordion… Soon enough they had a repertoire of jotas, folkloric songs and classical music. During this time they were the opening act in a tour of Juanito Valderrama.

In the mid-fifties, the family moved to Paris to continue the group’s career. They got their first electric guitar and slowly, they moved to rock, soul and pop. In France they toured as opening act for Charles Aznavour, Yves Montand, Johnny Hallyday, they toured the French Riviera with Petula Clark and Hallyday. They made many television appearances in France. They spent a half year in Utrera, Andalusia to learn flamenco and about a year in Milano, Italy, to improve their harmony and composition knowledge.



At the end of the 50s, offers to perform in many American bases in France and Germany kept them very busy. They also played the Bases of Torrejon and Zaragoza. In Torrejon they played for John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. They became the idols of the American soldiers in Europe, especially in Germany, where they lived from 1960 until 1969. They played with Sammy Davis Jr, Brenda Lee, Herman’s Hermit’s, Don Gibson o Wee Willie Harris. At that time, they hired prestigious British singers, like Kim Roberts (one of the fetish voices of composer Joe Meek) and Julie Grant (with over 20 edited records in Pye and Disques Vogue), as female lead singers for the band. Julie stayed till the end of the Vegas gigs.


In 1969, they came to New York with a contract to work the prestigious Americana Hotels in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Miami. By 1970, they signed a five year contract with the mythical Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. They earned thousands of dollars weekly, they shared marquee with Frankie Valli, Louis Prima, The Drifters, Johnny Mathis…. They met Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and many others. They lived the splendor of Las Vegas in full swing. They were always making TV appearances, and when they were not in Las Vegas, they were all over the US and Canada. At the end of the contract the Sahara signed them for another year, until 1976. At the end of this contract, the group retired from stage. Marino became the manager of Natalie Cole, daughter of Nat King Cole, and co-produced her first record. He also managed Peter, Paul and Mary, and a few Brazilian groups and he organized tours for Warner Records. Toto Zara, the musical brain of the group, opened a recording studio in Las Vegas that he has operated for over 40 years. Paquita (Kitty) whom had designed and made the stage costumes of The Zara’s, opened her own boutique in Las Vegas, she went on to dress many well-known stars. Jesus and Anita both passed away in Las Vegas. Julie Grant continued her singing career.

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.

"This reissue features all-analog mastering from original tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl with original artwork reproduced on an old-school tip-on jacket.

2023 is the centennial of Tito Puente’s life and Craft Latino will have initiatives yearlong promoting the legacy of Tito. "

This is one of Tito Puente’s best original albums released under the label of Tico in the 60s. The album features one of his best hits, “Oye Cómo Va,”. Tito Puente and his orchestra lay down a driving irresistible beat that moves from beginning to end in a pulsating performance and create an added appeal with their ensemble singing which lends an authenticity to the music. Pressed on 180g black vinyl with a tip-on-jacket. US Import.

Dance Mania from 1958 is Tito Puente's bestselling and most essential album. Delivering incredibly tight mambo rhythms, Puente knew how to get his traditional southern American music across. Helped by an impeccable, vivid stereo production (as part of RCA's aptly named original "Living Stereo" series), this infectious mix of Latin dance tracks will get anyone up on their feet. Featuring the inimitable Ray Baretto on percussion,

The album does exactly what the title says: shake your derriere like you just don't care! This record should belong in everyone's jazz, soul or Latin music record collection.

Dance Mania is available as a limited edition on green vinyl.

Ernesto Antonio Puente, born in 1923, popularized Latin jazz in the U.S., introducing rhythms like mambo and bossa nova in the 1960s.

The excellence embodied by the unparalleled Tito Puente whose talents ran the gamut from musician, composer, director and arranger paints a perfect picture of the dimension and magnitude of his talent. Puente was known around the world as "The Timbal King," but he was also skilled at the bateria, congas, claves, piano, saxophone, and clarinet, which allowed him to create a school for every musical genre he entered. Heart and Soul is more than a title, it symbolizes the very essence of two great artists at their very vest working toward a common goal. The great lady Celia Cruz, the Cuban Edith Piaf as she was known in Europe, offers us once again the total expression of her art, with the same feeling as always. She is accompanied by the maestro Tito Puente and his orchestra, which guarantees an abundance of musical quality! This album has everything: feeling, a unique style, rhythm, and class!

Todos os Olhos is one of the most emblematic and essential records of the confrontational music of Brazil. By denouncing, criticizing, and mocking the trend of "heroes" who made "protest music" at the time, Tom Ze? signed his eremitic letter of exclusion but not without "contest the contestation". Excommunicated from the MPB and even from Tropica?lia, in Todos os Olhos Tom Ze? presented, with a lot of courage, an unusual way of fight Brazil's military dictatorship. All that would be later triggered in Tom Ze?'s career is here, always ready for a new rediscovery.

Brazil Classics 4: The Best of Tom Zé Massive Hits, which comes in a limited Brazilian Blue gatefold edition, and The Hips of Tradition, which comes in a limited Amazon Green edition, here’s what you have in store: Household appliances and tools in arrangements with horns, strings, “prepared” guitars (punctuated by grunts, screams and other wild percussion), all melded with eccentric metaphorical lyricism.

Brazilian television and movie actor Toni Tornado stepped into the music profession for two short years, which yielded two fantastic albums steeped in combinations of American funk and soul with complex Brazilian rhythms and melody. B.R.3 was the first and most realized of these two outings. Originally released in 1971 and reissued in 2002 as part of EMI/Odeon's quality series celebrating their 100th birthday in the business of recording, B.R.3 opens with a sultry groove, layered horns, and chorus of vocalists -- an inspired arrangement which is matched in inventiveness throughout the entirety of the album. Tornado's voice is alternately gruff, in a manner similar to James Brown, or sweet, à la Milton Nascimento, with the latter performances being the most stunning. The frequent polyphonic play between the horn splices and the legato strings on tracks like "Não Lhe Quero Mais" and the stunning female backing vocals, most notably the title track, judiciously poured over the tight and heavy rhythm section, the lilting current of piano, and plucky guitars are clever and incredibly complex melodically, truly making this a standout in the soul and funk genre. Toni Tornado should be recognized alongside the more celebrated Brazilian funk/soul artists Tim Maia and Jorge Ben on this effort alone.

A samba funk essential. This debut album from Jorge Ben's iconic backing band blends Brazilian rhythms, soulful vocals, and American funk energy into one unforgettable groove. Includes the hit single 'Coqueiro Verde' along with standout tracks like 'Meu País,' 'Aleluia, Aleluia,' and 'O Canto da Ema.' A timeless gem for fans of Brazilian soul, vintage funk, or global grooves. Trio Mocotó is best known for being the powerhouse backing band behind Brazilian legend Jorge Ben during the height of his creative explosion in the early 1970s. But their contribution to music goes far beyond the supporting role-they were instrumental in shaping what would become known as samba funk, a vibrant fusion of traditional Brazilian rhythms with the groove and energy of American soul and funk music. Formed in Sao Paulo's iconic Jogral nightclub, Trio Mocotó-featuring Fritz Escovao, Joaozinho Parahyba, and Nereu Gargalo-began their musical journey as resident musicians, providing live accompaniment for a rotating cast of performers. It was here that Jorge Ben first encountered their raw talent and unmistakable chemistry, ultimately inviting them to join his band. The collaboration would go on to define an era. In 1971, Trio Mocotó stepped into the spotlight with their debut solo album, "Muita Zorra! (...Sao Coisas Que Glorificam a Sensibilidade Atual)." The record made an immediate impact, climbing the charts with the infectious single 'Coqueiro Verde' and marking the start of a prolific period in the group's career. "Muita Zorra!" is a dazzling blend of styles-mixing the baroque funk and melodic sophistication of artists like Marcos Valle with the soulful spirit of Jorge Ben. Layered with elements of American funk, the album delivers a dynamic, rhythm-driven sound that still feels fresh today. The trio's vocal harmonies are front and center, weaving through each track with warmth and richness, creating a captivating sonic tapestry that energizes every beat. This album isn't just a snapshot of a musical moment-it's a cornerstone of Brazilian soul. A must-listen for fans of global grooves, vintage funk, and timeless Brazilian music, "Muita Zorra!" is once again available and ready to take its well-deserved place in your collection. First time official reissue.

The album features smooth vocals, rich harmonies, and vibrant rhythms, capturing the essence of the era’s musical Innovation.

Each track is a testament to the trio’s talent, blending traditional Brazilian sounds

with contemporary influences. Standout songs include “Sol Quarenta Graus” and ”Sempre Existe Alguém,” which highlight the group’s dynamic range. The production quality is excellent,

Raul Seixas really did a marvelous job! This is truly one of those undiscovered gems in Brazilian music!

Originally released in 1969, this album is one of the most significant in Brazilian musical history, spearheading the musical Tropicalia revolution lead by Brazilian legends Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, not to mention Gal Costa and mutant rockers Os Mutantes. Not only were the artists experimenting with the music, they were also making a very strong political statement that spoke out very harshly against the military regime in Brazil at the time. This album helped land Veloso and Gil a brief stint in jail and eventually in political exile in the UK.

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of TRYPL -- featuring the superb horn section of Trevor Mires (trombone), Ryan Quigley (trumpet) and Paul Booth (saxophones) -- for the worldwide release of their debut album, ‘TRYPL’, on 14th August 2020. TRYPL is a UK based Latin Jazz outfit co-founded by the horn section consisting of Trevor, Ryan and Paul. This is new and fresh original music, penned by these three esteemed musicians, along with special guest Alex Wilson (piano). The band is also joined by powerhouses Dimitris Christopoulos (bass), Edwin Sanz (percussion), Tristan Banks (drums) and DavideGiovannini (drums). Their professional credentials read like the Who’s Who in today’s music.

Trevor Mires has been at the forefront of the London music scene for nearly 15 years. His credits are wide ranging. He has performed with, among others, George Benson, recorded and toured with multi-instrumentalist James Morrison, toured with Michel Le Grand, and recorded with Pat Metheny, Toots Theilmans and David Sanborn. Trevor was a member of jazz funk band Jamiroquai and Incognito, recording and touring with both for a number of years. Trevor is currently trombonist/arranger for Sir Tom Jones, and recently toured with Randy Brecker’s European Big Band, as well as recording with Radiohead and performing with Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, and recording and performing with Mark Ronson.

Ryan Quigley is one of the most in-demand lead and jazz trumpet players in the UK as well as a highly regarded composer, arranger and educator. His recent recording and touring work include dates with Quincy Jones, Ron Carter, Aretha Franklin, Harry Connick Jr, George Michael, Gregory Porter, Michael Bublé and Robbie Williams. As a lead and guest principal trumpeter he has appeared with the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest, the Halle Orchestra, the Berlin Staatskapelle, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the BBC Scottish Symphony and Royal Scottish National Orchestras, the RTE Concert and Symphony Orchestras, and the BBC Big Band. Ryan is a winner of a Parliamentary Jazz Award, Scottish Jazz Award and a UK Jazz Services Award.

Paul Booth is the in-demand sax man on today’s music scene. His ability to blend into any musical surrounding coupled with his talents as a multi-instrumentalist has led to him being regularly chosen to perform with many well-known artists. Paul has toured, performed and recorded around the world with The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Chaka Khan, Kylie Mingoue, Jamiroquai, Gregory Porter, Barry Manilow, Warren Haynes, Marti Pellow, Derek Trucks, Eddie Henderson, Geoffrey Keezer, Clarence Penn and Ingrid Jensen. He has worked with Incognito, Brand New Heavies and The BBC Big Band. Paul currently performs his own music with a number of different groups.

One of the rarest masterpieces of brasilian music: Recorded 1974 in France (!) and never ever rereleased. This reissue comes with the original planned cover (with a wonderful painting of Jeannette Prioli) in a gatefoldsleeve and extensive linernotes with the history of the Tuca and her music.

You find strange and melancholic música popular brasileira juxtaposed with orchestral drama, french chanson, classic film music, soul, a sort of aggressive samba. Created by Tuca, one of the most enigmatic figure in the rich canon of Brazil's popular music.

Tuca was the coproducer, arranger, and guitarist of Nara Leão’s bossa nova milestone Dez anos depois (1971) and La Question (also 1971) by Françoise Hardy. Her own Drácula I love you was recorded at the legendary Château D’Hérouville studios outside of Paris, where artists such as Pink Floyd, Canned Heat, Elton John, and David Bowie recorded in the 1970s.

The album brings together eleven unique pieces, including one sung in French as well as an instrumental track, which shows the particular degree to which Tuca always treated her voice as an instrument on equal footing with others. The cover was based on a painting of a woman in art nouveau style by the Brazilian artist Jeannette Priolli, who was also a coauthor of four pieces on the album.

But the album failed. A lesbian woman who was significantly overweight and on top of that a real diva - as we know from Nara Leão’s accounts and the smattering of video clips that have survived - with a tremendous stage presence, loud, brash, a force of nature—this woman as the embodiment of horror for a heteronormative and patriarchal oppressive society could not have failed to attract the scrutiny of censors.

In May 1978, she died at the age of 33 as a result of a macrobiotic diet, or to put it more plainly: she starved to death.

It has been said that Richard 'Nappy' Mayers (1951-1993), the copiously gifted musician, composer, arranger, producer and singer began his earthly sojourn in an era inappropriate for the fullest exploitation of his creative potential.
From his teenage years he exhibited an innate impulse to craft melodies that were distinctive and enticing yet reflecting his attraction to the dominant influences of the period particularly American, Jamaican and homeland Trinidad and Tobago. Charismatic and a natural leader, Nappy's enduring passion for creating, performing and producing singularly progressive music so fired initial band members comprising relatives and close friends, that their loyalty and willingness to co-create with him proved key to its extensive popularity.
From teenaged music-makers styled The Tornadoes, his group evolved through several personnel shifts into Embryo to enjoy their most productive and successful phase from the early '70s to 1980 as a trailblazing recording and stage performance outfit.
Nappy's ever-fertile mind originated a continuous stream of unique creations with lyrical content ranging from his 1975 premier release 'Cash In Calypso/Breakaway' through the 1977 all-time best seller Wanna Make Love To You with sultry frontline songstress Nadie La Fond, down to his bittersweet plea in 1991's Bring Back The Ole Time Days.
After he was so unexpectedly taken from us in 1993, it was beyond doubt that Trinidad and Tobago and the world of popular music he too briefly inhabited had lost a phenomenal talent in Richard 'Nappy' Mayers.
The main focus of this compilation is layed on Nappy's early recording years with his own band Embryo and on artist such like Nadie La Fond, Felix Ceasar or Colin Lucas.
Dave Elcock.

Single:
01. Nadie La Fond: Hot For Your Love
02. Embryo: Love Is New

When, a few years ago, we started planning on compiling 60's and 70's songs influenced by Jamaican rhythms by different artists from the Latin/american continent, and published the first two volumes of "Latinameriska", we didn't think we would be able to continue with the series. However, this period of time has allowed us to continue with the "archaeologic work" of search and capture that every collector has in its blood. There's no bigger pleasure for any of us than being on a trip and going through a flea market, shop or just exploring the web and coming across a gem to thicken your record collection. Likewise, it's also a big satisfaction showing those discoveries and making them available to other collectors (so they can start their own hunt) or to the general public which would simply dance and enjoy them.which is enough. Thus this record is the fruit of that passion and has no different goal to the previous volumes> that you listen, dance and enjoy this "piece" of Jamaica born in latin american territory. You'll find artists you'll already know from previous volumes and such as "Las Cuatro Monedas" or "Conjunto Habana", together with real rarities such as "Aristides Paz" or "The King's Trials"... with covers of Jamaican classics ("Ritmo del Alma") and original tracks ("Cuando tú me quieras), from vintage Ska ("Lucky Lucky") to Reggae with skinhead roots ("Doble Barril"),... but always with the same essence. And not to loose a good habit we close with a new ghost track, from Colombia in this case and merging a Jamaican music classic with other classic rhythms. Enjoy it one more time!!!

The journey of latin american artists from the 60-s and 70-s with a Jamaican style has a new stop> "Latinameriska"'s fourth volume. And even though it may sound like a cliché we have to say this is the best installment of the series without a doubt. Here's why? Because you'll get to learn about unknown bands (from out of the Jamaican scene like "Los Creyentes de BC" or studio ones like "The Stars"), get almost impossible to find tunes ("Rosario" or "Los Costeños") or listen to covers as good as the original (hurray for "Los Robbin's"!!!).or with sounds that enrich the cover (those amazing Calypso touches of René Santos or the cumbia flavour of Carmen Rivero). We have realized the richness of "Latin Jamaica" has no limits, and from north to south and east to west our treasure chest keeps growing with gems of all kind. This precious stones are all different and all highly valuable> from Jamaican Beat to Early Reggae or Calypso< with covers that range not only from Jamaican scene classics to Jazz and Soul. With such good raw materials and our culinary expertise it was impossible not to cook a delicatessen to be consumed with the ears. And once again we have a ghost track at the end< from Panamá this time and giving an Antillean flavor to another Jamaican classic. Enjoy this new installment.and be calm, it won't be the last one!!!

Cultural phenomena streak through popular consciousness like meteorites. There’s a significant, even life-changing, impact made somewhere, but for many it’s only a moment that flickers by, soon to be swallowed back into the cosmos. Chicha might have been like that. Instead, a once-obscure music that enjoyed a fanatic embrace in the Peruvian slums of the 1970s has become a full-fledged global occasion – thanks to the stunning success of a 2007 CD called The Roots of Chicha. The album, released by the Brooklyn-based Barbès Records, was a passionate act of cultural appreciation: a heart-strong effort to turn the world on its ear with something it had never expected to hear. It took listeners back to the late 1960’s, when a number of Peruvian guitarists from Lima and the Amazon created a new electric hybrid, which mixed cumbia, surf, Cuban guaracha, rock, Peruvian folklore, and psychedelic touches. This new wave of Peruvian cumbia came to be known as chicha. Scorned by the middle-class and the official tastemakers, chicha remained mostly associated with the slums of Lima, where the ever-growing population of Andean migrants embraced the music and its players as their own. When Olivier Conan released the first volume of Roots of Chicha in September 2007, he couldn’t have foreseen the kind of impact it would have. The musician, who co-owns the club Barbès in Brooklyn and owns the label of the same name, had fallen in love with the music on a trip to Peru in the summer of 2006. Back in New York, he started his own band, Chicha Libre, as an attempt to share his enthusiasm. Then, he released a compilation of some of the best chicha tracks from the ‘70s. The music quickly found an audience in the US and in Europe. Musicians and DJs embraced it as a lost link between rock and Latin cultures. Accolades flowed from the New York Times, NPR, Le Monde, El Comercio and the BBC. One of its songs was covered by the band Franz Ferdinand, actor Elijah Wood praised it profusely in an interview to Paste magazine. Chilean rock group Los Tres gave a copy of the record to then-president Bachelet, which somehow became national news

Absolutely brilliant 20 track compilation of kitsch French cha-cha, mambo and other Latin and tropical styles. Featuring absurd lyrics, unusual arrangements

and crazy cover songs. CD Digipak includes a 16 page booklet and the LP includes printed inner sleeve + download code.

Tropical music and France go way back. Just think of the period between both world wars, when the Paris of the roaring twenties fluttered to the sound of

Latin-American orchestras. The influential Brazilian musician Pixinguinha came through in 1922, the charismatic Cuban singer Rita Montaner triumphed a few

years later at the famed Palace and the brilliant clarinettist Stellio from Martinique had everyone dancing through the night to the beguine (a dance

style from Martinique). The record starts out with an esoteric organ, a guitar straight out of a western,

a vibey rhythm section, a speeding saxophone, a glamorous voice, a curious keyboard, a slightly panicky tempo... “Please Mr Hitchock!” calls out a voice

from the unknown, on an arrangement that’s about to lose control. The tone is set. “Eins Zwei Drei”, cries out Spartaco Andreoli, creator of the Chachacha

for tunas, lyrics that are absurd accompanying music that isn’t so much so. And this is just the beginning...

In the 1950s, a few young men, known as Badius, embarked on a nearly 2,500-mile (4000 km) journey from the northern rural interior of Cabo Verde’s Santiago Island to the island of São Tomé off the Atlantic coast of central Africa. They made the arduous journey and worked for years not to earn a better living or send money back home — but to simply buy an accordion, locally known as a gaita. Returning home, they slowly formed an elite class of self-taught gaita players. The gaita became the maximum expression of Badiu identity, one defined over centuries by a persistent culture of revolt and rebellion against domination and injustice. In a land lacking electricity, the acoustic instrument is king. Mastery of a hard-won instrument gave birth to raw Funaná music, undoubtedly a sibling of Cumbia. Hypnotic notes on aged accordions tuned and flavored in ways found nowhere but Santiago infused with inviting baselines, raucous rhythms, blade-on-iron percussion, and the bubbling lyricism and lament of the island’s finest ambassadors. Their music was outlawed under colonial rule, with strict curfews to prevent large, potentially subversive gatherings since Funaná was dance music meant for large crowds, centered on one of the many star gaiteiros. Yet, naturally defiant, Badiu Funaná continued unfazed at the risk of arrest and detention. Funaná remained an isolated style, largely an affair for Badiu ears only. But in 1991, Cabo Verde had its first democratic election. Elections are tricky business anywhere, let alone a country divided into several islands, each needing a tailored approach. Political parties found a novel solution to successfully get their campaign messages out to large audiences with ears wide open: music festivals. Till today, Cabo Verde plays host to dozens of festivals a year, some sponsored by the government. The music of the proud African interior became the soundtrack of choice at campaign rallies. It drew large crowds, engaged the youth, kept people content, and undoubtedly won votes, setting the stage for traditional Funaná’s entry into the mainstream, catching the attention of successful Cabo Verdean record label bosses living in Europe. This compilation distills eight tracks from a short period in the late ‘90s when cherished pioneers, who risked everything give their proud culture a sound, got their one chance in a recording studio. Pour yourself a grog, Cabo Verde’s local moonshine made from sugarcane crushed by bulls, imbibe responsibly, listen carefully, and dance recklessly.