Category Archives: Latin
DOM LA NENA-ELA.
DOM LA NENA-ELA. Not many people are willing to devote their life to music. No. It takes a very special person to make the sacrifices that are needed to master an instrument. Most people are unwilling to make the commitment that’s required. This wasn’t the case for Dom La Nena. From the moment the Brazilian …
THE GET DOWN BOOGIE SOUND.
THE GET DOWN BOOGIE SOUND. Disco which had provided the musical backdrop to the second half of the seventies, went from hero to zero in the space of a year. Suddenly, disco sucked. Disco’s downfall started on Christmas Eve 1978, That’s when Steve Dahl was fired by Chicago radio station WDAI. It had previously been …
CANDIDO-CANDI’S FUNK.
CANDIDO-CANDI’S FUNK. 1979 was one of the most important years in the history of Salsoul Records. That year, disco died and briefly, Salsoul returned to its Latin roots. This happened when veteran Cuban percussionist signed to Salsoul Records. Dancin’ and Prancin’ his Salsoul debut, consisted of just four infectiously catchy, genre-sprawling tracks. Despite it indisputable …
CANDIDO-DANCIN’ AND PRANCIN.’
CANDIDO-DANCIN’ AND PRANCIN.’ Two of the most innovative record labels in the history of modern music are Blue Note and Salsoul Records. However, there was only one artist who released albums on both labels. That artist is legendary Cuban percussionist, Candido, who released two albums for Salsoul in 1979. Candido’s Salsoul debut was Dancin’ and …
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 1.
SALSOUL PRESENTS: THE DEFINITIVE 12” MASTERS VOLUME 1. With so many Salsoul compilations having been released over the past twenty years, any newcomer to Salsoul Records is spoiled for choice. Indeed, anyone looking to discover disco’s premier label, will be confused by the sheer variety of Salsoul compilations on offer. Sadly, Salsoul compilations fall into …
SALSOUL PRESENTS: DISCO DIVAS AND SOULFUL SISTA FLAVAS.
SALSOUL PRESENTS: DISCO DIVAS AND SOULFUL SISTA FLAVAS. when you look back at the history of Salsoul Records, you realize they weren’t short of some stunning female vocalists. Loleatta Holloway, First Choice, Charo, Carol Williams, Jocelyn Brown from Inner Life, The Sweethearts of Sigma, Brenda Gooch and Claudja Barry. Each of these divas feature on …
GARY CRISS-RIO DE JANEIRO.
GARY CRISS-RIO DE JANEIRO. Recently when I was reviewing a new Salsoul Records compilation, The Salsoul Records Story, which was recently released by Gold Legion, I was pleased to discover that the compilers had included Gary Criss’ Rio De Janeiro. This was the title-track to the only album Gary Criss released on Salsoul Records. Rio …
MUSIC FOR DANCEFLOORS-THE KPM MUSIC LIBRARY (DELUXE EDITION).
MUSIC FOR DANCEFLOORS-THE KPM MUSIC LIBRARY. Ever since the dawn of hip hop, library music has proved a source of inspiration for sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs alike. Library music has also proven popular with music lovers with discerning musical tastes. Little did the founders of Chappell, Bosworth and KPM Music realize the …
AZTECA-PYRAMID OF THE MOON.
AZTECA-PYRAMID OF THE MOON. During the ten months between the release of Azteca’s debut album Azteca, and the release of their sophomore album, Pyramid of The Moon, the future looked bright for Coke and Pete Escovedo’s genre defying band. Released in December 1972, Azteca had reached number 151 in the US Billboard 200 and number …
AZTECA-AZTECA.
AZTECA-AZTECA. With brothers Coke and Pete Escovedo growing up Oakland in the sixties, surrounded by Latin music, it’s no surprise that they decided to form their own group, Azteca. Like Santana, Azteca were a pioneering and innovative group. Their music was a fusion of a multiplicity of musical genres and influences, including Latin and funk. …
MONTANA-I LOVE MUSIC.
MONTANA-I LOVE MUSIC. 1978 marked the start of the next chapter in the long and successful career of Vince Montana Jr. Just a few months earlier, one chapter closed and the next began. The chapter that had just finished lasted three years. It began in 1975, when Vince Montana Jr. founded The Salsoul Orchestra. Vince …
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2012-PART 1.
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2012-PART 1. It’s always at this time of year, that lists of what have been the best albums of the year are released. Not to be outdone, I’ve been compiling my lists too. So far, I’ve compiled lists of the best box sets, compilations and reissues. The one I’ve been …
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA.
TIM MAIA: WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 4: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA. For a label looking to release a retrospective compilation of an artist’s career, things don’t always go smoothly. Pitfalls aplenty await the label. Often their persistence, never mind patience is sorely tested. Indeed from deciding to rerelease an album …
OLIVIA DE LANZAC-SPANISH MONK.
OLIVIA DE LANZAC-SPANISH MONK. Recently, I had the pleasure of reviewing Olivia De Lanzac’s forthcoming album for BBE Music Uncut, which will be released on 26th November 2012. This will be Olivia’s sophomore album, and the followup to 2010s Baby Let’s Play House. Uncut is a genre-crossing collection of compelling and eclectic tracks. It’s almost …
GEORGE DUKE-A BRAZILIAN LOVE AFFAIR.
GEORGE DUKE-A BRAZILIAN LOVE AFFAIR. By 1979, when George Duke released A Brazilian Love Affair, he was one of the hardest working men in music. Not only had he released fifteen solo albums, but had moved into production. Then there was George’s work as a sideman. The list of musicians George has played with reads …
BREAKWATER-SPLASHDOWN.
BREAKWATER-SPLASHDOWN. Imagine being one of the hottest unsigned bands in Philadelphia during the seventies and not even trying to get a deal with Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records. Not even knocking on Gamble and Huff’s door might seem strange or even, somewhat remiss. After all, Gamble and Huff were at the helm of …
DISCO RECHARGE-ULTIMATE-ULTIMATE AND ULTIMATE II.
DISCO RECHARGE-ULTIMATE-ULTIMATE AND ULTIMATE II. All too often, history repeats itself in music. This is as true in music as life. There are many examples of this, but a good example of this is the story of Bruce Weedon. Bruce who was one of the most innovative and creative disco producers of the late-seventies. No …
DJ VADIM-DON’T BE SCARED.
DJ VADIM-DON’T BE SCARED. Sometimes, the word innovator is used too often, but in the case of Saint Petersburg born DJ Vadim, innovator is a fitting description of this veteran DJ and producer. Over the past twenty years, DJ Vadim has DJ-ed in sixty-nine countries, played over 2,500 times and still found time to found …
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