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My review of Salsa Boricua De Chicago, the new compilation of Ebirac recordings ran the other day on All Things Considered. I know it’s kind of de riguer (esp. for me) to point out “Numero’s stuff is great!” but seriously, they run the kind of label I’d want to run if I ever had the talent and work ethic to pull it off and this latest comp is no different. In focusing on Ebirac Records, TNG has focused on a slice of American Latin music history that could have [...]
Continue reading WINDY CITY SALSA
Machuca Cumbia: Cumbia Alivianada
Cumbia De Los Bee Gees
From 7″ (Aries, 1979)
I first heard “Cumbia Alivianada” (aka “Staying Alive”) when B+ came to spin with me and it’s taken me two years to finally cop it on 7″ (I do love singles but I wouldn’t have minded getting the LP just for that great cover art but the 7″ does have the two Bee Gees joints on it). Not the best cumbia conversion I can imagine; it’s surprisingly flat rhythmically but still a fun, fun cut and one that [...]
Continue reading DEEP COVERS: 4 OF 4, MACHUCA CUMBIA
Revelacion 2,000: Tu Y No Nena
Viviras Como Yo Vivo (Danny’s Song)
From S/T (Gas, 197?)
I was turned onto Mexico’s Revelacion 2,000 via Super Sonido, who posted up the 7″ version of “Tu Y No Nena” (You and Me Baby) last month. It’s a rather incredible cover, especially since that distinctive echo effect on the guitar isn’t on the Spinners’ original. It was nagging me why it sounded so damn familiar and with Jay Smooth’s help, I finally remembered why: it sounds a lot like [...]
Continue reading DEEP COVERS: 3 OF 4, REVELACION 2,000
St. Peter and Paul Catholic High School Shooting Stars Steel Band: N.T.
What’s Going On
Percussion intro snippet
From St. Thomas, V.I. (Shooting Stars, 197?)
On paper, you’d think this LP couldn’t possibly flop. I mean, it’s both a high school band and steel drum group that has two Kool and the Gang covers, plus “What’s Going On” and a few more covers. It’s got both a drummer (who does the arrangements) and two guys on percussion besides the actual steel band. And somewhere, within that magical mix, something [...]
Continue reading DEEP COVERS: 2 OF 4, SHOOTING STARS
Orquesta Hnos Flores: La Mula
Estoy En Onda
From La Bala (Cicesa, 1970)
(For the next few days, I’ll be posting about random singles and albums with notable cover songs.)
La Bala, “the bullet,” was the first full-length LP recorded by El Salvador’s Qrquesta Hnos Flores. I wasn’t able to find too much on them in English (sí, lo sé, realmente debería aprender español) but I’m fairly certain they weren’t small time, but rather, a band of significance into the 1980s and ’90s. Their inaugural LP is a mix of different [...]
Continue reading DEEP COVERS: 1 OF 4, HNOS FLORES
Perez Prado: Sexomania
Black Magnolia
From El Fabuloso (Orfeon/Dimsa, 1976)
Probably should have included this along with my last Prado-related post given that both albums explore the artist’s ’70s stylings. El Fabuloso seems in line with a lot of those titles – nothing mindblowing but all…intriguing in their own way.
“Sexomania” is a funky, uptempo mambo with some good screams and breaks thrown in but personally, I’m all about “Black Magnolia.” It sounds as if Prado was listening to a lot of Jr. Walker and decided to try his hand at [...]
Continue reading PEREZ PRADO: FABULOUS AND FUNKY
Barbara Lynn: I’m a Good Woman (snippet)
From 7″ (Cultures of Soul, 2011)
The Fabulous Fugitives and Their Review: What the World Needs (snippet)
From 7″ (Cultures of Soul, 2011)
Cultures of Soul is a relatively new label (both reissues and new releases) put together by DJ Jeff Swallom aka Deano Sounds. The label is part of a mini-content empire that includes a sales site for original vinyl plus interviews with different soul/funk personalities.
Anyways, they’ve been kind enough to offer up a 7″ giveaway for a few of [...]
Continue reading CULTURES OF SOUL 7″ GIVEAWAY
I’m going to leave it to my betters to properly eulogize the late Nate Dogg. I have a few scattered thoughts.
First, it’s still amazing to me that Nate Dogg didn’t have a bigger solo career. I blame at least part of that on Death Row’s internal problems that prevented his debut album from dropping back in the mid-’90s where it likely have murdered the charts (imagine it dropping after Doggystyle. Game over).
That’s not to say he didn’t have a career any artist would envy. I can’t think of a single [...]
Continue reading THE WEST COAST PRINCE
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