| Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to view via your browser. |
Welcome to the elWatusi eNewsletter Nº 32 for June 03, 2011.
A huge chunk of dynamite, by way of RAY LUGO & THE BOOGALOO DESTROYERS, sets off the batch of this weeks audio gems. On Mi Watusi, Ray's repertoire consists of classics from the likes of El Gran Combo, Willie Rosario, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria, though Ray has re-arranged some tracks and added new lyrics and choruses to others (Lubi Janovic). The music of the great conguero CHANO POZO is celebrated on GERARDO ROSALES' Chano Pozo's Music. The legendary Cuban son band SEPTETO MATAMOROS has teamed up with German violin virtuoso UDO HAASE for a lovely album. Bassist MIKE AMITIN of TIPICA IDEAL and, later, SONIDO IDEAL fame has released Graffiti Dreams, a Latin-r&b-pop hybrid album. The label Music Brokers has released Café Cubana, a compelling 50 track compilation of tropical pop, club and dance covers and remixes of both pop and Cuban titles. SILVIO RODRIGUEZ' 1975 classic Días y Flores was his debut album, and we have it at elWatusi. Also, the new single from THREE SON SALSA is here, a tasty teaser to their upcoming full album. More great stuff below, including the fabulous new HOLLY COOK, the swinging jazzy COLMAN BROTHERS, and the 1964 classic Bossa Nova '64 by SAMBALANCO TRIO.Lastly, don't forget to read JOHN CHILD's Artist Mini Bio of singer CUCO VALOY, and the wonderful interview of PACHAPO (EDGARDO JIMENEZ) by NANDO ALVERICCI. - elW
• Have a great website? Consider becoming an elWatusi Affiliate Partner. Get involved.
• Not yet an elWatusi member? Click and join. It's that simple.
Receive special notices, offers, interviews and reviews just by "Liking" our Facebook page...
 |
|
From the opening track 'Soy El Rey Del Boogaloo' to the final song 'Lugo's Boogaloo', this album proves in the 21st century, boogaloo is still alive and kicking in New York City and Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers are the leaders of the new school! On this album, Ray's repertoire consists of classics from the likes of El Gran Combo, Willie Rosario, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria though Ray has re-arranged some tracks and added new lyrics and choruses to others. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised on the lower east side of Manhattan, Ray Lugo has experienced such an enormous variety of music in his life time, from attending gigs by Fania Records super stars with his parents as a young boy, though to being a roadie on the Beastie Boys 'License to Ill' tour, performing in bands, managing bands, running record labels and club nights - Ray has seen the music world from every angle possible. Rays' teenage years in New York saw him immersed in the vibrant Big Apple music scene, working as a roadie, band manager, studio engineer and label manager before taking to the stage in alternative rock and latin ska bands in the early 1990s and eventually forming Kokolo Afrobeat, who established a worldwide reputation through touring and recordings, Ray never lost that love for latin music he had experienced in his early years and often talked about a possible latin music project when he could find the time. In 2010, he finally achieved that dream. Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers were born! For the record, boogaloo was the New York fusion of latin music, rhythm & blues and soul which immediately became the soundtrack for second and third generation Puerto Ricans raised on son, guaracha, bomba and plena but who equally loved Tamla Motown, James Brown and Ray Charles! With it's English and often double entendre lyrics and street-slang, it appealed to everyone. It didn't matter if you were black, white, brown, Latino, Italian, Jewish or African-American.....anybody could dance the boogaloo! Viva La Nueva Generacion! Lubi Jovanovic International salsa DJ & CD compiler (Fania/Nascente/Freestyle) |
|
Chano Pozo is one of a handful of Cuban percussionists who came to the United States in the 1940s and 50s. Other notable congueros who came to the U.S. during that time include Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, Francisco Aguabella, Julito Collazo, Carlos Vidal Bolado and Modesto Duran. Pozo moved to New York City in early 1947 with the encouragement of Miguelito Valdés, and participated in a recording session with Valdés, Arsenio Rodríguez, Carlos Vidal Bolado and José Mangual. In September 1947 he featured with Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band at Carnegie Hall and subsequently on a European tour. Their notable material includes "Cubana Be, Cubana Bop" (written by George Russell), and "Tin Tin Deo" and Manteca (song), both co-written by Pozo. (label) |
|
The legendary Cuban son band teams up with special guest Udo Haase, the virtuoso German violin player. The group performs come of their most requested repertoire including "Quizás, quizás, quizás," "Lágrimas negras," "Son de la loma," "La casita de Margot" and much more. - elW |
|
Hard driving Latin bassist, Mike Amitin, has played with such bands as Ray Baretto, Orquesta Broadway, Richie Ray, and Tipica Ideal. You might know his work from his band Sonido Ideal -- a reincarnation, of sorts, of the legendary Tipica ideal. - elW The songs on Graffiti Dreams combine elements of Soul, Pop, Jazz, and Latin to showcase Amitin's romantic side and his gift for sophisticated and accessible melody. |
|
Here's a totally compelling compilation of tropical pop, club and dance covers and remixes of both pop and Cuban titles. I really like how many of these numbers are, at the same time, both refreshingly new and weirdly familiar. Check out Angie Bowie's Space Mambo Mix of the Ramones' I Just Want Something to Do. Some weird and beautiful stuff here, like Karen Souza's cover of Strawberry Fields featuring Los Panchos. Also with Electro LatinJazz Orchestra, David Amaya, Afro-Cuban Groove Collective, The Cha-Chin Club, Bellestar and many others. Highly Recommended. - elW |
|
Primer album de Silvio en solitario, el disco fue grabado en La Habana entre 1974 y 1975. Letra y música de Silvio Rodríguez, es dedicado a su hija Violeta. Se nota aún la influencia del Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC. |
|
Excellent tropical pop salsa from Puerto Rico featuring Marielle, Raul and Gerardo. This single is a hint of what is in store from their upcoming album. - elW |
|
Inspired as always by 60's and 70's jazz and samba, typical of legends such as Freddie Hubbard & Horace Silver, and groups like Peter Herbolzheimer's Rhythm Combination & Brass, the Colman Brothers' eponymous debut combines the influences of this golden age with their own deft production skills, and a little vocal assistance from Colman sister, Sara. The opening track, "Mr. DG" is a fitting tribute to Dizzy Gillespie himself, and the latin flavoured "Momo" a quirky little number that's sure to raise a smile or two; whereas the rather more ominous cut "The Chief" brings to mind 70's spy soundtracks, and the sultry "Some Other Wonder" (featuring Sara Colman on vocals) and "On A Better Day" are stirring moody late night beauties. Then there are the trademark Colman dance floor monsters too of course, in the shape of "Sem Amor", "El Nino" and its younger sibling "Another Brother", plus some forward thinking remix work courtesy of the boys themselves of the latter, and the classic single "She Who Dares". A heavyweight album we're sure you'll agree! (label) |
|
Sambalanço Trio is a Brazilian samba-jazz group formed by Cesar Camargo Mariano (piano), Humberto Clayber (bass) and Airto Moreira (drums). The band started to play in 1964 and last for about two years. However, its albums are considered some of the most important works of that period and influenced many other groups of samba and jazz. The group was created in 1964, in São Paulo, Brazil. They played in the opening show of João Sebastião Bar, one of the foremost Bossa Nova nightclubs in the city, where they became the favourite attraction. In this same nightclub, the group met the American dancer Lennie Dale, a future collaborator. The Sambalanço Trio offered a fusion of Bossa Nova and Jazz, which became a cornerstone of Brazilian popular music of the period. In the same year the band was formed, it released two albums: the first was named Sambalanço Trio; the second, Samblues. In 1965, they joined musician Raul de Souza and recorded À vontade mesmo. Still in 1965, the group recorded its fourth album, Reencontro com Sambalanço Trio. In 1965, Sambalanço Trio with Lennie Dale collaborated in a theatrical presentation performed in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo for eight months. This work was recorded later and released as Lennie Dale & Sambalanço Trio no Zum Zum, earning awards by Jornal do Brasil as Best Album and Best Show. Sambalanço Trio went their separate ways in 1965. Immediately after, Airto Moreira founded the Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal and later moved to the United States with his wife and singer Flora Purim, starting a successful solo career. Cesar Camargo Mariano became a member of Som Três and an arranger for singers Wilson Simonal and Elis Regina. Humberto Clayber continued playing in other samba-jazz bands. Sambalanço Trio's members also played together in other bands. Moreira and Clayber played in Sambrasa Trio around 1965. (Wiki) |
|
|
|
The Afro Latin Fever has taken over the UK with many artist and labels like Quantic Soul, Sofrito, DJ Sabo, etc who had been successfully pushing the sound over the past few years. Adding a bit of Latin Funk twist to this recipe London based producers Juan Laya & Jorge Montiel had come up with this brand new release which includes a heavy Afro Latin version of the iconic "Sex Machine" plus an extra bonus of a supa rare Lain Funk track called "Play it Loud." Ready for the summer!!! "Nice.....Viva Mongo! Both tracks are great... (DJ Lubi) |
|
Hollie Cook, daughter of British punk icon and Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook, is set to be a major star with the release of her soul-tinged self-titled album on Mr. Bongo Records. Cook's new album features production from Prince Fatty, a relatively new name on the UK reggae scene who nonetheless sounds like a seasoned vet and works with Jamaican greats Winston Francis, Dennis Alcapone, Little Roy, Horseman and others. Cook's nine song recording mixes rich and soulful vocals with dubby roots reggae production.ForwardEver Blog |
 |
Artist Mini Bio: CUCO VALOYNicknamed El Brujo, the Wizard, sonero, composer, arranger and producer Cuco Valoy hails from Santo Domingo. Rather than merengue, the predominant music of his native Quisqueya, Cuco's steadfast love is Cuban music. After over 15 years performing in Los Ahijados, a Cuban style voice and guitar duo with his brother Martín, he expanded in the mid-'70s to a 12-piece band called both Los Virtuosos and La Tribu. It was a family affair including Martín on bass and sons Ramón Orlando (piano, musical director, arranger, composer, chorus singer) and Marcos Antonio Valoy occasionally on trombone. Between 1975 and 1983 the band made a string of 14 albums on the Discolor and Kubaney labels, featuring a mixture of salsa and merengue. Between 1983 and 1987, Valoy recorded for small companies, including his own CVR label, and then returned to Kubaney from 1988 to 1990. This was truly a golden era, during which he recorded many of his finest tracks. The 2010 Kubaney compilation Sonero Y Valor available on elWatusi.com is a good anthology of material from these two periods with the label. Cuco made a significant comeback in 1997... continues |
 |
PACHAPO - EDGARDO JIMENEZ - INTERVIEWED BY NANDO ALVERICCIN: Pachapo, it’s a pleasure to have you here with us, thank you very much for sharing these moments with us. First of all we would like to compliment you on your new release titled Pachapo y su Comparsa Alto Piano, brought out now after so many years ...and imagine that all this was realized by only online contacts. Pachapo, welcome and tell us how many years have passed since your last release until the one that’s come out now, and which we’ll talk about here later on. P: Thanks to all of you for giving me the opportunity to talk to you, big hug for all of you. Until the current one, I had released two albums in 1972 and 1978, up until today ...or more precisely let’s until say four years ago when these new tracks were recorded but we never could publish them, these 5 numbers. N: Pachapo, what is the reason for your absence from the scene and recording studios for so many years? P: Well, remember it was the time of the salsa romantica and also of the Dominican merengue hype, in the 80s, only following this you could make it and I kept to my style, the salsa dura...continues |
|
When you support elWatusi it helps us continue to promote independent artists and DJs around the world!
So, go ahead and download a bunch of great music today. We thank you, the artists thank you, the DJs and the labels thank you! |
Come and join us!
To be automatically updated with new recommended
titles and interesting blog posts,
Go to our Facebook page and click "Like".
Then, be sure to join us on Twitter as well!
Follow us on Twitter | Become a fan on Facebook | Subscribe to our RSS Feed
To be automatically updated with new recommended
titles and interesting blog posts,
Go to our Facebook page and click "Like".
Then, be sure to join us on Twitter as well!
Follow us on Twitter | Become a fan on Facebook | Subscribe to our RSS Feed
