Thursday, March 26, 2009

V/A - Boogaloo Pow Wow (2008)

Mid 20th century Latin jams from New York's fertile uptown music scene. Get in the mood for Spring with this one...

"...rare and classic selections in different latin styles from the ’50s and ’60s. Packaged with relatively brief liner notes but nice artwork and a cover photo by Bruce Davidson... As a culture,
Boogaloo Pow Wow… offers a glimpse into a world in which Cuban and Puerto Ricans rule, with the occasional Yankee contribution. This is best represented by the closing track "Feelin’ the Pain" by Dianne & Carole (along with their uncredited band, The Latin Whatchamacallits), an imaginary theme song for a world inhabited by Upper East Side debutantes and Puerto Rican musicians. The ladies, sounding almost fragile in their struggle to be heard and stay on key at the same time, sing lilting, neo-Bacharachian harmonies over what may be the album’s most classically boogaloo rhythm track, equal parts La Habana and Detroit. The song offers a prescient nod to what’s kept ladies like Adele and Amy Winehouse busy, only with less Latin tinge and more Limey sass." - Dusted Magazine


Exuma -Exuma I (1970)

So here is a post after such a long time away. For some reason, this album brought me back from the dead and compelled me to share this. I came across this gem at a great blog. I really don't have too much wisdom to drop on this one, other than it sounds fresh to my ears. Apparently a group from the Bahamas in the 70's that had a penchant for psych/weirdness. There is a bit of folk, rock, tribal beats, Richie Havens-esque gruff vocals, soul shouts, plucked acoustic geetarrrr, and copious amounts of tambourine - the shit really works.