A really cool record, and one that uses the Cuban tres in a style that's nicely different than more traditional modes – often blending it with some of the hipper small combo Latin elements that had popped up on the New York scene in the mid 60s, which gives the instrument a very different energy overall! Mita handles the tres wonderfully here – electrified on most cuts, which almost creates the same sort of feel as those cool boogaloo records that Arsenio Rodriguez recorded in the 60s – not faithfully traditional at all, which is really the appeal! As with so many Mag Records productions from the period, there's all sorts of wonderfully offbeat elements going on – yet they never get in the way of the burning Latin grooves of the set, as you'll hear on cuts that include "Mango Mangue", "Arecibo", "Compay Chifuco", "Mita Descarga", "No Aguanto Mas", "Descarga En Botella Y Huiro", and "El Yo Yo". LP, Vinyl record album

Orchestra Harlow's answer to the Who's Tommy – Hommy, a Latin Opera, and one of the few concept albums we know from the New York Latin scene of the time! The tracks are fairly short, and they're separated by short "interludes" throughout the album that feature some cool spoken bits that trace the story of the record, but which also have the humorous touches of some of the older Alegre All Stars albums from the 60s. And although Orchestra Harlow borrow the name of the Who's album, the work here is all original – not covers – two long "acts", spread out over the sides of the record with a sophisticated approach that shows the Harlow group moving into much deeper territory at the time. Lead vocals are by Junior Gonzalez, and you'll also hear Adalberto Santiago, Cheo Feliciano, Justo Betancourt, and Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez. Tracks include "Gracia Divina", "Mantecadito", "El Doctor Y La Razon", "Es Un Varon", "El Dia De Navidad", and "Soy Sensacional". CD

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. (Global Grooves, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. (Global Grooves, Latin) CD

Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The recording feature players who worked on Joe's stellar Afrofilipino and features a backdrop of wonderful Afro and Latin percussion and rhythms with the best sounds of the NYC dancefloor soul in the mix – with uptempo and midtempo vocal numbers flirting with disco and modern soul very nicely – with solid lead vocals and groovy female backup! Most tunes bring a bit of harp into the mix for a little more of a soar that plays off the percussion in really cool way. Titles include "Sadie", "When We Get Married", "My Cloud", "I Need Love", a take on the Isaac Hayes "Theme From The Men", "Let Me Kove You", "My Opera" and "I Do Love You". CD

A record that's every bit as groovy as you might guess from the title – served up by one of the most unique combos to record for Colombia's Discos Fuentes in the 70s! Afrosound certainly have plenty of rhythms and sounds that resonate with their contemporaries at the top of the South American scene – but they also use rootsier percussion, and served up a rawer sound too – definitely bringing back some West African modes, after that scene had an earlier influence from the world of Afro-Cuban music! There's some especially cool keyboards that get all weird and distorted – like electric guitar on some Peruvian records – balanced with plenty of live, loud percussion – on titles that include "Banana De Queso", "Baila Felipe", "Negua", "Ponchito De Colores", "Carruseles", "Zaire Pop", "Rapsodia Del Chinito", "Me Voy De La Vida", "Salsa Con Tabaco", and "La Negra Saramuya". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most hard-hitting Latin albums from the 50s on RCA – a set released with jokey liner notes from Frank Jacobs of Mad, next to some Jack Davis cartoons – but a set that's got smoking percussion, great horns, and even some very cool use of vibes! LP, Vinyl record album

Cool 60s work from guitarist Snuff Garrett! Maria Elena takes a host of older Latin themes and tunes them towards a hip 60s style – using the overdubbed guitar approach of the 50 guitars group, and really stretching the sound out wide towards the farthest reaches of both speakers! Snuff Garrett's guitar is in the lead, but it's also cast here in a pretty full sound – one that makes for a spacious quality that still sounds pretty darn great all these many years later. Titles include "Jungle Drums", "Anna", "Without You", "The Breeze & I", "Brazil", and "Poinciana". (Now Sound, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool Japanese version of this mighty groover from the great Nico Gomez! Nico's known for his harder pounding tracks that have become favorites with the funky crowd, but this stellar album shows that Nico could also work in jazzier territory when he wanted to – as the album's a wonderful batch of tunes that mix together Latin, groovy, and bossa styles! There's some very nice wordless female vocals on a few cuts, scatting along with a warm breezy feel – and other tracks feature vibes, or guitar, sax, and other strong instrumental elements – with more than enough punch to be funky at a few points. The whole thing's as groovy as groovy can be – with a sound that's past bossa, and way more than any fake easy instrumental attempt at the genre – a real peep into the mad mind of Nico Gomez, and proof that his albums are always worth tracking down! Titles include "Din Din Din", "Aquarela", "Samba De Rio", "Saudade Do Rio", "Agua", "Rio", and "O Barquinho". CD

A very cool Japanese version of this mighty groover from the great Nico Gomez! Nico's known for his harder pounding tracks that have become favorites with the funky crowd, but this stellar album shows that Nico could also work in jazzier territory when he wanted to – as the album's a wonderful batch of tunes that mix together Latin, groovy, and bossa styles! There's some very nice wordless female vocals on a few cuts, scatting along with a warm breezy feel – and other tracks feature vibes, or guitar, sax, and other strong instrumental elements – with more than enough punch to be funky at a few points. The whole thing's as groovy as groovy can be – with a sound that's past bossa, and way more than any fake easy instrumental attempt at the genre – a real peep into the mad mind of Nico Gomez, and proof that his albums are always worth tracking down! Titles include "Din Din Din", "Aquarela", "Samba De Rio", "Saudade Do Rio", "Agua", "Rio", and "O Barquinho". LP, Vinyl record album