An obscure salsa set from Ray Camacho – an artist who always seems willing to mix up styles in his music! That's definitely the case here, as Ray mixes straighter Latin modes with a few border touches – creating a hybrid of New York and Mexican modes that's pretty unique – but which also has some occasional funk and soul currents that are probably the record's strongest suit! Ray plays trumpet, and the rest of the group includes guitar, trombone, and plenty of percussion – plus sax and piano from Manuel Palafox, who also handles arrangements. Titles include a great cover of "Low Rider", dubbed "El Pachuco", the Latin funk number "Tomas Al Timbal", and a funky take on Brass Construction's "Movin On". – plus "Me Patina El Coco", "Madrecita Linda", "Dime La Verdad", "El Pachuco", "Confesion", "Testigo Fui", and "Dulce Y Amarga". CD

A killer set of Latin Soul from the New York scene of the late 60s – a record that's every bit as wonderful as boogaloo classics on labels like Fania and Cotique, but which never got released at the time! The production quality is wonderful – with the mighty Bobby Marin heading up the whole set, and channeling the talents of a fantastic all-star lineup – which includes both Charlie Palmieri and Richie Ray on piano, Tito Puente on timbales, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, and Louie Ramirez on vibes – plus vocals from Jimmy Sabater and Willie Torres, who really give the record a lot of soul! The set's a mixture of instrumentals and vocal numbers, in English and Spanish – and titles include "Something New", "Nitty Boo Boo", "Would You Believe Me?", "Rice And Beans", "Dixie's Mambo", "Fun City Hippy", "Say Listen", "A Fool Like Me", "Papel De Bambu", and "Shingaling Now Boogaloo Later". LP, Vinyl record album

(Funky 45's, Latin) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really revelatory collection – one that showcases a West African influence on sounds in Colombia – in a way that's almost a further shift of the way that Afro-Cuban sounds had an impact on Congolese and other rhythmic styles on the other side of the Atlantic! The music often features guitar lines lifted from a highlife tradition, mixed with rhythms that are a bit more straightforward – in some examples of the benga style in action, but blended with a more diverse array of sounds as the set moves on! The package is very well-researched, and is overflowing with work we'd never have heard otherwise – titles that include "Bi Sophia No 1" by Maroon Commandos, "Ateka" by Issa Juma & Waanyka, "Diabanza" by Orchestre Shika Shika, "Safari" by Viva Makale, "Trouble (part 1)" by La Mangelepa, "Wakumbuke Wazai" by Les Kilimambogo, and "Safi" by Lawi Somona. (Global Grooves, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album