Amazing Latin grooves from the Peruvian scene of the 60s – an a record that well lives up to its "descarga" title! Congolero Coco Lagos may hail from Lima, but he's got a sound that's right up there with the best of the New York scene of his generation – a hard-hitting and tightly rhythmic approach to his music, in a mode that's clearly inspired by the early 60s Cuban descarga sessions, but which also serves up the tunes in a tighter, even more firey style! Instrumentation includes plenty of percussion, piano, and vibes – all ringing out in a way that matches the best work on the Alegre or Tico labels from the early 60's. Titles include "Mamblues", "Brava Pachanga", "Echate Pa'Lla", "Noche Buena", and "Tumba Coco". LP, Vinyl record album

Coco Maria hosts a mighty cool radio show on BBC Worldwide – one that showcases all sorts of unusual Latin music hybrids that have come up over the years – including a good range of contemporary music, such as the tracks featured on this really well-done compilation! The music here has echoes of older Colombian, Tropical, and Afro-Cuban modes – but often served up with really inventive arrangements and instrumentation that turn things completely around – not in any sort of Latin remix style, but with more of a groove that shows what some of the more unusual Latin hybrid combos have been working on! Titles include "Children's Favourite" by Guess What, "Lepidoptera" by Iko Cherie, "El Bravo" by Candeleros, "Vamonos Cocos" by Raz Olsher, "Off The Groove" by Ronald Snijders, "Always Ready To Smile" by Juan Hundred, "Seguimos Sonriendo" by Acid Coco, and "Sacudete" by Lola's Dice. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure albums issued on the legendary New York Coco Records imprint of the 70s – and one of the rootsiest too, as the set's got a vibe that's a bit earthier than some of the label's records by bigger-name acts! The percussion is totally great – almost descarga-inspired at times, with basslines wrapped around the congas and other instruments in a really great way – as the whole thing soars together with the best sort of righteous vibe that the 70s salsa scene had to offer! Vocals are by Jesus Joey Burgos, who also handled some of the songwriting – and arrangements are by Arturo Aguilar, Diego Centeno, Hector Narvaez, and Edgar Martinez. Titles include "Hasta Tu Puerta", "Genesis", "Mi Tierra", "Nunca Olivdare", "Dame Un Dia", and "Cosas De Mi Inspiracion". LP, Vinyl record album

Cuba descarga – played American style! The set's a killer bit of Latin jazz from the New York scene of the 60s – a really brilliant effort headed up by Osvaldo Chihuahua Martinez – who plays both timbale and guiro – in a crack lineup that also features Chocolate Armenteros on trumpet, Chombo Silva on tenor sax, Manfredo Lee on guiro, and Dick Meldonial on flute – all players that get plenty of space to show off their talents here – especially on the solo moments, which really take off from the straighter vocal passages. Percussion is tremendous too – thanks to congas from Enrique Navarro – and titles include "Oye Lo Pollo", "Chihuahua En Timbales", "Cosquilla", "El Cavallo", "Cuban Night", and "Coco De Agua". LP, Vinyl record album

The second great album from Peruvian funk legends Black Sugar, and a set that's every bit as great as the first – perhaps even more so from a keyboard perspective, given that there's plenty of sweet organ and moog that filter through the set! The record's got the group sounding even tighter than before – mixing Latin rhythms with some great elements from American soul and funky fusion – all wrapped up nicely with a personal, heartfelt sort of approach that's really great. Victor Coco Salazar handles arrangements, guitars, and vocals – and the album features killer covers of "Valdez In The Country" and "Don't You Worry About A Thing" – plus the originals "Fuego", "Checan", "All Your Love", "Wake Up", and "I Want To Believe". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning tribute to one of the real giants of Colombian music in the 70s – the legendary Fruko, a man who almost singlehandedly kick-started a new groove for the decade! Fruko was clearly inspired by the hip late 60s sounds of New York – but his work here is almost headier and more powerful – as he seems to reach deep into the Colombian soil, to come up with a rootsy blend of piano and percussion that really drives most of the tunes – as the horns soar over the top, and the vocals urge the whole proceedings on with a sense of rawness that was almost disappearing from the scene up north as the 70s salsa boom took over. The collection is very well-done, with detailed notes on the man and his music – in support of 20 smoking tracks that include "El Coco", "Dame Un Break", "Bang Bang", "El Expresidiario", "Va A Llover", "La Loteria", "Fruko Presidente", "Caifaz", "Pa Los Bomberos", "Canto A Panama", "Algo Pa Goza", "Perlas Negras", and "Oriza". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary look at the sounds of Puerto Rico – one that brings together tracks from a time when the island was really hopping with fresh new rhythms, served up by a host of young, soon to be important leaders – music that's every bit as powerful as work coming from Havana and New York at the time! The rhythms here are slightly different – with some bomba and plena thrown into the mix, served up with plenty of percussion too – all at a level that would have a huge influence on Latin music for decades to come! The package features detailed notes that provide the sort of background and information that some of the leaner Latin reissues of previous years never had – and titles include "Cortaron a Elena" by Cortijo (as Canario & Su Grupo con Raful), "En Orbita" by Baltazar Carrero, "Habla Cuembre" by Los Caballeros Del Ritmo, "El Plenero" by Mon Rivera Y Su Orquesta, "Dejalo Que Suba" by by Cortijo (as Canario & Su Grupo con Raful), "Belinda" by Chivirico, "Cucala" by Cortijo Y Su Combo con Ismael Rivera, and "Ron Con Coco" by Mon Rivera Y Su Orquesta. 30 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album of Latin funk – the only-ever record from this west coast combo headed by the legendary Benny Velarde! Benny's a name that you might recognize from earlier, straighter Latin dates for Fantasy – or for countless studio work during the 70s – but here, he's really got a talent for a funky 70s groove – and manages to hit a unique space that's somewhere between conventional funk, west coast Latin, and some of the hippest blacksploitation grooves of the time! The album also features some under-credited work from Lalo Schifrin – who was tied to the project somehow (Velarde claims that the record was killed by MGM upon release because of a feud with Lalo) – but never really fully credited in the notes. There's a definite link here with some of Schifrin's funkier soundtrack of the period – a great blend of jazzier elements and headier 70s funk – all served up with a tightness that has made the record one of our favorite funky treasures for years! Titles include "The Ghetto", "Latin Slide", "Who You Fooling", "Road Runner", "Soul Sauce", "Cocoa Leaf", and "Move Your Hands". LP, Vinyl record album