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

Fantastic work from the 50s New York scene – and a legendary set that offers up its own interpretation of Santerian rhythms! The groove on the set is very percussion-heavy – and done with that rich sort of vibe you might get on some of the classic Sabu Martinez records – or maybe even some of the percussion projects that were handled by jazz labels of the time – although with a definite rootsy feel, too – as all instrumentation is focused on the rhythms. There's vocals on the set – which give it a slightly spiritual sort of energy – alongside the heavy work on maracas, bongos, claves, cow bell, and an assortment of other percussion instruments. Titles include "Obanlaese", "A Bailar Oriza", "Africa", "Laye, Laye", "Nueva Oriza", and "Malambo". LP, Vinyl record album

The rare first album by Ocho – and a killer batch of Latin tracks that breaks down all definitions of the music! Ocho were a seminal group in the NuYorica scene of the early 70s – blending soul, funk, Latin, jazz, and other styles into a groove that was perhaps a bit too complicated for the audiences of their time, which might be why they're only finally getting their due these days. This first record's excellent all the way through – with loads of great little numbers like "Flautira", "Undress My Mind", "Coco May May", "Suena Tu Bongo", "Que Pelota", and "Oriza". There's a great mix of electric piano, percussion, vibes, and some pretty sharp work on tenor and flute! CD

A fantastic 70s session from Charlie Palmieri – featuring some of his best keyboard solos of the decade, and some very cool work on organ that almost makes us think Sun Ra is in the group! The style is quite unusual, even for Charlie – with a weird sound from his organ that really gives the record an edge – played alongside straighter piano lines, heavy percussion, and lots of warm horn work overall. Charlie's organ really stands out best on the descarga cut "No Esta En Na" and the groovy midtempo "Estoy Friza'o" – but the whole thing's great, and other cuts include "Comelon Hustle", "King Charles", "Dame Tu Corazon", and "Sobando El Piano Merengue". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Augie Colon, Miguelito Valdes & His Orchestra With Machito & His Cubans, Xavier Cugat featuring Lina Romay, Yma Sumac, Hugo Montenegro, Perez Prado, the John Buzon Trio, Lenny Dee, Orizaba & His Orchestra, Richard Hayman, Sir Julian, Belmonte & His Afro-American Music, and Duke Ellington. (Now Sound, Latin) CD