Latin | Brazil 112 Items

You know it's going to be a heavy record when DJ / collector Mr Thing asks you to keep a look out for a copy on your next digging trip to Brazil. Add on top of that, being sampled by Madlib on the track 'Curls’ on his Madvillain album! Taken from Waldir Calmon's 'Waldir Calmon E Seus Multisons' album on Copacabana (1970), from looking at this unassuming record cover featuring a middle-aged man sporting an impressive pair of glasses you wouldn't expect it to become the fabric to one of the songs from the iconic 'Madvillain’ album. But… like many things in life, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. 'Airport Love Theme’, like its name suggests, falls into full-on lounge territory. It’s feel-good music made to be the soundtrack for a utopian world that never really was. Yet behind the silky-smooth groove is an addictive earworm waiting to be heard. Afro Son' taken from the same album, pushes things in a different direction towards a sound that is more firmly rooted in the Brazilian tradition. This quirky 60's-breakbeat-funk groove is reminiscent of French artist Jean Jacques Perrey's 'E.V.A.', also from 1970, in its melody and backbeat, where the Moog synthesizer of Perrey is replaced with a more orchestrated sound by Calmon. This track is magical, cinematic and breakbeat-laden with a hidden unknown exoticism. Waldir Calmon had an active career in music working from the '50s right up until his passing in 1982. His career started early, forming his first ensemble at the age of fourteen, originally working in bands in nightclubs and writing jingles. He progressed in the early '50s to a long-running career working in television. In addition to his television work, he had success with his recording vocation, mixing in the same musical circles as greats such as Tom Jobi, João Gilberto and Doris Monteiro.

Neno Exporta Som’s super-rare compacto 'Deixa A Tristeza’ from 1971, has been high on the want-lists of Brazilian record collectors and DJs for years. This was intensified, along with a wider cult-following, following Floating Points dropping the gem on his amazing 'BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix’ back in 2015. Mr Bongo included 'Deixa A Tristeza’ on our Record Club Vol 1 compilation. Following that came many requests to release it back on its original ‘compacto’ 7” format. So finally, here it is for all to enjoy.
By sheer coincidence, also released in 1971 on Copacabana Records is Agnaldo Rayol's ‘Sumaúma’. A fairly un-known record which has the potential to become an underground classic. This epic track has a psyche break-beat drum and bass groove intro - just asking to be sampled! Along with lush string and horn arrangements and a soaring female/male vocal duet. This beauty has been a firm favourite in the Bongo office since we came across it and hopefully you dig it as much as we do.

Supreme MPB/bossa-nova vibes here on both tracks from our leading Brazil 45’s lady, Claudia.
‘Diexa o Morro Cantar’ features on Claudia’s very first 7”, relaeased in 1965 by RGE Brazil.
Claudia’s version ’Mas Que Nada’ is more of a jazzy, folk-funk take on the Ben classic. A relatively recent discovery made during our last trip to Brazil!

Brazilian mid tempo boogie double header. We’ve been playing these two out for the last couple of years and they are firm favourites.
‘E Novamente Mas Que Nada’ is the opening track from Reseda’s 1979 album on Som Livre. An ultra catchy vocal hook, boogie guitars and synths lead into a piano and cuica breakdown and horns to finish. One of the finest in the genre in our opinion.
‘Ginga’ is taken from Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti’s self-titled masterpiece, reissued on Mr Bongo. Arguably the most immediate and club friendly track from the album, it always turns heads. Another premium example of Brazilian boogie from the masters of the sound and producers for the likes of Rita Lee, Erasmo Carlos, Don Beto, Marcos Valle, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Sandra Sa, Painel de Controle and many more.

‘Sinal Vermelho’ – midtempo psyche-funk workout tough on the drums. Brilliant vocal from Marilene. Taken from 1973 compacto 7” released on Copacabana.
‘Verão Vermelho’ is taken from Nonato Buzar’s 1970 LP ‘Temas De Novelas’, a collection of songs he wrote for Brazilian soap operas. The song features Pedro Santos on percussion.

Brazilian funk double header. ‘As Sementes’ is a mid tempo, funk-soul head nodder laden with percussion and soaring vocals and strings. Originally released in 1974 on Odeon. Major released one album and a handful of ‘compactos’ on Odeon and Som Livre.
‘Dando Fora’ is a mid-tempo samba-funk gem – a firm favourite for David in his DJ sets. Taken from their Edição Extra No. 2 LP released on Copacabana in 1972.

‘A Paraiba Não É Chicago’ is a smasher from the very first beat! Golden era Brazilian boogie by Marcos Valle from 1981, with a brilliantly hooky chorus section. Originally released on his ‘Vontade De Rever Voce’ LP.
‘Não Quero Mais’ is VERY reminiscent of The Doobie Brothers ‘Long Train Running’, delivered in a Brazilian style – vintage disco-boogie vibes but with a more soulful chorus section. Originally appeared on Don Beto’s ‘Nossa Imaginação’ LP from 1978.

Arthur Verocai’s first appearance in the series – a double A-side featuring
tracks from his incredible self-titled LP, soon to be reissued on Mr Bongo.
Sylvia is a warm guitar-led instrumental orchestral samba, laced with
percussion and woodwind.
Na Boca do Sol is a firm favourite from the LP – a perfect mix of drums,
rhodes, vocals and strings.

‘Ye Mele’ double sider, featuring Elis’ version and an incredible Turkish cover by the wonderful ?enay. Luiz Carlos Vinhas ‘Le Mele’ is an all time favourite of ours, and these versions take it in brilliant new directions.

Elis’ starts in a similar vein to LCV, building with huge vocals and soaring synths, before dropping into a latin-esque section. Appeared on 7” in 1968 on Philips Brazil, not easy to find.

?enays psychedelic soul version is a B-side from a rare Turkish 7” released in 1972. Her classic 1980 LP Honki Ponki has just been re-issued too, which is equally as great.

A. Taiguara - Aquarela De Um País Na Lua

Extremely unique, psychedelic uptempo Brazilian jazz fusion. Flutes, piano and vocal harmonies drift in and out of the mix, creating a lush soundscape.

Taiguara was a prolific and hugely successful singer and songwriter - primarily within pop/MPB - whose career spanned nine albums in the late 60’s and 70’s. He is also thought to be one of the most censored Brazilian artists and was exiled to London in the 1970’s by the Brazilian dictatorship.

‘Aquarela’ is taken from his most experimental album ‘Imyra, Tayra, Ipy’ originally released in 1976 on Odeon.

AA. Marisa Rossi - Deixa Eu Te Amar

Killer uptempo psychedelic funk/soul track, highly sought after, originally released on Copaconana 7” in 1970.

Marisa, and the backing track, sound very much like the wonderful ‘Doris’ whose album ‘Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby?’ we have previously reissued.

Rossi recorded an album arranged by the legendary Arthur Verocai.

‘O Bofe’ is the title track from the soundtrack to a Brazilian soap opera of
the same name, released on Som Livre in 1972. All music on the soundtrack was
written by brothers Roberto and Erasmo Carlos.
Catchy whistles and MPB vocals over a samba rock groove. Previously unreleased
on 7”.
‘Cho Chua’ is a capoeira-samba groover by Brasil Ritmo, who we know very little
about…

Anilza Pinho de Carvalho, better known by her stage name Anilza Leoni was a Brazilian actress, singer, former ballerina and painter.

Balumba is uptempo samba jazz at it’s finest. Originally appeared on a very obscure 7” on Copacobana in 1967 entitled ‘Enfarte Musical / Festa Do Balamba’, and was included by Nicola Conte on his Viagem Vol. 4 compilation.

Sambalanço Trio were formed by Cesar Camargo Mariano, Humberto Clayber and Airto Moreira in 1960’s Sao Paulo. The group released some of the most important records of the period and in the genre of samba-jazz.

When the group split in 1965 Airto formed Quarteto Novo with Hermeto Pascoal, and Cesar Mariano went on form Som Tres.

Sam Blues is a Mr Bongo HQ favourite - uptempo bossa jazz fusion, taken from their self-titled LP originally released on Audio Fidelity (Brazil) in 1964.

Never been released on a 7” before!

Milton Banana was one of the busiest drummers during the golden age of Bossa Nova. He was the man who provided the subtle and elegant groove for some historical recordings like João Gilberto's "Chega de Saudade" and the highly celebrated Getz-Gilberto's album, further he worked extensively with T. Jobim, J. Donato, S. Mendes, L.Bonfà, B. Sete and many others. Originally released in 1963 "O Ritmo E O Som Da Bossa Nova" stands as his perfect showcase featuring classy versions of Brazilian hits, among them: Gilberto's "Desafinado", Jobim's "Samba de una Nota", and Lalo Schifrin's "O Amor e a Rosa".

High Quality pressing in vintage silk screen sleeve. Fiestas is an ultra catchy foxtrot by the Colombian clarinet player and ar-ranger Ricaurte Arias.This American-style swing spiced up with a layer of Colombian sauce is an irresistible ear worm that takes the concept of smoothness to another level. Definitely the foxiest of all foxes.

Jacques Renault draws inspiration from the rich heritage of Latin Underground music, Renault embraces the vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and irresistible beats to create a captivating soundscape that bridges the gap between eras. He weaves together a collection of handpicked Latin Underground Classics, each chosen for its historical significance and cultural impact. With great respect for the original compositions, Renault breathes new life into these hidden gems, preserving their authenticity while crafting alluring edits that speak to contemporary audience

Jacques Renault draws inspiration from the rich heritage of Latin Underground music, Renault embraces the vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and irresistible beats to create a captivating soundscape that bridges the gap between eras. He weaves together a collection of handpicked Latin Underground Classics, each chosen for its historical significance and cultural impact. With great respect for the original compositions, Renault breathes new life into these hidden gems, preserving their authenticity while crafting alluring edits that speak to contemporary audience

Soundway presents a double-sider of raw, West Indian Funk from 1977. Led by King Wellington's 'Shango', the stand-out cut harvested from his Sooner Or Later LP finally gets the 45 treatment it deserves. Inspired by the Shango ritual with its roots in Yoruba culture, traces of Calypso music are driven by hypnotic bass and Wellington's signature vocal, making up a musical blend only found in the Caribbean.

Hidden on the B-side, 'Mystery Music' fronted by Canadian musician Tony Springer, embarks on a dreamy, dynamic and even a touch psychedelic trip. Steel pans coupled with floating horns, electronic keyboard effects, crisp drums and subtle guitar licks cook up a soundscape baked by the Trinidad sun. While original copies climb their way to impossible-to-find status, enthusiasts will be excited to hear this sought after piece of music is available on the 45 format again.

Reissued for the first time ever on 7 inch, having previously only ever been on the Take A Trip Pussycat LP, Latin Blues Band - (I'll Be A) Happy Man. A dynamic dancefloor jazz and boogaloo belter from 1968, with a legendary piano riff and breakbeats that were most famously sampled by DJ Premier for Christina Aguilera’s classic ‘(Ain´t No Other Man)’. The B side houses another boogaloo bomb in the form of ‘Take A Trip’ that will set you back £80+ for an original copy. Yellow label version with white sleeve.

It'sback-to-backhits with the new Names You Can Trust split single series, the first of which features two up-and-coming acts in the blossoming Latin music scene of the Pacific Northwest. From Seattle via Argentina and Miami is Terror/Cactus, a futuristic electronic cumbia project from musician Martín Selasco. Selasco's machine-forward audio/visual performances combine a mixture of bugged out digital folklore, live percussion and the omnipresent sounds inspired by the canon of South American chicha concoctions. That balance is on display in the group's debut vinyl release "Churro vs Crow." A field recording of a Mexico City street scene playfully intermingles with the track's heavy production, an innocuous battle between a crow and a churro vendor breathes a little outdoor analog into an avant digital landscape.
On the other side of the spectrum, down south in neighboring Oregon, lies Portland's Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, an 11-piece ensemble formed by a crew of talented musicians from the lush local offerings of the Willamette Valley. The band's big sound is an explosive expression of their own roots, representing the heyday of tropical music that graced stages for decades in Central and South America. Clarinet, brass, electric guitars and that familiar percussive pulse are all alive on their Nyct debut "Regreso." Imagine a return to the cross-pollinated sounds of the psychedelic '70s, an echo from the Andes, the Amazon, through the central isthmus and back to the present, only this time landing in the City of Roses.

Since 2019 the collective of Parisian partygoers, Pardonnez-Nous, have decided to launch their own label. Just like their parties, their goal is to shine a light on dancing music.
Constantly looking for new tracks to enlighten the dancefloors, their outings are in line with the vision of deejaying defended by its founders. Finding forgotten pieces that are the geneses of dance music and mixing them with more contemporary sounds. Re-editions, edits, remixes or original productions the label doesn’t just stick to one style but aspires to represent all the music of partying!
For its 1st release, the label strike hard and unearthed a quite surprising hidden track by one of the most famous band from the French Islands.
La Compagnie Créole: born in 1975, this mythical band known by all the francophones will be remembered by future generations, thanks to all those super hits spread over the course of 23 albums, mixing music from the Antilles, Guyane and popular tunes from the French metropole.
Amongst all those classics, making people dance in all the French ballrooms, one stands out: A.I.É, written by Daniel Vangarde in 1987, his Creole lyrics and melodies have won over the entire francophone diaspora, as well as the rest of Europe and North America.
From then on, in 1988, a NY DJ, known by the name of Larry Levan, produced a remix of this track for the soundtrack of the film Sweet Lies. A mix not released, which remained relatively unknown up to this point. “Pardonnez-Nous” (Excuse us), but here it is.

New Jersey based GRUPO MAJEZZA have been forging their own path on the Cumbia Sonidera front for over a decade. With a devoted youtube and social media following, it was only a matter of time before their sound would appear on vinyl. Band leader and musical director VEGLIO JIMENEZ has his virtuosic guitar abilities on full display on the irresistibly dancey A-side, "Cumbia Kiki." On the flip side, the hip hop infused "Trankilo Bobby" features searing bars by rapper MS. LILI on the mic. This might as well be a double A side!

Out of the social unrest and revolutionary times of the early 1970s a new musical art form emerged on the streets of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. A group of young guys started to combine poetry with drumming and created the musical art form that is known today as Rapso.
Poets known as much for their fiery verses as they were for leading protests were at the vanguard of the 1970s Black Power revolution. There was a new consciousness building in the Trinidad and Tobago arts scene. The two most influential characters were Cheryl Byron and Lancelot Layne.
Lutalo ‘Brother Resistance’ Masimba and others would play basketball during the day and come back out at night, ‘liming’ and playing drums. Other people from the block would join with instruments and Brother Resistance would perform his poetry on the rhythms. The prestigious boys school that Resistance attended refused to acknowledge his attempts at creating verses that reflected the rhythm of the Trinidad and Tobago creole. ''They said it wasn't poetry. They didn't want to put it in the school magazine.''
Resistance and his friends toyed with other words to describe their style. They came up with 'rapsody' but one night during a show in Santa Cruz somebody in the audience shouted out ''How you could rap so!'' And the rest is history.
They recorded their first album ‘Bustin Out’ in 1980. More albums followed and they started to work as producers. In 1986 the band performed at ‘Caribbean Focus’ festival in London and toured the U.K. which helped to lift their reputation internationally. The same year Brother Resistance decided to produce his first solo album and went to England to record ‘Rapso Take Over’. This album contains the highly acclaimed tracks Ring De Bell, Dancing Shoes Rapso and Star Wars Rapso. An unreleased take of Wars In Rapso is featured on this Cree Records 12''.
The band wasn’t too impressed with the ‘English’ production and they decided to record a new version of the song. Junior Wharwood recorded the guitar tracks. Resistance came up with the idea of Tonight Is De Night. The more or less improvised song became a big carnival hit in Trinidad and he went to perform it live with bands like Sound Revolution, Shandileer and Charlie’s Roots.
At the time, these tracks received little airplay in Trinidad and Tobago, but they're undeniable hits that continue to be in demand dancefloor bangers. For this 12'' we have selected four of Brother Resistance's most in demand tracks. Long live Kaiso – Rapso take over!

San Francisco’s number one Cumbia-peddler Discos Mas proudly presents the debut 7-inch from Pancrudo! Pancrudo's catchy, vintage-oozing tunes form a rare and lyrical tribute to working class South and Latin Americans all over the world; their dreams, hopes and realities. Using old drum machines and twangy, fuzzed-out guitars, Pancrudo's music is inspired by early Santana recordings, Surf Rock, Chicha, Cumbia and various electronic fringe-genres. This is the music that blares out of the dusty radio at the local kiosco, that you'll hear at a party or at work, when drinking out back or smoking a cigarette on the corner, cursing the dud lottery scratcher that was supposed to change everything, or at least pay back what you owe.

The Talbots were one of the first notable vocal groups from Bermuda to gain international acclaim. The group frequently performed for television in the 1950s, appearing on Ed Sullivan's variety shows and other programs. The Talbots performed Trinidadian calypso in a smooth melodic style, influenced by popular music. Notable in the group's instrumentation was Roy Talbot's home-made upright bass, created out of a large meat-packing crate and a single fishing line. This LP, presented here as a splendid vinyl reissue, was originally released in 1958 by ABC-Paramount.

The summer 2023 offering from Discos Mas is a blast from the past updated in typical Los Disco Duro fashion with vocoder vocals, live cumbia percussion and synthesized everything else. Nobody will admit to actually liking the Macarena, yet, without fail, everybody does the dance and sings along to the chorus when it comes blaring out of nightclub speakers. This little 7” life preserver will certainly keep djs from drowning should they find themselves in troubled waters. The B-side is an original electro composition with reflexive yet lighthearted lyrics about dancing dancing dancing to the tiny music in the discoteca heat. Minimal electronic 909 beats and a bassline inspired by enemy Automazeon laser fire from Atari’s Berzerk perfectly balance with the vocoder vocals resulting in pure retro bliss.

Two insanely funky dancefloor bangers recorded in the late '60s in Peru by the long time Coco Lagos associate and top percussionist Mario Allison. Astonishingly hard-to-find boogaloo and descarga tunes from the vaults of MAG records.First time reissue on 7" vinyl.Peruvian artist Mario Allison was born into a family of musicians. One of his brothers was part of groups like Los Golden Boys, others were percussionists and singers. His North American ancestry familiarized him with the use of English from an early age.He met Coco Lagos through a mutual friend, César González, and the three of them soon became regulars at the recording sessions taking place at MAG studios. The connection between them was formidable to the point of coordinating without the need for prior rehearsals.Mario Allison was a self-taught timbalero and his performances are said to have been full of energy and passion. At concerts it was not uncommon for female audiences to react by screaming and freaking out every time Allison performed a solo.After years working at MAG's studio as session player, in the late '60s he was offered the opportunity of recording his own stuff under his name. Mario Allison then worked on a repertoire focused on boogaloo, descarga and, mainly, pompo.This single comprises two insanely funky dancefloor bangers recorded in that period; hard-to-find boogaloo and descarga tunes from the vaults of MAG records.First time reissue on 7" vinyl.

Formed in 1961, Los Jets are one of the essential bands in the emergence of rock & roll music in Argentina. They were the first group (and possibly the only one) to include two drummers, they sang and did three-part choruses before The Beatles appeared on the scene, and were also pioneers in fusion as they recorded Argentine and Latin American folk songs with a rock beat. This compilation gathers tracks from their two LPs, singles and their only surviving live recording, registered in January 1966. Includes CD with 15 bonus tracks.

Abelardo Carbono aka "The Godfather of Champeta" meets Abelardo Carbono x Quantic!! A miraculous encounter between a Colombian music - alternative Latin legend and a neo-tropical music innovator who inherits his aspirations. A shocking collaboration between Abelardo Carbono, who was "rediscovered" during the tropical music revival and has become loved by DJs around the world as the "Godfather of Champeta," and Eblis Alvarez, aka the Meridian Brothers, who gained even greater recognition with "cumbia Siglo Xxi"! Produced/recorded by Will Holland aka Quantic and Lucas Silva, supervisor of "Palenque Palenque" (Soundway), "Machuca" (Analog Africa), etc.

Tito Puente's classic 'Guayaba' has been recorded by so many artists over the years and these two covers by Sonora de Lucho Macedo and La Logia Sarabanda are undoubtedly among the best ones. Here you are two proper dance floor shakers for the tropical heads out there, recorded under the influence of the early 70s Latino rock sounds, reissued on a 45 for the first time. Our series of tropical 45s aimed to shake up the dance floors presents two incredible versions of one of the best songs ever composed by maestro Tito Puente: Guayaba. In the late 1950s, rock'n'roll shook the foundations of music in Peru, and orchestras rushed to cover hit songs and explore the possibilities of mixing them with tropical music. Lucho Macedo followed this trend, even many years later. In 1972 his version of 'Guayaba' was published, combining elements of the emerging Chicano rock sound, popularized internationally by bands like Santana or Malo, blended with a Latin flavor loaded with elements of mambo, son montuno, boogaloo... Timbales and distorted guitars shaking hands in this very dance floor friendly version. La Logia Sarabanda would arrive all the way from Rio de la Plata but -despite their origin- they'd release their records exclusively in Peru and Mexico. Their only single opened with another very interesting version of 'Guayaba' that highlights the sounds of fierce and psychedelic guitars while keeping the Latin essence of the original song.

The musician Roberto Enrique "Tito" Chicoma forged one of the most solid and constant career paths in Peruvian music. Self-taught, he started playing tenor saxophone in his father's orchestra, also playing the trumpet, piano or trombone when the occasion arose.In 1959, at the age of 23, Tito moved to Lima, where he soon joined ensembles such as the Koki Palacios and Armando Boza orchestras, which took him abroad for the first time on tour. A recognized musician in his own right, Tito would later decide to form his own orchestra, which was soon hired by América Televisión, starring on programs such as "El Show de Juan Silva", where he accompanied international artists that visited Lima.In 1966, Tito made his first record under his own name on the MAG label, performing two cumbias by the Colombian group Los Teen Agers. The praise the single received led to the recording of his first LP, "El ritmo de moda", where he continued to compile Colombian songs.At the end of 1967, he dedicated his new LP project to recording two fashionable rhythms at the time: cumbias y boogaloos. The Colombian cumbia became popular in Peru from 1964 onwards, when local orchestras like those of Andrés de Colbert, Mario Cavagnaro, Eulogio Molina and Lucho Macedo recorded cumbia hits, then the genre soared when groups like Los Pacharacos and Los Demonios del Mantaro mixed it with Andean music. Boogaloo in Peru was popularized chiefly by the record label MAG, which kept its listeners up to date with developments in tropical music in New York, releasing and distributing records by Alegre Records and recording versions of hit songs such as 'El pito' and 'Mamblues' with local musicians.The recording sessions for "Cumbias y boogaloos" began in December 1967, when Tito released one of his first compositions: 'Dale U'. He also recorded the instrumental track 'La cigüeña' and 'Plaza de toros', two compositions by the Venezuelan artist Hugo Blanco.At the beginning of 1968, Tito and his band traveled to Buenos Aires, hir...

First time reissue! The very first LP released by Lima pianist Alfredo Linares under his own name is brimming with tropical hits from the mid-sixties ncluding a Frank Sinatra classic) and was aimed to bring listeners up to date with the tropical sound developments in the States, to which Linares added touches of jazz."El Pito" comprises guarachas, guaguancós, jazzy descargas and, obviously, contagious boogaloos, including an outstanding version of the J. Sabater anthem.By the time he recorded his version of 'El Pito' in 1966, Alfredo was already an accomplished musician. He studied music in parallel to his schooling, attending the Conservatoire in the afternoons and soon went on to lead Alfredito Linares y su Salsa All Stars, a continuation of the orchestra founded by his father.In 1966 the song 'El Pito' became a hit in the United States, which is why Distribuidora Peruana Sudamericana, associated with MAG, released the single as well as Joe de Cuba's sextet LP. MAG's next step was to suggest Alfredo Linares record the song, which he did in August 1966, with lead vocals by Raul Ducós Domínguez from Chalaco and backing vocals by Tony de Cuba, Benny del Solar and Rolo Bernal. The lyrics include references to the effects of marijuana that Ducós improvised during the recording in just one take. Charlie Palomares plays the vibraphone, accompanied by "Negro" Santos on bass and "Cheverin" Miguel Villanueva on the bongos. It is one of the few songs on the album where there are no trumpets.'Strangers in the Night' topped the Billboard charts in 1966, which was a powerful reason for Manuel Guerrero to suggest including the song. This cover version features brass instruments and the participation of Peruvian crooner Lalo Bisbal.The first of the two guarachas on the album, 'Qué mala fue esa mujer' is a composition by Chivirico Dávila, a mythical and globetrotting tropical singer who lived in Lima at different times. While the Peruvian singer Benny del Solar is the lead vocalist on the secon...

The best kept secret of the new album by El Dragón Criollo, the jewel in the crown, a song that, like the best of Latin music, comes with dynamite, gasoline and candela for the dance floor as well as reflective and sensitive with the reality of our countries, especially Colombia, where the oppressed are getting worse and worse and those from above always fall on their feet. But let's not forget that dance is catharsis and a good song is the key that opens our senses. "Sentencia " plays this wonderful role, not in vain has it been the last song on the album to be finished with this objective clearly in mind and verified before the release and, gentlemen, the dance floor does not lie. People get lost in this pure fantasy. "Sentencia " goes beyond the ordinary, it is the product of the countless styles that Paulo Olarte has perfected throughout his career as a producer, at a sound and musical level, it has innumerable elements that have influenced his entire personal life and that, without a doubt, comes to shake us with its extreme flavor. "La Número Uno" Dedicated to love and the dancefloor, hot as the earth, a song with the intention of transmitting the most authentic vibes of affection with movement and party. “La Número Uno” arises from El Dragón Criollo’s love for the four women in his heart. At the same time, it does not skimp on fanning the heat of the track. An arsenal of classic elements of champeta and Panamanian reggae from the 90s. The presence of the classic Casio Sk-5 and samples that you will recognize instantly if you are a connoisseur of this real sound, the kind that ignites the rumba in the neighborhood. It is a dedicated theme to fill the energy track while dedicating it to your number one.

Record Store Day 2020 Release.
Limitation: 500 copies.

Long sought after by collectors, DJs and lovers of hard salsa and boogaloo alike, 'Yo Traigo Boogaloo' is now lovingly reissued in replica form with the original cover art, remastered from the studio tapes, reproducing that magical MAG stuio sound for today's aficionados to enjoy like it was 1969 all over again.

Progressive quartet Combo Chimbita debut the first release on their own label with a track that combines their psychedelic tendencies with the rootsy elements of dub reggae filtered through the guacharaca and chicha-influenced guitar of cumbia. "Margarita" and its dub companion "Nene" comprise a sonically lush 7-inch single that represents the latest chapter in the ever-evolving Combo's sound. After a multi-year run that saw them grow from a loose improvisational collective into a compact, electrifying act that held enthralled concert halls in their hands, Combo Chimbita has entered a period of introspection and new experimentation. Turning to a producer who has been a guru of sorts to the Brooklyn scene, in late 2023 they entered the studio of Victor Axelrod, aka Ticklah, to record a couple new compositions. In contrast to the outward boundary-pushing of their last album, these new songs see the group burrowing deeply into their interior roots. "We wanted to make a song returning to cumbia, one of those rhythms that has influenced us," says frontwoman Carolina Oliveros. The added ingredient of Ticklah — a musician and producer heavily steeped in the sonic stew of reggae — overseeing the recording added a distinctive flavor to the session, and gave the group room to "play with the nuances between dub reggae and cumbia," as Oliveros puts it. "I like how the band brought in traditional Colombian elements, but never anything outright derivative," Ticklah says. "Margarita" inhabits a middle ground, an in-between area much like that of Abya Yala, an indigenous name for the isthmus that connects South and Central America and, not coincidentally, the namesake of the group's own newly formed label, of which this single is the first release. The metaphor runs deeper, as the group members' lives are lived between their Colombian heritage and their assumed status as immigrants in New York City (and, given their international fame, further beyond), and deeper still as the themes of displacement and mutable identity are threaded thru Oliveros's lyrics. The ambiguity of time, space, and meaning itself coalesce in the combination of those hair-raising, utterly soulful vocalizations — "what I cannot say by speaking," Oliveros explains — and the hypnotic rhythm born of the unspoken communication between Niño Lento, Prince Of Queens, and Dilemastronauta. The vocal version of "Margarita" is backed by a trademark Ticklah dub version of the cut ("Nene Dub"), awash in analog delays and King Tubby-like punch-ins and drop-outs, shot through with Oliveros's plaintive cries to "not worry" ("no te preocupes").

Split 7” featuring the 1972 song “Hechicera” by Bolivian group LOS Signos, and on the flipside we have a wild version of the same track now performed by new Spanish act LOS Malinches.

Picking up right where things left off...

Latin dancefloor afro bomb into a smooth boogie MPB type beach views vibe for the A side
Followed up on the back side, we have a heavy dose of lofi cosmic jazz dancefloor killers for those late nights.

Discos Quilombo is back with its second release, and what a killer one!!!

Bolivian group “Los Laser”!!! Took ages to finally locate the Laser guys in La Paz but can’t be more worth than this and you can read their story in the 4-page full-colour insert.

They were part of the so-called “Bolivian New Wave” where local teens were emulating the British groups of the mid-60s, but their music turned as furious as their minds (they were deeply involved in political activities, even joining an armed organization fighting against Bolivian dictatorships).

With biting lyrics and outstanding fuzz guitar riffs, they recorded the awesome social anthem “Los desposeídos” which was part of their only EP released in 1971. Now you can get the two best tracks of that EP in the new Discos Quilombo single.

The West Indies - a sweet coastline subject to many clichés from another time. That postcard with coconut trees, a glass of rum to sip on, those so exotic madras dresses... Almost as many as in Compagnie Créole's "doudouist" songs, that say a lot about the misunderstandings from both sides of the ocean. West Indians are still as stuck with this distorted outlook as in the good old days of the colonies. Because, underneath the veneer of moldy images, a completely different reality is woven. 'They beat drums but were never number one' - to misquote the chorus by a Martinique-born French singer. This is the subject of this collection - musicians drumming on percussion as a way of asserting their creolized identity. Songs that tell, in veiled terms, a different reality from what mainlanders were fed with. Special cases, with cries of joy and laments accompanied by cadences, as an invitation to trance, all immersed in the Caribbean melting pot of rhythm.

Trippy, dark and mysterious. A new development of the popular Mexican Sonidero style cumbia by the hottest cyber cumbia unit of the moment! The cover is a reversible sleeve by Ryohei Kazumi, the genius of Entertainment. This is part 1 of a two-part work, and the two pieces will be placed side by side to complete a single picture.

Manfredo Fest who is a blind genius pianist, and pop bossa evangelist alongside Sergio Mendes. Brazilian Fusion Classic "Who Needs It" and "Jungle Kitten" from "Manifestations" in 1979 is released 7inch for the first time!

Orfeu Da Conceição was originally a stage play in three acts by poet and lyricist Vinicius De Moraes with music by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Premiered in 1956 in Rio de Janeiro. The play put the basis for the classic films Orfeu Negro. Needless to remember that Jobim and De Moraes were two seminal figures in Brazilian music, two modernists whose work was a major influence for generations to come. In fact Orfeu Da Conceição can be considered the beginning of their songwriting relationship. First released as 10" in the same year of the theater premier, the album features vocalist Roberto Paiva and guitarist Luiz Bonfà. An essential release for all Brazilian music fans out there.

Recorded in Brazil after spending the late 70s in the US, Marcos Valle brought together his innate talent and diverse influences on this irresistible record bursting with groove. Among a selection of top musicians, the line-up features Lincoln Olivetti & Robson Jorge and Leon Ware. Includes the Brazilian boogie anthem ›Estrelar‹, Marcos Valle's biggest hit from the 80s and one of the most celebrated songs in his entire career.

The album is full of soaring disco tracks, killer vocal boogie numbers and blissing instrumentals over a well-balanced tracklist that satisfies both the listening pleasure and the dancefloor needs. Essential! Presented in facsimile artwork.

Back to the roots of one of the most influential south-american songwriter and composer. A pioneer of the musical genre of bossa nova in the late 1950s, Joao was often called "father of bossa ", while in his native Brazil he was referred to as "O Mito" ("The Legend"). This compilation investigates his early career, showing the many sides of his sophisticated art.

Adarce proudly presents the reissue of ‘Clásicos con Ritmo’ by Paco Ros. Originally released in 1978 on Discos Maller, still sounds as special and out of time as when it was released; a strange album that has become one of the most sought after jewels - and most hard to find - for lovers of Spanish Groove. 'Clásicos con Ritmo' offers a mix of sounds that range from a kind of analog pre-Balearic to something similar to Library Music, passing through a slow cadence groove based on sinuous layers of Hammond organ, Fender pianos, vibraphones and xylophones. During the 11 songs on the album, Paco Ros revisits his life trajectory through memories: his Valencian childhood in Godella, his professional beginnings in Madrid and his musical adventures as a backing band, his return to Valencia -where he would form 'Los 4 Ros, then simply the Ros - to finally take refuge in his Mallorcan retreat, cradled between Party Rooms, Hotel Discotheques and endless sunrises, moved as always by his infinite love for music.

180g vinyl edition. Recorded between New York, New Orleans, Miami and Costa Rica, After A Thousand Years features legendary multi-instrumentalist Bill Summers, famed for his work with Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones and Eddie Henderson. The album also features Malawian-American guitarist Masauko Chipembere who has worked with the likes of RZA from Wu-Tang Clan and Ladybug Mecca from Digable Planets.

“Banana Peel is exactly what we need now. Visionary Jneiro Jerel at his finest channelling healing sounds and rhythms from Mother Earth. A much-anticipated lens through Jneiro’s third eye. Thank you!” King Britt

"Trails" is a 7-track EP by Guitarist and composer Robbie Belchamber, which draws upon elements of jazz, brazilian, west african and folk music. The compositions are centered around the soft timbre of fingerstyle nylon-string guitar, with subtle arrangements incorporating voice, flute, percussion, mandolin, accordion and electric guitar filling out the texture.

"During lockdown I spent a lot of time exploring Melbourne's northern waterways, riding my bike along the Birrarung, Darebin creek and Merri creek. These opportunities to slow down, reflect, observe and spend time in nature formed the genesis of many of the compositions. "Trails" sonifies these experiences, the bubbling rhythms of water, melodic inventions of currawongs and magpie-larks, pervasive scents of the bush, all changing with the seasons."

"Trails" is the first release under Robbie Belchamber, and features collaborations Melbourne musicians such as Lucky Pereira (Glass Beams, 30/70), Hannah McKittrick, Grace Robinson (Empress), Moses Carr, Aidan Ryan (NoLess) and Erica Tuccerri.

Some records just stop you in your tracks. They resonate with you and feel instantly familiar like an old friend, even on the first listen. Soyuz's third album ‘Force of the Wind’ is one of those records. It holds all the trademarks, beauty, and eccentricities of classic Brazilian recordings, from the 60s and 70s, that we have come to love. Think artists such as Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, Burnier e Cartier, Arthur Verocai et al. But this record wasn’t made in Brazil and is in fact a brand-new release. Soyuz (which translates as 'union') is a creative collective from Minsk, Belarus, led by composer, arranger, and singer, Alex Chumak, multi-instrumentalist, Mikita Arlou, and drummer, Anton Nemahai. Soyuz's previous albums explored and reimagined the legacy of jazz-oriented, non-English-language pop music of the 20th century. For their third album, there is a stronger focus, and it is influenced by 70s Música popular Brasileira and building bridges from it to present-day Belarus. Alex notes that from the moment he first encountered Brazilian music, he found in it a kind of concentrated emotion that felt as if it were familiar to him from his childhood. This non-verbal emotion and connection between the listener and musician echoes in the music, regardless of understanding of the language the album is recorded in. ‘Force of the Wind’ includes songs sung in Russian and Portuguese as well as instrumental compositions. Its musical palette is both acoustic and electroacoustic: rich warm Rhodes piano, soaring string arrangements, and a controlled drum swagger sounding both relaxed yet super tight. Alongside Alex's sublime vocals, that grace the majority of the tracks, the album features guest performances by multi-talented musician and vocalist Kate NV and rising Brazilian star, Sessa. Alex also recently arranged a number of tracks on Sessa's highly praised 2022 album 'Estrela Acesa'. On the album, the trio is joined by a cast of friends; NY-based musician of Turkish origin percussionist, Cem Mısırlıoğlu, classically trained composer, Simon Hanes, who aided with string arrangements and conducting the string players, Netherlands-based Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, Gabriel Milliet, on flutes. With the collaboration of these friends Soyuz have created nine songs/suites that are subtle and plenitude and like the best albums, leave you aching for more. ‘Force of the Wind’ is an enigma, Brazilian yet not Brazilian, vintage yet still contemporary, out of sync with modern culture yet completely relevant and necessary.

Lucas Arruda’s born in 1983, in a Brazilian state called Espírito Santo, near Rio de Janeiro. Coming from a musical family (his dad and older brother are musicians) he started playing and listening to music very young. At the age of 13, he was also playing professionally already. After studying electric guitar and playing in various bands, Lucas passion quickly turned into Rhodes and keyboards, expanding his musical range of skills. At the same time he started a project called Du Black, with his older brother Thiago, quickly receiving various local support from people like Ed Motta, William Magalhães (Banda Black Rio), Robert Lamm (Chicago) or Hyldon (Brazilian soul legend). From the growing notoriety obtained, the band began to work with various other artists and singers such as Tamy Macedo, or Bossa Nova’s legend, Leila Pinheiro, leading Lucas to build a recording studio with Thiago in 2011. Now 2 years after he launched this home-studio, here comes “Sambadi”, first solo album by Lucas Arruda! On this recording he also started to team up with Fabricio di Monaco (Modo Solar), who clearly became a fundamental piece, as Lucas relates: “Fabricio introduced me to Pascal Rioux at Favorite Recordings, as they released his EP few years ago. He’s a brilliant musician and a great human being.” In Lucas’ words, Sambadi is highly inspired by Rio de Janeiro. As for the musical side, the album almost sounds like a tribute to his longtime heroes like Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, or Robson Jorge & Lincoln Olivetti. And Lucas also humbly concludes: “I really hope to honor all the guys who influenced me.”

Nico Gomez, a Belgian orchestra leader of Dutch roots, has long been a favourite with Latin fans, record diggers, DJs, and collectors alike. His blend of bossanova, latin jazz, and easy listening always turns up a few choice nuggets and surprises; what is perhaps most remarkable is that it was recorded in Europe.

Back in 2013, Mr Bongo re-issued Nico Gomez's sought-after 'Ritual' album from 1971, and now we follow it up with another jewel from his catalogue his 1972 album 'Soul Of Samba'. For this re-issue, we have opted to present it with the cover art originally used on the Trio Records version released in Japan. In the Netherlands and Belgium, the album was released with different cover art under the title 'Bossa Nova’, on Omega International and International Bestseller Company records, respectively. We loved the beautiful psychedelic design of the Japanese version and wanted to use it for this re-issue.

'Soul Of Samba' features several euro-bossa-jazz favourites such as the catchy 'Rio'; which was a firm DJ choice cut at jazz dance nights, including Brighton's 'Jazz Rooms' in the 90s. It also featured in Rainer Trüby's classic ‘Glücklich' compilation series which explored European-Brazilian-inspired music. The beguiling ‘Aquarela', with its engaging latin shuffle, entices feet to the dancefloor and is not one to miss. 'Agua’ has a lazy-quirky latin-funk feel with breathy-stoned vocals floating in the background. The album additionally features numerous breezy latin, Brazilian, and easy listening joints, some of which are ripe for sampling.

Follow-up album to cult-classic debut, Mantra Moderne.

‘Melodi’ is the second album from captivating duo Kit Sebastian (aka Kit Martin and Merve Erdem). Those familiar with the band's cult classic 2019 debut record 'Mantra Moderne' will instantly recognise their unique sound that blurs boundaries of world music, jazz and psychedelia. Not to be content replicating the same album, sonically the feel of ‘Melodi’ is a maturation. It is more diverse and provides glimpses into many different worlds from the Italian Riviera to the mountains of the Caucasus, the beaches of Bahia to the city streets of Istanbul and Paris. This joyous merging of soundscapes evokes a borderless planet with music as an international language, belonging everywhere and nowhere.

‘Melodi’ is imbued with Kit Sebastian's love of vintage records and world cinema, but it is not a retro homage. It celebrates its influences but is very much a modern record, being simultaneously brand new and retro. This is a credit to the duo's craft as musicians and songwriters, presenting their influences as a circular interaction between the present and the past rather than a linear one.

The music was written during the first UK lockdown and recorded that summer, a time of opening up that only briefly existed. In a world with a slower pace than before the Covid crisis, the band were able to spend more time experimenting in the studio. The album’s range of instrumentation has expanded from the previous record to include zithers, harpsichords, congas, bongos, bulbul tarang, and a mock-up choir on top of the synthesizers, balalaikas, organs, and saxophones. Session musicians and friends were also booked to introduce trumpet and string sections giving the album an added depth and orchestral texture. Despite the added complexity, the album was recorded using the same techniques employed for the previous album with various tape machines, bouncing back between cassette and ¼” tape for practicality and sonic abstraction. To pierce through this abstraction, the vocals are intentionally more expressive. Merve took cues from the Turkish singers of her youth, adding a slightly more melancholic, darker and more reflective style than 'Mantra Moderne’. Rooted in observations from everyday life, they speak often about the worlds and thoughts that arise from the end of the night.

Like with many of the best albums, the record seems over all too soon and has you instantly wanting to play it again. On each listen you decide on a track that you think is your favourite from the album only for it to be replaced with a different one on the next listen. The songs and production have hidden depths that seem to evolve and morph the more you devour them. Moments of pure pop, moments to fall in love, moments to contemplate. This journey is rich in musical vitamins and nourishment, but like all the best things still leaves you wanting more.

Volume three in the Mr Bongo Record club series. Another showcase of recent vinyl finds and favourites from our DJ sets and radio shows. This is an extra special one however, as it lands in 2019, the year that we celebrate 30 years since it all began way back in 1989.
In celebration of the 30 years of Mr Bongo, 2019 will see a host of exciting events and even more releases. We take over Brighton Dome on the opening weekend of the Brighton Festival in May, an in-store takeover at Rough Trade East, in July a week long ‘Album Club’ at Spiritland, more at RAPPCATS in LA, record fairs in Utrecht and New York, alongside the digging (and no doubt surfing!) trips to Brazil, India, Australia, Portugal and France…
We’re releasing brand new music from punk-reggae superstars, The Skints; the previously undiscovered 25-year old master composer & arranger, Kit Sebastian; and crossover UK hip hop live show dons, Jungle Brown, this year.
Compiled by David Buttle and Gareth Stephens, assisted by Graham Luckhurst and Gary Johnson.

Official Mr Bongo reissue. Replica original artwork.
Mr Bongo brings another Brazilian rarity to the masses with this sublime reissue of Tim Maia’s Disco Club. Recorded in 1978, it’s a latter-period gem from the larger than life legend, combining the glitz and glamour of disco’s heyday with Maia’s raw funk and soul roots. When Maia first heard Little Richard as a teenager, he knew what kind of singer and artist he wanted to be. Five formative years spent in the US, where he ran wild in NYC and joined a doo-wop group called the Ideals, did little to dampen his enthusiasm for black music. Stirred by the civil rights movement in the US and driven by a punk spirit, Maia went on to blaze his own trail through the early 70s over the course of four successful albums for Polydor. Moving away from the straight MPB, Tropicalia and international rock dominating the airwaves, his sound represented a new black Brazilian consciousness. When he sang, he could be raspy and defiant one moment … and then romantic and reflective the next. But always on a groove and with a hook. It was an irresistible combination.
Yet by 1977 he was bankrupt and in limbo having first joined a religious cult called Superior National and then alienated listeners with his first album sung entirely in English. To complicate matters further, Brazil was feeling the Saturday Night Fever. Gloria Gaynor, Chic and Kool & the Gang were dominating the charts and filling hotspots such as New York City Discotheque in Ipanema and Frenetic Dancing Days in the Gávea Mall. Maia left his usual band and went into the legendary Estudios Level with a mighty ensemble of Rio’s finest including Paulinha Braga on drums, Jamil Joanes on bass, Robson Jorge on clarinet, Hyldon De Souza on guitar, Sidinho on percussion, trombonists Edmundo Maciel and Darcy Seixas, and Juarez Assis on tenor sax.
Arranger and keyboardist Lincoln Olivetti was a crucial presence during these sessions. He added that all-important string flourish and brassy joy to the uptempo tracks while giving the star enough room to express himself. The album kicks off with a trio of floor fillers: the exuberant party starter ‘A Fim De Voltar’, a sing-a-long anthem in ‘Acenda O Farol’ and the undeniably funky hit ‘Sossego’ (file that one next to Fatback).
But then Maia drops it down and gets existential on ‘All I Want’, questioning the meaning of happiness. He also shows his tender side on slow burners such as ‘Murmúrio’ (written by the great Cassiano) and ‘Pais E Filhos’, the latter featuring a supersoft bed of harmonies you can't help but lay down on. But the party ain’t over and mid-tempo groover ‘Juras’ gets the feet moving again before ‘Jhony’ sends us swaying off into the night.
Maia’s appetite for excess would eventually get the better of him. But Disco Club is the sound of an unpredictable genius on top form. Get ready for the time of your life.

This instalment follows on from our acclaimed ‘Volume One’ – Lauren Laverne’s ‘Compilation Of The Week’, supported by the likes of Disclosure, Jeremy Underground, Horsemeat Disco, Hunee and Laurent Garnier. ‘Volume Two’ picks up where the last one left off — with a touch more soul and disco — records we’ve been spinning in our DJ sets and on the radio show of the same name, that inspired this series.

Compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Gareth Stephens, plus a few personal favourites from Gary Johnson, Ville Marttila and Graham Luckhurst.

TRACKLIST, VINYL 2-LP: A1. Elbernita ‘twinkie’ Clark – Awake O Zion (full length, original version) / A2. Dee Edwards – Put Your Love On The Line / A3. Anubis – Ecology / B1. Guy Cuevas – Ebony Game / B2. Kiru Stars (Julius Kang’ethe) – Family Planning / B3. Teaspoon & The Waves – Oh Yeh Soweto / C1. Leny Andrade – Não Adianta / C2. Rosa Maria – Samba Maneiro / C3. Tom & Dito – Obrigado Corcovado / C4. Inezita Barroso – Maracatu Elegante / C5. Joao Diaz – Capoeira / C6. The Equatics – Merry Go Round / D1. Elias Rahbani And His Orchestra – Liza… Liza / D2. The Beaters – Harari

Brazilian arranger and composer Hareton Salvanini was born in Bauru and grew up in Campinas. S.P 73 is his first LP – he worked tirelessly with his right man and brother, Ayrton, was a theatre director. The 'Hareton + Meta' EP was written and recorded for one of Ayrton’s productions – Hareton wrote the music, Ayrton the lyrics – which was given out at performances.

S.P 73 was recorded with the full Campinas Teatro Municipal Orchestra, the same orchestra that that featured on ‘Hareton + Meta’ EP. It is a wonderful, deep soundscape of filmic MPB melodies, strings, organ, woodwind, drums and vocals. A record that sits alongside Verocai’s self-titled LP perfectly.

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

Belgium, not the first place you'd think of when it comes to Latin or Afro funk. Yet one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc.

With some of the best DJs and selectors there is a certain mysterious sound or underlying feeling which unites the music they play, regardless of genre, year or tempo. Luke Una is a master of telling a story through music and this compilation is a perfect example of his musical alchemy in action. Featuring tracks from Yusef Lateef, Airto Moreira, Crooked Man, Henri Texier and many more, it is a collection of new, old, rare and under-discovered music from around the world, all united by Luke under the banner of “E-Soul Cultura”.

It’s best described by Luke himself, who writes: “As the 5AM city sleeps and the strobe lights are slowly turned off, we gather on the wrong side of town in a transcendental journey alone together. We are the late night disenfranchised holding on in various after parties, flats, lofts, random kitchens and basements into the outer cosmos with É Soul Cultura. Music from exotic tear jerkers, Afro-spiritual jazz, cosmic Brazilian celestial grooves, machine street soul, dark horses, lost B-sides, £1 bargain-bin bombs, hidden gems, late night Italo dubbing, deep velvet N.Y.C garage, bass buggin sonic futurism, wrong speed 33bpm pitched up +8 new beat, majestic sunset strings, sweet vocals from heaven, no half steppin jazz dancing in outer-space and odd numbers. Yes… magical moments, together, holding on in witness protection suburban cul-de-sacs and Castle Court flats. Cosmic É high, 3000ft above the city getting evangelical to murky, wonky timeless beautiful music. This thing of ours dreaming of better days. Fail we may, sail we must, the sun will come up again.”

Beginning his career as an original Sheffield house young blood in the mid 1980s, Luke’s move to Manchester and partnership with Justin Crawford saw the birth of Electric Chair, a cornerstone cult night in the UK underground club scene, and later Electric Elephant, a Croatian festival paying homage to their wild eclecticism from Balearic to Brazilian to E soul, house, disco and techno. Luke’s much loved, long running Homoelectric night and more recently Homobloc sell out festival for 10,000 souls has been at the forefront of Manchester’s Lgbtq cultural landscape.

Luke’s Friday evening show on Worldwide FM has captured imaginations and has already become a cult four hour must-listen monthly journey with fans all over the world. Today Luke remains, as ever, at the forefront of a changing scene, pairing the momentous legacy of Manchester’s 80s and 90s scene with the delivery of what today’s club communities need to get down.

First time vinyl reissue of Jose Roberto Bertrami's 1965 ‘Os Tatuís’ via Far Out Recordings. Best known as the keyboardist and bandleader of legendary trio Azymuth, the late José Roberto Bertrami also wrote for, arranged for and performed with Elis Regina, George Duke, Sarah Vaughn, Jorge Ben, Eddie Palmieri, Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim and Erasmo Carlos, among countless others.

First time vinyl reissue of Jose Roberto Bertrami's 1966 ‘José Roberto Trio’ via Far Out Recordings. Best known as the keyboardist and bandleader of legendary trio Azymuth, the late José Roberto Bertrami also wrote for, arranged for and performed with Elis Regina, George Duke, Sarah Vaughn, Jorge Ben, Eddie Palmieri, Milton Nascimento, Flora Purim and Erasmo Carlos, among countless others.

The album that you now enjoy has been compiled by El Palmas & El Drágon Criollo an begins with the theme that every afternoon, starting at 6 O´clock, all the youth of Caracas waited anxiously: “Introduction Theme” by Los Supersónicos was the wake-up call to introduce the charge of surfing that that later it would explode in El Club Musical.

And from the same group, another of their greatest hits is included, such as “Rosas Rojas para una Dama Triste”.

The Dangers were in charge of entertaining many youth parties in Venezuelan society. Their great success was “Congratulations”, an obscure Ricky Nelson song, of which they made an excellent cover. And to demonstrate the great influence of the British group The Shadows - present in all the youth bands of the time - here they shine with their recreation of the song “González” The Blonders were by far the possessors of the purest and most crystalline sound among the surf groups in Venezuela. A bold and highly imaginative arrangement of the classic “Lamento Borincano” is enough to justify its inclusion in this compilation.

And although The Impala came to have the most aggressive and rock-and-roll sound, here they show another facet of their music with the songs “Triste” and “Desafinado”.

First released in Brazil in 1960 this is Joao Gilberto's second studio effort. A seminal album that just one year later introduced Bossa Nova to the United States. Joao Gilberto, one of the true masters of the genre, displays a great selection of songs including various Tom Jobim's classic gems such as "Samba de Uma Nota Só" ("One Note Samba"), "Corcovado" and "Outra Vez". An essential piece of work in the whole history of Brazilian music.

A download code is included. This is a 180g Vinyl LP. Updating Marcos Valle’s seminal boogie-era sound, Sempre spans ecstatic disco, cosmic samba, and late-night jazz-funk, drawing obvious comparisons to some of Valle’s late-seventies and early-eighties output.

Minas 'Num Dia Azul' is a sublime slice of private press bossa nova meets jazzy MPB perfection. Warm and bubbling with youthful spirit, the music is simultaneously loose in swagger, yet slick and tight. The album was originally released in 1983 and reflects the great music coming out of Rio at the time, yet 'Num Dia Azul' wasn't recorded in Rio, but actually in the USA.

Recorded in North Carolina just after Patricia and Orlando Haddad had graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts, the record was only released for the Brazilian market on their own Blueazul Records imprint. As with most private press labels, they could only afford to have it pressed in small quantities. To add to its later obscurity, hundreds of copies were also destroyed in a house fire. They say cream always rises to the top, and fast forward to the 2010s, the word amongst collectors and DJs was spreading about this mythical under-the-radar recording. People from across the globe were contacting Patricia and Orlando for more information, hoping to secure themselves a copy. Luckily the original tapes had remained with the artists and were in great condition, so in 2016 the pair ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to have it remastered and repressed.

For this Mr Bongo 2023 re-issue, we have tried to keep it as close to the original 1983 version as possible, both in the packaging and audio presentation. The CD version comes with bonus tracks. We are super proud to keep Patricia and Orlando's serene recordings in the circulation that they deserve to be. One for fans of Brazilian artists such as Burnier & Cartier, Edu Lobo and Joyce. We are sure those fans will lose themselves in the alluring textures of 'Num Dia Azul'.

It's hard to believe we are now up to Volume 5 of our renowned Record Club series. Curating these compilations, where we share our latest musical discoveries and old favourites from the global stage, is always a labour of love. This selection is less dancefloor-driven than our previous volumes, as fewer opportunities for live events drove us to explore other paths and styles in the musical spectrum. But, whether you're DJing for a kitchen or a club, there is still a generous serving of spicy dancefloor magic. For Volume 5, we looked to a broad church - from Brazil to Cuba, Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, Mauritania, South Africa, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, and the US. We pulled songs from the 70s up to the present day and feature a stellar cast of artists. There’s an exclusive track from Sven Wunder which was recorded solely for this compilation. We also have a track from Admin which was released as a private press 7" at the start of 2021 and one we felt was far too good to only be available for the lucky few. You’ll also discover one of our most treasured Gyedu Blay Ambolley productions, a full-force African disco colossus! We hope you will enjoy this selection of seventeen eclectic songs as much as we do.

1983 album by one of the Chicha / Peruvian Cumbia pioneering bands from Peru, featuring Jorge Chambergo Porta, who sadly passed away last month.

Here at Mr Bongo we have been inundated with people asking us to reissue this release. Ana Frango Elétrico's petit cult classic masterpiece 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' from 2019, which was only ever released on vinyl and CD in Brazil and Japan, has fast become a collector's item.

Well received by fans, DJs, and reviewers on release, The Needle Drop expressed "Ana Frango Elétrico's authentically vintage fusion of chamber pop, rock, samba and jazz is a real blast!" listing it as one of its Top 50 Albums of 2019. The album's reputation has been slowly building ever since, gaining a Latin Grammy nomination in 2020, and now solidly cementing itself as a gem of contemporary Brazilian music.

Across the albums nine tracks, Ana blends elements and influences from MPB, Tropicália, indie rock, punk and pop, forging them together with a sumptuous dose of her signature style. The finesse of 'Saudade' kicks off the LP, one of Ana's most known tracks to a non-Brazilian audience. A sublime opener, beginning with a spellbinding piano solo before transcending into a beautiful dream-laden slice of warmth, complete with luscious jazzy horns and deft vocal delivery. ‘Promessa e previsões’ follows, the only track on the album not to be written by Ana, instead being penned by Chico França. It’s a swelling and sweeping twilight groover, building and breaking across absorbing peaks.

Other highlights on the album include the anthemic 'Chocolate', which was a firm favourite with a packed sing-along crowd when we heard Ana perform it live. Elsewhere, 'Se No Cinema' hits with its quirky allure, charm and catchy melodies before transforming into a carnival spirit.

Tapping into the richness of Brazil’s new wave of musical energy, the album also includes a heavyweight lineup of collaborations with artists such as Dora Morelenbaum (Bala Desejo), Tim Bernardes, Antonio Neves and Guilherme Lirio to name but a few.

A short, sweet and refreshing record, that leaves nothing to waste, marrying playful ideas with poignant themes. 'Little Electric Chicken Heart' is a future classic and will beguile fans of ‘70s Brazilian recordings, Gal Costa, Mac DeMarco, Stereolab, Superorganism, Caetano Veloso and more.

Two brothers, two guitars, two distinct identities, who become one soul when they compose music. Stephan and Alejandro, are the Hermanos Gutierrez, an instrumental music band with an unmistakable genre that is rooted in Western and Latin American sound. Born from an Ecuadorian mother and a Swiss father they grew up being forged by both cultures, bridging between two worlds, both of which are home.

Their mix of identities, that constant search across different countries clearly emerges in their songs. Their music takes the audience on an intimate journey through time evoking remote spaces. A magical sound that touches the heart, that sparks passion and nostalgia. An open invitation to a constant dialogue of melodies and instruments.

Playing together since their early childhood, a profound musical and interpersonal symbiosis ties the two brothers. If one of them has a melody, the other one completes it with harmony. There is a deep understanding between the two of them, without any need for words.

Active as a band since 2015, they have recorded four albums: “8 Años” (2017), “El Camino De Mi Alma” (2018), “Hoy Como Ayer” (2019), and the newly released LP “Hijos Del Sol” (Children Of The Sun). A body of work that has been inspired by their journey through the vast natural landscapes of Mexico, the silence of the desert, the sun, and their love for this country that made them feel “like going home”, as they affirm. Out came a soundtrack of the sceneries they’ve been exploring.

Agua Larga offre une immersion dans la culture Afro-Équatorienne de la province d'Esmeraldas. Les auteurs ont captés comment la musique s’inscrit dans la vie quotidienne des habitant.e.s et dialogue avec les autres éléments sonores qui l’entourent. La matière musicale est ainsi accompagnée de récits, de poèmes et de scènes du quotidien captés sur le vif, loin des studios aseptisés, dans l’espace public, sur la berge des fleuves ou en bord de mer.

La thématique de l’eau (“agua” en Espagnol), sous toutes ses formes, est le fil conducteur. La mer a amené les esclaves vers ce nouveau continent mais c’est elle qui fournit aujourd’hui en poissons les pêcheurs. Les fleuves et rivières, empruntés par les bateaux et pirogues, permettent de connecter les villages de cette forêt tropicale. L’eau est aussi devenue une denrée rare en ville, où son accès est encore difficile pour une partie de la population. Les scènes prises sur le vif marqueront cette omniprésence de l’eau, comme lieu de vie et ressource quotidienne nécessaire."