Forgotten Treasure: Azuquita Y Su Orquesta Melao “Pura Salsa” (1975)
This week’s choice was inspired by this past weekend. On Saturday I had the pleasure of playing with some of my favorite selectors in between live sets from La Mecanica Popular, Bixia 70 and The Frightnrs. Heavy tropical rhythms that had that converted mechanic shop in Brooklyn rocking lovely until …
Forgotten Treasure: Doug Randle “Songs For the New Industrial State” (1970)
For anyone out there who’s feeling the the cold-weather blues, the global-issues blues, the “how-did-I-already-break-my-New-Years-resolution?” blues or any other form of despondency, here is something that will hopefully produce (at the very least) a quick, distracting and delightful daydream. Warm In The Sunshine is a radiantly optimistic psych-pop tune by …
Forgotten Treasure: Mal Waldron “Spanish Bitch” (1970)
Mal Waldron‘s sound just grows on you. He was a hard-bop pianist and made his mark as an exceptional side-man for vocalists including Billie Holiday and was once the house pianist for Prestige Records. His approach draws comparaisons and inspirations from the likes of Horace Silver, Art Tatum and Thelonious Monk. …
Forgotten Treasure: Junior Murvin (Junior Soul) “Rescue the children”
Junior Murvin is well known for the title track of his first album, the massive “Police & Thieves“. The song has been covered by The Clash in 1977 and most recently by Zara McFarlane who did her own beautiful smooth version of this classic. No other tune from him got even …
Forgotten Treasure: The Brooklyn Sounds “Libre:Free” (Salsa Records, 1973)
New York City birthed salsa. Back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when the first generation Nuyorican population was bridging Puerto Rico with Nueva York, the rhythms they gave life to, and equally gave them life, was salsa. It was an ill combination of various rhythms from Puerto Rico, …
Forgotten Treasure: The Blue Bells “Come Along” (1976)
Absolutely fantastic slept-on roots gem from the mid-70’s. Perfect for a cold winter day. “Come Along” was the biggest hit from The Blue Bells: Hector Wright (Lead) + and Raphael Martin (Harmony) and produced by Wright. It was recorded at Lee Scratch Perry‘s legendary Black Ark Studios. One of the …
Forgotten Treasure: Piero Umiliani “Cantata per Maryam” (1973)
An absolute essential taken from the soundtrack of 1973 cult erotic movie “La Ragazza Fuoristrada” This is one incredible cool & level headed ’70s soundtrack by Italian film score producer, Piero Umiliani. Underrated movie but the soundtrack is a sureshot key that features a set of killer groovy, jazzy, exotic …
Forgotten Treasure : Nohelani Cypriano “Lihue” (1977)
I’ve been known to let videos speak for themselves when it comes to the 80’s. (Check out this post on Midnight Express’ “Danger Zone”) Well this track is no different, when I heard it on a Hawaiian music compilation LP (Home Grown vol.2) I was blown away by the bassline …
Forgotten Treasure: Sun Palace “Rude Movements” (1983)
This might win an award for one of the best B-Sides ever. “Rude Movements” is the B-Side to a single called “Winning” by Sun Palace who only put out this single under that production name. It was a huge track in NYC during the days of legendary clubs like Paradise …