Picking up from my last post that featured the heavy hitting Latin rock sounds ofLittle Joe and La Familia, this next one – The Brain Connection's "Mari Menari" – offers a perfect example of the wailing blues-based guitar solos that Santana inspired in garage rock bands all over the globe after the group’s 1970 cover of Tito Puente’s perennial hit "Oye Como Va". Over the years I’ve dug up covers and musical impersonations of the genre-defining group from India to Africa and now from Malaysian, courtesy of The Brain Connection!
Here we have Merengue greats Bonny Cepeda and Freddy Kenton (of Los Kentons) from 1978 combining to bring you the best song you'll likely ever hear about melons. Enjoy!
Hello beautiful people. You don't need the weather man to tell you that Winter is over and Spring is here — which means it's time to celebrate! And we plan to do just that on Saturday, April 28 at LA PEÑA in Berkeley.We are super excited about this one. We're going to have freshly dug records arriving straight from Lima, Peru via DJ Franz Tunda (Daniel Alarcón). PLUS a surprise gift!
It's going to be a loud, sweaty, raucous, night of dancing to music from all corners of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Here's a little taste to get you in the mood.
Apologies to Franz if you had something ready to post, there's just no way I can let Papicultor blast Mongo Santamaría's Sofrito without following it up with Mongo's 1969 release Stone Soul. For one, the cover is just as mouth watering. But then after watching Smokestack's Forever We Rock B-Boy crewmate Whacko's insane footwork, I can't resist dropping the needle on Mongo's rendition of Cloud Nine. He actually played congas on the original version by The Temptations, so here you get to listen to Mongo along side legendary session musicians Bernard Purdie, Art Kaplan, and Hubert Laws as they completely let loose with an amazing blend of Funk and Afro-Cuban rumba. Without a doubt they created a certified B-Boy anthem. I haven't break danced since I was 10, but every time I hear this song I get that itch to try it again. Smokestack, when you're bionic knee heals maybe you can teach me some moves so I can really get down with this song on the pelanga dance floor.
As always, I'm looking forward to hear what my fellow pelanguero djs are going to throw on next.
I really like where you're headed with this, Pozole. While I cue up the next song, I have to say I can't agree more with you, man. I have to walk behind the booth every other song to see what y'all are playing! And even in a record that I own, you guys bring to light these amazing songs that I haven't even noticed. I hadn't really paid too much attention to Ray Barreto's 'Power', and on an album called 'Power'! Thank you for rectifying.
That track got me all excited to post an old favorite, but I just realized that I let Smokestack borrow it. Well, it's in very capable hands, I can't wait to see what he'll do with it. So let's try something else, inspired by your lasttwo posts (and by the opportunity to blast "Sofrito" on La Peña's sound system last Saturday. Someone asked me what 'Sofrito', and the best (only?) answer was to have her look at the record cover.)
No doubt many of you know Mongo Santamaria's "Sofrito", a Pelanga favorite and a classy, classy tune. A just-so-slightly melodramatic piano intro turns into one of the most memorable tumbaos in salsa, adorned by such an elegant horn section and beautiful solos waay up top. Monguito's subtle work on the congas keeps everyone grounded and lets them shine. Restraint can be so powerful!
This is not the song I meant to post, but I can't help it.
Sofrito by Mongo Santamaría
What you might not know is how Monguito follows this up. In the next track he brings us back down low, with a praise to Shangó that is equal parts heavy funk and pure rumba cubana. What else can I say?
O Mi Shango by Mongo Santamaría
¡¡Quema!!
Franz Tunda, I know you're busy, but I also know some of what's hiding in your crates. Wanna take it from here?
I can’t agree with Pozole more! Within Pelanga’s broad musical range you’ll definitely find several common themes: soulful rhythms meant to uplift your spirit and make your body move. Whether it’s a hyphy Papicultor cumbia remix or a choice kompa selection from Pozole, you’re guaranteed to learn something new with each record and party while you’re at it! Because we each have our own musical inluences we constantly inspire each other to dig a little deeper.
In fact, last month I wasn’t able to make it out and I hear Tunda played some James Brown and ESG. Who knows, maybe I'll play a little Little Joe y La Familia at the next Pelanga! In the meantime check out Necessary Whackness - the full 50min afro-latin-funk-rock mix that features this monster latin-funk tune “Recognize Me”. The mix, released just earlier this week, is a collaboration with my friend and Forever We Rock crewmate, B-boy Whacko. You might be wondering about his name? Well basically dude goes whacko when his jam drops! See what I mean (check the toprock battle clip below)?
-DJ Smokestack
Little Joe y La Familia – Recognize Me (1977)
Little_Joe_-_Recognize_me.mp3
This is probably one of my favorite latin-rock songs ever – some true message music! Little Joe’s production defines the DIY concept of the hard working independent Chicano musician – on down to the hand drawn cover (I’m guessing by a close friend or relative?). Of his ridiculously deep catalogue La Voz De Aztlan is one of Little Joe’s harder to find LPs. While "Recognize Me" is heavy funk fit for any breakin cipher, the rest of the album is made up of polkas, rancheras, and even a salsa track. Make no mistake, Little Joe plays it all…earning Grammies and playing/recording every style you can think of since the 60’s.
Here's a message from Joe, from the back cover:
From the dusty hills of Tejas, to the smoggy barrios de Califas, to the steel mills of Gary and Pittsburgh, to the snow covered mountains of Denver, La Musica lives. La Musica is listened to, lived to, danced to, and low rided to …La musica Chicana comes from EL CORAZON Y LA ALMA. LA VOZ DE AZTLAN is a portrait of love, energy, and identity.
DJ Smokestack & B-Boy Whacko - Necessary Whackness
There's a huge list of things I love about being a DJ with La Pelanga. One of my favorites is that each of us come from different regions and with different ears for incredible music. What excites us all the time is how so much of our different music is actually closely connected. This is true even when one of us thinks they did a mix that isn't really "pelanga-esque." I'm talking about my fellow Pelanguero, DJ Smokestack who just put together an amazing ultra-funk, beat-rock mix for one of his B-boys homies. (I'll let him share if it if he wants). And just as we've begun to do in person when we feel inspired by what the other is playing, I'm gonna tag team with him on the virtual blog-turntables and slide the crossfader over to this sizzling track from Ray Barretto.
Ray_Barretto_Right_On.mp3
Right On is right! I wish I had a cleaner copy, but funk ain't ever really clean. While I got Ray Barretto's record Barretto Power out I might as well play the title track Power that is equally funky, but more in that old school Nueva York latin strut type of funk.
Ray_Barretto_Power.mp3
I can't help but think that this instrumental jam was written just so you could tell your own "day in the life" urban monologue over it. You know the kind that starts off with "So check this out. The other day man, I was walking down 12th Street, when I saw..."
…with Franco and L’Orchestra TP OK Jazz! I mean no offence to Zumba enthusiasts out there, but with Franco’s hypnotic guitar playing and trademark Congolese Rumba, why workout to anything else? Here’s a 9 minute groove that’s guaranteed to get your whole body loose!
Calling all dance-oholics and lovers of this blog! La Pelanga returns this Saturday, March 24 at La Peña in Berkeley. As all who were there last month will tell you, we only bring the most potent bailables to feed your dancing addiction. Again it will be a full night of: Cubmias, Merengues, Salsas, Kompas, Rumbas, Sambas, Soukous, Reggaeton, Afrobeat, Makossa, Coupé Décalé, and more! All of which will be played with love from your Pelanguero deejays: China tu Madre, Franz Tunda, Papicultor,Pozole and hopefully Smokestack who is recovering from injury. It's been a long week and damn it, it's time to celebrate! Celebrate our friends, our loved ones, our communities our selves and all the cultures that go into making musica sabrosa (aka musica pelanga), such as...
Accolade_Plezi_Rara.mp3
Doors open at 9, $5-20 sliding scale, all ages welcome.
A wild party series in the San Francisco Bay area featuring sus pelanguer@s (DJs: China Tu Madre, Franz Tunda, Papicultor, Pozole and Smokestack) who cook up the dance floor with endless ritmos tropicales/ africanos/ latinos/ caribeños.
To get the word on when and where the next La Pelanga is, email: info@lapelanga.com
