Back in the day bands were always coming up with their own dances and rhythms that they hope would catch fire. In the early days of El Gran Combo they had something called Mazucamba. It’s a fun tune that starts out very danceable, but then get’s a little nuts when they virtually decide to switch the speed of your turntable up to 45rpm. Hold on.
I’m personally done being depressed about everything from last year. Time to get disciplined about being creative and sharing what we’re passionate about. Let’s try this—at least 1 song a day from our record collection for you to 🎧. Let’s start with a dedication to 🇵🇷
Digging for records can get dirty, very dirty. So we get to cleaning some of our grimiest records, many of which we found in México and Colombia. DJs China Tu Madre, Papicultor, Smokestack, and Pozole all in La Sala sharing some filthy good music.
Tracklist:
Los Hermanos Flores – Otra Vez
Los Hermanos Flores – Flor de Pithaya
Los Sonadores de la Paz – El Sudcaliforniano
Miguel Angel Lizarra – Tu Mi Destino
Manuel Celestino – Naciste Bonita
Grupo Laser – Buscalo
Los Hermanos Flores – La Paz
Los Sonadores de la Paz – Llegando a la Paz
Los Hermanos Flores – Todos Santos
Acapulco Tropical – La Pollera Amarilla
Ray Barretto – Hipocresía y Falsedad
Ismael Rivera – Traigo Salsa
Bobby Small – Compas de Cumbia
Grupo Miramar – Cerro Hermoso
Andrés Landero – Noche de Cumbia
Acosta y sus Tremendos – Y Me Critican
Hermanos Martinez de Allende, N.L. – Bailando en Shorts
For this podcast we decided to try something we have never done before — set out to do a show without any records from our collection. Instead we went to a local record swap meet with a set budget of $50 each to create our playlist for the day.
After a full afternoon of digging through many boxes of records from all over the world we headed straight back to La Sala to see if we spent our money wisely. We think we did pretty well, but have a listen and let us know what you think.
Playlist:
Fela Ransome-Kuti and Africa ’70 with Ginger Baker – Let’s Start
20th Century Steel Band – Heaven and Hell is on Earth
Monarco – Silenciar A Mangueira
Avohou Pierre Et L’Orchestre Black Santiago – Makoba Houi Dé O
Al Hirt – Harlem Hendoo
Chico Che Y La Crisis – Sagitario
The Doves – Give Peace to the People
Orquestre Le Peuple – Massavi Fololo Y’ Africa
The Numonics – You Lied
El Gran Combo – El Jolgoria (Wepa-Wepa)
Here’s some more heat from my recent trip to Colombia.
As I told you a couple of years ago, I spent a few (pre-internet) years trying to figure out who played this incredible song, and several years after that trying to track down a copy of Joey Pastrana’s brilliant debut album. This wasn’t easy – I like to buy my records in person, and don’t like to pay a fortune for them – but I finally found it.
Man, I love the sound of this group. From the fat rhythm and horn sections, to Joey’s breaks on the timbales, to Ismael Miranda’s voice, to the groovy “Rivera sisters” – who aren’t really sisters, and are definitely not just ‘backup singers’ – I feel like I’m hearing Cortijo’s younger, crazier sibling. (And Cortijo is pretty crazy himself.)
It’s hard to choose a song or two from this album. Every song is gold! Anyway, here’s a soulful boogaloo:
This Wednesday, November 2 in Oakland California there will be the first mass general strike in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Thousands are expected to be converging on Oscar Grant/Frank Ogawa Plaza to protest the current system that has allowed the massive disparity in wealth across the world. Su pelangueros plan to be there to protest and contribute. We’ll be playing our favorite take-to-the streets, power-to-the-people, el-pueblo-unido inspired records LIVE, just blocks away from the heart of the protests at All Day Play (Youth Radio studios).
Our good friend DJ Smokestack will be hosting us on his weekly live podcast radio show Accepted Eclectic at 6 PM, (time has been moved up to 5 or 5:30PM) PST. Hopefully many of you will be able to participate directly, but for those who can’t—be sure to tune in online as we join the sounds of La Pelanga with the chorus of the 99%.
Here is a little taste…
Grupo Taoné_La Ley de gravedad
saludos a todos los pelangueros desde mi retiro.
“llora, llora novelista…”
abrazos,tunda
