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Eddie Palmieri – Justicia, 1969
Eddie Palmieri – Justicia, 1985
¿Cuando llegará la justicia?
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Tag Archives: Salsa
Ray Barretto – Arrepiéntete!
Tis the season for dancing, brought to you by Sears
Sears, the U.S. everything store that everyone used to shop at for Christmas. Back in the 1970’s they were the Walmart, Target and Ikea all rolled into one. I’m guessing U.S. followers of this blog probably didn’t wrap any gifts this year purchased from the once giant retailer. However, in 1974 if someone would have bought this Sears record from one of their many stores to give to you for Christmas I think you would have been as pleased as anything you received this year—or at least I would have been.
What makes this record so great is that it’s NOT full of Christmas carols that you know and hate—rather it’s a collection of Puerto Rican artists from the Borinquen label performing the type of Christmas music we love and need more of. Oddly they made this a “live” record by inserting crowd applause between tracks though the recordings are normal studio songs. Nonetheless, it’s full of beautiful bailables to dance to because that’s what the holiday season is all about—celebrating with good food and music right?
This track from the great Raphy Leavitt just about sums it all up:
Raphy_Leavitt-Fiestas_De_Navidades
Raphy Leavitt & Orquesta La Selecta – Fiestas De Navidades
There’s absolutely no way you can have a Puerto Rican Christmas record without a song about Lechon:
Pellin_Rodriguez-Lechon_A_La_Varita
Pellin Rodriguez – Lechon A La Varita
Now lets really get our dancing feet moving:
Orquesta Felíx Del Rosario – Candela
Ok, if you insist on having a Jingle Bells in your mix at least do right:
Orquesta Felíx Del Rosario – Cascabel
I hope this proves that some of the best gifts are not always shinny new ones and that there’s no better time to dance.
Feliz Navidad,
-Jacobo (dj pozole)
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Podcast: Diggin at the record swap
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.
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- North Oakland record swap meet—time to start digging
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- Arjuna (DJ Smokestack) is in his happy place
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- May-Li (DJ China Tu Madre) previewing a possible winner
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- Jacob (Dj Pozole) scrutinizing each track
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- Federico (DJ Papicultor) sampling West African treasures
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)
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Podcast: Panama!
Arjuna and Jacobo host the 3rd episode of Pelanga en La Sala with special guest Adam Dunbar from Discos Alma. (note: episode #2 tragically perished with a faulty hard drive) Join the three as they explore the vibrant and often overlooked music of Panama with a few other Caribbean gems mixed in.
You can download it for free in iTunes. Please leave us a review and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on our upcoming podcasts.
Playlist:
- Eddie Palmeri – Mozambique
- Los Papacitos – Vienen Los Papacitos
- Pello El Afrokan – Ahora Si
- Los Mozambiques – Marcado
- Ibo Combo – Soeurette
- Bush Y Sus Magnificos – La Confianza
- Manito Johnson Y Los Diferentes – Los Diferentes
- Los Salvajes Del Ritmo – St John’s Guaguanco
- Los Beltons – Recuerdos de Don José
- Los Silvertones – You Call Be My Name
- Los Flamantes – Fanny
- Los Exciters – Something Deep Inside
- DP Express – Apran’n Pale
- Lord Panama – Fire Down Below / Fuego Abajo
- Sir Jablonski– Juke Juke
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Tear it down!
This past Sunday (11/3/13), a few of us Pelanga DJs attended a discussion here in Oakland, California hosted by Critical Resistance, called Dreaming Widly, Fighting to Win featuring professor-activist Angela Davis and poet-activist Martín Espada. The discussion was centered on the abolishment of the prison-industrial complex in the U.S. A radical idea for certain, but a very inspirational one. As I was listening to these two intelligent and creative voices throughout the evening I was mentally thumbing through my collection to find the perfect song to accompany their discussion. I came straight to this record…
In 1971 Eddie Palmieri formed formed the first ever, and by most accounts the greatest latin-funk group ever—Harlem River Drive. A band made up of all-star latin and soul-funk musicians, that featured the likes of: Cornell Dupree, Bernard Purdie, Charlie Palmieri, Andy Gonzalez and Jimmy Norman. This was at the exact same time when Angela Davis was locked up, in fact the FBI were even investigating Eddie’s group for their politically charged lyrics. One of which was penned by Eddie’s friend Calvin Clash who was locked up in Sing Sing and thus sparked this incredible 2 volume set of recordings live from inside Sing Sing Prison. Take a listen to Somebody’s Son. As Martín Espada explained on Sunday, music, poetry, and art can do far more to motivate, inspire and engage the masses than any speech or lecture. I’m not sure a better song exists that accomplishes this in regards to confronting the inhumanity of prisons. And it’s damn funky too!
You may have noticed the above record is actually Vol. 2. I can’t rightly look past Vol. 1, which is equally amazing.
One of the innovative things Eddie did when performing with Harlem River Drive was to open with separate latin and funk sets then come together for the finale. Lets checkout the opening set from Live at Sing Sing Vol 1, Pa La Ocho Tambo. I’m blown away every time I hear this recording. I honestly get the feeling that Eddie and his group are literally trying to set everyone inside free by knocking down the prison walls with their music. And it wasn’t just at Sing Sing. During this time Eddie was taking his music to many prisons, from Rikers Island to Puerto Rico to Colombia.
Currently 2.1 million US citizens are locked up, that’s 1 out of every 100 of us. For blacks it’s 1 out of 15 and for latinos 1 out of every 30. The bill we are paying to incarcerate our people is $21,00 per year. There has to be a better way. I for one plan to keep dreaming widly and support any movement to tear down our prisons and build something better.
– dj pozole
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Podcast – Episode 1
Please excuse our recent absence from this space. We’ve been doing some remodeling and maintenance, but we’re back now! We’re still very excited to continue sharing more music and culture. In fact, last week we got together and recorded our very first Pelangacast live from our LP clubhouse! The concept is not to have the typical radio “programmed show,” but instead to invite you into our cozy wall-to-wall collection of culture on vinyl as we share stories and discoveries from our musical addictions.
Below is our first episode with more to come soon. Have a listen, and let us know what you think.
Playlist
- Intro
- Advice – I. C. Rock
- Ce La Vie – Les Difficiles De Pétion-Ville
- Ah Ah Oh No – La Protesta (ft. Joe Arroyo)
- El Preso – Louis Towers [NOTE: This unlabeled record was in a Grupo Kuwait sleeve, but it’s actually Louis Towers]
- (Where Were You) Last Night – Sumy
- Banana Juana – Ralph Robles
- Guami Guami – Sir Victor Uwaifo and his Melody Maestros
- Jessie – Kanda Bongo Man
