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7"
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VAMPI 45089EP
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Julián y su Combo was founded in 1962 by left-handed guitarist Julián Angulo Ponce, who was originally from Guapi, Cauca, Colombia and made his name in Cali and Buenaventura, signing initially with Bogotá's Sello Vergara in 1966. During a 20-year period Julián y su Combo released eight records (with several band name variations). Angulo was part of the first generation of artists from the Colombian Pacific who migrated to Bogotá in the 1970s, and his combo enjoyed popularity in his adopted city as well as in Medellín and Mexico. The band also travelled to Venezuela and the US. Angulo described his sound as Afroantillano, combining Cuban, New York Latin and Puerto Rican elements with Colombia's own tropical traditions. The combo's arrangements were distinguished by the bandleader's funky, jazzy electric guitar work (Angulo played without changing the order of the strings), a hot rhythm section and the potent brass line-up of two saxophones and a trumpet (much like Cortijo y su Combo). At that time Alfredo Linares was musical director at INS and this album -- the first one Julián Angulo recorded for the label -- bears his influence in the funky "mambo rock" sections (breaks and handclaps galore) and hot Cuban and Latin jazz piano styles that also graced his own records. This is a thrilling double-sider sought after by collectors and DJs because of the funky dancefloor cuts "Enyere Kumbara" (covered by Quantic a few years back) and "INS Rock".
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LP
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VAMPI 229LP
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During a 20-year period Julián Y Su Combo released eight LPs on almost as many different companies and A Buenaventura was their only record with Medellín-based label Indústria Fonográfica Metrópoli (later reissued by INS on their Fabuloso imprint as Descarga Salsa Y Boogaloo). Julián Angulo described the combo's sound as Afroantillano, combining Cuban, New York Latin, and Puerto Rican elements with Colombia's own tropical costeño traditions. The group's swinging, jazzy arrangements were distinguished by Angulo's prominent rhythm guitar, a hot rhythm section, and the potent brass lineup of two saxophones and a trumpet (much like Cortijo Y Su Combo) but with the occasional addition of a clarinet or flute (for extra Cuban flavor). Singer José Arboleda lends an earthy, joyful Afro-Colombian sound to the vocals and the entire unit is held together by a combination of his fantastic voice and super-tight, swinging ensemble playing with the occasional expert instrumental solo at just the right interval. A Buenaventura is a sought-after collector's record that is popular with DJs not only for the power ("salsa brava" all the way) and diversity of its sound (with hot dance genres that range from guaracha, son montuno and guaguancó to boogaloo and descarga, as well as cumbia and currulao) but also for how well it was arranged, engineered and recorded, making it both a pleasurable listening experience and a dancefloor killer. Though the credits do not list a year, most likely it was released in the late 1960s or early 1970s and then pick up again with INS in 1975. In addition to several tasty originals by Julián and other Colombian composers, there are also covers of Cuban classics as well as the funky boogaloo anthem "Palo de mango" by New York's Eddie Palmieri (with lyrics by the Puerto Rican sonero, Cheo Feliciano). Recommended by DJ Bongohead of Peace & Rhythm. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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LP
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VAMPI 200LP
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2021 repress. "Julián y su Combo was founded in 1962 by left-handed guitarist Julián Angulo Ponce, who was originally from Guapi, Cauca, Colombia and made his name in Cali and Buenaventura, signing initially with Bogotá's Sello Vergara in 1966. During a 20-year period Julián y su Combo released eight records (with several band name variations). Angulo was part of the first generation of artists from the Colombian Pacific who migrated to Bogotá in the 1970s, and his combo enjoyed popularity in his adopted city as well as in Medellín and Mexico. The band also travelled to Venezuela and the US. Angulo described his sound as 'Afroantillano', combining Cuban, New York Latin, and Puerto Rican elements with Colombia's own tropical traditions. The combo's arrangements were distinguished by the bandleader's funky, jazzy electric guitar work (Angulo played without changing the order of the strings), a hot rhythm section and the potent brass line-up of two saxophones and a trumpet (much like Cortijo y su Combo). Noche De Fiesta (1975) was the first of two albums Angulo cut for the Medellín-based INS label (Industria Nacional del Sonido Ltda), and the record was distinguished by having the great Peruvian bandleader and composer Alfredo Linares guesting on piano. Linares also shared the arranging duties with the combo's trumpet player Carlos Rivas. At that time Alfredo Linares was musical director at INS and this album bears his influence in the funky 'mambo rock' sections (breaks and handclaps galore!) and hot Cuban and Latin jazz piano styles that also graced his own records. The lead vocals were equally split by Julian's long-time singer José Arboleda and the band's drummer 'Guapachá' (guest artist Clelia Ramírez joined the band on coro). Noche De Fiesta is sought after by collectors and DJs the world over not only for its hard salsa and instrumental 'descarga' (jam) tracks but also because of the funky dancefloor cuts 'Enyere Kumbara' (covered by Quantic), 'INS-Rock' and 'Estoy Soda' as well as the excellent original version of 'Las Caleñas Son Como Las Flores' (made famous later the same year by The Latin Brothers)." --Pablo Iglesias, aka DJ Bongohead Part of a new Vampisoul reissue series of classic LPs from Colombia's INS label. Presented in facsimile artwork and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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