Since 2003, Madrid's Vampisoul Records has been a label to treasure for all those in search of the cool. The vibrant Spanish label has developed a colorful roster of eclectic music, unearthing once-lost Peruvian psych, Brazilian rock, Harlem boogaloo, Detroit soul, Afrobeat, lounge, salsa and much, much more. Releases are enhanced by deluxe, stylish packaging -- on both CD and vinyl formats -- offering extensive liner notes and rare photos. Vampisoul remains absolutely essential for soul, funk and rare groove fans in search of more of the old gold.
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LP
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VAMPI 234LP
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$25.00
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RELEASE DATE: 8/13/2021
Reissue of the first album by Brazilian musician, poet and plastic artist Manduka. Originally released in 1972 on IRT, the album is a sought-after collectors' item, especially among those who seek in its cultural richness, fundamental episodes of Chilean popular musical history. An essential record almost entirely written by Manduka during his exile years in Chile, away from his home in Brazil. It includes improvised jams and songs about Brazilian history, his own exile and the new cultures he got exposed to. A sublime combination of acoustic guitar sounds, percussions and delicate songwriting that may remind you of some other Brazilian artists like Os Novos Baianos or even Caetano. It includes a special cover version of Violeta Parra's "Qué dirá el Santo Padre" and features guest artists like Soledad Bravo, Patricio Castillo, Baltasar Villaseca from Congregación, brothers Gabriel and Eduardo Parra, members of Los Jaivas, and Numhauser himself.
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2LP +7"
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VAMPI 207LP
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$42.00
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RELEASE DATE: 8/13/2021
"... As I put the finishing touches on this fifth and final volume of the R&B Hipshakers series, I think of all the killer sides I've wholeheartedly intended to include but somehow not got around to, and they rip at my heart. Let's not even talk about the pile of unused DeLuxe sides, somehow postponed for a future that now will never be. And how about the concrete factual information about the King family of labels that I've never bothered to communicate -- because I decided to leave the detail work to others better suited to it? Facts, too few and too late: Did you know that most King and Federal singles went from conception to recording to mixing to mastering to pressing to storage to distribution -- the whole shebang -- under the roof of the company HQ at 1540 Brewster Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio? That hillbilly music constituted an equal share of the King output, and that there are country versions of many of the R&B records featured on 'Hipshakers'? . . . You may be aware of the loss of a pantheon of beloved recording artists' master tapes in a fire at Universal Studios in Los Angeles in 2008, a staggering blow to our cultural heritage that remained widely unknown until recently. Well, the fact is that even the masters that do survive are often in a sorry, baffling state. Compilers mining 'masters' often find that what's been saved are alternate mixes, alternate takes, edits. Throughout this series I've attempted to present the recordings as they appeared on released 45s. This has sometimes meant remastering from my own copies of the original records -- although in one instance on this new volume, I've opted for a previously unreleased (as far as I can tell) version of a song, Lulu Reed's 'Your Love Keeps A-Working on Me', because I like the bare-bones, no-backing-vocals recording . . . So here it is, the last batch of your 100 montaditos from the King catalog, 20 final tasty morsels to savor. These hundred 'Hipshakers' tracks barely scratch the surface (not a great expression to use in the context of records, I know!) of King and Federal's incredible output, insane as it may sound..." --Mr Fine Wine, New York City (from WFMU's Downtown Soulville)
Features: Johnnie Pate, Cora Woods, Little Esther, Roy Brown & His Mighty Mighty Men, Sonny Thompson, The Tenderfoots, Roy Estrada & The Rocketeers, Albert King, The 5 Royales, Otis Williams & His Charms, Little Willie John, The Zircons, Tonni Kalash, Rosemary, The Fabulous Denos, Dolph Prince, Billy Soul, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Kenny Martin, Lulu Reed with Sonny Thompson & His Orchestra.
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2LP
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VAMPI 235LP
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$34.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 7/30/2021
It's about time to uncover the most unknown Brazilian music style. Unlike other Brazilian musical traditions as samba and bossa-nova, never ever anything of Caipira music has been released outside Brazil. Repairing this huge gap, Vampisoul presents A Rainha da Viola Caipira, a stunning 25-track compilation of the revered "Queen Of The Viola Caipira", Helena Meirelles. To start with, what is a viola? It looks like an acoustic guitar but is not. It has nearly the same shape but it is slightly smaller. Instead of the six or twelve strings, it has ten strings, paired in duplets of five strings. It has a very distinctive sound, having an enhanced treble, and a sharper reverb. The sound must be played with a hard pick because its original steel strings are thicker than the ordinary ones. The viola is the main symbol of música caipira or, may we call it, caipira sound. Caipira music cannot easily be portrayed as country music or, directly, encapsulated in folk patterns, even though it contains ingredients from both of them. On top of that, it also bears an influence of guarânia (a Paraguayan slow polka played in minor scales) and corrido and ranchera (specific variations of the Mexican folklore). There's also a shadow of Mexican mariachi-style. Everything on Helena's life or art was exquisite and unique to say the least. Mother of 11 sons, estranged from all of them for 30 years, mid-wife by trade and a very late musician to debut in public (she was 68 years old when she started to record her debut album), she was born on the August 13th, 1924, and passed away in 2004. Considered by the Guitar Player Magazine, one the 100 greatest guitar players of all time, don't miss the chance to discover a brand-new kind of (Brazilian) folk music.
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LP
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VAMPI 226LP
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$25.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 6/25/2021
Vampisoul present a first-time reissue of Hugo Jasa's Estados De Ánimo, originally released in 1990. After over a decade of dictatorship, a process of democratic openness began in Uruguay in the early '80s. It was a time of social and cultural effervescence, Uruguayan music lived a particularly brilliant moment, marked by the emergence of a generation of artists who open-mindedly mixed the new global sounds that started to resonate across the country with their local and regional musical roots. Hugo Jasa was at the center of this new music scene. Some of the most interesting Uruguayan records released in the '80s were recorded in La Batuta studio, co-owned by Henry Jasa, Hugo's father. In the brief intervals the studio was available, Jasa started to experiment with musical ideas that he imagined for a dance piece. He also sought to merge the glamor of the '80s with Uruguayan Afro-candombe sound in his songs. A deep bench of national talent, as Eduardo Mateo (with whom Jasa went on the make the wonderful album La Mosca), Hugo Fattoruso, Jorge Galemire, or Mariana Ingold, took part in these sessions. Drum machines and Yamaha DX7 and Roland D50 synthesizers command the timbre of the album that was released at the end of 1990. The same year that the dance piece with choreography by Graciela Martínez was premiered by a group of dancers from the National Ballet. The album was released on vinyl with a single pressing of 300 copies. There were two dance performances and then the show was never put on again. Estados De Ánimo was the only album released under his name. The conjunction of machines and acoustic instruments, the harmonic sophistication, mix of candombe, electronic music, jazz and tango, its international sound with strong Uruguayan roots, made Estados De Ánimo a milestone for much of the music that followed in its wake. 31 years after it was first put out, Estados De Ánimo still sounds fresh and surprising, as creative and glowing as the time where it was conceived. OBI; includes insert with liner notes by Uruguayan music writer Andrés Torrón. A new title in the series of full-album reissues that Vampisoul (co-produced in collaboration with Little Butterfly Records) is releasing as a valuable addition to our largely acclaimed compilation América Invertida, focusing on the obscure leftfield pop and experimental folk scene from '80s Uruguay, making some of these elusive and essential albums available again.
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LP
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VAMPI 232LP
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$26.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 6/25/2021
Vampisoul present a reissue of Sebastião Tapajos and Pedro Dos Santos's Vol. 1, originally released only in Argentina in 1972. The ION studios, located in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Balvanera, have been the usual setting for recordings by Argentine artists as popular as Les Luthiers or Charly García. In the early 1970s they also hosted Brazilian guitarist Sebastião Tapajos for several sessions accompanied by other musicians such as Arnaldo Henriques, Maria Nazareth, or Pedro "Sorongo" Dos Santos. Two albums would be published in the Argentine record label Trova of the recordings along with the latter. Following the success of our recent reissue of several recordings from these sessions -- Vol. 2 (VAMPI 212LP) Tudo É Moda (VAMPI 45073EP) -- Vampisoul present this Vol. 1. The connection between the delicate guitar of Tapajos and the surprising experimental percussion of Pedro Dos Santos, based on unusual objects such as spoons, deodorant containers or matchboxes, creates extraordinary beauty throughout the 12 songs on the album. The sound of the flute is another of the ingredients present in several of the songs and, although his actual involvement is not confirmed on the sleeve credits of the album, everything seems to indicate that Danilo Caymmi was the musician invited to accompany the Tapajos-Dos Santos duo. Since its first release in 1972, this album has been highly sought after by all Tapajos fans, both inside and outside Brazil, becoming a title hard to get hold of due to the fact that it was initially only published in Argentina. Years later, when Brazilian rhythms were incorporated, along with jazz, to the spectrum of sounds regularly played at London clubs and a renewed interest in this album arose. The general vibe of this solid album is driven by an exquisite and delicate dialogue between the guitar of Sebastião Tapajos and the rhythmic approach provided by Pedro Dos Santos that generates ambiences of unusual beauty and depth, like the outstanding "Himalaya". Also includes the killer Afro-samba "Mungangá", the experimental percussion numbers "Cantico del Agua" and "Solo De Bambu" and the hypnotic groover "Sorongaio". It is a necessary addition to the much-hailed Pedro Dos Santos album Krishnanda in the collection of anyone with an interest in the most adventurous sounds of Brazil and also an essential work in the discography of Sebastião Tapajos.
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7"
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VAMPI 45003X-EP
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$12.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 6/11/2021
Yellow vinyl; edition of 300. Back in 2004, Vampisoul played a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the lauded 2005 album Call My Name (VAMPI 065CD/168LP), written and produced by Daniel Collás. But first came out the preview 45 Chick-A-Boom/Cycles Of You, which quickly became a DJ favourite and guaranteed dancefloor filler, long out-of-print until now. Collás explains how it all happened: "This whole project grew out of a song called "Cycles Of You", which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to. By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles Of You'. The funny thing is, 'Chick-A-Boom', a live favorite with Easy, was hastily added so we could have a B-side, but it ended up chosen to be the A-side of the single."
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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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7"
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VAMPI 45079EP
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$12.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021
Some will still remember Italian American singer Dean Parrish after his brief appearance in an episode of The Sopranos but for most soul music true aficionados, Parrish gained a legend status when his "I'm On My Way" was the last record played at the last Northern Soul all-nighter at the Wigan Casino. His "Bricks, Broken Bottles and Sticks" was his first soul side though and it was released on Musicor in 1965 achieving some success and also becoming a classic spin on the UK soul scene years later. Eternally in demand, this party record now exchanges hands for a few hundred USD, so we thought it would be a good idea to make it widely available again. "My Heart Cries For You" by Porgy and The Monarchs became a much cherished dancefloor anthem in the UK and has all the defining ingredients of most northern soul favorites: Motown sound-alike arrangements, epic vocals that are almost inviting to sing along and lyrics spiced with a bit of drama. In short, this record is a must-have northern soul double sider and there's nothing like it to get the party started.
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7"
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VAMPI 45078EP
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$12.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021
Music travels and transforms itself. Sometimes along the way similarities arise in sonic paths that are distant to each other. The African roots of popular genres in different parts of the World are out of question as so is the big influence of modern Afro-American styles such as rhythm n' blues or jazz in the development of diverse local scenes. While in the case of Honduras' mighty band Los Robbins their syncopated and bass-enriched style was a declared (and successful!) attempt to play the hip rhythm of the time, rock steady, most probably arriving via the neighboring Belize into this Central American country, you can only wonder why Lito Barriento's greatest hit "Cumbia En Do Menor" (1965) recalls Jamaican sounds almost as much as big-band jazz while keeping all the right ingredients of its Latin essence. You can think of a dream meeting between Glenn Miller and The Skatalites at the Discos Fuentes studios in Colombia and you will get the picture... Two stunning party tunes that will please the Latin music collectors as much as those into the Jamaican genres. A new nice addition to Vampisoul's Tropical 45s series.
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LP
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VAMPI 231LP
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$26.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021
Vampisoul present a reissue of Afrosound's La Danza De Los Mirlos, originally released in 1973. Afrosound was born from the desire of Discos Fuentes vice-president José María Fuentes to come up with a domestic version of the emerging African and Latin rock sounds coming from outside the country, inspired by groups like Osibisa and Santana. The mission was to emulate the guitar-heavy tropical sounds emanating from Perú and Ecuador at the time. According to various sources, the 1972 tune "La Danza De Los Mirlos" (by Peru's Los Mirlos) emerged as a great success in Colombia and with it a new way of interpreting the country's most famous musical export, namely cumbia, through a Peruvian perspective. Afrosound would cover not only "La Danza De Los Mirlos" and name their debut LP after the song in 1973, but they would also faithfully reproduce the unique sound of their guitar hero Enrique Delgado. The first Afrosound recordings were made with a fantastic rhythm section consisting of talented musicians that had played with Fruko y sus Tesos. To add to the hippie vibe, there were plenty of whacky improvised vocal asides (called "inspiraciones"), plus custom fuzz, wah-wah, flange and echo effects boxes for the guitar and keyboards. A barrage of odd sounding synths, drum machines and other electronic flourishes were sprinkled in to spice up the proceedings, providing a competitive edge that made the Fuentes sound so unique. La Danza De Los Mirlos kicks off with most famous Afrosound hit of all, 'Caliventura', a genius blend of funk and cumbia. Aside from the cumbia amazónica title tune, there are several other covers including three popular songs by Nelson y Sus Estrellas, plus radically reimagined versions of various Colombian costeño classics published by Fuentes. Mario "Pachanga" provides a sad but still groove-oriented Christmas son montuno/cumbia hybrid while Fruko brings us the bomba-funk ditty "El Chorrillo" and the rocking cumbia Andina gem "Cabeza De Chorlito" where Sepúlveda channels Enrique Delgado. Fruko collaborator Hernán "Hercovalle" Colorado Vallejo rounds things out with the melancholic psychedelic cumbia "Esperando Por Ti", proving that every tropical party has to have its down side as well. All in all, the dozen tracks on Afrosound's debut long play make for a surprisingly diverse palette from which these Colombian musicians painted their daring portrait of Peruvian cumbia, returning the favor in bold colors that still resonate almost 50 years later. The original Fuentes artwork, with a far more outrageous "cheesecake" image, can be seen on the back cover.
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LP
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VAMPI 233LP
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$26.50
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RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021
Vampisoul present a first-time reissue of La Pesada's Tomate Y Alandette, issued in 1978. Tomate Y Alandette by La Pesada is one of the best tropical records released by Codiscos. The album was a "one off" by an all-star ensemble of musicians and singers, many of whom had played with Fruko y sus Tesos, Los Hermanos Martelo, and other Colombian orchestras. The album showcases a diverse and eclectic range of stylistic modes and genres. There is cumbia, salsa, bolero, son montuno, descarga, and even calypso. The arrangements and instrumentation range from flute and violin charanga in a "típico" Cuban mode (augmented by a trombone section) to Colombian percussion-heavy cumbia, and from the Willie Colón style of brash Nuyorican trombone salsa to the more Cuban conjunto trumpet sound like La Sonora Matancera. Through it all, the jazzy arrangements keep things fresh and swinging. Colombian artists were absorbing all sorts of influences, both old and new, from Cuba, the US and Puerto Rico, but putting their stamp on the music with a different perspective coming from their own background, and La Pesada is a prime example of this intriguing tendency. The vocals were handled by the excellent Afro-Colombian sonero Hugo "Sabor" Alandette who had been in Los Seven Del Swing, and would go on to join Los Chicos Malos and then form Grupo Melao in the 1980s. In addition, Mike Char, who was a good friend of many people at Discos Fuentes and wrote quite a few hits for Fruko, joined as an invited guest, contributing the groove-heavy yet bittersweet "La Sigo Queriendo" and singing lead on "Ángel Sonando". A number of the songs sound like classic '70s Fruko y sus Tesos, but filtered through a charanga lens with a heavy Conjunto Libre influence. "Cumbia Y Tambó (En La Lluvia)" has been an international dance floor staple for many years. However, the real salsa bomb is "Hojas Secas". The upbeat calypso is a fun version of Alan O'Day's funky 1977 hit "Undercover Angel" retitled "Ángel Soñando". Another cover is "El Paso De Encarnación", first made famous by Orquesta Aragon and then Larry Harlow, done here in a faithful charanga típica rendition. La Pesada also took Mexican heart throb crooner Juan Gabriel's 1974 mariachi hit, "Lágrimas Y Lluvia" and turned it into a super hot "salsa con charanga". The album closes with a fantastic guaguancó dedicated to Cali, the city that loves to salsa, where La Pesada channels Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe to great effect. Remastered sound.
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7"
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VAMPI 45075EP
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The recording debut of Elia y Elizabeth (or Elisabeth, as it appears originally credited in the first edition of this single) took place in Spain. Family connections with the music industry made it possible for the sisters to have the opportunity to record with Juan Carlos Calderón, one of the most prestigious producers and arrangers in the country who had already worked with top-notch pop artists such as Joan Manuel Serrat or Mocedades. His characteristic style as a producer evidenced his classical music training and also his career in jazz. These first versions of "Fue Una Lágrima" and "Cae la Lluvia" appear full of rich and intricate orchestral arrangements, a very different approach to both songs from the tropical feel that producer Jimmy Salcedo added when they were later re-recorded for Codiscos in his native Colombia. After a modest promotional campaign that failed to launch Elia y Elizabeth's careers in Spain, and due to their father's professional commitments, the Fleta family decided to return to Colombia. The duo would record there a handful of songs between 1972 and 1973, accompanied by Jimmy Salcedo and his group La Onda Tres, mixing soft-pop with a touch of tropical-pastoral funk, singer-songwriter sweetened by the subtle perfume of Caribbean music and psychedelia, which remains as part of the most wonderful pop legacy of all time.
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LP
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VAMPI 220LP
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One of the "holy grails" of 1960s Cuban music was not recorded, produced, or released in Havana or New York; in fact it was made in Lima, Peru under interesting if somewhat unexpected circumstances. Pianist Alfredo "Alfredito" Valdés Jr. (1941, Havana - 2016, New York), one of the most important figures in Latin music, came from an illustrious musical family in Cuba. In 1956, he emigrated to New York with his family, making him one of the forerunners of Cuban-based salsa music in the US. Three years later at age 18, Alfredito joined Arsenio Rodríguez and his conjunto; then in 1961 Ray Barretto recruited him for his Charanga La Moderna. Alfredito kept himself very busy, studying music and literature during the day and playing at night with the bands of Tito Puente and Machito as well as Arsenio and Barretto. Alfredito become substitute pianist for Machito and His Afro-Cubans for a tour that would take him to Colombia and Peru for a number of engagements in the winter of 1964 and into 1965. While in Lima, several problems arose with the Argentine businessman and tour promoter Mauricio Támara who took the Machito gang to the Peruvian capital but forfeited their pay and left them stranded. Machito's brother-in-law and musical director Mario Bauzá had to travel to New York to get money for the return of the entire company. Miguel Ángel Guerrero, sound engineer and proprietor of Discos MAG, with whom he made a deal for some recording sessions, which eventually produced two albums, the first of which was Gozando. Perhaps due to the fact that it was recorded in South America, Gozando!! has more than simply Cuban and Nuyorican genres like pachanga, mambo, descarga, guaracha, and bolero; there is also a fantastic cover of the Colombian cumbia classic "Tabaquera". Overall, the swinging MAG sessions sound like a long-lost record by Cachao and Tito Puente if they led an orchestra with Charlie Palmieri on piano and Tito Rodríguez on vocals. Ultimately the Afro-Cubans were able to pay their bills and return to the United States in February, 1965. Though the Al Valdez y su Conjunto sessions for MAG may have been enjoyed by a few South American and Mexican aficionados at the time, the scarcity and obscurity of the releases insured that they would become "legendary lost records" rarely heard until recently, when the MAG vaults were opened and the reissues started to flow. facsimile edition.
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7"
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VAMPI 45074EP
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Silvano Moro was an Italian musician resettled in Germany where he'd been playing under different jazz projects since the early '70s. In 1975 he joined Brasil Tropical -- a musical show under the direction of José Prates -- where he met singer Salomé de Bahia. At some point they decided to put together a Brazilian music band and after recruiting some more members started a tour across Europe. In 1979 they were offered to play a concert at the Munich Cathedral for the opening mass of MISEREOR -- a charity organization, linked to the Catholic Church in Germany, dedicated to fight the poverty in South America. The gig was such a success that the Bishop of Munich approached them to produce a record with the concert's music to raise funds for the charity organization. Some years later that bishop -- named Joseph Ratzinger -- would become the Pope and the band's singer, Salomé de Bahia, would record with French producer Bob Sinclair one of the biggest hits and house music anthems in the late '90s: "Outro Lugar". Two of the best songs taken from that scarce 1979 release -- at the time distributed locally only by a tiny Christian music label -- are reissued here on a 7" single for the first time. "Procurando O Caminho" is a killer samba-jazz number championed by such influential DJs as Gilles Peterson or Rainer Trüby when it was first rediscovered for the clubbing jazz scene a couple of decades ago. It's been a highly sought-after record since then. On the flipside, "Chega Gente" brings in a rather epic atmosphere, combining the exotic sound of the berimbau and the chorus led by extraordinaire singer Salomé de Bahia, and then the samba jazz arrangements by guitarist Silvano Moro adding some extra depth and elegance to this great song. Impregnated with spiritual -- almost liturgical -- vibes this is a song of an outstanding beauty.
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LP
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VAMPI 219LP
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Abelardo Carbonó, despite thinking "outside-the-box", recorded two brilliant albums in 1980 and '81 for Codiscos' imprint Costeño, as well as several other labels, his first being Africa llama (1978) under the band name Grupo Abharca for the Sonolux imprint Caliente in 1978. Guitarist, singer, songwriter, and one-time policeman Abelardo Carbonó (b. 1948, Ciénaga, Magdalena) hails from Baranquilla and his early work was different from his contemporaries. It was definitely not salsa, nor was it really cumbia. Rather, it was novel and genius polyglot stew of diverse musical strains with African roots but never before blended in this way. Styles like Afrobeat, soukous and highlife were effortlessly stirred together with elements of the Cuban son, touches of Latin rock and funk, with a pinch of calypso, a hint of Haitian compas and even a dash of rock and roll, not to mention a foundation of local coastal Colombian varieties like vallenato and porro. Carbonó himself has admitted that Venezuelan psychedelic Afro-rock outfit Grupo Bota was a big influence as well, and his father Abelardo Sr. was a famous porro and cumbia guitarist in Los Tigrillos. The particular blend Carbonó and his bandmates created sounded unlike anything else at the time, and is still refreshingly unique and hip today. It's as if Abelardo Carbonó Y Su Conjunto were the missing link between the 1950s pan-Caribbean acoustic guitar-led sounds of Bovea Y Sus Vallenatos and the more electronic and Africanized genres of champeta and terapia of more recent years. Joined by the crucial nucleus of his brothers Abel on lead guitar and Jafeth on bass, Carbonó's debut record Guana Tangula has a pleasingly easygoing, deceptively simple sound with a tropical, African vibe that features lilting acoustic guitars, pleasant but slightly odd vocals and snappy percussion that would change later with the addition of amplified electric guitars, drum machines, and loops. At the time it came out, it was a popular record. However, soon after he recorded his second disk for Codiscos, La Negrera Del Negrerío, things changed in Colombia due to the ascendancy of the drug cartels and "payola" was the name of the game, so Carbonó's brief chance at big label mainstream popularity lost out to huge bribes by the marijuana traffickers who wanted their preferred artists to rise to the top. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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LP
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VAMPI 224LP
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Alfredo "El Inca" Linares is one of the best and most beloved musicians in the history of salsa. Fans love his piano playing because of his authentic Cuban feel and "swing" combined with progressive arrangements and uncompromising phrasing that puts one in mind of Eddie Palmieri. As a composer, arranger and band-leader Linares is highly respected as well. Lo Que Tengo is full of rock solid dancefloor killers and no filler, played with verve and flair. Unlike some of his other records that were patched together from various sessions made in different studios, this album has the advantage of being produced, recorded, and mixed by Alfredo Linares all in one studio and block of time, and backed by hand-picked seasoned professionals. The album was recorded in 1980 in Caracas with some of the cream of the crop of contemporary Venezuelan salsa musicians and launched there on the indie label A.L.G. Records as ¡Con Todo!, and then a year later on the much larger Velvet Records with a different cover. The LP was also released in Colombia and the US, both editions utilizing the Velvet Records cover. During this time Linares had been in Venezuela for some five years and was under contract with a nightclub in Caracas. After the contract was up Linares was a free agent again and he was able to draw on his friendship with Mango and assemble a band to back him, first for the Colombian/Venezuelan production Salsa de Verdad (1976) and then again with ¡Con Todo!/Lo Que Tengo. One of the distinctive aspects of Alfredo Linares tunes is the "break" (la cierre) -- there are always plenty of dramatic hand-clapping breakdowns followed by an infectious tumbao (sustained vamp) section. In addition, Linares always lets his musicians stretch out, especially in the percussion section. Again, Lo Que Tengo is no exception: there are so many examples of typical arrangements here that one could call this a classic Alfredo Linares album, but with the updated studio sound of 1980s Caracas, which was awash in petro-dollars at the time and so had the latest equipment and a strong consumer base for the salsa market. With five perfectly paced salsas, one funky cha cha chá, a steamy bolero and a dance-friendly Latin jazz number to top it off (note the bluesy piano solo from Linares and the sublime vibes of Mango's Freddy Roldán), there is something for everybody on this record. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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7"
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VAMPI 45077EP
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Few melodies have been played so many times on radio, moviesm or TV commercials as these two compositions from the golden age of mainstream disco music. Top international hits and iconic milestones of an era, both songs are immediately recognizable after just a few chords by almost anyone on this planet. These two compelling tropical versions retain all the party spirit of the originals, guaranteeing some dancefloor heat each time the needle hits the surface of the vinyl. A perfect follow-up to the acclaimed previous singles in Vampisoul's "Tropical 45s series" that so far has included recordings by the likes of Jimmy Salcedo or Sebastiao Tapajos/Pedro Dos Santos. In the rendition of Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" you find a playful mix of the old and the modern made by Pedro "Ramayá" Beltrán, signed under his project La Cumbia Moderna de Soledad; a group from Barranquilla, Colombia, that recorded a set of songs that exudes both tradition and innovation. Machuca Cumbia, a Colombian studio band under the direction of "Cachaco" Brando, add some unexpected cumbia arrangements to the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive", resulting a dancefloor winner full of hypnotic percussions and guitars that, at times, even recall other genres such as surf.
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7"
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VAMPI 45076EP
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Singer and pianist, Marie Knight made her name as a gospel superstar recording for Decca in duet with the legendary Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Her first solo record for Decca arrived in the mid '50s, just a couple of years before her signing to Mercury. She later toured with rhythm and blues acts like the Drifters, Clyde McPhatter and Brook Benton. Three singles followed on Diamond in 1963/64 before she was signed to Musicor Records later in '64. Her definitive non-religious song "That's No Way To Treat A Girl", crafted in this period, failed to become a hit at the time but was the recording that would make her name with the Northern Soul fans in the UK many years later, standing as one of the most celebrated spins at the Wigan Casino all-nighters. The slow-paced ballad on the flip-side, "Say It Again", is a beautiful deep soul song that echoes the gospel singing Knight had mastered over the years. After her deal with Musicor ended, she was unable to land another secular recording contract. "That's No Way To Treat A Girl" is officially reissued here with "Say It Again" on the flip for the first time, as originally released.
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LP
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VAMPI 227LP
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$26.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 4/23/2021
Vampisoul present a first time vinyl reissue of Adalberto Cevasco's Pájaros Eléctricos, originally released in 1988. Few musicians can boast of having played with "the greatest" without some eyebrows to be raised. The bass of Adalberto Cevasco has been heard in multiple concerts and recording sessions of artists as diverse as the Spanish divas Rocío Jurado and Isabel Pantoja, tango genius Astor Piazzolla or the cream of the Argentine jazz scene -- from Pocho Lapouble, Gustavo Kerestezachi, Rubén López Furst or Andrés Boiarsky to the great Gato Barbieri. With the latter, as part of a dream band that included artists like Nana Vasconcelos as well as other Argentines such as Lapouble or Domingo Cura, he recorded two fundamental pieces in the Impulse! label catalog in sessions held in Argentina and Los Angeles and also toured across various countries. It is therefore out of question that Adalberto Cevasco belongs to that top-level league of musicians whose talent has also contributed to enhance those who accompany them. The history of this album begins with an encounter. Adalberto Cevasco joins Rodolfo Alchurrón's jazz-funk project Sanata y Clarificación as bassist and meets Litto Nebbia, who is invited to sing along. Some years on, when Nebbia's Melopea record company was developing, he would receive a cassette with a collection of demos recorded by Cevasco over the years. Some of the songs dated back to 1981 while others were made well into the decade and included such outstanding collaborations as that of the Uruguayan Rubén Rada, whom Adalberto Cevasco had met playing in a group of fusion candombe called Candonga. In addition to producing the complete album, Nebbia would also collaborate in a special way in one of the most outstanding tracks ("Reencuentros Nº2") by adding to Cevasco's fusion jazz some unexpected Brazilian flavors and electronic sounds that now, more than 30 years after the original release of the album, they still evoke a refreshing feel of modernity. As the Argentine press of the moment highlighted, it'd seem as if the influences received and developed by the bassist during his career as a freelance musician -- from post-Piazzolla tango to proyección folclórica (a movement of revision and modernization of the Argentinian musical roots) -- had been added to their superb rhythmic work in this album. Pájaros Eléctricos was never presented live and has remained as the only published work by Cevasco as a soloist since the date of its release. Includes insert with liner notes and previously unseen photos.
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LP
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VAMPI 223LP
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$27.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 4/23/2021
Vampisoul present a reissue of Alfredo Linares Y Su Salsa Star' Mi Nuevo Ritmo, originally released in 1974. A nonstop salsa dura party album from start to finish, comparable with any of New York's finest like Ray Barretto and Willie Colón from the same era, but with its own unique swinging sound and bright, crisp, joyful vibe. There are plenty of straight up Cuban-roots based salsa tunes, plus some Latin jazz and Latin soul and a bolero. Trumpets, hand claps, loud cowbell, and vigorous vocals all make for a great listen and an even better dance experience. As the track "La Música Brava" proclaims: "Yo no quiero que pare la música brava!" (I don't want the badass music to stop!). The record is actually a patchwork of different recording sessions made in Peru and Colombia, featuring differing studio sound and musician lineups. Linares had just returned to his adopted home of Medellín from a period spent in Peru and was looking for a record deal. He had brought master tapes with four songs recorded in Lima and was shopping them around in the hopes of securing an album contract. Linares also cut some Colombian sessions which feature Roy "Tayrona" Betancourt as well as Henry Castro and Enrique Fabián. Unfortunately, neither Discos Fuentes nor Sonolux or Codiscos were interested. At that time, vinyl for making records was scarce and over-priced due to the petroleum crisis and hence the labels were reluctant to try out a new artist. "There was nothing to be done. The only company that had vinyl stock was INS. So, I did the business with them even though they didn't have a known name in Colombia. The strength of that album made them rather famous." The song "Mambo Rock" (with "Estricto Guaguancó" on the B side) came out on a 45rpm record in 1974, and, as Linares recounts it, "two months later the sale was at a very high level. So, partly out of gratitude, I started producing for them. It is from there that my other records and the AfroINS albums came." Unfortunately, the master tapes to the LP were lost or destroyed, as with all INS releases, so the best possible vinyl sources and audio restoration has been used for this deluxe reissue. 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 210LP
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"Alfredito 'Sabor' Linares is a globetrotting pianist, composer, bandleader, and producer from Lima, Peru with a long, prolific career in hot Latin music spanning more than half a century. Though Linares has come to recent international fame through his work with William 'Quantic' Holland, he was already quite popular and famous in his adopted countries of Colombia and Venezuela in the 1970s and '80s during the salsa boom. However, his career began in Lima, backing timbalero Ñico Estrada at age 17 in 1961, and Alfredito's first notable recording as a sideman was a few years later on the now legendary El Combo de Pepe album for IEMPSA/Odeon. Subsequently Linares would advance his career by recording two fabulous records under his own capable leadership as Alfredo Linares Y Su Sonora at the end of the decade for the MAG label. These releases capitalized on recent developments in New York Latin music, namely Latin jazz, boogaloo, descarga (jam session) and what would later be marketed as 'salsa' with roots in the Cuban guaguancó and guaracha genres. One can hear direct inspiration coming from Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, and Eddie Palmieri, especially on the first album, El Pito, and yet by the second record, there are plenty of original tunes as well. More importantly there is a 'swing' and assertiveness to the playing (and arrangements) that prove every bit as authentic, tough and danceable as their New York inspirations . . . That special 'swing' also emanated from Linares' ace backing band, which happened to be a talented stable of MAG studio musicians who all understood Cuban and jazz music: percussionists Mario Allison and Coco Lagos, bassist Joey di Roma, Kiko Fuentes, and Carlos Muñoz on lead vocals and Melcochita on coro (vocal chorus). According to Linares, the studio band was 'open-ended, some musicians came some days, others on other days -- Nilo Espinoza on saxophone, Betico Salas and Tito Chicoma on trumpets. Otto de Rojas played piano, and so did Charlie Palomares, who played vibraphone. Another good musician was guitarist Carlos Hayre.' Though the recordings were cut 'live in the studio' and many were basically composed on the spot, the intrinsic strength and maturity of the performances on Yo Traigo Boogaloo stand the test of time as one of Peru's most important contributions to tropical music across the decades, establishing Alfredito Linares as a master of the idiom and serving as a harbinger for great things to come for him in Colombia and Venezuela..." --Pablo E Yglesias DJ Bongohead of Peace & Rhythm
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LP
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VAMPI 218LP
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Vampisoul present a reissue of Jaime & Nair's self-titled album, originally released in 1974. Loaded with an exquisite quality, marked by all good aspects the Brazilian popular music of the '70s, and obscure as hell, the self-titled debut by the duo Jaime & Nair is a revelation of all sorts. Recorded in 1974, when the artists had just turned 22, the album was released on CID a company that -- at that same moment -- had signed other important musicians like Nana Caymmi and Emílio Santiago. Outsiders par excellence, and influenced by the Clube Da Esquina (1972) sound (a sui generis musical architecture blended by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges in 1973), forró (a propulsive North-Eastern rhythm), samba, bossa, classical arrangements, and country-pop touches, this is an expressive album full of charm through a gesture of swing. The outstanding and largely hailed song "Sob O Mar" brings you back to a pure Brazilian soft-bossanova-beat adorned by luscious orchestral arrangements. It became a popular DJ tune for those in the know after being comped in the fantastic High Jazz series in the early 2000s, gaining this album grail status among collectors worldwide. But there is much more to it, the catchy "Névoa Seca" stars a psych-guitar, subtlety, soloing all the way through a seductive pop atmosphere while "Reino Das Pedras" has a melodic-rootsy vibe, close to a toada (a rhythmic variation of a lament), that recalls some shadows of Tom Jobim and Edu Lobo. And the delightful soft trip goes on and on, combining a dreamy lullaby vibe with subtle touches of Brazilian folk. The mind-blowing list of studio musicians present at the recording sessions includes a mix of cariocas (people from Rio de Janeiro), well know names like Wilson Das Neves, José Roberto Bertrami (from Azymuth) and Copinha, with paulistas (natives of São Paulo) from the suburbs like future luminaries as Elder Bedaque and Jorge Carvalho, making this album an even more essential addition to any serious Brazilian music collection.
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LP
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VAMPI 217LP
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"While Discos Fuentes was known for recording all sorts of interesting sounds from traditional folkloric Colombian music to the latest popular international styles, every once and a while they would put out a 'novelty' record, perhaps to exploit a passing fad, and at times the label would green-light something strange or even outlandish. Many of those left-field releases have their merits and have subsequently become collectors' items over the years. One such case is the mysterious Los Picapiedra (which translates as The Flintstones, no doubt inspired by the 1960s American sitcom cartoon show), a short-lived studio group with one album to their name, 'Kabwlú' (an unpronounceable, invented 'caveman' term that is also untranslatable, but seems to have been the 'traditional rhythm' of Los Picapiedra's 'homeland'). What is interesting about the record is that it is very musically diverse; not only are there the requisite genres that could be found on similar Colombian teenage-oriented groups' records of the time, such as cumbia, gaita, rock, twist, and pachanga, but there is also a smattering of surf, doo-wop, Latin jazz, guajira, ska, and calypso. But what makes the whole thing so special is the odd, off-kilter arrangements, spooky tunings, rudimentary clanging percussion, invented 'cave' language, prominent twanging electric guitar and many zany sound effects. Much like its namesake American cartoon The Flintstones, Kabwlú trades in creative anachronism, mixing 'folkloric' and 'modern' elements with calculated 'caveman' humor that works on many different levels. For instance the title tune seems to have been inspired by the pachanga craze and recalls the vibe of Ray Barretto's massive 1962 hit, 'El Watusi', but it has a certain joyful simplicity and rock-solid underpinning that elevates it beyond mere novelty or exploitation -- and argues for its timely reissue for today's audience. The band was a studio invention that had no major significance in Medellin's live music activity. However, several of Los Picapiedra's songs were very popular in Colombia as well as Venezuela and especially in the 'rebajada' (slowed down) version as played by the 'sonidero' sound system DJs in Mexico, such as 'La Hossa'." --Pablo E Yglesias (aka DJ Bongohead, Peace & Rhythm) Additional research by Luis Daniel Vega. Part of Vampisoul's reissue series of classic Fuentes LPs. Presented in its original artwork and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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7"
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VAMPI 45073EP
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The ION studios, located in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Balvanera, have been the usual setting for recordings by Argentine artists as popular as Les Luthiers or Charly García. In the early 1970s they also hosted Brazilian guitarist Sebastião Tapajos for several sessions accompanied by other musicians such as Arnaldo Henriques, Maria Nazareth, or Pedro "Sorongo" Dos Santos. Two albums and one single would be published in the Argentine record label Trova of the recordings along with the latter. After the great acclaim of our recent reissue of their second album from those sessions, with the killer dancefloor tune "Tornei A Caminhar", Vampisoul present this perfect follow-up that includes the exclusive "Tudo É Moda", an amazing samba funk number previously only available on a rare 7" released by Trova at the time. A great club tune for discerning DJs and a delight for the dancers! On the flip, "Sorongaio" shows the connection between the delicate guitar of Tapajos and the surprising experimental percussion of Pedro Dos Santos, with some flute touches (most likely played by Danilo Caymmi). A beautiful add-on to the much-hailed Pedro Dos Santos album Krishnanda (1968) in the collection of anyone with an interest in the most adventurous sounds of Brazil and also an essential work in the discography of Sebastião Tapajos.
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VAMPI 45072EP
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Many music fans will remember Jimmy Salcedo due to his wonderful work as arranger and producer with the duo Elia and Elizabeth. The celebrated anthology La Onda de Elia y Elizabeth (VAMPI 160CD/LP) made half the world aware of a handful of lost pearls in Latin America's underrated pop music history. Their delicate songwriting acquired, after his treatment, a special tropical aroma that even included the funk influences received by Salcedo at that time. Jimmy Salcedo (Barranquilla, Colombia) was a talented and charismatic musician from the bohemian and jazz scene in Bogotá. After touring some time with Los Be-Bops, his first band, he founded a new group, La Onda Tres. His increasing popularity boosted after conducting a TV show of musical and comedy content: El show de Jimmy. He released with his band, La Onda Tres, a few LPs and singles on Famoso, a Codiscos sublabel, that had a limited distribution, mainly in Colombia only. Here are two songs from the mid-70s that seem to have been conceived to round off a perfect dancefloor-oriented 45. "Maraguango" is an irresistible mix of Afro-Latin percussion and catchy tropical harmonies spiced up with Moog keyboard sounds, fuzz and wah-wah guitars and even touches of Hammond, in a psychedelic funk style. On the flip, "Moogambo" is an exhilarating Moog-driven instrumental with a heavy Afro-funk rhythm that could have easily been recorded by any of the many solid Afro-American bands following the teachings of James Brown, George Clinton, or The Meters at the time. This song has never been available on a single before. Both songs are reissued here for the first time, acknowledging the undisputed genius of Jimmy Salcedo.
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