Orquesta Hermanos Flores "La Bala"

So, I found this album at the Goodwill I mentioned in my last post. Orquesta Hermanos Flores are from El Salvador and have a great sound. For me, it is all about the keyboards with this album that just cause me to smile and lean back every time they jump out of the mix. I'm going to take a cue from The Record Brother and post an entire album this time. The big highlights in the album are the covers. Although they're not Joe Cocker, Orquesta Hermanos Flores stay pretty true to Dave Mason's "Feelin Alright" except for the translation which becomes "Estoy En Onda." Their second cover, according to the liner notes is Jesse James's "The Mule" which is entitled "La Mula." I've read elsewhere on the internets that "The Mule" was written by Jesse Green. Either way, I haven't heard the original, but would definitely be interested in checking it out because this version is a burner! This track is so fast and break laden that I can easily picture the b-boys in El Salvador losing their shit over it. The rest of the tracks paint a picture of a El Salvadorean party circa 1967. They switch from Ranchera type jams like "El Estudiante" and "Que Ojos" to keyboard driven mod freakouts like "Jovenes Amantes" and "Solo Amor." I hope you enjoy.

1.La Turista
2.Jovenes Amantes
3.El Estudiante
4.La Bala
5.Que Ojos
6.Solo Amor
7.Estoy En Onda
8.Alfombra Magica
9.Viejo Cerros
10.La Mula

Pete Rodriguez on Alegre

Here are a few tracks from Pete Rodriguez's "Latin Soul Man" on Alegre records, Tico's competition. Pretty good boogaloo. There was about a month when these amazing Latin LPs kept popping up at this one Goodwill I frequent. It was amazing (Obviously! I've said it twice). Unfortunately, it hasn't happened again in a while, but that doesn't stop me from going there hoping to come up again.


"Me"? by Pete Rodriguez from Latin Soul Man
Juana by Pete Rodriguez from Latin Soul Man
Maloja by Pete Rodriguez from Latin Soul Man

Eddie Palmieri and Tico

Hello folks! The title of my post said Charlie Palmieri for almost a week when I didn't even mention the dude! And, no one said a thing! Is anyone reading this?
So, continuing with the Tico records thing I'll post a couple of tracks from Eddie Palmieri. First is a track from the album "Justicia" called "Everything is Everything". Definitely a soul influenced track and I really enjoy his little rap about justice in the middle. I've got to apologize for the noise on this album. It's pretty beat. I have such a hard time buying albums that I know are relatively good, rare, or interesting, but are in bad shape. I should just do a post of good albums in VG- and below condition. I'm sure you'd all love to download a bunch of mp3s ripped from scratched up records. Anyway the other track is taken from a live album called "Eddie's Concerto". This one was recorded in 1976. Amazingly he stays away from the disco sound that so many Latin artists started to cop in the mid 70's. Sorry, no Harlem River Drive for y'all. I haven't come across it just yet. Feel free to send me a copy as a way of saying "Thanks for all the mp3s!"

Everything is Everything by Eddie Palmieri from Justicia
Tema de Apollo by Eddie Palmieri from Eddie's Concerto

Joe Cuba Tico Records

I think I'm going to make a few posts about my Latin record collection. One of the first Latin artists I started to collect was Joe Cuba. I'd heard his song "El Pito" and was totally blown away by the energy. The song just keeps going and going. He's got that same energy going with "Bang, Bang" too, especially when it fades out and comes back in (I always forget about that stupid fade when I'm spinning the record out). Both of these tracks are good examples of boogaloo, in fact "Bang, Bang" has the honor of being the most popular boogaloo track ever. Both of these tracks are fairly easy to come by and are fairly affordable, especially when compared to albums on Fania. There are some great records on Tico and I try to pick them up whenever I come across them. You can read more about the record label here and see some great album covers for Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Ray Barreto to just name a few.
 
I'm also posting a third track by Joe Cuba which is taken from his self-titled album on Embajador records. It's much earlier than the two boogaloo tracks and has much more of a cha cha cha/mambo feel to it, but you can sense the R&B/soul tinges that are creeping their way into his music.

El Pito by The Joe Cuba Sextet from Estamos Haciendo Algo Bien!
Bang Bang by The Joe Cuba Sextet from Bang! Bang! Push! Push!
Bochinosa by Joe Cuba from Joe Cuba on Embajador Records

The Doors of Perception

I just picked these two records up and figured I could talk about them because they are very loosely related. The first record is a double set of an interview done with Aldous Huxley. He covers all sorts of topics including religion, philosophy, other authors, the supernautral and of course drugs which I included here. Huxley wrote a book about his experience with LSD mescaline called the "The Doors of Perception." This book is what supposedly influenced Jim Morrison and the Gang to call themselves "The Doors." Their hit "Light My Fire" has been covered by all sorts of folks as can be seen here.Along with the Aldous Huxley recording, I picked up a copy of "Just a Melody" by Young-Holt Unlimited which includes a version of the Doors' classic. Young-Holt Unlimited are one of those groups that I always pick up if I find them for a decent price. They're probably best known for their track "Soulfult Strut" which I believe has been on a bunch of commercials. I'm also including the track "Young and Holtful" because I found myself dancing to it today. I'm pretty sure they were trying to cash in on the success of "Soulful Strut" with this one because it's definitely got the same sound but different feeling thing going on. It may just sound that way to me because it's been in comercials too. Why the hell am I posting mp3s of songs from commercials on the internet?

Aldous Huxley on Drugs from Aldous Huxley Speaking Personally
Light My Fire by Young Holt Unlimited from Just a Melody
Young and Holtful by Young Holt Unlimited from Just a Melody

This is the Future

Happy New Years. I woke up with my head hurting, but I've been drinking mimosas all day and that seems to have helped. New Years is a time when everybody kind of looks forward to the new year so I figured I'd share these two tracks that concern the future (back in 1973 and 1978 respectively) First track is a cover of the 2001: A Space Oddesey theme which is actually "Thus Spoke Zarasthustra" which was composed by Johann Strauss. Lots of people have heard the Deodato version that was featured in the Peter Sellers film "Being There." I believe that version was the record label CTI's biggest seller and actually made it on the charts. Well, this version is taken from an album of covers from movie soundtracks by the Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds. Nice break in the middle of this one.

Next is a disco-fied version of the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" taken from an unofficial soundtrack of the film on the Pickwick label. I love this track and album mostly because it was one of the first records I ever owned. I remember my mom buying the album for me from a Thriftys drugstore back in day. I even used to know how to play the theme on the piano. Besides you can't beat science fiction disco.

I have an idea for a New Years resolution for all of you out there. Leave some comments!
2001 by The Cecil Holmes Soulful Sounds from The Black Motion Picture Experience

Theme from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind from Music from Close Encounters of the Third Kind