November 24 - Show #35

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Mambo Inn – Mario Bauzá, Paquito D’Rivera & Jorge Dalto – Afro-Cuban Jazz – Yemayá Records

Afro mood – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

Martínez blues – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

Qué sera, Sweetie – Willis Jackson – Boss Shoutin’ – Prestige

Cabato – Wild Bill Davis – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Soul sauce – Cal Tjader – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

New York Soul – Ray Barretto – Latin Soul Man – Fania

Hit the bongo – Tito Puente – Can You Dig It? Thrilling Rare Grooves from Jazz to Soul’n’Brazil to Boogaloo – Brown Sugar Records

Batman’s boogaloo – Bobby Valentín – The Rough Guide to Boogaloo-Latin Dance with NY Attitude – World Music Network/Rough Guide

I like it like that – Cosa Nostra – Cosa Nostra – RAFF/World Psychedelia Ltd.

The meditation – The TNT Band – Playtime-Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hi&Fly Records

Tin Marin – Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz – Playtime-Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hi&Fly Records

Menina feia – Herbie Mann & Sergio Mendes Bossa Nova Rio Group – Do The Bossa Nova – Atlantic

Mas que nada – Oscar Peterson – Soul Español – Verve

Summer samba – Dizzy Gillespie – Melody Lingers On – Verve

Aula de matemática – Oscar Castro-Neves & Paul Winter – Brazilian Days – Earth Music

Manuel, o audaz – Toninho Horta – As The World Turns – World Pacific Records

Samba diferente – Sexteto Electrónico Moderno – Sounds from the Elegant World – Vampisoul

Muere pequeña bestia – Sexteto Electrónico Moderno – Sounds from the Elegant World – Vampisoul

Todo el mundo me persigue – Jaime Delgado Aparicio – El Embajador y Yo Original Movie Soundtrack –Vampisoul

Sexy surf – Jaime Delgado Aparicio – El Embajador y Yo Original Movie Soundtrack – Vampisoul

A starlett for you – Andre Luterau – The Mood Mosaic 7 “the new shapes of sound” – Partners in crime

Dedicated to love – Manfred Hübler & Siegfrid Schwab – Vampyros Lesbos Original Movie Soundtrack – Crippled Dick Hot Wax!


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul has paid close attention to the work released in 1979 under the name “Just like magic”, where great artists from the Latin jazz scene put together a must in Afro-Cuban tradition.




The year is 1979 and the label Latin Percussion Inc. releases “Just Like Magic”. The power of three great percussionists of the scene, Tito Puente, Carlos ´Patato´ Valdés, and Johny Rodríguez Jr., accompanied by Steve Berrios on drums, Eddie Martínez at the piano, René López on trumpet, and Sal Cuevas on bass. Thirty nine minutes of Afro-Cuban musical tradition at its best. This is an album where percussion virtuosity leads the whole picture, in a rich dialogue with piano or vibes and marimba at times. Opening track “The opener”, as the names goes, sets the tone for the steady rhytmical pace coming along. Especially good take on fourth track, “Afro mood”, which is indeed a great piano and percussion Latin jazz piece. The same could said for “Bernie´s tune”. “Baila guajira” has vocals by Nancy O'Neill and Jeanette Rodríguez, who also takes part in a more experimental approach as in the tune “Latin funk”. The album ends with the theme “Tito & Patato”, which is both congaleros back to back on raw drumming the timbales and congas for a remarkable coda to an album delivering energy all over the place.

November 17 - Show #34

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

It’s not what you say – Louie Ramírez – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Cookin’ with A&J – J. Rodríguez and A. René Orchestra – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

The Oracle – Sabu Martínez & Louie Ramírez – Jazz Espagnole – Vampisoul

Rush hour in Hong Kong – Louie Ramírez – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Vitamina – Kako’s New York After Hour Orchestra – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Yeh!, Yeh! – Mongo Santamaría – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

I’m on my way – Cándido – Beautiful – Blue Note

Grazing in the grass – Willie Bobo – Compilation Talkin’ Verve – Verve

Los desperados – Gato Barbieri – Caliente! – A&M Records

El arriero – Gato Barbieri – Fénix – Flying Dutchman/BMG France

Take me to Aruanda – Kristina –Offshore Echoes – Patois Records

Makes this city ours tonight – Sarah Vaughan with Milton Nascimento – Brazilian Romance – CBS

Samba de Orly – Miguel de León – Postcards from Rio – Self-produced: migueldeleon.net

Follow the moon – Thomas Clausen Brazilian Quartet – Stunt Records

Q.T.P. – Raynald Colom - #Sketches Of Groove# - Fresh Sound Records

El anillo (Chibulí) – Juan Peña el Lebrijano with Orquesta Andalusí de Tánger – Encuentros – Ariola

Sombras – Concha Buika y Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Tangos del fuego – Chano Domínguez – NFS New Flamenco Sound – Verve/Universal

Esta gitana – Bernarda y Fernanda de Utrera – Ritmo En La Sangre – Hispavox -- In memory of Flamenco singer Bernarda de Utrera, passed away last week.


Highlights of the show:

You may have probably noticed the cool Latin Soul distinctive and catchy theme tune. Every Tuesday at nine and a few minutes pm, the piano ding-dang-dong stroke notes and the accompanying vibes open the show for a whole new musical adventure. Tonight, more tracks from the album containing “Chin chon chow”, the show theme, have been aired to learn more on Louie Ramírez's musician, arranger, and composer abilities.



“Louie's Grooves - Latin soul, jazz & boogaloo from Louie Ramírez” is a compilation released by the Madrid, Spain based label Vampisoul in 2005. It contains themes composed and arranged through Mr. Ramírez career and others where he takes part just as musician. Born in NY City, he had a gift for music and so he collaborated with everybody in the Latin musical scene since he started in late 50's with Joe Loco's band and from then on making his own spot and being appreciated as great vibraphonist and better composer and producer for the good of Latin jazz and soul musical scene in the US. Partnerships with Charlie Palmieri, Joe Cuba, and Sabu Martínez among many others until he died in 1993 at the age of 55. However, he didn't release many albums under his own name. So, this album here presented aims to cover that gap. The information from the CD sleeve shows some collaborations with Puerto Rican/NYC singer Jimmy Sabater that go from very soul like as in “Times are changin'” to more salsa inspired as in “La flauta” or “Yroco”. Tunes dealing with vibraphone instrumentation by Mr. Ramírez himself are found in tunes “Chin chon chow”, “Rush hour in Hong Kong”, “Sid's groove”, “Barrio nuevo”, and “I dig rhythm” where vibes in a steady pace a la minimalist turn those ones in hypnotic tunes. Great descargas are also found in the tracks signed with Charlie Palmieri like “Luisito Mozambique” and “Fat papa's descarga”. Among those great tunes are also remarkable the two signed with J. Rodríguez & A. René Orchestra, “Cookin' with A&J” and “Descarga A&J”, which lie in the descarga and latin soul territories. From Sabu's “Jazz Espagnole” album, we find the song “The oracle”, with Dizzie Gillespie's trumpet, and the production of Mr. Ramírez, so we learn he has played all positions in the field. A great album aiming to portrait some ten years (the 60's-70's era) of his four decade prolific career. Definitively an asset to get into Latin jazz and soul influences and just let be carried away and enjoy.

November 10 - Show #33

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Woody’n you – Sabu & Dizzy Gillespie – Jazz Espagnole – Vampisoul

Manteca – Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra – Afro – Verve

Zambia – Mario Bauzá – Messidor’s Finest Volume One – Messidor

Tanga – Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra – The Original Mambo Kings-An introduction to Afro-Cubop 1948-1954 – Verve

Mambo caliente – Arturo Sandoval – The Mambo Kings Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Elektra/Warner

The anything can happen mambo – Xavier Cugat with Abbe Lane – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony

Baby – Dave Pike and His Orchestra – Manhattan Latin – DECCA

Polly’s delight – Juan Amalbert’s Latin Jazz Quintet – Hot Sauce – Prestige

Los bandidos – Cal Tjader – Along Comes Cal – Verve

Work song – Vince Guaraldi – The Latin Side Of – Fantasy Records/OJC

El toro – Gabor Szabo – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Cabato – Buck Clarke Sound – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Aguanile – Irakere – The Best Of – Sony

Modo cubano – Paquito D’Rivera & The United Nation Orchestra – A Night In Englewood –Messidor

Rhapsody in blue – Chucho Valdés – Briyumba Palo Congo-Religion of the Congo – Blue Note

Se me hizo fácil – Concha Buika con Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Luz de luna – Concha Buika con Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Me embrujaste – Martirio & Chano Domínguez – Acoplados – RTVE Música


Highlights of the show:
Latin Soul aired tonight the latest album by Concha Buika, accompanied by Chucho Valdés at the piano. Together with this, another Chucho Valdés tune has been a great moment in the show tonight.



“El último trago” is an album made to let a crossover happen between two styles of two great professionals of music today: Concha Buika and Chucho Valdés. She is the last sensation of new flamenco in Spain today despite her short career, or at least the few released albums she has. She has had a singing career, though, as long as she can remember. She brings together musical and ethnic traditions apart in a beginning. Of African origin -born and raised in Mallorca, Spain from family native to the old Spain colony of Equatorial Guinea- she has fusioned her African roots with Flamenco, the musical expression of the Gypsy people in Spain. Her hoarse voice is here accompanied by the crystalline piano sound of Chucho Valdés, the renowned Afro-Cuban pianist, main world figure of Latin jazz nowadays. Out of this duo, this album inevitably would be bringing together an exploration of copla (traditional popular song in steady verses and stanzas in Spain), bolero, vocal jazz flamenco like. An overall lineup of genres joined under Ms. Buika versatility singing style reviewing popular and well famed compositions as 'En el último trago', 'Se me hizo fácil', 'Un mundo raro', 'El andariego', and so all the songs in the album could follow. Not a bad song at all, and a great sequencing of them, makes this album a top notch of Latin international piano jazz vocals.



“Briyumba Palo Congo-Religion of the Congo” is Chucho Valdés 1999 album released by Blue Note. A landmark figure in Latin jazz musical scene whose career officially started back in 1967 when he formed the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna. Later, in 1972 he founded the renowned Latin jazz and soul cutting-edge band Irakere, being awarded a Grammy in 1979. Mr. Valdés, though, has probably been always joined to music, especially to piano, the instrument he can be considered a virtuoso of: Chucho Valdés is son of Bebo Valdés, the famed piano player and former director of Tropicana, the legendary night club in Havana, Cuba. It´s very likely that Chucho Valdés career started when he started as long as he can remember. After leading Irakere for around ten years, he started a remarkable solo career at times, or with his band Crisol, or with collaborations with Roy Hargrove. This album here commented is a gem of Latin jazz and it is truly recommended if you dig the crossover between piano jazz and Afro-Cuban sounds. From beginning to end you are going to feel a constant uptempo pace in the tunes exploring traditional spiritual Cuban tunes thanks to the three percussionist backing his know-how on piano. In contrast, you will enjoy jazz ballads where Mr. Valdés pays tribute to Duke Ellington and George Gershwin as in the themes 'Caravan', 'Embraceable you', or 'Rhapsody in blue', which is given a wonderful Afro-Cuban jazz rendition. As said above, a truly gem of Latin jazz heavily supported by the raw percussion of Afro-Cuban traditional music.

November 3 - Show #32

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Who’s got the bread? – Mongo Santamaría – Olé Ola – Concord Picante

A night in Tunisia – Hilton Ruiz – Live at Birdland – Candid

Mira Flores – Eddie Palmieri – Listen here! – Concord Music

Take five – Tito Puente – Mambo Diablo – Concord Picante

A deeper shade of soul – Ray Barretto – Acid – Fania

Soul limbo – Cándido Camero – Thousand Finger Man – Blue Note

Mambo jambo – Xavier Cugat – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony Music

Rhapsodia del maravilloso – Sabu – Palo Congo – Blue Note

Choferito plena – Marc Ribot y los Cubanos Postizos – The Prosthetic Cubans – Atlantic

Mellow mood – Wes Montgomery – Verve Silver Collection – Verve

Comes love – Darden Purcell – Easy living – Armored Records

My romance – Pilar de la Hoz – Jazz con Sabor Peruano – Jaguar Music Records

Chega de saudade (No more blues) – Carmen Lamarque – Live in Lima – Self-produced: carmenlamarque.com

Who Needs Forever? – Thievery Corporation Remix-Astrud Gilberto – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul highlights, among the so many great tunes from tonight, an album devoted to the Cándido Camero percussion expertise, filled up with soul and crazy congas and bongos upbeat rhythms.


The legendary label Blue Note made possible for the no less legendary percussionist Cándido Camero to have a large ensemble to back up the evolutions of Cándido on congas and bongos in this 1969 album “Thousand Finger man”. A renowned and ubiquitous percussionist in many of the Latin albums produced around the Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban, or soul scene in the States during the second half of the XXth century, here explores the upbeat funky Latin soul sound paths. Backed up with a heavy and soulful horn section and a playful Frank Anderson at the organ, a la Jimmy Smith, the album is a fully very enjoyable instrumental, that has lied far from the expectations and favor of more Cándido purists. Including a great rendition to 'Soul limbo', it stands a good sample of upbeat Latin soul.