Your Daily Song Fix

Lavoe blingin'

This is the first time audiences were introduced to Hector Lavoe on wax. Lavoe is a singing legend in Salsa music and he’s probably at his most ferocious throughout 1969’s Cosa Nuestra.  Lavoe’s voice pierces through Willie Colon’s busy arrangement and in doing so proves himself to be, El Sonero Mayor (loosely: the best singer).  Lavoe’s persona is an amalgam of Mick Jagger and Notorious B.I.G.  He had swagger to spare and proved it with technical prowess.  Enjoy.

SPN

Here’s a cool tune with Chick Corea on Piano and Jean-Luc Ponty on Violin. I think Stanley Clarke is on bass for this one.

From Brownout’s MySpace page:

If ever a band could boast having a complex genealogical tree, that band is Brownout. The eight-piece, Latin funk ensemble based in Austin, Texas, is both offspring and germinating seed to Grammy-nominated Grupo Fantasma. The latter in turn traces its roots to when Austin based Blue Noise Band and The Blimp, from booming border town of Laredo, Texas, converged in its conception.

Brownout may well be Grupo Fantasma’s psychedelic Latin funk little brother, an offshoot of the collective that regularly backs Prince, its latest incarnation, or even its alter ego. What they are not is the sprawling conjunto’s side project. Brownout has taken Grupo Fantasma’s funk roots and blown them up. In the process they’ve taken on a life and developed a unique sound all their own. Aguilas and Cobras, the group’s new album on Six Degrees Records (9/15/09), stands as testament to their one of a kind evolution…

Umoja is a band from Puerto Rico and that is about as much info as I can find on them. This song was recommended by a friend who had a digital copy of the tune. I haven’t been able to find this song or other tracks by Umoja anywhere on the web.

( @OjosdeBrujo ) Ojos de Brujo is Flamenco/Hip-Hop band from Barcelona Spain. “Mana” has more Flamenco and mid-eastern influences than hip-hop. Check out Saltanas De Merkaillo to hear an Ojos de Brujo song with a little more Hip-Hop influence. Shout out to Laini for the recommendation.

Most people have without a doubt heard the song “Vehicle” by Ides of March. It was a major U.S. hit in 1970 and was more recently seen on an advertising campaign by General Motors. Today a fellow musician sent over a Latin version of the song and it’s really good.

Ray Barretto was a Grammy winning Puerto Rican percussionist who played with many of the greats. His talent was sought after by Charlie Parker, Tito Puente, The Rolling Stones, and many more great acts. “Hijo de Obatala” translates as “Son of Obatala”. In the Yoruba religious system, Obatala is responsible for creating human bodies.