Fab-E "Hasta la musica, siempre!"

Laid Back's latin specialist delivers his second set ...

Los Angeles Negros: "Historia de un amor" (International Records, 1976)

The LAN is a Chilean band from the end-60s-70s which became famous in the whole Latin America mainly for its incredible "love-songs" and its legendary organ riffs. The band's name is coming from a legend saying that during a stormy night, a ray felt on a large tree and burned it, it left a form that the first people who saw it called the black angel (Los Angeles Negro). There must be as many versions of the song "Historia de un amor" as there're Latin bands singing love songs. But the LAN version is by far the best one I've heard ! If you enjoyed it, check out their "Bolerisimo" Album!

Danny Rivera: "Extraño todo que era mio" (Velvet)

Danny Rivera is a Puerto Rican singer from the 60's-70's singing mainly "love-songs" in Spanish. He started his career in the Cesar Concepcion orchestra, a famous Puerto Rican trumpetist. Then he did a solo career to become one of the most famous Puerto Rican singers ever, known in all Spanish-speaking countries. The lyrics of his songs are in general as good as their melodies. This song is taken from his great album "Mi Hijo", which includes some pretty good beats!

Lalo: "All the things you are" (Tico)

Another adaptation of this song that I guess everybody knows, by pianist Lalo. So, I don't think it does need further explanation.

Duo Inter: "Beggin" (Vampisoul)

This song is taken from the double LP "Sensacional soul" from the (great) "Vampi Soul" label. It's a best of Spanish soul and funk from the 60's and early 70's. Duo Inter only recorded a couple of single in the late sixties. I guess you will get mad when listening to this crazy song.

New Swing Sextet: "Mira Mama" (Cotique)

The NSS is a late 60's Latin band from East Harlem, made up of 6 young men, musicians and vocalists and of three young women singers. Most of them are coming from Puerto-Rico: Pete Ortiz, lead vocalist and percussionist; Aurelio "Yeyo" Salgado, pianist and percussionist; Edward Muñiz plays timbales and percussions and Luis Quiñones is the guitarist and bassist. The two other guys are from NYC: Bongo and conga drummer Henri "Pachi" Algavian and George Rodriguez who is the leader of the group, vibist and English vocalist. The NSS made its professional debut performing in the Singer Bowl at the last New York Worlds Fair in 1965. The band has been a popular and innovative exponent of Latin jazz, salsa and pop music for nearly four decades. The original NSS broke up in the late seventies after successfully recording, touring and doing all the hot club dates that the New York metropolitan area had to offer. In recent years most of the group's core members have reunited and have notably been performing with Mambo Negro.

Los Paraguayos: "Me voy pa'l pueblo" (Philips)

As you can guess, Los Paraguayos is a Paraguayan band which did a lot of adaptations of famous Latin songs. This song, taken from a 'Philips' promotional LP, is quite famous in Spanish-speaking countries. This version is quite cheesy but I love it!

The Lat Teens: "Smoke shop" (Cotique)

As you can guess by their name, the Lat-Teens is a band composed of young US Latino-American singing both in Spanish and in English. I guess you know what the song "Smoke shop" is all about! You can also listen to their "Marry Wanna" song which is just as good and crazy as this one. Actually, the whole "Buena Gente" album is quite amazing with perfect Latin songs to keep you dancing and enjoying. Quite a lot of groovy records on Cotique.

The terrible Frankie Nieves: "Mi Guajira" (Speed Records)

One of the many young Latin bands from the Barrio (East Harlem) in the 60's/70's. I have to admit that I don't know so much on this band except that their album (terrible Frankie Nieves) is a top one for the boogaloo's fans.

Monguito Santamaria: "Monguito's theme" (Fania)

Pianist Monguito Santamaria recorded a series of LPs for Fania during the late '60s and early '70s that earned notice for their bass-heavy grooves and anthemic status for Latin soul fans. He's the son of Afro-Cuban conga hero Mongo Santamaria and grew up in New York surrounded by music, especially while Mongo played in Tito Puente's orchestra during the '50s. He also studied music and made a few recordings while at Brooklyn College. Name recognition undoubtedly helped him get a contract with Fania, but his late-'60s LPs, "Hey Sister" and "Black Out", are considered as some of the best in the Latin soul style sweeping the scene during that era. Still, he released only one more LP, 1974's "En Una Nota!" This song is taken from his "Hey Sister" album.

Pete Terrace: "Zee Pee" (Mio International)

Born in NYC in 1926 to Puerto Rican parents, he started in music in 1940. His first job was with El Sexteto Caney, then followed stints with the Sensemaya Kids, Jose Curbelo, Ralph Font, Noro Morales, and Juanito Sanabria. In 1947 he drummed for Bartolo Hernandez before joining the Joe Loco Quintet in 1952. His debut as a bandleader in 1956 resulted in a hit LP. He graduated from Juilliard Conservatory of Music with a B.S. in 1966.

Juan Amalbert's Latin Jazz Quintet: "Summertime" (True Sound)

Juan Amalbert is the leader of this LJQ and the conga drummer. The bassist of the group is Bill Elington, related to Duke, played in various bands while the LJQ was lying dormant at its beginning but he returned when the group started to be play regularly. LJQ is also composed of alto-saxophonist Bobby Capers, pianists Artie Jenkins and Jose Ricci, drummer Phil Newsum and Willie Coleman at vibes. This song is an adaptation of George Gershwin's Summertime in which most of the rhythmic change.

Armando Peraza: "Wild Thing" (Skye)

Armando Peraza learned conga and bongo in Havana where he's born. Peraza came to the US (San Francisco) in the late 40's and joined first the local "Slim Gaillard"'s band before playing in the Dave Burbeck's early group where he notably played with famous Cal Tjader. They will continue to play together in the George Shearing's group but while Tjader will leave it rapidly to form his own band, Peraza will stay 11 years in this group before joining the…Cal Tjader band. On the "Wild Thing" album, Peraza plays notably with Johnny Pacheco (flute), Bobby Rodriguez (Bass), pianists Mike Abene and Chick Correa, percussionist Tommy Lopez and Cal Tjader.

T. Misago and his Tokyo Cuban Band: "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas" (EMI)

Also a famous Spanish songs with many different versions. Maybe you know the song "Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps": it's that one! The original song is a Cuban bolero of Osvaldo Farres written in 1947. The most famous adaptation is the one of Nate King Cole who sang it in Spanish and who translated it into English in 1958. This one is an instrumental version, quite rhythmic.

Los Condes: "Tanto Adios" (Gramusic)

Los Condes is a Chilean band from the 70's. This song is an adaptation of Orlando Salinas original song and is taken from the LP "Exitos Sudamericanos" including mainly adaptations of great traditional Latin songs. The Los Angeles Negros also made a great and quite different (less traditional) adaptation of this song.

Haciendo punto en otro son: "Verde luz" (Artomax, 1976)

Haciendo Punto en Otro Son is a Nueva Trova (a movement in Cuban music that emerged in the mid-1960s combining traditional folk music idioms with progressive and often politicized lyrics. Though originally and still largely Cuban, it'is popular across Latin America, especially in Puerto Rico and Venezuela.) band from Puerto Rico, founded in 1975. Band members included Tony Croatto, Silverio Pérez, Josy LaTorre, Irvin García, Nano Cabrera, Ivan Gonzalez, Jorge Arce, Jose Vega and many others. Haciendo Punto's repertoire (14 albums!) has being sung by generations and it has become part of the Puerto Rican folklore. The original quintet recorded the first two albums. Tony Croatto and Nano Cabrera departed the group to form their own band which focuses on folklore and not "Nueva Trova". The third album was a huge success. Since the forth album, Silverio Perez was the only member left from the original group. Bassist and producer Ivan Gonzalez Aulet lead the group from the fourth to the ninth album, "Punto Final" (March, 1986). "Verde Luz" is a song written by Antonio Caban Vale and has become a virtual second national anthem for Puerto Rico. It's taken from their first, self titled and most famous album.