Announcing New Latin Blog

Hey all, just wanted to let y'all know I started a new all-Latin music blog which can be found here:

http://latinfunk.org/blog/

Check it out!

THIS SITE IS HEREBY ENDED. GO TO MUSCIA DEL ALMA

BELIZE FUNK : Soul Creations

Things are starting to feel like summer around here, so I'm back this week with some Central American heat perfect fr the occasion. The Soul Creations bring us an up-tempo nugget of deep funk straight out of Belize. A part of me thinks this massive tune could have originated in the Midwest USA, as it sounds like quite straight-up funk to me. As part 2 hits, though, I can almost imagine the vocalist wiping the sweat from his brow on a hot and humid tropical day as he lets out his frequent "yeeaaaaahhh's."



Soul Creations : "Funky Jive pt 1" & "Funky Jive pt 2"
(C.E.S. 7", Belize)

Pantaleon Perez Prado

Hot shit this week, folks. I first heard this track on an amazing b-beat mix by DJ Lean Rock outta boston. After months of frantically searching for it, the original Italian issue of this b-boy beast is finally in my clutches.

The Perez Prado here is not the same as the king of the mambo, the Mexican-based Damaso Perez Prado whose records you can find in any thrift store. Pantaleon Perez Prado, featured here, is his younger brother and recorded music almost exclusively in Europe. Despite the fact that both brothers share the same middle name of "Perez," and thus both have legal right to use it as recording artists, it's clear who was riding on whose coat-tails (check the hair style if you're still not convinced).

Name confusion and sibling rivalries aside, "Circle" clocks in at just over two minutes and change, but packs a serious punch throughout. To my ears this is the perfect interplay between drums, bass, guitar, and horns. Now where's my double at???

Enjoy the heat!

Orchestra di Perez Prado: "Circle"
From UniFunk 7" (Italy, 197?)

OR Download from zSHARE HERE (recommended for visitors in Asia).
Ripped @ 320.

Some Quick Bollywood Action

This post is looooooong overdue. My homie Arjuna hooked me up with a few nice Bollywood joints after his trip to India a while back. He apparently found a largely untouched record store with all the classic Bollywood soundtracks on vinyl including some unknowns in there as well. Upon returning with his instant collection, he made an amazing b-boy styled mix called SHITALA (see below) that was recently featured on the Wax Poetics website alongside the full story of his record-digging triumphs. Today I'm posting a full track off of one of the best in his haul, the OST of Do Ustad. It wasn't created by Bollywood heavyweights R.D. Burman or Kalyanji Anandji, but rather Bappi Lahiri, whom I'd never heard the slightest mention of before. Needles to say, this track smashes shit up. Please take a listen below.
Check out the full article on Wax Poetics online here.


Bappi Lahiri- "Pyar Main Jeena Pyar Mein Marna"
From the Do Ustad Original Soundtrack (Polydor, 1981)

Or download from zShare here.

If you like the above track, be sure to cop my friend's new mix of strictly the best bollywood funk and disco out there. Details:

Cop the mix CD at: TURNTABLE LAB or DUSTY GROOVE

Be Thankful

Simply put, this 45 is one of the finest pieces of Reggae Soul I've ever heard. Covering William DeVaughn's soul masterpiece "Be Thankful (For What You Got)", Donovan Carless (actually Don Carlos under alias) drops a "Third World" version on us quite unlike anything else. Unknown to many out there (or maybe just me until I found it!), this 45 has an instrumental version where the band (and producer) get loose over the track. I've combined both tracks into one for your enjoyment/ prolonged thanksgiving!


Donovan Carless- "Be Thankful (For What You Got)"
From the Giant 7"