Latin LPs
I use the Record Collector standard to grade my records – as below:
All media links are directly underneath each item in red – just hover your mouse over the link and when it turns blue click on it and it will take you directly to the YouTube page or my own soundfile / scan.
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Celia Cruz ‘Homenaje A Los Santos’ (Seeco / USA / 1960s / VG+/Ex) £40 £20
( Possibly this lady’s rarest 60s LP? Consistently goes high on the evil one so, maybe, yeah……..I know this gal’s voice ain’t to everybody’s taste but to my mind, she can’t put a foot wrong….please! This lady has forgotten more about music than mosta us will ever remember….’Baila Yemaya’ is the tune here – sneaky little Mambo builder from right outta the Cuban Premier League, my friend…check it..!! Stunning condition kids, sleeve clean and wax not far behind – mildly scuffed – but still a very high grader……”Top Gear” as they say… )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRDiN53KoFo
Eddie Drennon & BBS Unlimited ‘Do The Latin Hustle’ (Pye / UK / 1976 / VG+/M-) £25 £15
( This is EXTREMELY tricky to find…title track is one of THE original 12″ disco smashes, which goes for $100+ on ebay now. You get that version plus 7 other belting up-tempo Latin disco numbers here… and Esther Williams on vocals… all for a fraction of that price…..sleeve a little worn here and there but wax is very, very nice……quality LP… )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLDqbafS61M
The Gilberto Sextet ‘Yes, I Will’ (Tico / Japan / 1993 / M-/M-) £15 £8
( Unplayed Jap reissue from the early-90s – almost 20 years old itself now…quality Latin / Jazz / Boogaloo piece with loadsa good Club tracks: ‘El Barrio’ , ‘Mozambique’ , ‘Yes I Will pts 1 & 2’ etc etc – a stunner…amazing condition…….. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke2CoQumNQE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQd0wqrafno
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWiH0nMW2M0
Vince Guaraldi, Bola Sete and Friends ‘Vince Guaraldi, Bola Sete and Friends’ (Fantasy / USA / 1963 / VG+/Ex+) £10 £5
( First-timer for me…OG 1963 pressed copy here in wonderful shape: ‘Mambossa’ here is THE cut, guitar-led Bossa Nova from the heart of the Barrio – beautiful, beautiful cut…incredible condition after nearly 50 years on the planet…….. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42aMu2HkZkI
Irakere ‘Quince Minutos’ (Arieto / Cuba / 1970s / VG+/M-) £8 £4
( I’m confident that this LP is 99% unplayed so I hope you believe me…this man is a BIG hero in Cuba – no wonder – his musicianship and leadership skills are without question spanning a 40+ year career…best track for me was the funky Cuban tune ‘Ruta 43’ which had some tough percussion parts but the whole LP is well-worthy of your love so dive in…….minor sleeve ringwear, exquisite vinyl…no YT for this, sorry… )
Jose Mangual & Carlos ‘Patato’ Valdez ‘Understanding Latin Rhythms Vol 1’ (LPV (gatefold) / USA / 1974 / VG/Ex+) £10 £5
( Cool ‘Latin instruction’ piece from this highly-specialist label…bottom seam split to sleeve but otherwise ok, vinyl close to immaculate…some great tracks on here like ‘Mambo’ , ‘Son Montuno’ , ‘Bomba’ etc etc…loadsa isolated conga / bongo / percussion parts….. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H3KKQqPU-w
Herbie Mann ‘Latin Fever’ (Calendar / UK / 1960s / VG+/M-) £8 £4
( Seems rare? I can find out NOTHING about this release on the net so am gonna let it go cheap………Herbie NEVER disappoints and here we get several bangers: ‘Groovy Samba’ , ‘Influenza De Jazz’ , ‘Nana , ‘Nana Differente’ , ‘Fever’ and on and one and on…rare UK label and a lovely copy of a marvellous ‘Latin-Jazz’ LP….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8VdUhUlCNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeWwL0jyfqQ
Farrell Morris ‘Bits Of Percussion And Jazz’ (Audio Directions (gatefold) / USA / 1979 / M-/M-) £12 £6
( Unplayed copy of this educational LP from old master, Farrell – absolutely wonderful, jazzual and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out version of ‘The Lamp Is Low’ here which really is/was stunning…….immaculate condition….killer tune, trust me……….sorry, no YT for this… )
Orquestra Cubana De Musica Moderna ‘Que Linda Es Cuba’ (Barclay / France / 1972 / M-/M-) £10 £5
( Unplayed 1980s French reissue copy of the impossible-to-find Arieto Cuban original…….amazing LP really – beyond my powers of description…all I can say is that each and every tune here deserves to have a Guinness advert filmed in it’s honour..make sense? Hope so….monumental……immaculate condition too…off-the-clock…sorry, no YT for this… )
Tito Puente ‘Exitante Ritmo’ (Tico / USA / 1963 / VG+/VG) £15 £8
( ‘Cochise’ here is the LICK…sleeve is nice but the wax is kinda scuffy so half-priced….dnap as they say…….. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obq0EG5HIC8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl08jdKB_6E
Mongo Santamaria ‘Images’ (Vaya / France / 1980 / Ex+/M-) £8 £4
( Lovely copy of a rarely-offered LP…..I think this copy is unplayed…’One For All’ was a nice bopper here, as was ‘Pajaro Cantor’ thanks to some nicely detuned violin…’Mucho Mas’ and ‘Carnival’ also worthy of your love…nice LP – grab a bargain……..immaculate shape….can’t find any YT for this LP people... )
Stone Alliance ‘Con Amigos’ (PM / USA / 1977 / VG/M-) £15 £8
( Seam split on top – I’ll repair before shipping.….wax is immaculate……Steve Grossman thang with mucho talentos in the homey backing group, WD copy too….’Graciela’ is THE tune here for me – incessant, ranging Latin-Jazz with Steve’s tenor kicking down the doors from the git-go…GWAN………. )