Snowboy presents... Essential Cuban, Brazilian Hard Bop + Fusion

barabarasounds sez:

Folks over in the UK will know a lot more than me about Snowboy and this album. What I do know is that when he came through Tokyo — it was around the time this album came out — he destroyed the dance floor. The title says it all: a seamless blend of classic and contemporary, jazz and cubano and latin jazz, the insistent rhythms of Rio and Bahia, and even some afrobeat. Needless to say, it's a banger from start to finish!

As a DJ and percussionist, Snowboy's jazz-dance nights in the nineties and noughties are now legendary — as documented in his 2009 book, "From Jazz Funk & Fusion To Acid Jazz: The History Of The UK Jazz Dance Scene" — available here...

an amazon reviewer sez:

I bought this album on a whim,within 20 minutes I was hooked.The brilliant Snowboy has compiled a real foot tapping,hip swinging,sounds of sunny days in Havana type piece. From the flute, bass and piano-driven "(Used to be a) Cha-Cha" to the big-band0era feel of "La Habana Sol"… superb jazz for the soul!!

discogs sez:

As DJ, producer, percussionist and band leader (The Latin Seeds), Snowboy has been spreading the word of Afro-Cuban Jazz for over three decades… He began as a DJ in the 1970's, also learning percussion… He also ran the Hi-Hat Jazz-Dance Club at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town, London, which has been a cornerstone of the jazz dance scene surviving all other club fads... Considered as one of the most knowledgeable jazz dance DJ's worldwide, he has even showcased UK jazz dance music and dancing, with a troupe of dancers, at Yale University in the USA in 2009.

NME sed (6/30/01):

"...This is mad, effervescent Latin jazz fusion to dance to... filling a tiny weird niche brilliantly…"

There's a good review of Snowboy's book here in Mondomix…

And plenty more on his own web site...

Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino - Concepts in Unity

barabara sounds sez:

Infectious. Brilliant. A classic. Probably the greatest latin/salsa album of all time. Don't believe me? Ask those in the know...

descarga.com sez:

An absolute classic, virtually impossible to find in its original double LP format (both LPs make up this single CD). Some consider these sessions, which are some of the finest examples of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican artistry, to be the embryo of Conjunto Libre. Manny Oquendo, Andy and Jerry Gonzalez, all Libre veterans, are central to this production... It's thrilling, it's lovely, and it's a must-have.

This is an absolute must. This 1975 release is important in many ways. It was the first Latin recording ever to be reviewed by 'Down Beat' magazine (the #1 jazz periodical), which thus recognized the music as an art form to be taken seriously. It also showcased the reaffirmation of a group of New York based Latino musicians to preserving the deep roots of the culture. We also get to hear the embryonic beginnings of the careers of Manny Oquendo & Libre, Dave Valentin, Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band, as well as folk legends like 'Chocolate' and the late Virgilio Marti. Produced by the ubiquitous Rene Lopez and Andy Kaufman, this recording oozes soul and sabor. " (Bobby Sanabria 98/99 Catalog)

amazon sez:

The legendary Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino was composed of the finest New York Puerto Rican & Cuban musicians, who combined their own traditional music with the Latin sounds heard on the streets of New York City.

dusty sez:

A landmark set of highly percussive tracks! Back in the mid-70's, when Salsoul was still recording Latin music and not disco, they put out this great double album of traditional Latin percussion playing by the new revivalist Grupo Folklorico, which featured Virgilo Marti and other great New York Latin percussion players of the time. The album's a totally stripped-down mix of tracks that manages to swing all the way through — grooving in mode that has lots of the descarga touches of the 60s scene, and the mix of traditional and newer styles of the 70s years. This CD includes all the tracks from the double album, including "Cuba Linda", "Choco's Guajira", "A Papa Y Mama", and "Adelaida".

GRUPO FOLKLORICO y EXPERIMENTAL NUEVAYORQUINO are:

Andy Gonzalez bass and leader; Manny Oquendo timbales, bongos and percussion: Jerry Gonzalez trumpet and percussion; Gene Golden congas, bata drums and percussion; Nelson Gonzalez tres; Oscar Hernandez piano; Eddy Zervigon flute; Jorge Luis Maldonado vocals; Pedro “Pedrito” Martinez vocals, bata drums and percussion; Reynaldo Jorge trombone; Eddie Venegas trombone and violin; Abraham Rodriguez vocals, bata drums and percussion; Tony Rosa congas, bata drums and percussion; Guido Gonzalez trumpet; plus surprise guests.

Song titles:

Cuba Linda; Choco's Guajira; Anabacoa; Adelaida; Luz Delja; Carmen La Ronca; Canto Asoyin; Canto Ebioso; A Papa Y Mama; Iya Modupue