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Wednesday October 19 2011, 08:55:00 AM | Posted by FaniaDigital
The years between the late '60s and the mid-'70s were a very special time for the neighborhood of New York known as the Spanish Harlem, or El Barrio. A new generation of American musicians, most of them of Puerto Rican origin, were influenced by rock, psychedelia, funk, disco, r&b and the tropical formats of the Spanish speaking Caribbean. It was an exciting time for music, and El Barrio was fertile ground for the creation of a new sound: salsa, boogaloo and Latin Soul exploded like a shooting star.
Celebrating an era of unparalleled creativity for Latin music, Fania is releasing a box set of 4 CDs exploring the many shades and colors of El Barrio. The discs explore the development of salsa, boogaloo, Latin funk, soul and disco. All include a seductive combination of major hits with rare gems, as well as extensive liner notes written by Fania experts.
The Latin Funk collection showcases the funky experiments of such notable salsa artists as Ray Barretto, Panamanian vocalist Azuquita and supergroup Fania All Stars - complemented by tasty tracks by lesser known bands like Seguida, Café and TNT Boys. Latin Disco is the more genre-specific of the discs, with lushly orchestrated dancefloor scorchers by Orquesta Novel and Louie Ramírez. Bad Boogaloo takes you back to the era of raucous Latin Soul and swanky shing-a-ling: even La Lupe, Joe Cuba and Bobby Valentín experimented with the format. Subtitled Gangsters, Latin Soul & The Birth of Salsa, the fourth disc in the set demonstrates the stylistic richness of the time, from the velvety Latin jazz of Eddie Palmieri's "Chocolate Ice Cream" to Roberto Roena's devastating fusion of salsa with funk on "Que Se Sepa."
An amazing set, ideal for dancers and collectors alike.
Click here to buy El Barrio on CD or as a Digital Download today »
Tuesday August 23 2011, 10:11:00 AM | Posted by FaniaDigital
40 years ago, on the evening of August 26th, the Fania All-Stars emerged onstage at the legendary Cheetah club in New York and proceeded to single-handedly unleash the musical phenomenon known as the Salsa Explosion of the '70s. The show, which included such classic tropical jams as "Anacaona" with a fiery Cheo Feliciano on vocals, and the playful "Quítate Tú," was recorded for posterity and released as the two LP set Live At The Cheetah. But Fania founder Jerry Masucci had an even grander vision in mind: movie cameras filmed the concert, setting up the foundation for a feature length movie documenting the burgeoning salsa movement.
Entitled Our Latin Thing, the resulting film has been something of a collector's item during the past decades. Now, a remastered edition of both the movie and the music associated with Our Latin Thing is being released by Fania. This is the definitive, 40th Anniversary edition of a historic moment in tropical music.
Directed by celebrated documentary filmmaker Leon Gast, Our Latin Thing captures the sweaty fever of that 1971 show at the Cheetah. The cast of salsa stars, including Héctor Lavoe, Larry Harlow and Johnny Pacheco among many others, look natural and spontaneous, seemingly unaware of the cameras surrounding them. Gast followed them to the recording studio - a sequence showing producer Harlow working with Feliciano on "Anacaona" is particularly memorable. Scenes from life in the Spanish Harlem add texture to a film that acts like a virtual time machine, sending the viewer right into the lightning-in-a-bottle moment when salsa was born.
The 40th Anniversary Limited Edition of Our Latin Thing includes a DVD of the remastered movie, as well as two CDs containing the music of the film and a few bonus tracks. A true collector's item.
Click here to get the 40th Anniversary edition of Our Latin Thing today »
Tuesday July 26 2011, 01:49:00 PM | Posted by FaniaDigital
For a number of years now, Fania's prestigious "Man & His Music" collection has been paying tribute to the most transcendental artists in Latin music: from Rubén Blades and Héctor Lavoe to Machito and Tito Rodriguez, to name just a few. Now, a legendary orchestra from Puerto Rico famed for its elegant mystique and jazzy soundscapes is receiving its due. Sonora Ponceña - A Band And Its Music is a definitive anthology, including 27 tracks and a lavish booklet with an informative essay on the group and many rare photos.
The compilation kicks off with the salsa dura classic "Hachero Pa'Un Palo" - included in the band's debut album under the sophisticated musical direction of keyboard virtuoso Papo Lucca. Marked by its thunderous lineup of trumpets, a rootsy rhythm section and Lucca's velvety piano solos, La Ponceña quickly developed a unique sound that conquered the heart of both Latin jazz aficionados and devoted salsa dancers. The early incarnation of the band during the early '70s is documented through such gritty tunes as "Fuego En El 23" and "Juana Bayona," with excellent vocal work by soneros Tito Gómez and Luigi Texidor.
La Ponceña reached its artistic zenith between 1976 and 1978, establishing an ambitious brand of progressive salsa that took the genre to unsuspected levels of artistry. The second half of Disc 1 illustrates these heights on epic workouts like "Boranda" and "Moreno Soy," coupled with mega-hits "El Pío Pío" and "Bomba Carambomba."
Disc 2 features "Soy Antillana," a fiery track off the band's 1979 classic collaboration with Celia Cruz. It then showcases the inspiration and commercial success that defined La Ponceña throughout the '80s, with the chocolaty vocals of Puerto Rican diva Yolanda Rivera shining on tracks like the patriotic "Borinquen" and the Machito classic "Ahora Sí." The orchestra enjoyed new hits well into the '90s, and the compilation comes to a conclusion with the band still at the top of its game.
Sonora Ponceña - A Band And Its Music is the ultimate collection of one of the most mercurial bands in tropical music. Casual fans who know only a couple of their songs will be dazzled by the treasure trove of melodies and rhythms to be found in these 27 tracks. The collection is available on CD format, and also as a digital download.
FREE DOWNLOAD - La Sonora Ponceña: "Luz Negra"
Our free download this month celebrates the sheer magic to be found in the vast catalogue of veteran Puerto Rican orchestra La Sonora Ponceña. Culled from the 1980 album Unchained Force, which found the group at the apex of its career - and also included in the new compilation Sonora Ponceña - A Band And Its Music - "Luz Negra" combines salsa with jazz, percussive power with exquisite piano lines. A composition by boricua master Tite Curet Alonso, it delivers a powerful contrast between its sinuous melody, a propulsive groove and melancholy lyrics about unrequited love. Enjoy.
Click Here to download "Luz Negra" »
Thursday July 21 2011, 11:00:00 AM | Posted by FaniaDigital
On August 26th, 1971, New York gives birth to a sound that would change the face of Latin Music forever. That evening the legendary label Fania, presented an ensemble of its best artists – The Fania All-Stars. The show was billed as “Our Latin Thing.” In the decades ahead the All-Stars would become the ambassadors and juggernauts of Latin Music around the world. They became the musical reflection of the times, needs, and struggles of New York’s Latino community. The music was influenced by American jazz, soul, and rock-and-roll. Their music became part of Americana. Today, taking up the mantle of Our Latin Thing, an ensemble of seventeen musicians pays tribute to this legendary group, performing an assortment of the All-Stars’ top hits and taking the audience on a musical and poetic journey.
The Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra is unlike any band you’ve heard before, a traditional 11-piece Latin band which plays dynamic, thrilling arrangements of indie rock tunes. With an ever-evolving set list that includes songs by Yeaseayer, Japanther, Animal Collective, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio, The Mars Volta, Arcade Fire, and many more, the WSO will make a salsa-believer out of you! Lead by percussionist/arranger Gianni Mano, (from the Brooklyn Latin-funk legends Radio Mundial), the WSO contains some of the best young players on the scene including a full compliment of horns and percussion. With the attitude of a rock band, and the grooves of classic New York salsa, not to mention a brand new album, we hope the WSO is here to stay.
DJ Ronzilla and DJ Dres will be joining the salsa acts.
Our Latin Thing: facebook / twitter
Openhouse Gallery, the New York pop-up space, 201 Mulberry St, New York, NY, 10012
Date: Thursday, July 28th
Time: 7PM
21+
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