Vampi Soul Spain Vinilo y CD

Review: MPB is a vast and vital musical genre with a rich history and many iconic artists ad cult albums. But Chico Lessa's self-titled album is right up there on its own. This is a first-ever reissue of what some call "one of the greatest achievements of Brazilian Popular Music." Some of the country's heaviest hitters feature such as Wagner Tiso, Mauricio Maestro, Robertinho Silva, Pascoal Meirelles and more and the songs remain wholly fresh to this day. They offer a superb take on the post-Tropicalia sound of 70s Brazil and come on a deserving heavyweight slab of 180g vinyl for extra punch.

Review: Peruvian percussionist Coco Lagos y Sus Orates dropped this Descarges album in 1967. He called up talents including Alfredo Linares, Charlie Palomares, Otto de Rojas and Mario Allison to cook up its irresistible percussive Latin charms. It has long been all but impossible to find on wax and so this overdue reissue is welcome indeed. The record feature a version of Cal Tjader's 'Mamblues' and a classic by the so-called father of boogaloo, Joe Cuba, in the form of 'Brava pachanga.' It is a lively and vibrant album with percolating rhythms and tin pot percussion that hit deep.

Review: Julio Ernesto Estrada, simply known as Fruko, is a Colombian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and orchestra leader who pretty much gave salsa its name from the early 1970s. You go ask any serious DJ who is into South American music, and the name Fruko will no doubt get dropped on a regular basis. In fact, up until now, this man's records have made themselves scarce on the second-hand market, and there is a very particular sort of crowd whose willing to spend big money on them. A La Memoria Del Muerto is his second LP, from 1972, and what is perhaps the man's most definitive work. It's just one of those albums that runs fluidly from start to finish, showcasing all of its native beauty with effortless skill and furore. Rampant trumpets, seductive piano keys, kinetic percussion, and a sense of tropicality make this into a spectacular piece of work.

Review: Vampisoul continues their sole, ultra-niche calling: to reissue obscure international music from such regions as Peru, West Africa, Cuba, the list goes on. 'They Do It' is their latest focus; it's their next reissue fr Venezuelan pianist Ray Perez and his backing trombone salsa band Los Dementes, this time in collaboration with salsa pioneer Perucho Torcat. Restored from the original tapes, Vampisoul do their utmost best at reviving one more classic, hopefully preserving the music to infinity.

Review: Edu Lobo, Vinicius De Moraes, Roberto Menescal and Marcos Valle were some of the writers involve din this superb vocal bossa jazz album. Many of the musicians playing on the recording sessions are just as esteemed, all of them from Brazil, and include Luis Carlos Vinhas, Tenorio Jr. and Menescal himself. It was the first solo album from Wanda Sa who not long after went on to join Sergio Mendes' Brasil 65. it is a much sought after record that makes a welcome return to vinyl, and just in time for the summer months when it sounds best,

Review: Peruvian artist Betico Salas dropped his first album Betico Salas y su Sonora and immediately got plenty of acclaim. It shows off his talents as the lead trumpet player of the great Sonora de Lucho Macedo who were a legendary Cuban ensemble back in the mid-60s. This album arrived in 1966 with Alfredo Linares on piano and the majestic and truly spellbinding sonero vocals by Benny del Solar. Plenty of Latin styles - guarachas, guanguanco and cumbias - all influence the sound. Two more albums followed from Betico Salas and they helped cement his legendary status.

Review: Cumbia or chicha is a richly and widely infused sound that brings together a multitude of influences. It has styles from Colombia and Cuba, plus Western influences including the likes of 60s beat and psychedelic rock, plus an exotic array of indigenous melodies from the Amazonian jungle as well as a weakth of traditional Andean songs. The music that realists is vibrant and vivacious and packed with life and is all perfectly showered here on this superb new collection of tracks by the most important bands of the golden age of the sound.