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| Fay Roberts y Su Orquesta Charangoa |
A sublime project from FAY ROBERTS Y SU CHARANGOA, quite possibly the charanga release of 2011. This fiery session has that rare transformative power to create a state of sensory euphoria. Up next is a terrific Venezuelan salsa album by La 6TA FORMULA produced by Nelson Rodriguez. Alex D'Castro's son CARLOS D'CASTRO has produced a strong debut salsa release that features Richard Trinidad on piano. One very cool project isO Mi Shango by the Londons's SUNLIGHTSQUARE. The big band chose to interpret Mongo Santamaria's 1976 hit in a big way. Check out the track Mi Debilidad by ORQUESTA ROMANA. Their take on the Ismael Quintana classic definitely won us over. Stay tuned for more tracks, coming shortly. We are happy to have CHARANGA MODERNA'S La Charanga Que Está De Moda at elWatusi. Is this Puerto Rico's only dedicated charanga orchestra? elWatusi now features the entire LUJURIA catalog, with great modern material from Cuba and Puerto Rico. See down below. There's a new elWatusi Mixed Bag of Tracks playlist for you to taste, plus a nifty Artist Mini Bio of the great Cuban flautist JOSÉ FAJARDO. Contributed by JOHN CHILD.
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 FAY ROBERTS Y SU ORQUESTA CHARANGOA | Lo Que Quiero Es Charanga
Yum... One of the hardest-driving charanga orchestras playing today, violinist Fay Roberts and her Orquesta Charangoa have just released a smoking album that will make your toes curl. Roberts studied under the legendary Richard Egües, of Cuba's Aragón fame, and the flute master helped to initiate what might be the purest and most essential charanga organization in the US. At times a churning locomotive, at times sublime, Lo Que Quiero Es Charanga has that rare transformative power to create a state of sensory euphoria. This, folks, is a Must Have. Very Highly Recommended. - elW
The story starts when Fay Roberts traveled to Cuba to study flute with the legendary Richard Egues, of Orquesta Aragon fame. Richard, an innovative virtuoso of the Cuban flute style is also the composer of one of Cuba's most popular cha cha cha's, El Bodeguero. Richard sent Fay home with enough music and inspiration to start a new Cuban charanga orquesta. Though consistent correspondence Richard guided the creation on L.A/s most authentic Cuban dance group Orchesta Charangoa.
In these times when salsa, Cuban son and different types of rhythms are continuing to evolve, the very traditional Cuban Charanga is well kept by very few orchestras. Charanga is a specific style of instrumentation consisting of contrabass, timbales, and guiro, strings (from two to four violins, or any number of violns with a cello), and one flute, (the piano and congas were integrated in the 40's). Since 1997 Fay Robert's Charangoa based in Los Angeles, have been keeping the flame with their traditional Charanga. Having studied with the legendary Richard Egues (Orquesta Aragon), Fay was inspired to form her own traditional Charanga orchestra. - Sabor Magazine (band's website) |
 LA 6TA FORMULA | Con Los Duros De La Salsa Vol.1 |
 CARLOS D'CASTRO | Todo Tiene Su Momento
Here is the debut album from singer CARLOS D'CASTRO, son of Alex D'Castro. Alex guests on this project, along with other singers Willie Martinez and Irving Manuel. Recorded, in parts, in Venezuela, Spain and Puerto Rico, and with mastering by the great José M. Lugo, Todo Tiene Su Momento is a fine pop salsa release with some top notch tracks like "Hasta Que Amanezca" and the gem "Yo Pensé." I like D'Castro's relaxed sensibility backed by a first class band featuring Richard Trinidad on piano and bassists Jhoan Mayora and Efrain Hernandez. Recommended. - elW |
 SUNLIGHTSQUARE | O Mi Shango
Sunlightsquare is one of the most exciting acts to hit the London jazz scene in recent years. A multi genre crossing band, who fuse Latin, nu-jazz, soul, reggaeton, funk and salsa inspired music to create beautiful innovative grooves. 25 musicians and vocalists (A BIG BAND!) take part in this phenomenal live album project. Sunlightsquare rolls out Afro-Cuban vibes covering Cuban Latin jazz percussionist Mongo Santamaria's 1976 smash "O Mi Shango." Featuring lead vocals from Rene Alvarez, mixes on the package include an earthy, Cuban jazztastic original mix along with a selection of Latin fused dancefloor grooves from NY's Franke Estevez & George Mena (Fuzion), Brazilian resident Mustafa, UK house producer David Doyle and a Liberation mix from Sunlightsquare. Hola!!.. The Sunlightsquare Summertime party bus has arrived!! (label) |
 CHARANGA MODERNA | La Charanga Que Está De Moda
Original Release Date: 2010
Now here's something unusual. It's a charanga Cubana style band from... Puerto Rico! Founded in 2006 by percussionist Pedro Gonzalez, Charanga Moderna knows how to get the juices flowing. Gonzalez is joined by pianist Oscar Burgos, sax and flute player Reinaldo Castellanos, violin player (electric and acoustic) Cesar Diaz, and singer Giovanni Lugo, who, you might recall, sings for Plena Libre, Truco & Zaperoko and other great bands. Check it out, Highly Recommended. - elW |
 ORQUESTA LA ROMANA | Mi Debilidad
Great cover version of Ismael Quintana´s Salsa classic that offers a lot of swing and will peak my playlist for sure... - DJ Dave (Germany) |
 The Rough Guide To Brazilian Café
Relax and unwind with the Brazilian café groove. This Rough Guide, featuring legendary Brazilian artists Seu Jorge, Cibelle and Céu, is the perfect sound track to a cafezinho shared with friends or a caipirinha on the beach. (label) |
 Black Feeling Two - Sampler
Freestyle Records is pleased as punch to be releasing this teaser that features 2 cuts from the forthcoming follow up album 'Black Feeling: Volume Two' (FSRCD/LP090) and what total corkers they are too!
The A side is Lance & Co's fantastic reworking of the anthemic 'Burning Spear' under the moniker of The Poly-Tones, an intense and driving piece of soulful funk, and what could possibly equal that for the flip side? The Mighty Show-Stoppers givingJohnnie Pate's blaxploitation soundtrack classic 'Shaft In Africa' such a convincing and wonderful re-working, you will think you are back in time, on the film set whilst Richard Roundtree (that's John Shaft to you sucker!) kicks some serious ass! (label) |
NEW LABEL at elWATUSI.COM
Lujuria Records
We are very pleased to include the label Lujuria as part of the elWatusi family. Lujuria represents some of the hottest, cutting edge material from Cuba and Puerto Rico, including works by Michel Maza, Don Perignon y La Puertorriqueña, Arnaldo y La Cosmopolita, TIrso Duarte, Ensila Mundo, Soneros Boricuas and mucj more. |
 MICHEL MAZA | Como Gato de Angora
Original Release Date: 2008 Lujuria
One of the kings of Cuban music, Maza, a singer, has put out a string of records that help define the state of Cuban dance genius. Como Gato de Angora doesn't deviate from Maza's historical standing, and the singer, an alumnus of Charanga Habanera, rocks the place. Check out the coros on "Llegue Yo," percussive, fast, driving, insistent, rap-like etc.; the rest of the tune, loaded with the hallmarks of timba, just takes off. And while the album's loaded with timba attributes, the news here is that Maza takes on mainstream salsa, and on a tune like "Te Fuiste," he sounds like he's willing to compete with the Colombian bands that seem to have taken over the salsa scene. The tune moves on beds of trombones and brass, and Maza, no big surprise here, becomes a sonero, with coros that could easily fit in on a Gilberto Santa Rosa album -- uh, until the timba breakdown towards the end that electrifies the tune. And the combination works fine, with Maza using some timba styled improvisations against a backdrop of salsa; it sounds fresh and good. The level of the band is ridiculous, highly rehearsed, in tune, perfect. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous) |
 DON PERIGNON, ORQUESTA PUERTORRIQUEÑA | Aqui, Si Que Hay..!
Original Release Date: 2008 Lujuria
***Best of 2008 Editors Pick Award***
What can one say about Don Perignon and the Orquesta Puertorriqueña crew? How's this: damn, they are good. Musical director and timbalero Perignon has done it again with this super high-octane brand of power-punch salsa. A good part of the soul of the orchestra belongs, in no small amount, to pianist-arranger Willie "Mundial" Sotelo who turns nearly everything he touches into salsa gold. Sotelo penned the opening track, the uncontrollably combustible "Perignon Añejo." Other Puertorriqueña regulars have returned for this project too: baritone sax playerSammy Vélez, bassist Pedro Pérez and conguero William "Cachiro" Thompson. SingerRico Walker also returns (listen to him on the relentless "No Quiero Llanto"). For my money, Walker remains one of pillars of the orchestra. He consistently pushes the limits of any composition. He is joined by newcomer Wicky Gonzalez (who shines on "Amor De La Calle") and, making his Puertorriqueña debut, Fania veteran Junior Gonzalez who sings on three dynamic tracks.
This is Puerto Rican salsa at its best. It would be hard to imagine a more potent combination of musicians and arrangements. This, folks, is a big DJ Alert and... Highly Recommended. (elW) |
 LOS SONEROS DEL GALLO | Gallos de Pelea
Original Release Date: 2008 Lujuria
Ohmagod, what a great thing in which to immerse yourself in the middle of economic destruction, fatal freezing, and the fantastic relief of the coming inauguration. Pure unmitigated joy, a blast off of deeeeeep salsa dura from of all places, Havana. Los Soneros are a new group, made up of a bunch of studio all stars of a certain generation -- they're mostly not timberos -- and the music is so great, relaxed in a way that reminds me of the Arieto All-Stars, but much more organized, no descargando. For those of you Cuba-phobics, this is a treasure, harder hitting than most salsa dura from this side of the mango curtain, fine coros, a tight horn section, clean slapping percussion, fine soneoando, good material, and perfect tempos. Sometimes sessions are just blessed with perfection, and this one's pretty close. I can live with the mambo, even; I'd love to hear this band after a year or two of gigs face off against the Spanish Harlem Orchestra; beautiful, competitive, mayhem it'd be. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous) |
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 elWatusi Mixed Bag of Tracks 4
More stuff that you probably would not have checked out without some pestering from someone like, uh, me. Very cool stuff from Drums United, Cadena Perpetua, Valique, Miss Bolivia, Chico Trujillo, Hollie Cook and more. A worldwide net that brought in some major delicacies. All strange and beautiful sounds to embellish your day. Enjoy! - elW |
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 Artist Mini Bio: JOSÉ FAJARDO
Described as "one of the best flautists of this music of all time" by famed pianist Alfredo Rodríguez, José Antonio Fajardo (1919-2001) organised his first charanga band in September 1949. After initially struggling, his career really took-off with advent of cha cha chá craze in Cuba in 1953. Relocating to the USA in 1961, he went on to play a prominent role in the early '60s charanga / pachanga craze and '70s charanga revival. During the latter, he recorded four albums for Harvey Averne's ill-fated Coco label. Then after playing on one track of Ray Barretto's landmark Fania album Rican / Struction in 1979, he switched to Fania for four albums between 1980 and 1984. He was to record only one more solo album, La Flauta De Cuba(Tania, mid-1980s), but sessioned on various productions by the likes of Alfredo Valdés Jr., Israel López "Cachao"... |
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