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I'm back, and you're not even close to ready for what I have in store for you. Before I get into things, I just want to make a few quick announcements:
1. I will be deleting a few of the older entries whose albums are still available in stores (Mulatu, Sun Ra, Miles, Roots of Chicha) and change my focus to only albums that are out of print and hard to find.
2. All uploads from now on will be vinyl-rips from my own personal record collection. I'm still perfecting the art, so they'll be better as time goes on... But please enjoy the 320kbps mp3s.
3. As part of my love for music is: what else is going besides music, I will be doing more infrequent postings but they will be great records and include extensive information.
Thanks, enjoy the blog!
Victor Jara - Vientos Del Pueblo (Monitor, 1976)
Read my analysis of Jara's poetics and politics on Jaguar Press.
I've been wanting to upload this since day one! Victor Jara is the golden voiced folk singer from Chile, killed by the merciless military coup that ousted the worlds first democratically elected socialist president, Salvador Allende. Jara was campaigning for Allende, for the Popular Unity party, for Chileans and for the rights of all those suffering at the hands of Imperialism until his last breath. He was shot in the head while a group of 15 prisoners watched as he sang songs of revolution until his tongue no longer moved. His wife and two children spent four days not knowing of his whereabouts as the military regime placed curfews and patrols shot indiscriminately at anyone who looked suspicious.
Manduka/Los Jaivas - Los Sueños de América (Movieplay, 1974)
A great lazy day album by Brazilian folk singer Manduka and the Chilean psychedelic group Los Jaivas. There is not much information available in English about Manduka at all, but from what I gather he was a folk musician from Brazil who was born into a family of poets and writers. He lived the bohemian lifestyle as he traveled throughout Latin America playing with different groups and incorporating different influences into his music. According to one account he actually lived in a house with Pablo Neruda at one point - very interesting. On his travels in Argentina he joined up with Chilean psychedelic group Los Jaivas and their meeting resulted in this fantastic album.
Los Jaivas, originally from Chile, were ousted after the coup that overthrew Allende in '73. A Pinochet dictatorship obviously could not handle the rocking political grooves of Los Jaivas so the group moved to Argentina then later relocated again to France. As the first recording since the groups exile, this album must be seen as a reaction to the unjust Pinochet regime. Simply enough in the title, "Los Sueños de América," we find a sense of hope, and as the album has a drifting dream-like quality, we listen as Manduka and Los Jaivas explain the current state of a Latin America struggling for its identity and for hope in the future.
This record is beautiful, epic and very groovy. Manduka said that this album attempts to explain "the wisdom of the mountains, the intoxication of the sea and the hermetic jungle." This geographic dialogue is heard through the extensive use of flute, chanting and percussion. A great record to sip coffee to as you start your day, or perfect for tucking you in at night. Favorite track on here is "Date Una Vuelta en el Aire," absolutely beautiful.
1. Don Juan de la Suerte
2. La Centinela
3. Date Una Vuelta en el Aire
4. Tá Bom Tá Que Tá
5. Traguito de Ron
6. Los Sueños de América
7. Primero Encuentro Latino Americano de la Soledad
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