Sunday, November 28, 2010

"easy listening" my a**?

engelbert.jpgWhoever conflated jazz and 'easy listening' must have been a marketing executive short of weed.
To be sure, this selection of latin jazz is very pleasant to listen to -that's the intent, anyways- but there is nothing 'easy' or complacent about the musicianship. So here are your options: you can play this in the background for your xmas dinner, or you can listen to the multi-layered rhythms and melodies whenever you want. Enjoy!
(pictured: Engelbert Humperdinck)

1. Caravan (9:03) Mark Weinstein / Timbasa
2. Minor Groove (7:37) Herbie Mann / Just Wailin'
3. Nefertiti (6:20) Nicola Conte / Other Directions
4. Dias De Iyawo (8:49) Omar Sosa / Ayaguna
5. Ruwenzori (11:54) Manteca / Extra Extra
6. Afro Blue (8:31) Tito Puente / Live At The Playboy Jazz Festival
7. Fruta Madura (9:07) Angilley / Havana Club
8. Mulata (8:13) Tigran Grigoryan And pLATINum Band / Jazz Collection Vol. 3
9. El Preso (6:07) Sexteto Alto Songo / Raices Cubanas
10. C’etait il y a longtemps (7:27) Maurice El Médioni / Descarga Oriental
11. The Way To Nice (5:09) Mulatu Astatke / Steps Ahead
12. Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries (4:51) Los Po-Boy-Citos
13. Milonga Triste (5:03) Gato Barbieri / Chapter Three Viva Emiliano Zapata
14. Jazz Tumbao Thing (6:36) Zapato Negro / Live at The Cellar
15. Motherless Child (8:04) Ray Barretto / Time Was - Time Is
16. Money Man (5:07) Candido Camero / Beautiful
17. El Quinto de Beethoven (5:47) Markolino Dimond / Beethoven's V
18. Pa' Gozar (13:04) Tata Güines / Manos De Seda
19. Carnival (Havana) (5:20) Los Hombres Calientes / Vol. 5: Carnival

Link: http://www.fileserve.com/file/S88DeWD

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Blue Moon Party!!!


(paradoxically?) New Year's Day is going to be a 'Blue Moon' Night (geeks: this is a once-every-19 years-event!). Special music is required!
Here is my selection of party music fit for a Blue Moon New Year: hard-hitting Afro-Cuban with enough pumping timba to trigger an avalanche; a ton of sweaty latin funk to melt you down, pulsating cumbia, plena, bomba, guaguanco and m'balax to trigger your senses; and lots of kinky salsa dura to make your hands work in sync with your hips -including a few XXX-rated numbers! Grab your partner and hit the dancefloor! Enjoy: parties that good only happen once in a blue moon!

1. Ungawa / Louie Ramírez / Ali Baba
2. Fever / La Lupe / Reina De La Cancion Latina
3. Marcia Baila / Ernesto Tito Puentes / Victoria
4. Timba Con Moña / David Calzado & La Charanga Habanera / Soy Cubano, Soy Popular
5. Toma La Ola / El Zorro / Volando
6. Llévame con tu babalao / Maraca / Soy Yo
7. Dos Jueves / Orchesta Tabaco Y Ron / Paquete Salsera
8. Sukulenta / Grupo Fantasma / Movimiento Popular
9. Nampalal Sa Dom / Super Cayor De Dakar / Sopente
10. Bang Bang / Coke / Na Na
11. El Yo-Yo / Wayne Gorbea's Salsa Picante / Saboreando... Salsa Dura En El Bronx!
12. Goza La Vida / Manny Oquendo Y Libre / Libre
13. Corazon Enamorado / Nico Gomez And His Orchestra / Nico Gomez And His Orchestra
14. Azucar Mami / Cal Tjader / Primo
15. Donde / Bronx River Parkway / San Sebastian 152
16. Yo No Bailo Con Juana / Cortijo y Kako y sus tambores / Ritmos Y Cantos Callejeros
17. Asi Se Baila / kako, totico y el trabuco / La Maquina Y El Motor
18. Sabor De Cumbia / Sonando / El Montuno
19. L'Oranguta / Pepe & The Bottle Blondes / Latenight Betty
20. Cachita / Ska Cubano / Ay Caramba!
21. Pud-Da-Din / Joe Cuba Sextette / Bustin' Out
22. Jungle Fever / The Chakachas / Jungle Fever
23. Latino / Deep Throat / Deep Throat Anthology
24. Move Your Hand / La Clave / La Clave
25. I Wanna Know / Francisco Aguabella / Hitting Hard
26. Rice And Beans Theme / Rice & Beans Orchestra / Rice & Beans Orchestra
27. You're Fine / Alex Wilson / Salsa Con Soul
28. Special Girl / Joe Bataan / Latin Funk Brother
29. Fat-Back / Mongo Santamaría / Warner Jazz
30. Mucha Muchacha / Esquivel / Whatchamacallit!

If your neighbours complain, raise the volume!


Reminder: best itunes / ipod / iphone preferences: crossfade set to max, soundcheck switched on

Sunday, December 20, 2009

merry xmas 09 @ the jazfro club!

Guaguanco OR reggaeton? Apple pie OR chocolate cake? I'll have a bit of both, thank you! It's all delicious! Look at my beautiful cake!

This year's xmas mix is club-oriented with tons of acid jazz, latin funk, Brazilian grooves, boogaloo, and strong dj influences with the usual cosmopolitan mix -this time with a strong Havana-to-London axis. Jazfro's feeling about Xmas 09: stuff the turkey and hit the dancefloor!

1. Vodou Hoodoo Babalu / Los Hombres Calientes / Vol. 4: Vodou Dance
2. Yoruba Soy / Pedro Martinez / Slave To Africa
3. Más Pan / Quantic & His Combo Bárbaro / Tradition In Transition
4. Julietta (Nautz 20:20 edit) / Afronaut Y Amigos featuring Oreja / Presentan Hecho En Casa Pt 1
5. Siente Mi Ritmo / The Revolution featuring Norman Cook / Revolution
6. El Aguafiesta / The Spam Allstars / Introducing
7. Hip Teens (Don't Wear Blue Jeans) / Lex Eazy & The Mambo Club / Performs Unique 1Hundred
8. Hush / Gerardo Frisina / The Latin Kick
9. It's Alright, I Feel It! / Nuyorican Soul / Nuyorican Soul
10. La Perla Del Son / Gilles Peterson's Havana Cultura featuring Wichy De Vedado & Tony Rodriguez / Havana Cultura - New Cuba Sound [Disc 2]
11. Quem Quizer Encontrar Amor / Rubens Bassini E Os 11 Magníficos / Ritmo Fantástico
12. Batucada Surgiu / Ceasar's Salad / The Latin Beat
13. Carioquinha / The Hi-Fly Orchestra / Mambo Atomico
14. Impulso / Nicola Conte / Other Directions
15. Bandolero / Novalima / Afro
16. Mini Congo / El Super Mini Combo / Nacional
17. Rampa Rampa / Orchestre Yaya Mas / Africa Boogaloo: The Latinization Of West Africa
18. Café / Interactivo / Goza Pepillo
19. Essence Of Life / Benitez And Nebula / Night Life - Essence Of Life
20. Mestizo / Joe Bataan With Los Fulanos / King of Latin Soul
21. De Eso Nada Monada / Ray Fernandez & His Musical Court / Cookie Crumbs - The Greatest Hits
22. A Koko / Willie Bobo / Lost and Found
23. 70's / Roberto Fonseca / Elengo
24. (I'll Be A) Happy Man / The Latin Blues Band Featuring Luis Aviles / Take A Trip Pussycat
25. Pamoja Watu / Los Africanos / Los Africanos
26. Ya No Puedo / Grupo Fantasma / Movimiento Popular
27. Los Rumberos De La Habana Y Matanzas / Snowboy / Para Puente
28. Muchacha / Manteca / Tremendo Boogaloo
29. Jonny's Bugalu / Grupo X / X-Posure

Celebrate the spirit of the festive season: invite your neighbours for some home cooking and a latin boogie!


Merry christmas to all!

Monday, August 17, 2009


Latin lounge: Havana Blue


A selection of latin lounge tunes for late nights -sensual music to suit the northern hemisphere indian summer as well as the Australian spring! Mix a mojito, relax, and enjoy!


1. Oran Oran (Homage To Maurice “Papi” El Medioni) / Roberto Rodriguez / Timba Talmud (10:08)
2. La Bien Pagá / Bebo & Cigala / Lágrimas Negras (8:58)
3. Light In The Sky / Omar Sosa / Afreecanos (6:55)
4. Delta / Bobby Vince Paunetto & The CTM Band With Guests / Commit To Memory (6:58)
5. Mai Kinshasa / José Mangual Sr. / Buyú (7:04)
6. Midnight Sun / Ray Mantilla / Good Vibrations (7:00)
7. Freddie Freeloader / Conrad Herwig / Another Kind Of Blue: The Latin Side Of Miles Davis (10:00)
8. Kúbanskur Dans / Tómas R. Einarsson / Havana (6:20)
9. Plena Organization / Positive Catastrophe / Garabatos Volume One (6:29)
10. Senor Blue-Mbuka Enoka / Patato / The Legend of Cuban Percussion (8:16)
11. Tumba Randy / Anthony Blea Y Su Charanga / Virgen De La Caridad (7:39)
12. Shady Lady / Grupo Esperanza / Bread & Butter (7:55)
13. Yo No Tengo Pena / Mark Dimond / Brujeria (6:11)
14. Summertime / Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca / Revolucion (6:29)
15. Cha Cha Para Ti / Johnny Blas / Indestructible Spirit (6:16)
16. Foreclosure (Ejecucion De Una Hipoteca) / Jimmy Bosch / ¡A Millon! (13:00)

Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/268409788/latin_lounge_august_09.zip

conga party

Another great selection of classic conga-driven latin jazz to celebrate the arrival of my new conga set! Each and every tune features (at least) one master conga drummer, from Chano Pozo to Anga. Jazz / Latin / Funk. Respect for the masters. Enjoy! 

1. Manteca / Dizzy Gillespie / Cubana Be, Cubana Bop (3:04) 
2. A Love Supreme / Angá / Echu Mingua (5:50) 
3. Mantillon / Ray Mantilla / Man-Ti-Ya (7:13) 
4. Mazacote / Mongo Santamaría / Afro Roots (10:36) 
5. Alma Mia / Patato and His Latin Percussion Friends / Authority (7:52) 
6. Nuyorican Groove / Chembo Wilson Corniel / For The Rest Of Your Life (6:37) 
7. Long, Long Summer / Francisco Aguabella / Agua De Cuba (6:46) 
8. Night Walk / Willie Bobo / Bobo Motion (3:08) 
9. El Jamaiquino / Poncho Sanchez / El Mejor (5:43) 
10. Woody'n You / Sabu Martinez And His Jazz-Espagnole / Jazz Espagnole (5:04) 
11. Acid / Ray Barretto / Acid (5:02) 
12. Come On Choo-Choo Train / Candido Camero / Thousand Finger Man (5:11) 
13. Chango Moti Awa / Snowboy / Para Puente (9:09) 
14. Afro Rican / Johnny Blas / Indestructible Spirit (7:14) 
15. Obatala Macho / Milton Cardona / Cambucha (6:11) 
16. Con Tres Tambores Batá / Tata Güines / Manos De Seda (3:16) 
17. Wolenche / Rebeca Mauleon / Descarga En California (4:38) 
18. Ochun / Cuban Roots / Cuban Roots Revisited (7:10) 
19. Descarga En Cueros / Tico All Stars / Descargas Live At The Village Gate Volume II (13:52) 

Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/255022760/conga_party.zip 

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

kingston - havana



This is a long-standing project of mine. Bringing together the music of the two islands had always made sense to me. Even more so in recent years with all the caribbean fusion and 'post-world-music' stuff coming through from both sides of the atlantic. Digging in my own little music vault, I also found some evidence of afro-cuban/jamaican fusion as early as the late 1950s! So here it is: jazfro's selection of latinized reggae, ska-ified afro-cuban jazz, and vice versa. JAZFROSKUBANO rules! As befits an eclectic selection spanning genres, decades, and continents: some of it is weird, some of it is wacky, but it's all wonderful! Enjoy!

 1. Jamaicuba / Mongo Santamaría / Our Man In Havana
 2. Cantaloupe Island / Yeska / Skafrocubanjazz
 3. Jamaica Jump Up / Ray Barretto / Señor 007
 4. Skacha / Ocho Y Media / Sigue!
 5. El Vendedor De Melones / Toño Quirazco / Jamaica Ska
 6. Savito / The Undergrounds / Trojan Calypso Box Set
 7. Probando Nuevos Sabores / Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca / Revolucion
 8. Un Abrazo Tuyo / El Zorro / Volando
 9. Get Up, Stand Up / ¡Cubanismo! / ¡Mucho Gusto!
10. Tabu / Ska Cubano / ¡Ay Caramba!
11. Back To Back / Cándido / Brujerías de Cándido
12. Peligrosa / Grupo Fantasma (feat. El Ragah)/ Movimiento Popular
13. Maruchi / Spook & The Guay / Ocho Rios
14. Llevale Mi Canto / Sergent Garcia / Un Poquito Quema'o
15. La Ola / San Lazaro / Mestizos Urbanos
16. Latin Go Ska / The Skatalites / Greatest Hits
17. A La Bobo / Willie Bobo & His Orchestra / Let's Go Bobo!

get some fresh mint & mix a jug of mojito, invite the neighbours and have a party! PLAY LOUD! SINGALONG!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

back in the lounge



Welcome back to jazfro's latin lounge. Take a seat, order a cool mojito, chill out and enjoy the music.

 1. Ellegua Abierto / Mark Weinstein / Algo Mas
 2. Motherless Child / Herbie Mann / Monday Night At The Village Gate
 3. In This Lonely Place / Papo Vazquez / Vol. 2-At The Point
 4. Angelica / El Indio / Nuevos Horizontes
 5. Lo Time / Afro Bop Alliance / Camino Nuevo
 6. Blue In Green / Conrad Herwig / Another Kind Of Blue
 7. Yo Siempre Oddara / Jane Bunnett / Spirits Of Havana
 8. Buscando Al Curandero / Jazz On The Latin Side All Stars / Tambolero
 9. Carnival Lullaby / Los Hombres Calientes / Vol. 5: Carnival
10. Puerto Padre / Chembo Wilson Corniel / For The Rest Of Your Life
11. Afro Rican / Johnny Blas / Indestructible Spirit
12. C 7 Heaven / Harvie S / Funky Cha
13. Light In The Sky / Omar Sosa / Afreecanos
14. Suite Sandrine, Part III / Michel Camilo / One More Once
15. Delta / Bobby Vince Paunetto & The CTM Band / Commit To Memory
16. The Palmieri Effect / Brian Lynch / Simpático
17. Farewell / Hilario Duran / From The Heart
18. Elegua Dictate / Barney Mcall / Flashbacks