NEW RELEASES: RONNNIE FOSTER - TWO HEADED FREAP; RAY LUGO & THE BOOGALOO DESTROYERS - QUE CHEVERE; 25 YEARS OF MR BONGO

RONNIE FOSTER - TWO HEADED FREAP 

Amazing stuff by Ronnie Foster – a sweet little album of slow funky keyboard tones, much more loosely arranged than his later work, with a dope groove that was years ahead of its time! The album's in some ways a blueprint for some of our favorite jazz-based hip hop – and although Ronnie's playing organ, on most of the cuts, he handles the instrument more like it's a Fender Rhodes! Funky jazz with a sinister, soulful groove – with players including Gene Bianco on harp, Arthur Jenkins on congas, George Duvivier and Gordon Edwards on bass, Jimmy Johnson on drums, Gerorge Dvens on vibes and Gene Gertoncini on guitar. Includes the massive cut "Mystic Brew", which is a tasty Tribe sample, plus lots of other goodies like "Chunky", "Summer Song", and "Don't Knock My Love". (SHMCD pressing.)  ~ Dusty Groove

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RAY LUGO & THE BOOGALOO DESTROYERS – QUE CHEVERE! (MY BABY’S GOT LATIN SOUL)

Ray Lugo & The Boogaloo Destroyers are the premier contemporary boogaloo and latin soul outfit working today. Their sound is inspired by the warmth and youthful spirit of classic New York Latin Boogaloo of the late 1960s. That became even more evident when the band were invited to appear at the Fania Recordings recent anniversary celebrations in New York - a fine and fitting endorsement from the crucible of boogaloo music. Que Chevere! (My Babys Got Latin Soul) is the title track from the band's most recent album, and it's released here in a pairing with a fantastic reworking of another album track La Tumba De Fu Manchu by Athens based producer and DJ, Mr Batterey (Stamy Papadomanolakis), who explains that "the atmospheric sound of cumbia, combined with the organ keys and the woodwind instruments sounded so fresh and transported me into a exotic paradise of sounds".

25 YEARS OF MR BONGO 1989-2014 (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Mr Bongo started life in 1989 as a small record shop underneath Daddy Kool’s Reggae Store on Berwick Street in London. They were the first shop to sell vinyl releases from independent hip-hop labels such as Def Jam, Rawkus, Nervous and Big Beat outside of the USA. They also became the established bearer for hard-to-find, classic Latin music, particularly Brazilian, outside of the Americas. Such characters as Gilles Peterson and clubs such as Dingwalls championed this music and in the following years Mr Bongo established itself as the leader and provider for whole scene. The label and publishing operation moved to Brighton in 2001. From their seaside base Mr Bongo have been responsible for discovering and breaking some of the world’s most exciting new talent, as well as reissuing sought after classics and rarities that have gone on to become collectors items in their own right. Looking through the label discography is like digging into a treasure trove. Mr Bongo’s eclecticism married with their unshifting focus on quality has resulted in celebrated releases from artists such as Terry Callier, Joyce, Marcos Valle, Seu Jorge, Labi Siffre, Hollie Cook, Karol Conka, Prince Fatty, Ebo Taylor, and The Incredible Bongo Band.This compilation is a celebration of the label’s work from 1989 - 2014; Mr Bongo classics on disc one and the future of Mr Bongo on disc two.