There’s so much here to enjoy, it’s hard to know where to start. There are rousing versions of  “I Got You” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” There’s “Quien Sera Ska,” which takes the Ruiz-penned hit “Sway” and re-envisions it as sort of a polka/ska/Mexicali Brass mashup…it all has to be heard to be believed. And before you ask, this album was released the week of August 13, 1966. There was a “Living Stereo” version of this release, and this ain’t it. Glorious Mono.

For your next musical chairs drinking game session, why not play “La Banda Borracha”:

Caliente.zip (40MB)

Side One:
Caliente, Caliente
Te Tengo (I Got You)
Llevame a La Luna (Fly me to the Moon)
Agua Miel
La Banda Borracha
Jamaica Ska

Side Two:
Sabado a las 5
La Sombra de tu Sonrisa (The Shadow of Your Smile)
Solo Para Dos
Quien Sera Ska
Picnic a Go-Go
Una Probada de Miel (A Taste of Honey)

“Music is a necessity, but it is important that the music cover all categories so that whatever your company may be, you will have the ‘sound’ to make them happy, as well as yourself…Listen…and have the music fill your home with pleasure.” And so we are introduced to another in the International Award Series via Freeport, Long Island. Here we bring you Noro Morales, a great collection of tunes and a wonderful cover. May it bring you pleasure.

Give a listen to Norin-Noron:

Morales.zip (35MB)

Side One:
Who’s Sorry Now – Cha Cha
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love – Cha Cha
Dark Eyes – Pachanga
For Me and My Gal – Cha Cha
I’m Getting Sentimental Over You – Cha Cha

Side Two:
Home – Cha Cha
The Children’s Merengue
Norin-Noron – Mambo
Rainbow Bolero
Mississippi Mambo

These gentlemen are the real deal — a “trio romantico” who appeared in over a dozen Mexican films in the 40s. This release captures them live at the “El Jorongo” bar, which the back cover assures us is “a wonderful place that is a must for every tourist that visits Mexico City because of it’s gay atmosphere.” If you’ve ever been to the El Jorongo bar, please leave a comment and let us know what it was/is like.

Every once and a while, you take a chance and find a real gem in the bins, and this is one of those gems. The first track unfortunately has a couple of skips, but the rest of the tracks are fine and there is relatively little surface noise, which is a miracle considering this came from the floor of a Goodwill in rural Ohio. The back cover is also signed by the trio, which is very cool, but a bit odd, taking into account the whole rural Ohio thing.

Check out El Soldado de Levita:

Calaveras.zip (51MB)

Side One:
Flor Silvestre
Amaneci en tus Brazos
La Malaguena
Sin Sangre en las Venas
El Coyote

Side Two:
Gota a Gota
El Soldado de Levita
Novia Envidiada
La Llorona
No Me Vuelvas a Ver
Besame Morenita

Another great Seeco release found in an out of the way thrift shop in an out of the way town. Melis was best known as musical director of The Tonight Show during the Jack Paar era. You can find out more about him on his Space Age Pop entry. This is a nice mellow record for a Sunday afternoon. Some of the songs here are a little reminiscent of Martin Denny. So if you are a Denny fan, it might be worth checking this one out.

Give a listen to Anniversary Song:

Melis.zip (43MB)

Side One
Anniversary Song
Monte Carlo Melody
Sunrise Serenade
Answer Me (My Love)
A Sleeping Bee
Strange

Side Two
Linger Awhile
Lazy Afternoon
Close Your Eyes
When Did You Leave Heaven
Speedy Senor
Candle in the Wind

This is from the Epic “International Series” and despite the rather “blah” cover, the music is quite good. According to the back cover, “… the marimba has the sweetness of a woman’s voice. The Marimba Mexico of Don Fortino is the best in the country. The arrangements are strictly for dancing and the repertoire is a varied program of cha cha chas, boleros, danzones and rhumbas — all instrumental and all flavored in the inimitable south-of-the-border manner.” This record is labeled “FOR DEMONSTRATION USE ONLY.” I bet they moved many a marimba with this one. [<-- A JOKE]

Give a listen to “Ayudame, Dios Mio!”:

Marimba.zip (41 MB)

Side One:
Luz Y Sombra
Ansiandote
Cuando No Se De Ti
De Quien Estas Enamorada
Crei
Caramelo

Side Two:
Ayudame, Dios Mio!
Por Una Cara Bonita
Mario Del Socorro
Donde Estas Corazon
Mis Siete Novias
Pedacito

Here is the authentic gaiety of one of the most bombastic dances to ever come out of the Caribbean. Twelve exciting tunes in true Charanga instrumentation Dressed in colorful arrangements — recorded in brilliant sound. La Pachanga is the dance craze that is sweeping the world and gaining new favor over the mambo and cha-cha.

Or so claims the back cover.

Here’s the title track:

Pachanga.zip (48MB)

Side One
La Pachanga
Piano Charanga
Pachanga Brasilera
Ole Ole Pachanga
La Moruna
Cuatro Palomas

Side Two
La Charanga
Balada
Sinfonia de Pachanga
Para la Fiesta Voy
Pachanga Montuno
Chi Chi Charanga

This album has been “on loan” from my high school Spanish teacher for over 25 years now. Mr. E., if you’re reading this, drop me a line and I’ll send it back to you.

To my small-town Ohio ears, La Sonora Matancera sounded exotic, like tuning in to a distant A.M. radio station on the short wave. It made me feel like I was missing out on something and I wanted to see what it was. And in that sense, it was profoundly influential on my life.

Here’s No Te Quedes Mirando:

Sonora.zip (47MB)

Side 1:
El Disgusto De La Rumba
El Beep Boom
Cacungaca
Cualquiera Resbala Y Cae
Y Del Vedado Que
Tropico

Side 2
Lindo Omelenko
Sujetate La Lengua
No Te Quedes Mirando
El Pregon Del Enyucao
Rumbero Vamos a La Rumba
Hay Que Dejarse De Cuento

This is another Seeco records release.

OK, Internet. Now that I have your attention, I have a confession to make. I’ve been holding out on you a little bit. This is one of my favorite albums. And for you, it’s a nice mix of quality and obscurity. Just looking at the cover makes me happy. It’s another one on the Seeco label (see the earlier Nilo Lopes Bossa Nova post). If you liked the Perez Prado, you should like this as well.

Listen to A Bailar Merecumbe:

Belisario.zip (46MB)

Side 1
Celosa “Cara Sucia” (Merecumbe)
El Cochero (Guaracha)
El Bombon (Merecumbe)
Cayetano Baila (Merenge)
Pegadito (Merenge)
El Merecumbe “El Monito” (Merecumbe)

Side 2
A Bailar Merecumbe (Merecumbe)
Sancocho E’Guesito (Guaracha)
Ay Que Rico Amor (Merecumbe)
Vamos A Guarachar (Guaracha)
El Yayabo (Rumba)
No Llores “Vaciladora” (Merecumbe)

The lady in the silver dress returns gracing the cover of “Great Mambos” from Perez Prado. The cover doesn’t lie folks…these are Great mambos. Sorry for the nearly month-long gap between posts, and thanks to those who have commented so far. I love hearing what people think of these. And to all my new visitors from Poland, Witaj Polsko! stop by, say “hi” and leave a comment!

Check out Guaglione:

PerezPrado.zip (43MB)

Little-known Fact: In Peru, Catholic authorities threatened to deny absolution for anyone who participated in mambo dancing.

From the LP jacket:

“Ay! Amor is a natural title of any album that features Tito Guizar. In the commanding person of the man who long ago earned the title ‘Singing Idol of All the Americas,’ is represented as romantic a figure as has ever appeared from south of the border. Tito Guizar’s background is almost of storybook proportions. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, the son of a wealthy ranch owner, young Tito originally aimed at a medical career. His great natural musical talents, however, were not to be denied…Tito happens to be a superbly handsome six footer, whose athletic prowess includes the distinction of having been amateur middleweight boxing champion of Mexico and stellar member of his country’s Davis Cup Tennis Team.”

From The Hollywood Reporter:

“Born Federico Guizar y Tolentino on April 8, 1908, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Guizar appeared in more than 20 films and television shows starting in the 1930s. Most recently, he performed in the Spanish soap opera ‘La Usurpadora.’ He portrayed himself in ‘The Big Broadcast of 1938,’ starring Bob Hope, W.C. Fields, Dorothy Lamour and Martha Raye. In 1947, he appeared with Roy Rogers on the TV Western ‘On the Old Spanish Trail.’ Guizar was perhaps the first Mexican singing star to cross over to United States audiences. During the 1930s, he performed in a weekly bilingual radio program, ‘Tito Guizar and His Guitar,’ which was broadcast nationwide on CBS. Guizar died on December 24, 1999 from natural causes in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 91.”

Sin Ti:

TitoGuizar.zip (47MB)