Pablo Yglesias (DJ Bongohead) is a Cuban-American artist, DJ, and writer. He has compiled many music collections for World Music Network, including their popular Rough Guide and Introducing series. Also, he has written for Latin Beat, Hispanic and Wax Poetics magazine.
DJ Bongohead tells us about this exclusive Fania.com mix:
"Many of these cuts come directly from the vinyl in my collection, and have not been reissued (yet). The inspiration for the Fania Salsa Dura from The Vaults podcast selections comes from hanging out with older salseros, collectors, radio jocks, and musicians at the L&E Music & Creations store in the Latino barrio in Springfield, MA. We used to hang out on the weekends, listening to music, drinking beer, looking at records and watching salsa videos. The conversation would always turn to the deep cuts of "salsa brava" (60s-70s hard salsa) that everyone loved; there would be arguments, stories, examples played over the sound system, people lamenting about "How come they didn't reissue this record", or conversely, "Wow, they finally put that record out on CD!", and "Here's a great one I bet you never heard, compay", etc, etc. Some Fania label family favorites of the guys: La Muralla, Serafín Cortez, La Conspiración, Chamaco Ramírez, La Terifica. I wanted to have a cut by Orquesta Narvaez because producer Joe Cain told me he was really proud of having brought that recording to the label; and I wanted a Roy Roman cut, in honor of Izzy Sanabria, because he told me that was one of his favorite cover designs. You'll hear some baaad, smokin' cuts from Monguito Santamaría, Héctor Rivera, Roberto Anglero, and an amazingly funky salsa dura cut from the veteran Afro-Cuban crooner, Vicentico Valdez. When I stumbled on his dope jam "Kancanito" from the album Amor Con Salsa, I was blown away - here was this guy who had to be in his mid-60s, who had made the most of it during the 40s-50s singing mambos and boleros, and he had made the transition to 70s salsa without a hitch! So enjoy - there's plenty more where this came from - hope this inspires you to do some digging and hanging out with some elders from the barrio yourself!"
FANIA SALSA DURA by dj Bongohead
TRACK LIST
1 – Cuero Estirao – Johnny Colon
2- Ire Cantando – Serafin Cortez y su Orquesta
3 – Por Culpa De Tu Amor – Willie Rosario
4 – Obra Del Tiempo – Orquesta Narvaez
5 – Oriza – La Conspiracion
6 – Kancanito – Vicentito Valdes
7 – La Margarita – Roberto y su Nuevo Montuno
8 – Chambelon – Monguito “El Unico”
9 – Mi Ritmo Es Bueno – Bobby Valentin
10 – Separala Tambien – Tito Puente Orchestra
11 – Con Un Amor – La Lupe
12 – Traigo De Todo – Ismael Rivera Y Sus Cachimbos
13 – Tu Te Arrepentiras – Baby Gonzalez con la Orquesta Riveira
14 – Presencia – Justo Betancourt y su conjunto Boricuba
15 – Quien Quiere – Lebron Brothers
