Luisito Quintero and his timbales hail from Caracas in Venezuela. The son of a respected percussionist, he carried on the family tradition joining the Orquesta Simfonica de Venezuela followed by popular bands Grupo Guaco and El Trabuco Venezolano. Touring with Oscar D’Leon got him worldwide recognition and endless recording credits with giants Puente, Palmieri, Colon, Hancock to name a few plus Vega’s own projects Nuyorican Soul and MAW.

Released as part of Vega’s Element Of Life project fusing Afro-Latin, bossa nova and jazz, Percussion Madness recreated hits of Tito Puente and Fela Kuti. Enough said really as its dancefloor hugeness was guaranteed.

Vega’s update of ‘Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo’, featuring Francis Mbappe on vocals is as brilliant as ever, Can we feel it? You bet we can, worth getting for this track alone but there’s even better news.

Our Italian jazz dance remixer of desire, Nicola Conte spotted that ‘Our Love’ (vocals from Anané) was ideal source material for his sort of piano-led percussive re-interpretation. One for the girls? Not really but for testosterone bustin’ percussion, look no further than the updated ‘Aquilas Coisas Todas’ and ‘Quintero’s Jam’.

We’ve lost a few tracks from the original album but this means there’s the even better news still! New tracks! The massive ‘El Jibarito y El Cubanito’ (featuring Jose Mangual and Milton Cardona who were original band members of Hector Lavoe) makes up for the loss of ‘Acid’, the afro-chill-fusion workout of ‘Bonatune’ featuring Richard Bona is a real grower and there’s also ‘Skinny Papa’ and possibly the best of the lot, the future touching past of ‘Tumbao’.

The new album starts with an Osibisa cover ‘Music For Gong Gong’ that stays true to that Osibisa sound (tipped to be big in Ibiza this year), includes the new housey version of ‘Love Remains The Same’ that’s getting spins from Vega’s mates Kenny Dope, Joe Clausell and Danny Krivit et al and ends with the Vega stamped house of ‘Free My Soul’ (featuring Claudia Acuna).

Now that’s just ridiculous really so just to top it off, Louisito is on a European tour at the moment (see below details).

Louie Vega will always be thought of as half of Masters At Work but his name as man that knows some serious Afro and Latin percussion friendly dance floor joints is as good as ever its ever been. Luisito Quintero’s percussion madness is perfect for his production set up and between the pair of them and some other quality performers, they have produced another must have. Highly recommended as they say. So good it might even free your soul!

Hectic Mix nominations [Revisited]: ‘Tumbao’, ‘El Jibarito y El Cubanito’, ‘Bonatune’, ‘Music For Gong Gong’, ‘Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo’, ‘Aquilas Coisas Todas’, ‘Our Love’, ‘Quintero’s Jam’,

Hectic Mix nominations [Original]: ‘Percussion Madness’, ‘M’Bongi’, ‘Gbagada, Gbagada, Gbogodo, Gbogodo’, ‘Aquilas Coisas Todas’, ‘Quintero’s Jam’, ‘Acid’, ‘Our Love’, ‘Four Beat Mambo’, Oshagrina, ‘Love Remains The Same’

Reviewed: Various — Louie Vega Presents Luisito Quintero: Percussion Madness Revisited (BBE) Cat. No. BBECD093 Release date: 15th October 2007
Tracklisting
1. Music For Gong Gong feat Nina Rodriguez (L V Production)
2. Tumbao (L V EOL Remix)
3. Aquilas Coisas Todas (L V EOL Remix)
4. Love Remains the Same feat. Blaze (L V EOL Remix)
5. Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo feat. Francis Mbappe (L V EOL Remix)
6. Our Love feat. Anane (Nicola Conte Remix)
7. Skinny Papa (L V Production)
8. Quintero’s Jam (L V EOL Remix)
9. El Jibarito y el Cubanito (L V Production)
10. Bonatune
11. Free my Soul feat. Claudia Acuna (L V Production)

Links:
www.vegarecords.net
www.myspace.com/luisitoquintero
www.bbemusic.com
www.myspace.com/bbemusic