Not only does the compiler know his Africa, Miles Cleret knows Colombia and all its best stuff as he’s got the pick of the vaults from the golden era of Discos Fuentes. At a time when New York was into smooth salsa, Disco Fuentes was much more the Funk Mundial of their day as with a harder sound.

Take the opening track, there’s plenty of salsa style in ‘Salsa Na Ma’ but there’s also a big sixties organ solo which gives it that edge. That’s the joy of this album as the influences are many from Afro-Cuban, Latin, samba, salsa, ska, tango, jazz big bands and many more for your fandango, cumbia, salsa and champeta dancing pleasure.

If you ever wondered why Jazzman released Jonathan Richman’s ‘Egyptian Reggae’, check out the brilliant punk ska Columbian stylee of ‘Cumbia En Do Menor’, ‘La Picua’ and ‘La Samaria’ where Artie Shaw meets Mulatu Astatke.

The clarinet is big in the Colombian big band scene, ‘Gaita De Las Flores’ would put Kid Creole and Coconuts to shame. Surprisingly few vibes are featured, but ‘Cal Tjader’ turns up for a quick solo on ‘Cumbiamba’ (great ending).

Wganda Kenya are so Afro-beat, Russ Dewbury (of The Mitchell & Dewbury Band) included one of their tracks on his first Club Africa compilation. Clearly, their influences are from the West Coast, like The Afrosound who contribute the last track on the album.

The surprise odd-ball is a cover of ‘For Your Love’ by Fruko y sus Tesos (called ‘Improvisando’ here) which is far better than The Yardbirds or any other subsequent cover ‘rock’ version.

At the time Disco Fuentes’ golden age finished in 1976, the UK was hit (literally) by the birth of punk with The Sex Pistols, The Damned and The Clash. By coincidence, Mark Coles recently did a feature on the former front man of The Clash, the late Joe Strummer on his World Service programme. He pointed out it’s probably little known Strummer was at one time a World Service DJ but the snippet they played of him introducing a record couldn’t have been more relevant. Coles said, “that’s a track from Colombia he’s playing”. One listen to this album on Soundway and you’ll be going “Aye, Aye, Aye” with the same enthusiasm as Strummer did in that snippet (he was always ahead of his time).

Absolutely brilliant album and be warned, it’s enough to give you dancing blisters. They say Discos Fuentes was “The Powerhouse of Colombian Music” and you can’t argue with that as all 20 tracks have more energy than any electrical store warehouse. Miles, get back in those vaults and dig out some more.

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Cumbia En Do Menor’, ‘La Samaria’, ‘La Piojosa’ ‘La Picua’, ‘Gaita De Las Flores’, ‘El Mondongo’, ‘Cumbiamba’, ‘Fandando En Percusion’ [at least!]

Reviewed: Various — Colombia! -The Golden Age Of Discos Fuentes — The Powerhouse of Colombian Music 1960-76 (Soundway) Cat. No.SNDWCD008 Release date: 3rd April 2007
Tracklisting:
1 Fruko y sus Tesos Salsa Na Ma (4:13)
2 Lito Barrientros y su Orguesta Cumbia En Do Menor (2:45)
3 Michi Sarmiento y sus Bravos Honk Kong (3:52)
4 La Sonora Clenaguera La Piojosa (2:58)
5 Fruko y sus Tesos Improvisando (3:50)
6 Latin Brothers, The Patrona De Los Reclusos (6:13)
7 Wganda Kenya Tiffit Hayed (3:40)
8 Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros Fandando En Percusion (2:45)
9 Orquesta Nunez La Samaria (2:57)
10 Los Corraleros de Majagual El Mondongo (10:13)
11 Fruko y sus Tesos A La Memoria Del Muerto (4:21)
12 Michi Sarmiento y sus Bravos La Primavera (2:16)
13 Wganda Kenya Elyoyo (4:07)
14 Lucho Bermudez Gaita De Las Flores (2:52)
15 El Sexeto Miramar Cumbiamba (2:32)
16 Michi Sarmiento y sus Bravos Mirame San Miguel (2:42)
17 Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros La Picua (2:50)
18 Climaco Sarmiento y su Orquesta La Pata Y El Pato (2:43)
19 Latin Brothers, The Las Caleñas Son Como Los Flores (3:55)
20 Afrosound Pacifico (2:44)

Links:
Soundway www.soundwayrecords.com
Soundway Records hosts a night of hot tropical music in this unique East London venue to celebrate the release of the Colombia! CD! £7 on the door, Saturday Mar 24, 2007 10:00 PM East Mount Street, Whitechapel London, E1
For Your Love by The Yardbirds “This song prompted Eric Clapton to leave The Yardbirds, since he felt their music was becoming too commercial”
“No stereotypes please — we’re Brazilian”
My Salsoul…New York’s legendary dance label, Salsoul returns after a 15 year lay-off with a mix of underground disco, rare groove, funk and soul at Salmon & Compass www.salmonandcompass.com 30th March Stuart Patterson, 27th April Ashley Beedle
www.radioafrica.co.uk