Humble beginnings...

The story begins in a small record shop in London's Berwick Street in the late 80's. Mr Bongo was an essential destination for any vinyl enthusiast on their way through London's Soho. They were the go-to-guys for independent Hip Hop and, if you knew where to look, all things Latin. My experience of Mr Bongo was going to pick up the latest records in from the States as a teenager. The beauty of the visits, apart from the killer selection, was that you never knew which one of your favourite artists you might bump into. Nearly 2 decades on and they're still bringing me no end of joy, only now in the form of dope reissues arriving on my desk.

The man behind the music...

Having started the label as a way of bringing Latin music to dance conscious listeners, the ethos still holds true in 2017. Enter managing director and serial digger, David Buttle. Having had a hand in many of the more obscure reissues from the far reaches of the globe, he is certainly among the highest rank of Latin music aficionados.

Killer reissues...

The labels Latin directionality has been reemphasised in 2016, with a series of incredible releases such as Pedro Santos' 'Krishnada'. The album is an experimental journey through South America, ending up somewhere on the shores of India. Originally released on CBS in 1968, the album is a wonderful fusion of Latin rhythms and Asian instrumentation, rich in bollywood-esque string arrangements and harmonic minor wanderings.

Another noteworthy example is the reissue of the self-titled, 1972 LP by Arthur Verocai. The Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist effortlessly journeys through Latin-jazz and funk, creating a truly unique masterpiece. When Madlib says of an album "I could listen to this album everyday for the rest of my life", you should probably pay attention.

Other examples include Banda Black Rio's, Maria Fumaça and Eloah's, Os Orixás to name just a few, but I could go on all day such is the quality of the recent Mr Bongo catalogue. All this without even beginning on the African stuff, but I guess that's for another blog. 

All in all, there are only a few reissue labels in the world that maintain such a high level of consistency, and perhaps none that can boast such an astounding knowledge of Latin music. 

On to the next...

Having just received 'The Original Sound Of Mali' compilation through our door as we speak, I'm going to sign out and listen through it while contemplating what other goodies we have to look forward to in 2017...

https://www.mrbongo.com/

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