Words by Justin Turford
Venezuela has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent years but there was a time when this vibrant Caribbean nation was relatively prosperous (due to its oil wealth and a stable government after years of dictatorship) and this excellent compilation from El Palmas uncovers some of the musical confidence of the time. This attractive mix of opportunities and hope brought the outside world calling with migrants from not just neighbours in the Caribbean and Colombia but also the USA and Europe. In turn, newly abundant locals were able to travel to the States and as is always the case, these new cultural exchanges revealed itself in art and music. On this second album in the series compiled by DJ El Palmas and El Dragón Criollo (who is involved in much of the label’s creative output as a member of Acid Coco, Jaguar and Contento) we are blessed with a feast of different styles (all recorded between 1966 and 1978), some of them a localised version of other countries genres and also tunes that highlight Venezuela’s new found confidence and willingness to create a modern sound that was uniquely Venezuelan.
I’ve played nearly every track from this compilation on my radio shows since being sent the promo and there are literally no fillers such is its quality. There is that touch of cumbia on Mario y Sus Diamantes’ “Santo Domingo” (above) with some spooky carnival organ swirling around the locked down percussion, we have the brilliant Desmond Dekker “007” pastiche of Los Cuatros Monedas “Buena Suerte” which despite the overuse of the original song still manages to sound fresh and joyful. The short and raw version of Fela Kuti’s “Let’s Start” by Los Kings is an intriguing addition, the band much looser than Fela’s Africa 70 outfit but the song still has it, the dirty psyche guitar a nice touch. Orquesta La Playa’s “Negro Soy” sounds like something found in the 50s Exotica section with dramatic brass and romantic vocals a la Cuba and “Maria La Bella” from Nelson Y Las Estrellas is driving New York Fania style salsa.
“Liquido Elemento” by Retreta Mayor is brassy jazz-funk, complex and funky as hell, the sound of the new middle class nightclubs of Venezuela and “Tutti Frutti” from Grupo Almendra is just bonkers with its breathy female gasps, showbiz horns and hustle and cheeky keyboard noodles. Brilliant really.
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