Azimuth : Melo Da Cuica
taken from the soundtrack album “Pecado Capital” on Som Livre (1975)

Banda Black Rio : Melissa
taken from the album “Saci Perere” on RCA (1980)

Yeah, Brazilian funk is now popping up from in between your toes, climbing out of the shower drain, and even finding its way into your drawers as soon as you bring ’em home from the laundrymat. Pretty soon one of these songs will probably be used in a VW commercial. But that’s OK by me. We all loved City Of God and if you’ve never been to Black Betty on a Sunday night, then go already, ’cause you’ll love that too. Brazilian music deserves being heard, and spread. That’s why I’m happy to see Spinna putting out a comp on top of the growing number already out there. Even the new sound of Baile Funk is reaching beyond Brazilian borders. I know Diplo is diggin’ it, me too. Also, if you want to check one of my all time favorite films, the City Of God that came out when underage crime rings were still running things, then check this.

Basically, Azimuth (I’ve also seen it spelled Azymuth) ripped the Headhunters sound entirely, and added a cuica. I love it. It screams to be chopped up. Who’s gonna get there first… This song comes from the soundtrack to a 70’s Novela; I’d love to get my hands on some of the footage from that show.

Next up is another staple in the old-school Brazilian scene, Banda Black Rio. I first heard these guys on the Black Rio comp that came out in 2002. It’s a siiick collection. I put “Gafieira Universal” on my Jungle Funk Island mix. Banda also have a “best of” on Soul Jazz records. That “best of” contains the club bumper classic “Miss Cheryl”, which can also be found on Saci Perere. This same album has just been re-released by BMG. So cop it. I was lucky enough to dig this record from a bin for a five spot. Another good day for a vinyl junkie.

Willie Williams : See You When I Get There
taken from the album “Armagideon Time” on Studio One (1979)

Rico : This Day
taken from the album “Man From Wareika” on Blue Note (1977)

The food spot formerly known as “Jamaica Me Crazy”, located a block away from us on Nostrand Ave., has changed its name to “Belly Full”. Wow. These tunes don’t have much in common other than their national identification. Jamaica = Reggae, right? Anyway, peep it, and steer clear of the steamed cabbage unless you’re gonna be home alone tonight. Brussel Sprouts = Gas From Hell, right?

Willie Williams has a firm standing in the Reggae Hall of Fame for his tune “Armagideon Time”, which is also the name of this LP. You’ve probably heard the tune, it’s been on a bunch of reggae compilations, the riddim has been re-used and sampled aplenty, and Soul Jazz recently put out the disco version as a single. “A lotta people won’t get no supper tonight, a lotta people going to suffer tonight”. But I think I prefer this super soulful, distant sounding “See You When I Get There”, not to be confused with the crappy Gamble & Huff tune of the same name. The little rhodes noodling is perfect.

A reggae record on BLUE NOTE?! It might be the only one of it’s kind. Rico Rodriguez plays trombone on more records than you knew existed. His own albums are rare and few, but they’re out there. He’s still making new ones, too. Chris Blackwell, the head honcho behind Island Records, was the exec-producer of this one, so I don’t know how it ended up on Blue Note- I like picturing a massive ganja cloud and some 70’s jazz cats vibing with their dread-head-carribean counterparts. Ernest Ranglin is still doing jazz-reggae fusion projects that sound good too, but he never made it to that high tribunal of musical masterminds that is the Blue Note Brotherhood. So, mad props to Rico.