Julian Que Malo Eres
This is really dope music. This is baaaad stuff. I mean this is the shit, the real shit.
Ehh, what I mean to say is this is really awesome music!
From deep in the jungle of Cali, Colombia comes Julian Angulo and his Combo with his totally wicked and unique sound. Not to forget big effing afros!
Two of my favorite albums of Julian y Su Combo are “Cali Se Paso” and “Noche de Fiesta En El Hotel Intercontinental Cali”. Both were issued on the small rare colombian label INS (Industria Nacional del Sonido) that also was the home of Los AfroINS, some of Alfredito Linares works and other gems from Colombia.
From Cali Se Paso the highlights for me are:
- Estamos En Salsa - Yes, the Wayne Gorbea track with completely new saborr! Love how this one smoothly changes into that funky break and back again to kick ass salsa.
- Arananga - Is a wicked club track, just totally addictive. Love them voice overs in the later part of the track. This one is too fast for most salsa dance floors but is a track that gets most other dance floors really jumping!
- Ven Rumbero - My current favorite from this album. Those breaks with the organ and whistles and everything makes the hairs stand up on my neck. Julian himself does a wonderful solo on tres.
Noche de Fiesta has too many highlights to mention them all, but these are my favorites:
- Las Calenas Son Como Las Flores - The Colombian classic in a straight ahead salsa version. I love this version as much as the Latin Brothers version. Again we find those cool funky breaks in the middle and the smooth switch back to salsa gear. Apparently this version was recorded before The Latin Brothers did their famous anthem of a version. The only information I found on this is from this interview in Latin Beat Magazine with Alfredito Linares.
- INS Rock - No rock music to be found here! This is a funky salsa-mambo number which is totally off the scales. Featuring a great timbale solo, clapping and that groovy bass line with guitar. Salseros and every kind of dancer goes crazy when I play this one. A great track for throwing down some freestyle moves too! My favorite track on this album.
- Quiero Salsa Na’ Ma - Salsa and nothing but real salsa!
- Enyere Kumbara- Now this is straight ahead colombian funk. An absolute treasure and a good reason why this album is so hard to find and easily is selling for $200-300.
- Que Es Lo Tuyo - Lovely salsa track with great funky breaks with clapping. Love the shout-out “Everybody Happy!”. This is another favourite to drop.
- Almendra - This is a well known track that has been part of numerous compilations. Perhaps the best known track from Julian. But it is funny that it is not the album version that got popular, but rather the same song played at 45rpm speed. This is why all the guys sound like Chicks (or chipmunks, your choice) singing! I also love this song played at the original intended speed. It sounds really deep and Julian’s solo, just beautiful. You can even hear “Speak to me…” being uttered just before the solo, “!Dime Julian!”.
Almendra is an old old cuban danzon standard and was originally played by charangas with flute and violins. Julian really transformed this into something deeply funky and swinging, now that is creative use of old standards. I wish more people would be inspired in a similar way from the older stuff and do something creative with it! - Los Chismes - In the same vein as Que Es Lo Tuyo, straight ahead Julian-salsa with funky breaks and a great piano solo from Alfredito Linares (Godfather of Peruvian, Colombian and Venezuelan salsa).
Also, the other tracks are good salsa tracks, Estoy Soda, Infierno en La Isla, Ave Maria Que Rumbon, and one cumbia, La Finquita.
One thing that struck me about Julian is the unique sound he brings, like no other salsa artist. He and his Combo has this street salsa style that sounds like it was invented in some guy’s basement, yet they mix it with wicked funky breaks blowing whistles and then also jazzy solos on tres and piano.
That is a unique mix, and that kind of mix is Salsa.
Groovy baby, groovy,
- Guachi
8 comments July 7th, 2008