Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers - Yaina (RSD 2024, LP Vinyl)

Originally released in 1971 by the Harlem, NY-based soul-jazz heavyweights Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers one year prior to "Super Freak", "Yaina" was reissued the same year via Cubop in 1996. Timbalero Henry "Pucho" Brown was a pivotal figure in the Latin boogaloo movement that fused Latin, jazz and funk styles during the sixties. He released a staggering 8 albums between 1966 and 69 for the Prestige label. Adopting a dirtier street soul attitude, the "Yaina" and "Super Freak" albums reflected a change in musical tastes as the 60s became the 70s. Returning to New York in the '90s Pucho found that he had been re-discovered by a younger crowd of music fans. The renewed interest in Pucho stemmed from the UK jazz dance scene which championed a cultural mix of sounds including boogaloo, street soul, Latin and Brazilian music. Like it's companion piece album "Super Freak", "Yaina" contains several killer covers including Grant Green's "Cease the Bombing" which manages to make an effective anti-war statement just with flutes, vibes, gentle percussion, and a melancholy wordless vocal chorus, along with a funked-up cover of John Coltrane's classic "Naima".

A1 Cease The Bombing A2 Chitterlings Con Carne A3 Homeland A4 Yaina B1 Inside The Corn B2 Naima B3 San Juan 2000 B4 Hard Hats