Friday, January 8, 2016

7" Single of the Month - "Ray Barretto: Pastime Paradise/Mambotango"

7" Single of the Month
Ray Barretto: "Pastime Paradise/Mambotango" (Athens Of The North ATH 028)
Licensed from Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited
Released: December 10, 2015
Produced by Creed Taylor, originally released on CTI Records

Side A
"Pastime Paradise" (Stevie Wonder / radio edit 3:12)
Side B
"Mambotango" (Carlos Franzetti / 5:56)

Destination 1981 for these Latin cover versions from renowned composer and Tito Puente compadre Ray Barretto. First heard on his 1981 CTI album La Cuna (recorded in 1979), both these versions (taken from the original masters) sparkle and shine with this trademark jazz signature; the 7" version "Pastime Paradise" offers a little more bounce in the rhythm than Stevie's original while the vocals are eerily similar to Wonder himself. Carlos Franzetti's "Mambotango" enjoys pride of place on the B; light and almost loungey in its make up, the horns do all the seducing over a smouldering latin beat.

These tracks have been played by such people as Nik Weston Mukatsuku Records, Craig Charles Funk And Soul, Rudy's Midnight Machine, Boy Oliver, Hubbz, Funky Bompa, Marc Hype, JKriv (Razor-N-Tape), I Love 45's!, The Jazz Meet, Skyline Recordings Chart, Nick Bike, Colemine Records, Roger Bong (Aloha Got Soul)

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