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7"
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VAMPIC 45003EP
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Back in 2004, Vampisoul played a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the lauded 2005 album Call My Name, written and produced by Daniel Collás. But first came out the preview 45 Chick-A-Boom/Cycles of You, which quickly became a DJ favorite and guaranteed dancefloor filler, long out of print until now. Hear Collás explain how it all happened: "This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to. By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles of You'. The funny thing is, 'Chick A Boom', a live favorite with Easy, was hastily added so we could have a B-side, but it ended up chosen to be the A-side of the single." Red vinyl.
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LP
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NA 5235LP
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"Now-Again Records presents catalog-wide reissues of Latin music propellant Joe Bataan's legendary Ghetto Records. The series concludes with Drug Story -- rare and unreleased material from Joe Bataan and his Ghetto Records vaults, including an entire side of Bataan's never-before- issued 'Latin Funk' that spans the gamut from salsa to soul. Drug Story was inspired by true events and ranks highest among Bataan's finest achievements as the poet laureate of El Barrio. Ghetto Records was Joe Bataan's way to get over on 'The Man' and out of the 'hood, a bold move by an artist looking for independence and creative control in an industry that had exploited his talents and treated him like chattel. As Bataan puts it today, 'Ghetto Records was part of my journey, a stepping stone to everything else that I've done. I learned enough that it enabled me to get out of the box with my thinking, it showed me how to deal with adversity.' Like many dreams and schemes born of the street, this one was audacious, perhaps even reckless to a fault. Hatched from desperation yet full of hope Ghetto Records came crashing down shortly after its inception. The seven albums in its discography languished out of print -- until now. These are the definitive reissues of these albums, licensed from Joe Bataan, with his oversight and input into a 16-page oversize book by Pablo Yglesias that details Bataan's larger-than-imagination life and his little Latin label that could."
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7"
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VAMPI 45092C-EP
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Splatter vinyl. Back in 2004, Vampisoul played a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the acclaimed album Call My Name, written and produced by Daniel Collás (The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Incarnations). Now, the song that marked the return of Joe Bataan finally makes it into a 7" single for the first time. "This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to. By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles of You' . . . The rhythm section was a band called TransLove Airways that I formed in 2002. We got really tight and developed a great sound that was, to me, equal parts Heart, Shocking Blue, Brian Auger, and Rare Earth. To this core group I added pieces from a few other local bands: The Middle Initials, who are a great Temptations/Main Ingredient-style vocal group, and members of an incredible Latin band called Grupo Latin Vibe, who were responsible for almost all the percussion. There was also some fine trombone playing by Aaron Johnson of Antibalas and great flute work by Neal Sugarman and my cousin Sonny . . . The 'Call My Name' sessions took place when Daptone had just moved to Bushwick, its classic location..." --Daniel Collás, producer of "Call My Name".
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7"
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VAMPI 45092EP
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Back in 2004, Vampisoul played a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the acclaimed album Call My Name, written and produced by Daniel Collás (The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Incarnations). Now, the song that marked the return of Joe Bataan finally makes it into a 7" single for the first time. "This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to. By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles of You' . . . The rhythm section was a band called TransLove Airways that I formed in 2002. We got really tight and developed a great sound that was, to me, equal parts Heart, Shocking Blue, Brian Auger, and Rare Earth. To this core group I added pieces from a few other local bands: The Middle Initials, who are a great Temptations/Main Ingredient-style vocal group, and members of an incredible Latin band called Grupo Latin Vibe, who were responsible for almost all the percussion. There was also some fine trombone playing by Aaron Johnson of Antibalas and great flute work by Neal Sugarman and my cousin Sonny . . . The 'Call My Name' sessions took place when Daptone had just moved to Bushwick, its classic location..." --Daniel Collás, producer of "Call My Name".
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7"
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VAMPI 45003X-EP
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Yellow vinyl; edition of 300. Back in 2004, Vampisoul played a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the lauded 2005 album Call My Name (VAMPI 065CD/168LP), written and produced by Daniel Collás. But first came out the preview 45 Chick-A-Boom/Cycles Of You, which quickly became a DJ favourite and guaranteed dancefloor filler, long out-of-print until now. Collás explains how it all happened: "This whole project grew out of a song called "Cycles Of You", which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to. By the time we got around to recording with Easy, the band was about to break up but we still had the studio booked. We all agreed that we didn't want to continue as a band, but at the same time, it would be a shame to never record what we had been working on. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles Of You'. The funny thing is, 'Chick-A-Boom', a live favorite with Easy, was hastily added so we could have a B-side, but it ended up chosen to be the A-side of the single."
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LP
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VAMPI 168LP
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2024 repress. "This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles Of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Joe Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood. Around this time Bataan was playing out again, so I went to the show to see him and find out if he'd be interested in doing some vocals with us. He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles Of You'. When I got the opportunity from Vampisoul to do a full album, I was hoping Bataan and I could write some songs together, but our schedules proved tough to coordinate. I figured the best way to go about it was to do most of the work and just have him come sing on it. The rhythm section was a band called TransLove Airways that I formed in 2002. To this core group I added pieces from a few other local bands: The Middle Initials, who are a great Temptations/Main Ingredient-style vocal group, and members of an incredible Latin band called Grupo Latin Vibe, who were responsible for almost all the percussion and the vibraphone solo on 'I'm The Fool Pt. 2'. There was also some fine trombone playing by Aaron Johnson of Antibalas and great flute work by Neal Sugarman and my cousin Sonny. Preparing for Call My Name, I listened to a lot of different records from the mid to late '70s. It has now been over ten years since the completion of this record, and so much has changed. The Call My Name sessions took place when Daptone had just moved to Bushwick, its now-famous current location. Gabe Roth was my first call whenever I had any recording to do. He was yet to become the legendary figure at the center of the Daptone/Truth & Soul universe. He was just a humble guy with an incredible talent and an impeccable ear who made authentic sounding records with inexpensive analog gear." -- Daniel Collás, producer of Call My Name
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CD
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VAMPI 065CD
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2005 release. It's a great day at El Barrio: Joe Bataan is back. The sun is melting the sidewalks, the fire hydrants are color fountains, surrounding where the kids dance and enjoy themselves. It's a holiday because East Harlem's best known 'afrofilipino' is back. The local radio DJs are playing Joe Cuba, Johnny Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Hector Lavoe... Rhumba fills the streets, playing with the airwaves. 110th street is a celebration. The creator of Latin soul has not only lost nothing of his essence, but he has multiplied his energy to show who was the first one to join the Latin essence with the black feeling. Recovering the mestizo feeling, electric and proud. As the saying goes, whoever hits first hits twice, and there's no rival for Bataan. Repeat his name, loud and clear. Because the songs of Call My Name are the echo of the neighborhood, songs that could both have been recorded 30 years ago as much as they could be the introduction for the next name from Spanish Harlem worthy of attention. Timeless, classic and as genuine as the names who figure in the album. The saviours of rythm are in the city and an infectious concoction fills the streets. The funk pulsation with the soul feeling, no compromises, right into the guts. The songs written by Daniel Collás are stones proudly and firmly thrown into the mind. Each and every song in this album is a ray of light that melts the cold asphalt and shakes the knees of the inhabitants walking above it.
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