Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Aqui Los Bravos! The Best of Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo 1967-77 (2011)

Soundway continue their ongoing mission to mine the best of unheard world music with this latest collection from Columbia, this time focusing on the work of legendary bandleader Michi Sarmiento. Originally released on the legendary Disco Fuentes label between 1967 and 77, these tracks are stone cold dance music – music with a distinct purpose in mind. It might not sound like it now, but these songs would haunt the clubs, casinos and brothels and Michi (a child prodigy, of course) was on the scene by the time he was twenty, nailing the sax and clarinet in large, rumbling big bands. Produced by Mario ‘Pachanga’ Rincon, ‘Aqui Los Bravos!’ shows perfectly Sarmiento’s catalogue of guaguancos and descargas while also showing the trend at the time for covers of salsa and boogaloo. It might not have a lot to do with the modern dancefloor, but there’s an unmistakable pull to this very credible Latin sound, a far cry from the despicably limp latter day salsa we have had to endure in recent years. There’s nothing chilled, nothing coffee table about this music; it is raw, sleazy and laced with a wrought sexual energy it’s impossible to suppress.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - El Sonerito (2:42)
1.02 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Aqui los Bravos (4:59)
1.03 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Cumbia Raja (3:03)
1.04 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Vamos Negra (3:51)
1.05 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - El Arruyo de Macuya (3:13)
1.06 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - A los Sicodelicos (3:01)
1.07 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Mirame San Miguel (2:42)
1.08 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - La Vaca Nueva (2:51)
1.09 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Tumbando (2:44)
1.10 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Hong Kong (3:53)
1.11 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - El Negro Y Ray (4:53)
1.12 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Se Fue la Cumbia (2:40)
1.13 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Suena Ahora (3:06)
1.14 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Caprichosa (2:55)
1.15 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Son Retoson (3:12)
1.16 - Michi Sarmiento y su Combo Bravo - Purificacion (2:49)