Sonny Bravo "Tighten Up" / Mongo Santamaria "We Got Latin Soul"

Double Dose of Latin Funk - Limited Edition 7" Vinyl

The New York Latin Scene with Sonny Bravo and Mongo Santamaria

“Tighten Up” was a summer 1968 number-one R&B and pop hit single by Archie Bell & the Drells. It sold a million copies by May 1968. Besides recording a cover of the Archie Bell and the Drells hit, Sonny Bravo was unusual in that he recorded not for Fania, Cotique or Tico. This tune was recorded for Columbia, who were probably dipping into the new Latin craze. Pianist and arranger Bravo had a rich background in Latin music. The son of a Cuban bassist with Conjunto Caney, Bravo had toured as a member of Tito Puente’s Latin Jazz Ensemble, among other gigs. Like others, Bravo made boogaloo records in the late 60s.

______

Born in Cuba on April 7, 1917, Mongo Santamaria is an Afro-Cuban percussionist who became an influential. His given name is Ramón Santamaría Rodríguez. Nicknamed Mongo by his father, Santamaria believes his nickname comes from the Mali people in West Africa. Mongo means the chief of the tribe.
With his arrival in New York in 1950, Mongo Santamaria introduced Afro-Cuban street music to the World. He later fused the music of his native Cuba with R&B and jazz to create a distinct sound that would be popular with audiences worldwide.

"We Got Latin Soul" by Mongo Santamaria is a cover of Dyke & the Blazers's "We Got More Soul"

MAR 088

Licensed by Sony Music Portugal
Release November 20, 2023