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Vecchio's Afro-Rock is one big horn-heavy, bass-blasting, Latin groove funk-rock party.
Only now, you're all invited because this, ladies and gentleman, is officially...a grail no
more. With copies currently starting at 400 Euros for an original, this beautifully
presented reissue, part of Be With's fresh campaign with Music De Wolfe, is well
overdue. A magnificent and somewhat obscure library set that's just a total, cohesive
joy from start to finish, this here is the soundtrack to all your smokin' summer BBQs
and communal cookouts.
Afro-Rock is the debut album by Argentine keyboardist Luis Vecchio. Recorded for the
sound library label De Wolfe, the album is frequently mentioned in hushed reverence
among the beat digger DJ collecting crowd. It features fiery brass charts, funky bass
lines, fluttering flute, choppy organ and additional hand tribal percussion. The band
let loose too and jam hard; yet there's a certain thread of solidity that runs
throughout, the tracks just belong together, not disparate sound and rhythm
experiments like some library records; this is just straight up, no messin', consistent
funk-rock FIRE! Hips will sway, heads will nod to the steady vibes. It's insanely good.
The humid, building funk of the appropriately titled "Megaton" is a dramatic
explosion of swirling, dazzling organ lines, ferocious beats and heavy horns
throughout. It just don't stop. The tempo slows slightly for the deep and deeply
addictive "Renegade". It's all heavy jazz horn refrains, always triumphant, coupled
with devastating percussive breakdowns and killer guitar riffing. It's an insistent
organ-led juggernaut. The freneti2c "Facade", up next, is no less driving, horns high up
in the mix over rattling percussion and brilliant organs lines. Just sensational. The
bright "Chabati" is another glorious extension of the optimistic Vecchio sound, the
organs wilder than ever before. The moody "Green Hell" is a real highlight and closes
out the A-Side with some outrageously funky refrains - be it horns, organ or guitars -
and is complimented by gorgeous flute work that galvanises the piece, elevating it to
downright heavenly status.
Knowing full well that he's on to a surefire thing, Vecchio opens the flipside in much
the same vein. Indeed, "Boss" is yet another uptempo highlight, a sensual orgy of
proud horns, hand percussion and melodic flute playing over driving organ and
guitars. It's followed by "Nsambei", which is rightly adored for its briefly open drum
break, fantastically propulsive percussion breakdowns throughout and the jazzy,
loose organ and guitar shreds. The bright "Waboco" ups the tempo and the pressure,
hanging on one hell of a guitar hook and infectious horn refrain. Perhaps foreseeing
how this album would come to be viewed, the aptly-titled "Cult" is possibly the finest
song on the record. Which is saying something, because this record is insanely good. Riding a steady, confident organ groove straight out the gate, the kinda melancholic
flute line over the top serves as a beautiful counterpoint which the horns often come
in and imitate/riff off. Goddamn this is so so good, it needs to be played everywhere.
The overwhelmingly mighty 7-minute jam "Ngoma-ku" rounds out this quite
staggering record brilliantly in its heavy, mid-tempo blues with countless extended
solos.
The audio for Afro Rock has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon
Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills
have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the
highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve
has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-
issue.
Tracklist
SIDE ONE
- Megaton 5:01
- Renegade 5:05
- Facade 3:18
- Chabati 3:11
- Green Hell 6:41
SIDE TWO
- Boss 3:55
- Nsambei 4:00
- Waboco 3:29
- Cult 4:37
- Ngoma-ku 7:04