Yesterday we visited Finland with some great jazz funk fusion, and today we are traveling to South America, Peru to be exact and diving in deep with some music from Peru’s radical decade. Peru Bravo is a compilation of some of Peru’s best underground and short lived groups as well as alt heroes Laghonia and Traffic Sound. These sounds rose out of the instability of the country in the late 60’s and early 70’s, a place where young bands combined the exciting aural pleasure of funk, soul, and psychedelic music before the country was taken over by General Juan Velasco Alvarado and this kind of movement stopped. This compilation was put together by by top chef, author and restaurateur Martin Morales, Duncan Ballantyne (Ex-Soundway) and Andrés Tapia del Rio (Repsychled Records) and includes cover versions of Jimi Hendrix, Steppenwolf, and The Meters. It’s 15 tracks of high voltage Peruvian music, and we’re happy it has been unearthed to the public.

The covers we speak of are “Hey Joe”, “Sookie Sookie”, and “Cissy Strut” respectively, and they are blazing versions of each. However, while the covers are what you might expect (funky and fresh), the underground bands steal the show on this record. Black Sugar’s “Checan” is a percussion, horn, and organ filled freakout, while “El Sermon” from Los Comandos continues with a funky flute we all love around here. Along with fuzzy tracks from Los Destellos and Los Nuevos Shains (who sound a bit like Santana and War), The Mads “Aouh Aouh” do their best Cymande impression and Three Image tighten up a soulfully on “Outasite”. Again, hearing these tracks for the first time opens up a whole new world, and gives a glimpse into experimental and revolutionary Peru during this time. The movement went as quickly as it came, and this sound gave way to Cumbia and other forms. Tiger’s Milk Records do a great job of preserving this music and these brave bands who made it. Out on October 7th, grab it and go.

Pre-order the record here.

Keep Diggin’!