Now it's time to give these weird sounds the credit they deserved.
It's amazing; just LOOK WHAT I HAVE FOUND in thrift stores, second hand markets and sometimes even IN THE TRASH CAN.
Thanks to CD I was able to save these unusual tunes on 45 rpm 7" records. It's obvious that these 45s have been played a lot, so surface noice is almost obligatory. No hi-tek cd quality, but just back to the times where no one had ever heard of digital recording studios.
All the songs on these compilations are from the original 45 rpm records released prior to 1980 when CD took over the world of warm vinyl sounds. I've tried to exclude any song that's been compiled before, but as I don't own each and every compilation album ever made, there might be some songs that you already own on another compilation album. Look, listen and enjoy...
LABEL: In The Trash Can Records
CAT # : GARBAGE36
Subtitle: O El Cha Cha - 16 ways to cha cha cha with a Watusi
It would be easy to fill 3 volumes with only Chakachas recordings, but these are not their best known. The best Latin band in the late 50s and early 60s and yet not from Latin America, but from ... Belgium! Big surprise to most of you, huh? Included you'll find some other exotic sounds from those days you could be dreaming of a Watusi war god...
(Ronnex R.1313 �6.)
The cha cha cha has a special warm atmosphere and it makes you happy and the ballroom sunny. Fonseca recorded a few latin 45s. The brilliant A-side of this one can be found on vol 4 where you can also read some more info about this guy. On vol 30 you can find another Fonseca recording.
2. samba d'orph�e - marpessa dawn
(Bel-Air 211002 from 1958)
What a beautiful sleeve! �Orfeu negro� was a 1959 Marcel Camus movie starring Marpessa Dawn as Eurydice who fell in love with a tramway driver named Orpheus. The ancient Greek tragedy in Rio from the late 50s. Carnival & cha cha cha.
3. pita camion - conjunto batacha del mexico
(Fontana 467 086 TE )
Four latin songs on this EP. This �Pita Camion� is the best and is cha cha cha mucho caliente.
4. pa la paloma � chakachas
(RCA 47-9250 from 1960)
The world champions in cha cha cha. From Belgium! This is a fast one, maybe even too fast to call it cha cha cha.
5. arriba la conga � chakachas
(RCA 47-9313 from 1960)
Ha! No cha cha cha but a super seductive conga.
6. koulouri � chakachas
(RCA 47-9313 from 1960)
And here again a genuine cha cha cha ballroom blitz.
7. chip chip batulo � chakachas
(RCA EPA-9755 from 1960)
The tempo is raised again with this one. The other three songs on this EP are excellent as well, certainly �Mucho tequila�, but also �Chocolate� and the great conga tune �Bing Bang Conga�
8. ma ma du � chakachas
(RCA-Victor 54.4034 / RCA 47-9195 from 1959
For me this is one of the best Chakachas songs ever. It never got the credit it deserved because it was only the flipside of that world hit �Eso es el amor�.
9. what you say, watusi � chakachas
(RCA EPA-9119 from 1959)
Now follow me deep into the heart of the cha cha jungle and listen to what the watusi has to say. You won�t understand him, but I�m pretty sure you�ll dance to his music. And more great stuff on this EP, just listen to the next song�
10. frutas � chakachas
(RCA EPA-9119 from 1959)
� and you�ll discover that not only cha cha cha, merengue and conga, but also the mambo was one of the Chakachas trademarks. �Filin� cha� and �El bingo� are the other two songs on this EP.
11. el charlatan � chakachas
(RCA 47-9755 from 1960)
Back to the suburban cha cha cha about the story of El Charlatan. Just look at the sleeve and admire the coolness of those Belgian latin lovers.
12. anita de montparnasse � chakachas
(RCA 47-9418 from 1960)
And another story here about a girl called Anita and she�s from Montparnasse. It�s not in French, but like all the other Chakachas recordings on this volume it�s sung in Spanish.
13. momento � chakachas
(RCA EPB-9609-1 from 1961?)
A trumpet leads this song to another highlight of cha cha cha. Maybe one day I�ll fill another volume of cha cha cha tunes by Les Chakachas.
14. fais moi le couscous cheri - bob azzam
(Festival DN242 from 1960)
A middle eastern dance by the Egyptian French guy who gave us �Mustapha�. If you don�t understand French, it�s a shame because the lyrics are quite explicit behind the harem veils.
15. merengue sixty-six - juan loubry
(Moonglow 5099 from 1966?)
And this is the only merengue song here. It could have been recorded in 1966, but that�s just a guess.
16. always - jerry jackson
(CBS CBS1469 from 1973)
Haha, fooled ya. This is no cha cha cha, it�s rather ska ska ska. And it�s from his hit 45 �Tell her Johnny said goodbye�. I never intended to make any sense, so why not include this one! It�s like Jerry has used the same backing choir as Screamin� Lord Sutch.
