Sunday 14 June 2009

HARVEY AVERNE DOZEN - VIVA SOUL (ATLANTIC 1968) Jap mastering cardboard sleeve




Though many artists in the late '60s earnestly searched for the place where Latin rhythms and soul melodies could intersect, few found it. Harvey Averne may have been one of the very few that could both swing salsa fans and get the soul crowd "shaking their money maker." The vibraphonist and bandleader wisely incorporated the most essential elements of R&B while adding Latino influence with salsa-inflected horn vamps and percussion voices otherwise unheard in the soul genre. It is albums like Viva Soul that would define the role of Latino concepts in American pop music for generations to come. That noted, this is a soul record with rice and beans on the side. Congas and compana are spice here, not the main course. Though Averne's vibraphone has a place on the album, it seems to be on the corner of the stage. Having co-written half the tunes in the repertoire along with the record's arranger Marty Sheller, and with a nominal musical role, with maybe eight bars of solo on the whole album, one might wonder whose record this is. Irrespective of the leadership, Viva Soul features some of the highest production quality and most pleasing arrangements of the Latin/soul crossover genre. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide
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A wicked album of Latin Soul tunes -- recorded by Harvey Averne, one of the heaviest hitting producers of the New York scene of the late 60s! The album's one of the few that Harvey issued under his own name, and it features him on piano and vibes, working with arrangements by Marty Sheller, and a tight batch of studio players who cook up the grooves in a classic Fania/Tico style! The album's got some very groovy originals -- like "The Micro Mini", "You're No Good", "My Dream", and "You Mess My Mind Up" -- plus some sweet little covers, like "The Think Drink Theme", "The Word", and "Wishing & Hoping" -- all of which come off like some of Willie Bobo's best work of the time!
Here

9 comments:

Ulisses said...

Hi Brother: excellent blog! a lot of new jewels here, thanx so much for sharing all this stuff

one request if it's possible: the cannonball Adderley records from the early 70's (the price you've got to pay to be free, music you all, etc) thank you very much

Georgie Hirezola said...

thanks for the comment...
I'll try to locate some "Cannonball Adderley's" early 70s stuff if it's possible...
Georgie+++++

Jose A. said...

this is one of my (recent) favourites records of all times, all songs are winners, starting with think it over!!

Filemuncher said...

I can`t download this for some reason,the link to mediafire works,but the download never starts!
DOWN WITH MEDIAFIRE!
VIVA RAPIDSHARE!!!:o)

Filemuncher said...

Pop Up Blocker stopped the download!
A Great record!!!!
Many Thanks!

Effi said...

Thanks man. Im a stranger but I love these Guys! So I appreciate your post.

Anonymous said...

Top album! Thank you very much!

Anonymous said...

Wow!! Great post! Thank you!!!

Claude Chaney said...

I have fond memories of this LP "You're No Good", "You Mess My Mind Up" are unforgettable! but the best of all was the original "My Dream"
The following album, the self titled "Harvey Arverne Dozen" on Fania was even better because of it's diversity, a haunting version of "Rosemary's Baby" that surpassed
the one in the film. "Accept Me", "Can You Dig It?" and "Why Can't We Really Be Free? go straight to the heart. This was one of those rare occasions where I can say I loved every song on the lp.