LOUIE RAMIREZ: LATIN SOUL SPECIALIST
Louie Ramirez: Chin Chon Chow
Jimmy Sabater: Times Are Changin'
Both from Louie's Grooves (Vampisoul, 2005)
When it comes to the big names in the Latin soul/boogaloo era of the late 1960s, the late Louie Ramirez isn't as well-known a figure as say, Joe Cuba, Pete Rodriguez or Joe Bataan. Those artists were responsible for some of boogaloo hits and as a result, they continually appear on anthologies and compilations highlighting the movement. However, while Ramirez may not have been as obvious a household name, it's hard to imagine a more prolific and deeply embedded talent in the Latin soul scene. Ramirez was a bandleader and musician in his own right but also a gifted composer and arranger and even when his name didn't headline an album, his influence was everywhere else on a record. He was some what of a journeyman - having recorded, in some form or other, for any number of labels including Tico, Fania, Speed and Mercury to name a few.
Louie's Grooves, to the best of my knowledge, is the first compilation that even tries to do Ramirez's work some justice. Grooves judiciously selects from a variety of Ramirez's projects which includes material from some of his solo albums but is equally stacked with composition and arrangement contributions for everyone from Jimmy Sabater (former singer with the Joe Cuba band) to percussion legend Sabu Martinez to piano great Charlie Palmieri.
The variety captures just how diverse the musical styles were under the umbrella of Latin jazz and soul. For example, the curiously-titled "Chin Chon Chow" comes from Ramirez's own Vibes Galore, a 1966 album for Alegre which showcases his slick, mambo-influenced talents on the vibes. The strong back rhythm hints at the coming boogaloo wave as well, not to mention the catchy (though however non-sensical) chorus.
One of Ramirez's greatest compositions was "Times Are Changin'" a fast, funky boogaloo recorded by vocalist Jimmy Sabeter for his Solo album on Tico. Few Latin songs of the era better spoke to the political and social turmoil of the '60s than this one; Ramirez makes that clear with lyrics that talk about, "it's time for freedom/it's time for rights," very much tapping into the Civil Rights Movement and other social change sweeping across America at the time. Musically too, "Times Are Changin'" is well-named given how the song switches up at various points, not just in interpolating the "Sunshine of Your Love" riff but also midway through when the song slides into a heavier Latin percussive bridge that rides out until the end.
Tags: boogaloo, latin jazz
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