Mr Bongo started life in 1989 as a small record shop underneath Daddy Kool’s Reggae Store on Berwick Street in London. They were the first shop to sell vinyl releases from independent hip hop labels such as Def Jam, Rawkus, Nervous and Big Beat outside of the USA. They also became an established bearer for hard-to-find, classic Latin music, particularly Brazilian, outside of the Americas. Over the following years Bongo moved three times within Soho and opened in Shibuya, Japan. They moved their offices to Brighton in 1999.
25+ years on they now have a recording roster featuring some of the best Brazilian, Latin, reggae, African and Jazz music by artists including Terry Callier, Jorge Ben, Joyce, Seu Jorge, Prince Fatty, Incredible Bongo Band and Marcos Valle. At the end last year they opened up a new store in Brighton. We are incredibly excited to announce that Mr Bongo have agreed to do a monthly feature of their top 5 in store picks. Below are their 5 favourite records in store this March.
Click the album covers to listen!
Piry – Reis Vocês Querem Mate?
‘First up an amazing re-issued of ‘Piry Reis Vocês Querem Mate?’. This Brazilian psych-folk masterpiece which was originally released on Quartin ( the same label as José Mauro) in 1970. Far Out have re-mastered from the original 2” tapes and pressed to high quality heavyweight vinyl, an essential release.’
Livy Ekemezie – Friday Night
‘Such a good record! An official reissue of much sort after Nigerian disco boogie album, pressed on blue vinyl to replicate the original 1983 pressing.’
Collocutor – The Search
‘Fantastic new jazz LP from saxophonist Tamar Osborn’s ‘Collocutor’ project. The album takes a journey into atmospheric spiritual jazz with touches of the Ethio sound released on the ever excellent On The Corner Records. ‘
Gas-Lab – Fusion
‘Fantastic new hip hop LP on the Brighton-based ‘Village Live’ record label. Gas-Lab is an Argentinian producer and multi instrumentalist the ‘Fusion’ LP is made using no samples and features a line-up of MC’s from USA, Canada, Spain, UK and South America. Limited vinyl pressing.’
Tenorio Jr. – Embalo
”Official Mr Bongo USA import (manufactured in the US) of Tenorio Jr. classic bossa jazz album which features the amazing track ‘Nebulosa’.”
