Manzanita y Su Conjunto - Trujillo, Perú 1971 - 1974
Analog Africa delivers another sizzling slice of rhythmic rarities...
Luckily for us listeners out there, the world contains people like *Analog Africa’s* founder *Samy Ben Redjeb*, a globe-trotting crate junky who can sniff out the finest lost gems, give them a clean and throw them back at 21st-century ears. Some time spent in Lima with a collecting buddy has led to this gorgeous compilation focusing on the talents of psych-flavoured cumbia artist Manzanita (little apple.) Relocating to Lima from the coastal city of Trujillo, Manzanita came of age just as the fiery notes of Hendrix and Cream were altering minds and ears - but not for long.
That first wave of influential western psychedelia was short-lived in Peru, 1968 seeing Juan Velasco seize control of the country in a military coup, his new regime favoring local culture over what was filtering in from 'the north.' What was bad news for the youth at the time soon gave the local music scenes an unexpected boost, the likes of Manzanita grabbing an electric guitar, marrying that amplified noise with Cuban rhythms, and creating a new genre - Peruvian cumbia. Half a century later his melodies soar once more.
From 1969 onwards Manzanita y su Conjunto began releasing a string of singles anchored by the guitar player's kinetic finger work, his complex melodies effortlessly weaving around the band's distinctive rhythms. Eventually signing to the Virrey label, the group recorded two LPs in 1973 and ‘74 from which the majority of this new compilation is built. Mainly instrumental, and no track clocking over three and a half minutes in length, the comp captures the scene's breezy energy while showcasing a talent in his prime. Big as the numbers were, Manzanita y Su Conjunto still managed to proudly showcase the unique coastal identity of their homeland, an area where Spanish, African, and indigenous populations mixed for centuries, creating a sound all their own.
It's an infectious mix, utterly sunkissed and filled with a sense of vibrancy that other genres couldn't hope to match. Each song demands you move your hips as fuzzed-out licks weave and bob on top of quick-fire percussion and organ stabs. Unlike the west's more jam-centric fare, each song propels forward with a sense of taut urgency; no second wasted for freakouts and self-indulgent solos. It's a feast for the ears that never falls into the trap of becoming dull and repetitive as some of these less well-curated collections can be.
Sadly, like so many, Manzanita eventually became disillusioned with the music industry, but thanks to Analog Africa's passion for unearthing the world's hidden treasures, one of Peru's greatest guitarists is getting reintroduced to a whole new generation. For you vinyl lovers out there, there's a lovingly crafted limited edition gatefold edition complete with an in-depth biography of Manzanita. If you're looking for a soundtrack for your summer Sundays, look no further.
*8/10*
Words: *Sam Walker-Smart *
- - -
- - -