Heads High

Keeping it diaspora, but moving across to what Christopher Colombus (or ‘Christopher Colon’ as he signed his name) erroneously named the West Indies, we’d like to point you towards Sofrito’s site/blog where you’ll find details of their forthcoming Tropical Funk Experience CD lovingly compiled by Hugo Mendez. Anyone who’s had the pleasure of his audio companionship over the past few years, will know that this is an album definately worth checking. Having earnt his digging stars on numerous trips to Africa (birthing the Ghana Soundz series) and Latin America (resulting in the Panama! compilations), Hugo is adept at unearthing long lost nuggets of funk with a tropical theme. Having recently released two 12″ edits (feat. Frankie Francis and Simbad) aimed at a slighly more House/Disco crossover market Hugo’s latest Tropical Funk offering is the offspring of his recent trips to the Eastern Caribbean Island of Dominica where he dug hard and deep for long forgotten funk from the island’s past.

I’ve got relatives in Dominica myself and I’ve gotta take my hat off to him for this latest comp. I know from personal experience that vinyl records are pretty hard to come by over there…and licensing them….rather him than me! Anyway, click here to check out the album, here to read this in-depth interview with Hugo over at excellent music journal Musik Line and see below for a clip of Dominica carnival 2009 (big up WCK!) to remind you of what life can be like when the sun shines….