Mr Bongo Record Club 8

Welcome to Volume 8 of the Mr Bongo Record Club series, our in-house curated compilations that give us a chance to share some of our favourite tracks, hard-fought finds, and unsung gems. These are tracks that have been inspiring us at home, in the office, while DJing, and on the dancefloor. 

In the cross-genre spirit of the series, for Volume 8 we have selected music from the worlds of soul, boogie, disco-reggae, jazz-funk, and Latin, with a hefty chunk of beloved Brazilian music. Pulling these compilations together is always a highlight of our year, and eight volumes in, we feel this is one of our strongest to date.

The album’s journey begins with a heartfelt epic by As Ganhadeiras de Itapuã, from the Bahian town of Itapuã. It’s an area of Brazil that holds a special place in David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle’s heart, and where he first met our dear friend, Luciano Rodrigues Dos Santos, to whose memory this compilation is dedicated to. 

Staying in Northern Brazil, next up is a contemporary dancefloor gem by Ubunto, a DJ and producer from Salvador, which also features As Ganhadeiras de Itapuã. The raw, dusty, punchy sounds of zabumba drummer Castanheiro and the furious guitar-heavy dancer by Tyaraju & Dutra are just two more examples of the Brazilian beauties included on the compilation.

There is also a heavy dose of soul music on this volume. The Canadian-gospel sounds of Trevor Dandy, a modern-soul rarity by Wil Collins & Willpower (which has been on our list for years), and a soul-stepper masterpiece by Tommy McGee, are just a handful of the highlights. Not stopping there, we are incredibly proud to present an exclusive rework of The Sylvers' ‘Wish That I Could Talk To You’ by the legendary Kenny Dope. Kenny has excelled himself with this one, fattening up the drums while bringing more drama to the horns and strings. The song now feels more contemporary yet still stays true to its roots. Complete genius!

Elsewhere on the compilation, you’ll find a cosmic reggae-not-reggae disco oddity by Tapper Zukie, a South African jazz-funk-disco groover by Mac Mathunjwa, a sought-after Brazilian compacto by Eduardo Araújo, and a Brit-funk / boogie treasure by Powerline.

Traversing time, genre, and location, all the tracks on Volume 8 are favourites for their own unique reasons. Music will forever be a constant source of comfort, able to affect you deeply in the most meaningful ways. It’s the gift that keeps giving, and there is so much more to learn, discover, and share, both old and new.

Mr Bongo Record Club Vol.8 is available in 2LP with printed insert.

Tracklist

A1.   As Ganhadeiras De Itapuã - Maré Mansa
A2.   Ubunto - O Vento Part. As Ganhadeiras de Itapuã
A3.   Castanheiro - Este Samba É Meu
A4.   Eduardo Araujo - Madrugada
A5.   Tyaraju & Dutra - Pé De Foguete
A6.   Tema IV - Tema IV

B1.   Orquesta El Sabor De Nacho - Bim Bim Bom Bom “Que Se Sepa”
B2.   The Trinikas - Remember Me
B3.   Tommy McGee - Now That I Have You
B4.   Trevor Dandy - Is There Any Love
B5.   Wilfred Luckie - My Thing

C1.   The Sylvers - Wish That I Could Talk To You (Kenny Dope Edit)
C2.   Kirby Hamilton - I'm Trying
C3.   Wil Collins And Willpower - Anything I Can Do
C4.   Powerline - Watching You (Brand New Remix)

D1.   Mac Mathunjwa - Give Us More Love
D2.   Tapper Zukie - Visions Of Love
D3.   Urias - Vontade De Voar