| "HAR-YOU
PERCUSSION GROUP"
Album
Art by Dan Prothero of Fog City Graphics.
Their super-rare legendary Latin funk release originally came
out on ESP in 1969/1970. Although the title says Percussion Group,
this is actually a Latin soul group led by master conga player
Montego Joe as part of the Harlem Youth program of the 60's. (Alto
legend Jackie McLean worked with the group at one point earlier).
A fantastic raw mix of funky bass, heavy drums, burning horn lines
and soulful vocals, this is quite simply one of the great Latin
releases of all-time. Includes the monster tracks "Welcome
to the Party," "Feed Me Good," and "Oua-Train."
ORIGINAL LINER NOTES BY MONTEGO JOE:
If you will recall, several years ago there were the Harlem riots,
and problems with youth. It was necessary to come up with a plan
for organizing the youth of Harlem in such a way that they would
receive training, respect and the living conditions which are
essential for creative lives. It was at this time that a carefully
planned program came into existence. Its name was "Harlem
Youth Opportunities, Unlimited", HARYOU ACT.
I came into this program in 1965 rather reluctantly. I had been
asked by Mr. Julien Euell who was then Executive Director of the
Arts & Culture Division of HARYOU ACT. Mr. Euell felt that
with my professional experience I would be a great help to the
black youth of Harlem, especially those who were deeply interested
in music. My assignment was to teach percussion, both Afro and
Jazz. I decided to combine both. After three or four years of
training and trying to develop these young men for the outside
commercial world, I suddenly decided that they were ready to record
an album, one they would be really proud of. It would be a great
musical experience. It would bring long range satisfactions.
The present Executive Director of HARYOU Arts & Culture, Mr.
Leonard Parker, and I approached Mr. Bernard Stollman about the
idea of recording these young men. He felt it was an excellent
idea. And of course it was agreed that the monies earned as royalties
would go into a scholarship fund.
In this album there is a great variety of music, most of it based
on Afro-Cuban Blues, and Jazz themes. Most listeners would never
imagine that the young black boys and Puerto Ricans were teenagers,
and here is another surprise. Those of you who are used to hearing
the type of music in this album, (Afro-Cuban and Latin), would
be astonished by the fact that most of the young men on this album
are Afro-Americans. Through my guidance and playing experience
in this area of music, we were able to come up with what I consider
a very exciting and colorful musical album.
The ages of these young men range from 16 to 19 years.
Vitality, versatility, depth, excitement, color and shading. .
. all of these are in the music. It will be a great musical experience
for those of you who will buy and listen to this album. Most of
the tunes were written by Nick Quirks and David (Mousie) Edmead.
Although we are a group, I the instructor, and the eleven young
men on this album-Puerto Rican and Afro-American- I consider all
of us a spiritual family. They have a tremendous love and respect
for each other, a closeness that is just there and is expressed
most fully when they play together. I would like to go on record
as saying that even though these young men have taken themes form
Latin, Afro-Cuban Jazz and Blues, it's their music. Almost all
the tunes were created by them. They set the rhythms and sounds
and melodies, and when they recorded, it happened. When there's
that interaction (and there always is) it's their music.
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