Black Sugar - 1971 - Black Sugar

Black Sugar 

1971

Black Sugar

01. Too Late 3:00

02. Viajecito 5:42

03. The Looser 4:10

04. This Time 4:21

05. Funky Man 2:03

06. Understanding 5:06

07. When You're Walking 4:53

08. When I Needed Someone 2:42

09. Pussy Cat 4:54

Acoustic Guitar, Guitar, Tambourine – Victor "Coco" Salazar

Alto Saxophone, Flute – Jorge Chávez

Bongos, Percussion – Coco Lagos, Miguel Salazar

Electric Bass – Roberto Valdez

Organ, Piano – Miguel "Chino" Figueroa

Percussion – José "Arroz" Cruz

Trumpet, Valve Trombone – Antonio Ginocchio

Vocals – Carlos Mejía

Recorded and Mixed for P.M.I. at Industrial Sono Radio S.A. - Lima - Perú - Studio I.

Thanks to "Bolo" the Funky-Man.

Peruvian Latin funk classic from 1971. Official reissue with original gatefold artwork; black vinyl. Black Sugar's first self-titled album is filled with the band own original songs. Hot percussions, excellent brass arrangements, superb keyboards, and great guitar work with a psychedelic shade. If Latin funk exists, it's thanks to pioneering bands like Black Sugar, a Peruvian group created in the early seventies that recorded two fundamental albums for the Afro-American and Latin genre. The roots of this band come from the Far-Fen (syllables for Farfisa and Fender), formed in the late sixties by guitarist Víctor "Coco" Salazar and Miguel "Chino" Figueroa on keyboards. One night they were spontaneously joined by the sensational voice of Carlos "Pacho" Mejía. In the seventies, in the Peruvian capital there was a shortage of "white" sugar and the darker cane sugar was consumed. Hence the group's name. Peru was in the midst of a dictatorship and the military were against music that did not come from Peruvian folklore. Rock n' roll with foreign roots languished due to the imposition of the established power, and Black Sugar emerged, whose main skill was to mix, with enormous passion and fascinating ability, Latin sounds and the funk that came from the United States. The result is two memorable albums, with a large part of their own songs and most of them composed by Pacho. The first, with an eponymous title, was released in 1971 by Sono Radio, whose musical director Jaime Delgado Aparicio was in charge of the fiery arrangements with generous brass and energetic percussion. Released with the credits in English, they managed to break into the Top Ten of the Miami charts with the song "Too Late". They even received an offer to record their next album in the United States, but decided to stay in their country. That second album was released in 1974 with a "quadraphonic" sound, taking advantage of the label's magnificent studios. From the mid-seventies onwards, the desertions began and it would not be until 2010 that the project would be recovered with some historical and younger musicians. To listen to Black Sugar is to go back to the Peruvian night of the seventies with fiery music, full of sensuality and rhythm. Brilliant songs by a cohesive band that knew how to materialize a memorable fusion project, very original and at an international level.

Black Sugar is a funky Latin-rock band from Peru, mercifully reissued for a latter-day audience by Lazarus Audio Products. "Viajecito" is the essential track -- the waka-waka guitar intro is the main attraction, although the basic track is funky, Latin, and mostly instrumental. "The Looser" and "Funky Man" also are hip, but lyrics on the corny side keep them from heavy play. The lead-in tracks on each side, "Too Late" and "Understanding," are solid, and the rest are decent ballads. Although the singing is not the greatest, the acoustic guitar and conga interplay on the lighter tracks sound like something from Sabu Martinez' Groovin' with Sabu album. "Pussy Cat" is an ambitious jazz instrumental; with its Latin percussion, funky bass, and strings (not to mention the title), it could have been a cut from one of the better "blaxploitation" soundtracks. Black Sugar may not change many lives, but it does occupy a vital corner in the rare world of Latin funk.

Black Sugar, the brainchild of Victor “Coco” Salazar and Miguel “Chino” Figueroa, was formed in 1969 under the name Los Far Fen, mainly because the group had a Farfisa and a Fender amplifiers as their only electronic amplification equipment.

Los Far Fen recorded three 45 rpm records with six tunes:original compositions, pop tunes and ballads. Three of those tracks, featured on this album, show the talented arrangements of “Coco” Salazar and the inspired organ and keyboard solos of “Chino” Figueroa; also determined the future musical direction of the group and their natural ability to play Latin Funk.

In 1970 the group was given the name of Black Sugar by Jaime Delgado Aparicio, a jazz piano player and arranger that at the time was the artistic director of Sono Radio, a Peruvian label.

Delgado Aparicio, recognizing the talent of the young musicians, gave the group an opportunity to record a long play in 1971. Original compositions like “Too Late“, “Viajecito” and “The Looser” made this LP an immediate best seller. “Black Sugar” was sold in all South America and there was a release of the LP in USA by a Miami based label.

The success of Black Sugar was not due to luck or marketing. Their members were some of the finest, if not the best, young musician from Peru. The arranger, “Coco” Salazar was also a fantastic guitar player; Miguel “Chino” Figueroa was the composer of almost all the original songs by Black Sugar, besides playing keyboards, he was also an inspired organ player; Jose Cruz was one of the most promising young jazz drummers; it is hard not to mention the rest of the musicians, players like Roberto Valdez, Luis Calixto, Antonio Ginocchio, etc… deserve an extensive description of their abilities.

The last musician I want to mention is Coco Lagos, king of Latin Percussion in Peru in the 70’ s, his playing is featured in all the songs. Black Sugar recorded a second LP in 1972 and their last recording, one 45 rpm in 1978. The second LP features more original composition than the first one, also the playing and the soloing show musical maturity. Tracks like : Fuego, Kathy, Checan, All your Love , the beautiful arrangement to Stevie Wonder “Don’ t You Worry About a Thing“, etc….make this LP a jewel.

Definitely their style is unique, with influences from groups like Tower of Power, Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago mixed with a Latin Funk flavor.