Your Support is needed...

Hola gente linda!

I got a friend working on an important film about violence against women in Guatemala but she needs your support!! She needs to raise $5000 by October 12th in order to fund her final trip to Guatemala. So... PILAS EVERYONE, lets help her reach her goal!

The documentary is called Justice for my Sister and if you want to learn more about the film or if you are ready to donate click here.

Also, there are a ton of cool premiums if you decide to donate, check it out!

PLUS - for those of you who donate or help spread the word just email me at johnny@arepafunk.com and I will hook you up with an exclusive 60-minute arepafunk set. That's right, just like that! Email me ya'll, its good for ya health!

oh, and for all my mexicanos and mexicanas out there... VIVA MEXICO! 200 years of independence for ya'll who don't know.

I got an episode coming very, very soon, Leche con Cafe, be on the lookout!

Peace!

Papita Frita

Hola familia and friends, I hope everyone is well. Here is the track list for this week:

Willie Bobo "Shing-A-Ling Baby" (MGM)
Tito Puente "Oye Mi Guaguanco" (TVO)
Lord Cobra y los Hnos. Duncan "Love Letters" (Soundway)
Joe Bataan "Magic Rose" (Fania)
The Harvey Averne Dozen "You're No Good" (Atlantic)
George Guzman "Y No Sabia Bailar" (Fania)
Joe Cuba Sextette "Wabble-Cha" (Seeco)
Ray Barretto "Trompeta y Trombon" (WS Latino)
Pete Rodriguez y Su Conjunto "I Like It Like That" (Alegre)
Azuquita "California" (Vaya)
Download file here

Good stuff, no? Check out that third song in particular.... it comes off this AMAZING album, Panama! 2. You have to pick this up...you HAVE TO. It's an arepafunk requirement. It is available on vinyl, CD, and on iTunes. Here is the link to the store. Roberto Ernesto Gyemant does an excellent job on the liner notes. Seriously, on iTunes you can get this album for 10 bucks and you get 20 carefully selected songs with the digital booklet - all fire, I'm telling you - you won't want to skip a single track. That sounds like a steal to me.



Guess what?! Fania Records has some new releases scheduled in the next couple of months. First up... Tito Rodriguez, "A Man And His Music," out 11-3-2009. Check out this video.

til next time, Peace!

No excuses LA

If you call Los Angeles, Califas your home then you absolutely must make it out to the California Plaza in downtown at noon or at 8pm this Friday, August 14th to catch Totó La Momposina LIVE for FREE. This event is brought to you by Grand Performances. Check out their site for more info...

Also, I am going to go check out Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro at the Echoplex on Saturday the 15th. Should be a dope show... for all things Quantic, check out his site.

Oh and I almost forgot... The LA Salsa Music Festival at the Greek Theatre on August 22nd. Don't miss it... every year so far its been pretty sick. This year the headliner is El Gran Combo.
Get more info and buy tickets here.

Lots of good music, right in LA. Don't sleep!

Ciao

Jamón y Queso

A new look plus new music! Finally!

What's up mi gente... I know your starving for some arepafunk. Tranquilos... I got you.

First off - Caminito Serrano by Jaime Llano Gonzalez. Afrosound has a really dope version of this song too. This one reminds me of Chicha which is a cool, psychadelic cumbia sounding music from Peru. Check out Chicha Libre, a Brooklyn-based band thats got an awesome sound.

Mambo en España by Orquesta Riverside is one I have been saving for a special occasion. This is some good music that will never grow old. I know you'll love it.

I end the set with the Fania All Stars playing El Raton. In the liner notes there's a clip from the New York Post that sums up all the excitement from the night that this song(among others) was recorded live at Yankee Stadium. It's nuts.... Just to give you an idea of how crazy this show must have been... Mongo Santamaria, Tipica '73, and El Gran Combo warmed up the crowd....

En serio? For real? Arr ju kidin me? Just picture that, all those guys are opening up the show, then you got the Fania All Stars showing up with Manu Dibango and Jorge Santana. Holy chit, its no wonder 40,000 fans rushed the stage and the show had to end early.

Yankee Stadium, August 24th, 1973. Wow

Here's a video of El Raton being performed live in Zaire. Enjoy.

Alright, be good. Peace!

Johnny B. Bueno

Yo! If you've been checkin' the site for updates mil gracias for your support and I apologize that I haven't posted anything for a second. I'm a perezoso, I know! Now that midterms are over and I have time to slack off until finals, I am going to re-design the site and you should have a fresh looking site plus a new episode within the next week. Palabra!

Don't forget to catch up on any episodes you might have missed by checking out the archives page.

http://www.arepafunk.com/archives.html

Peace,
Johnny

Lentejas con Arroz

Eavamaria, I am pretty bad at this blogging thing. I have had this slow jams set ready for more than a week, I just haven't made time to post it up. True old school tracks - my grandma and Nana (my grandma's aunt) were totally groovin' and singing along to this in the car the other day when we were out and about. That's how I know its good. =)

So, I just got back from the Hollywood Bowl. Poncho Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri and Sergio Mendes were performing. AMAZING. I had so much fun. Those of us who live out here in LA need to take advantage of the Hollywood Bowl being in our backyard- it is so wonderful.

There was a rapper that performed with Sergio Mendes and his band. I'm not sure if I liked it. I am a huge hip hop fan and some of my favorite performers are hip hop artists (Crown City Rockers, Living Legends, Zion I), but I still think that I would have preferred Sergio without the hip hop addition. It's weird - I'd go see this MC again because he was good, but I think he sort of diluted the latin groove on stage. It's like adding ice cubes to your wine (I've heard of people who do this). Yeah, I guess its refreshing but I'd much rather have my wine without the ice. You be the judge... check out H2O on his myspace.

I will be including some Eddie Palmieri on the next podcast so don't forget to come back soon. I am going to get better with my consistency here, en serio! =P

Peace!

Caldito de Pollo

Qui'bo people. Welcome to the arepafunk blog. This is where I will be posting notes from time to time regarding the weekly arepafunk podcast. Feel free to leave me comments! Since my goal is to mix it up and keep it fresh, your feedback is much appreciated.

So... the first epsiode is now available at the homepage and in the iTunes store. My very first selection of tracks came after a full weekend at home while I was recovering from the flu. I listened to records for like 3 days straight - no joke. Entonces, if you feel like you might be catching something, the doctor says lots of fluids and a lot more arepafunk - Pa' que sepan