As I write the skies are glowering, the rain is rattling against the pane and the wind is howling like a banshee. Yes, this is the English summer. To add a little sunshine to my life at this time of year I often turn to latin soul, and I can't think of a better example than Joe Bataan's cover of Gil Scot Heron's 'The Bottle'.
My taste in latin music usually predates this disc: my favourites are the boogaloos from the mid- to late-sixties , but this is undeniably a monster. Bataan takes Heron's cautionary tale and fashions a dance-floor juggernaut, practically inventing disco in the process. This was his first single on the new Salsoul label, and with it he really set the standard for years to come. So turn it up, pour yourself a Cuba Libre and open the window, it's getting hot in here!
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