Grupo Almendra – Almendra
BEST ITALY
Brasil / Latin / ExoticaVintage Vinyl LP / 16 EUR / Staff Picks
Media VG+ / Sleeve VG+
Claudio Casalini’s Best Record label does a fine job of reissuing funk, disco and other curios from the mists of time, and so it goes with this wonderful slice of loose and live soul jazz. Grupo Almendra hailed from Venezuela, and they released their sole album Almendra in 1978 in a whirlwind of Latin American musicality and it had been consigned to relative obscurity. Whichever digger was lucky enough to discover this gem must have been very pleased indeed, for the quality of the music and the production is nothing short of remarkable, while the remastering has respectfully revived the sweet, soulful sound of Grupo Almendra.