Aníbal Velásquez y Su Conjunto - Mambo Loco Aníbal Velásquez y Su Conjunto

Colombian accordionist and composer Aníbal Velásquez began his recording career in the early 1960s. It was precisely during this early stage of his discography that he recorded the irresistible ‘Mambo Loco,’ a much rawer, more hypnotic, and more percussive version than the one he would release years later on Discos Fuentes. Velásquez’s accordion playfully dances over a powerful, unmistakably Afro-influenced rhythmic background, creating a true dancefloor anthem.

We complete this single with the version that Peruvian group Los Continentales, fronted by superb guitarist Pancho Acosta, recorded of ‘Tiro al blanco,’ one of the most iconic songs by Colombian group Afrosound. In fact, this represents a musical round trip between Colombia and Peru, since Afrosound emerged as a “studio” project in response to the strong wave of Peruvian psychedelic cumbia that was beginning to gain popularity in Colombia in the late 1970s. A group of composers and musicians associated with Discos Fuentes were commissioned to record cumbias in this style under the name Afrosound. It was in this context that ‘Tiro al blanco’ was released, and its success prompted several Peruvian artists (Los Mirlos, Los Sanders, Los Tigres…) to record their own versions of the song. Master guitarist Pancho Acosta and Los Continentales also succumbed to the temptation of recording this regional hit, and their version of ‘Tiro al blanco’ appeared on an extremely rare single that we are now reissuing for the first time.