Ricardo Marrero & The Group - A Taste Ricardo Marrero & The Group

It doesn't get much more special than this one! The music industry loves throwing around phrases like 'rare as hens' teeth' and 'holy grail', but Ricardo Marrero & The Group's 1976 album A Taste genuinely earns them. A mythical and elusive release in its original form, for many it's an unattainable prize in the Discogs wantlist, and one far out of reach financially. Even though it's already been reissued by other amazing record labels over the years, we really wanted to make a Mr Bongo edition to pay homage to the album's greatness and to keep this iconic gem in print, and at an affordable price for all.

The scarcity of Ricardo Marrero & The Group's iconic A Taste released in 1976 grew from the foundations of its release on the notorious TSG Records. Run by Lloyd Price, with alleged ties to boxing promoter Don King, TSG was one of the tax scam labels of the 1970s created to exploit a loophole in the US tax system. Such labels would run up inflated production costs and losses that investors or the parent label could write off against their tax bills.

A Taste was never intended to be promoted and distributed properly and was thus lost in the musical ether of this 1970s farce. However, the album is not merely sought-after due to its rarity, it's an amazing listen throughout. Though categorised as a 'Latin' album, it incorporates so much more. It has a warm, boundary-pushing sound and a lush fusion of Latin, jazz-funk, and soul with a cinematic edge; it's varied yet feels complete as a whole.

One of the crown jewels of the album is the much-loved Latin funk anthem 'Babalonia'. Different versions of this dancefloor gem have been recorded and released by Marrero on other labels, but this version is a certified monster. The often overlooked 'Get Yourself Together' is a real curveball, feeling like it should have been featured on an independent gospel private press - both uplifting and spiritual. Elsewhere, 'And We'll Make Love', which was penned by bassist Michael Vinas, radiates with an earthy soul-jazz / rare groove quality. Other highlights include the raw Latin funk dancer 'Algo', with the album entering a straighter Latin / Nuyorican realm on 'Vengo' and 'A Taste Of Latin'.

Whether you're a Latin enthusiast, someone who wants to investigate and dig into the genre for the first time, or someone who just wants an unquestionably great album to listen to, this record has something for everyone. A true classic!

Mr Bongo reissues a mythical and elusive 1976 album from Ricardo Marrero & The Group, originally released on TSG Records. A lush fusion of Latin, jazz-funk, and soul with a cinematic edge. Once overlooked, it's now a cult classic prized for its warm, boundary-pushing sound.

Vinyl LP housed in tip-on sleeve.