Calypsoul 70 - Caribbean Soul & Calypso Crossover 1969-1979

Strut turns its magnifying glass onto the Carribean for Calypsoul 70, a celebration of the magnificent array of crossover calypso, reggae, Latin, Afro, and soul styles that emerged, often from small studio and label stables, during the '70s. Taking the listener on a non-stop island-hop, the albums digs deep into Trinidad's steel pan and marching band archives with a terrific pan cover of Gwen McCrae's '90% Of Me Is You,' alongside tough social commentary by 'rapso' pioneer, Lancelot Layne. It features a sprinkling of Latin dynamite from Martinique legend Marius Cultier and Cuban salsa heroes Los Van Van and touches on island links with Africa courtesy of Eze Rockcliffe's Yoruba Singers (Guyana) and an Afrobeat-inspired plea for freedom from legendary calypsonian, Duke. To finish, it adds in a strong helping of fascinating soul and disco fusions from short-lived island bands like Magic Circle Express (St. Lucia), The Vibrations (Virgin Gorda) and Ophelia (Dominica). As well as a valuable selection for diggers, the album is designed as an ultra-handy package for DJs with a host of playable tracks and rare cover versions. All in all, the perfect funky tropical summer soundtrack for the beach, club or BBQ.