Formed in 1967 just outside of Port-au-Prince, Tabou Combo has proven to be the most successful band to ever come out of Haiti. They've toured Europe, Mexico, Africa, the Caribbean and the United States (including a central Park concert boasting over 20,000 attendees). It has been said by many that Tabou Combo is Haitian music. This 1973 album is true to their roots as a Compas (Haitian party music) band. Rather than play American pop music with flavors of Haitian music, they focused their sound on Compas and used funk, soul, and psych as extra spice. All of the songs are sung in Haitian Creole, with the exception of a couple ballads that are performed in French. The intricate guitars drenched in psychedelic effects fuse seamlessly with nonstop hard driving percussion to create one of the most hypnotic, unique sounds ever recorded. Couple that with the mix of Caribbean rhythms and danceable James Brown inspired breaks and you will hear why "Respect." is among the most collectable world music records of all time. Tracks: Respect, Minouche, Maria, Alle Iave, Ti Gran Mou'n, Bebe Paramount, Plus Pres de Toi, Compas Popcorn.
M**M
Superb, a Classic Album!
Order received on time and well packaged. Wish I could find this classic on CD...I lived in Brooklyn, and knew most fo the artists...Cleveland Avenue. I hope they are doing well. I know Dadou is. The best guitar player ever!
D**R
A mind blowing, body moving classic
"Respect..." is a Compas standard. This is arguably some of the strongest music released in the Afropop-Caribbean pantheon. Released in 1973, the vintage production will always sound great. This was a fantastic and all too brief time period for the group in light of how they assimilated the international influences du jour. James Brown style funk and main land psychedelia is well infused into Tabou Combo's sound. The psychedelic guitar and smokin' snare rhythm is worked into lengthy, hypnotic jams. In this deep trance, it is almost impossible to stay seated. This music comes with an unspoken ultimatum: get up and dance! The polyrhythms cook and the breaks are hot. "Respect" is no journey into ethnomusicology; this music is accessible and the songs are catchy. The title track introduces the band's hard driving rhythm. 'Minouche' showcases the mind-expanding guitar work, Haitian rhythms, funky bass and sweet accordion. Sung in French, 'Maria' slows things down for a romantic ballad. The heat turns back up for 'Alle Iave' and 'Ti Gran Mou'n.' These guys are brilliant at taking a musical groove and slowing it down to eventually snap it back to life and throw in dozens of exciting breaks when least expected. 'Bebe Paramount' keeps the same break-neck funky jam going but with a Latin vibe. 'Plus Pres De Toi' is another relaxed ballad, offering a rest from the Carnival bliss. For legs that are sore from dancing so much, it winds up being a short break as 'Compas Popcorn' finishes things on a high note. Tabou Combo's best albums were their earliest, predating syths and the assimilation of pop music. "Respect" stands among " 8th Sacrement " (also released as "New York City") and "A La Canne à Sucre" as the heavy weights. I have to imagine that even if you're not that into Haitian music, "Respect" has enough cross over elements to appeal to a wider audience. The good folks at Secret Stash Records thought so. In 2011, they re-released this out-of-print treasure on vinyl. Crafting such fantastic music, Tabou Combo has done plenty to earn our "Respect."
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