Ricardo Marrero & The Group - A Taste Ricardo Marrero & The Group
Pickup available at Dawson Street
Usually ready within 24-48 hours - Pre-order items available on day of release.
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.
Track List
LP Black Vinyl
A1 - Tiny
A2 - Algo
A3 - And We'll Make Love
A4 - Vengo
B1 - Get Yourself Together
B2 - Babalonia
B3 - My Friend
B4 - A Taste Of Latin
CD
1. Tiny
2. Algo
3. And We'll Make Love
4. Vengo
5. Get Yourself Together
6. Babalonia
7. My Friend
8. A Taste Of Latin
Product information
Delivery Details
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Orders are normally dispatched within 12-48 hours of receipt of the order, and normal delivery times to your door are as follows
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- UK 5-7 working days
- Europe 10-14 working days
- U.S. & Rest of World 10-14 working days
Usually ready within 24-48 hours. Pre-order items available on day of Release
Any delays are normally due to the postal service. Orders placed on a Friday will be dispatched on Monday. No orders will be dispatched over the weekend. If you have not received your order within the time shown above, you can check the status of your order. Please email your query to info@towerrecords.ie
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For more information, contact us at 01 6719444 or email info@towerrecords.ie
Refund and Returns Policy
If the product is in its original condition and unopened, we will accept its return within fourteen days from the day you received the item. You will receive a full refund to the value of the item* *Applies to Online orders only
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In the unlikely event you receive an item from us that is either defective or faulty, please let us know so we can arrange collection of the item and dispatch a replacement as soon as possible. Please email us at info@towerrecords.ie to arrange the return of a defective item. If goods are being returned due to being defective or an error on our behalf, we will refund delivery charges resulting from the return of the original order. If you still have the original envelope, simply reseal it and return the item to the Sender, stating the fault. FAO Returns Dept. Tower Records 7 Dawson Street Dublin 2 D02 X688
Non-defective items:
If, for some reason, a customer wishes to return an item that is not defective, we will accept the item and issue a refund within 14 days from the day you received the item. If, for some reason, a customer wishes to return an item that is not defective, your item must be unused and in the same “as new” condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase. Items such as games, CDs or DVDs (any recordable media) that require a security seal must be returned with the seal intact in order to qualify for a refund. In the interest of hygiene, headsets and earphones may not be returned unless unopened and intact in their original packaging. You will receive a full refund to the value of the item* *Applies to online sales ONLY. FAO Returns Dept. Tower Records 7 Dawson Street Dublin 2 D02 X688
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