The 1960s were a pivotal era not only for young Americans in the U.S. but also for their counterparts in Peru. As the country’s political stability slowly fell to pieces, peaking with the ouster of then-president Fernando Belaúnde Terry by General Juan Velasco Alvarado’s military forces in 1968, the country’s music scene also underwent a pivotal shift from classic, traditional sounds to the new sounds of tropical and psychedelic music.
“Peru Maravilloso” collects a number of these songs from a variety of influential artists of that era in one neat compilation.
“Peru Maravilloso” features 15 marvelous tracks of cumbia, tropical, rock, and traditional sounds from many legendary and influential performers of the ’60s and ’70s chosen specifically by Duncan Ballantyne, Martin Morales and Andres Tapia (Resychled Records). The trio had one mission in mind when choosing the songs for the record:
“rooting and unearthing tracks that take the listener by surprise whilst avoiding the more mainstream sounds of cumbia and chicha prevalent at the time.”
Tiger’s Milk Records unleashes ‘Peru Maravilloso’
The album is the first from the UK label Tiger’s Milk founded by Morales. Morales, born in Peru to a British father and a Peruvian mother, turned his back on a lucrative career with iTunes Pan Europe and Disney Music in order to follow his lifelong dream: cooking Peruvian cuisine.
Morales founded Ceviche in 2010 and the restaurant has become one of the most popular in London’s SoHo district. Later, he founded Tiger’s Milk as an extension of Ceviche with the aid of Ballantyne, former label manager at Soundway Records, Far Out (Brazil), and Naïve (UK).
Listeners won’t find the infamous “Cariñito” by Los Hijos Del Sol or any variation of “El Condor Pasa” on this collection. What they will find are tracks such as “La Cumbia Del Pacurro” by Juaneco Y Su Combo with a cumbia-backed guitar line that is the definition of chicha (Peruvian cumbia) music and should be required listening for every music lover.
Listeners will also get to enjoy the big band sound of Zulu on “Sueño De Amor,” an instrumental chicha version of The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” by Los Ecos (“Me Siento Felíz”), the classic Peruvian folk song “Toro Mata” re-envisioned as a instrumental Jazz number by artist Lucia De La Cruz, and much more. Also, every track has been remastered from its original recording, all of which have been unreleased in any other format since their original pressings.
Morales, Ballantyne, and Tapia have succeeded far more than they may have possibly hoped for as they have released one of the best compilations ever on record. The album is a historical treasure and a joy to listen and dance to.
“Peru Maravilloso” is available now via Tiger’s Milk Records.
Originally published on VOXXI as ‘Peru Maravilloso’ unearths influential Peruvian music of 1960s, 1970s
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