Willie Bobo - Talkin' Verve

Whatever the meaning of the word "talkin," this is still a most valuable release because it succinctly sums up Willie Bobo's Verve recordings, most of which have yet to see the light of the laser. By this time, Bobo had followed Mongo Santamaria into the marketplace as an energetic exponent of the Latin boogaloo, even scoring a minor hit with "Spanish Grease." But Bobo went even further than Mongo toward an accommodation with the '60s scene, adding the R&B-oriented electric rhythm guitar of Sonny Henry, dropping the piano, incorporating strings and even an occasional graceful vocal now and then. While there are a few covers of '60s standards here, like "The Look of Love" and "Grazing in the Grass" -- and he had the great sense to seek out and record a hip-shaking version of Eddie Harris' "Sham Time" -- Bobo's biggest contribution on these tracks was in providing the inspiration for the Latin rock boom to come. "Evil Ways" is almost an exact blueprint for Carlos Santana's career-launching hit version; "Spanish Grease" reappeared uncredited six years later as Santana's "No One to Depend On," and Santana also played Bobo's lowdown "Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries" in the band's early days. With Bobo's galvanic congas and timbales swinging at all times, few CDs by a single artist capture the ambience of late-'60s jazz radio in the evening as well as this one. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Willie Bobo
Album: Talkin' Verve (Compilation)
Year: 1965-68
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: Verve (1997)
Running time: 56:13

Tracks:
1.  Grazing in the Grass (Hugh Masakela) 5:26
2.  Lisa (Clarence Henry) 6:14
3.  Black Coffee (Sonny Burke/Paul Francis Webster) 2:44
4.  The Look of Love (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) 4:18
5.  Dreams (Bobby Valentin) 3:25
6.  Evil Ways (Sonny Henry) 2:40
7.  Night Song (Charles Louis Strouse/Lee Adams) 2:44
8.  Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Joe Zawinul/Gail Levy/Vinvent Levy) 2:36
9.  Roots (Sonny Henry) 3:19
10.  Spanish Grease (Willie Bobo/William Correa/Melvin Lastie) 2:49
11.  Shot Gun/Blind Man, Blind Man (Junior Walker/Autry De Walt/Herbie Hancock) 5:14
12.  Stuff (Sonny Henry) 2:41
13.  Night Walk (Steven Carl Huffsteter) 3:07
14.  Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries (Willie Bobo/Melvin Lastie) 3:04
15.  Sham Time (Eddie Harris) 5:45

Personnel:
Willie Bobo (Percussion and Vocals)
Sonny Henry (Guitar)
Jimmy Owens (Trumpet) - 1,2,4,15
Felix Wilkins (Flute) - 1,2,4,15
Kenny Rogers (Alto and Tenor Saxophone) - 1,2,4,15
Chuck Rainey (Bass Guitar) - 1,2,4,15
Osualdo Martinez (Percussion) - 1,2,4,7,14,15
Victor Pantoja (Percussion) - 1,2,4,7,10,11,14,15
John Rodriguez (Percussion) - 1,2,4,15
Freddie Waits (Drums) - 1,2,4,15
Melvin Lastie (Clarinet) - 7,10,11,14
Bobby Brown (Alto and Tenor Saxophone) - 7,10,11,14
Jon Hart (Double Bass) - 7,14
Patato Valdez (Conga) - 7,14
José Mangual (Percussion) - 7,14
Richard Davis (Double Bass) - 10,11
Stan Webb (Flute) - 4
Phil Bodner (Flute and Alto Saxophone) - 4
Jack Jennings (Percussion) - 4