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"Panama! 3- Calypso Panameño, Guajira Jazz & Cumbia Tipica on the Isthmus 1960-75"
This is allegedly the swansong for Soundway’s excellent Panama! series- an unexpected choice, given that the rich vein of material doesn’t show the slightest sign of being exhausted (perhaps the compilers just need some time away from the heat and the mosquitoes). Though the focus has shifted away from funk this time, this third volume remains every bit as exuberant, smoldering, absurd, and fun as its predecessors.
One of the most endearing aspect about the Panama! compilations are Roberto Gyemant’s lively and amusing liner notes, which contain none of the academic recounting of facts common with similar albums. Instead, they offer colorful mixture of enthusiasm and anecdote that allows listeners to share (in some small part, at least) the thrill of discovery. For example, a local character named Tommy is responsible for introducing Gyemant to several of the best songs that he heard during his stay in Colón. Tommy's shack is an essential stop for music afficionados, as he has a deep love of vintage soul and Jamaican music, which he constantly blares from two large speakers set up outside. Tommy does not have a corresponding deep love of vinyl though, so he rips whatever he wants, digitally removes the crackle, and throws the record in the trash (a personality quirk likely to drive musicologists to tears or paroxysms). The eerie crooning of the ukulele-based “Masters are Gone” was one such find, sending Roberto on a desperate search to track down the actual record somewhere. Thankfully, he was successful, as it’s a great song.
Naturally, a number of the best artists featured on the earlier compilations appear again. Lord Cobra again nearly steals the show with his dark and melancholy strain of calypso (“Colón Colón”), but there are a number of other great calypsos included as well- most notably Black Czar’s ridiculous story-song “Bamboo Dance,” in which our hapless narrator is seduced by an older woman at a dance. Papi Brandao’s sizzling take on the standard “Bilongo” is another clear highlight, but the whole album is teeming with great moments covering a number of stylistic strains (the big band numbers from the ‘60s are particularly strong). There are some unexpected and odd surprises thrown in too, such as Little Francisco Greaves’ distinctly un-Latin “Moving-Grooving,” which features some infectiously raucous James Brown-isms.
I deeply regretted my lack of Spanish fluency at several points during the album. I am certain that I am missing out on a great deal of clever wordplay and saucy double-entendres strewn all over the many calypsos, though many of the artists helpfully bounce effortlessly back between English and Spanish (with some occasional other surprise languages thrown in too). Also, one of the most eccentric story songs on the album (“Combo Pa’ La Tineda”) probably loses a lot in its summarized translation. Fortunately, passion and charisma go a long way towards transcending language barriers and there is no shortage of either on Panama! 3. This is a great album. I hope Roberto and his co-compilers take on another project together soon, as they have a definite genius for finding great lost music and presenting it as a raw and sensuous party.
Samples:
- Lord Cobra – "Colón Colón"
- Orquestra de Armando Baza con Manito Johnson- "Samba Calypso"
- Papi Brandao y Sus Ejecutivos- "Bilongo"
