Panama: Latin, Calypso and Funk on the Isthmus 1965-75

This is just great music. The producer has made a tastefully selection in each track of the compilation. The result, is nothing less than a magnificent overview of the diversity of Panamanian music. A diversity that can only be trace to the multiethnic background of the people of the isthmus. You can enjoy pure original soul music (tracks 12, 9, 2 ) with such a good quality that can easily be compare with that produced by Afro-American legends...Panamanian Calypso is gratefully vindicated by Lord Cobra, probably the most important calypsonian of the Caribbean during the sixties and seventies. His version of "Rocombey" is just amazing. In the other hand, you can find original and exclusive Salsa Music.... In my opinion this is the Panamanian version of Buena Vista Social Club..... Don't miss it....

I was born in 1976, so i guess i missed all of this, i am from Panama and i can honestly say that this album blew my mind, being a music enthusiast i am always searching for seventies combos nacionales music and had heard some funk and calypsos from the country, but this pieces i didn't know existed until i bought this cd.
If you want to know just how good Panamenian music can be, this is where you should start.

Nowadays when you hear about Panama's music, you only hear about Ruben Blades' salsa (which is great) and Reggae dancehall, Reggaeton, Spanish Reggae but there's a lot more than that.

Music in the Isthmus of Panama can be traced to the 1500's (Panama City was founded in 1519) when Spaniards (many of them from Seville) came to conquer the American continent brought their culture and traditions, including their music. E.g.: the Saloma (guttural/vocal sometimes poetic expressions of farmers) are directly connected to Sevillian traditions. Later on when black people was brought as slaves from Africa, they came with their musical traditions and mixed it up with Spanish and Native music; creating back in the 1500's a strong cultural identity based on diversity.

In early 1800's more influences were added to the musical tradition of Panama when people from the West Indies and other parts came to Panama to work in the construction of the first trans-continental...Read more