Ghetto Brothers: Power-Fuerza
Obscure and amazing Latin Rock/Funk from the Bronx, N.Y. on the Salsa label.
In lieu of gushing about how thrilled I am to have recently added this wonderful artifact to my collection, I offer you the liner notes:
“This album contains a message; a message to the world, from the Ghetto Brothers. The Ghetto Brothers, a community organization dedicated to bridging the ever-increasing gap that exists between society and minority groups, believe music to be the common language of the world. Through music, they are able to inform society of the plight of the ‘little people’ in their quest for recognition. Therefore, the music of the Ghetto Brothers serves as a way of communication.
“If the Ghetto Brothers’ dream comes true, the world will learn that the ‘little people’ wish to be acknowledged; wish to be properly educated in order for them to pass on their knowledge to their children and proudly inform them about their heritage and culture, and be a functioning part of the growth of America. If the Ghetto Brothers’ dream comes true, the ‘little people’ will be ‘little people’ no more, and make their own mark in this world. Listen to the Ghetto Brothers…….and take heed.”
Listen:
“The Girl From The Mountain”
“Got This Happy Feeling”
“You Say You Are My Friend”
“Viva Puerto Rico Libre”
37 Comments
In lieu of my usual ribbing of naive collectros, I will only shrug and shake my head.
Shake it, Jimmy!
Great record, damn good find!
just read ‘cant stop wont stop’ and it got me real interested in their musical output. thanks dude!
WOW …. IM IMPRESSED !!!!! VERY GOOD LATIN BEATS , VERY GOOD RECORD. IF YOU LIKE STUFF LIKE JOE BATAAN, RALFI PAGAN OR THE MIDNIGHTERS FROM EAST L.A. …. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE TO OWN . THANKS A LOT HOMIE !!!
Yeah…the Ghetto Brothers were also an outlaw crew in the Bronx in the 1970’s….Didn’t know they had a record out. This is outstanding….
I know this is too much to ask, but is it possible for you to get ahold of the words to the Ghetto Brothers’ “The Girl From the Mountain”? It’s such a beautiful song, all of them are. And what makes them even more beautiful, is the fact that they’re meaningful and produced by people who wanted only good in the world.
“Comment by Jimmy Changa
In lieu of my usual ribbing of naive collectros, I will only shrug and shake my head.”
I guess you’ll have the last laugh here, reynaldo, this record easily brings in $ 300-500 in EX condition…
Absolutely amazing record!
Awesome!
Such an awesome record! Much appreciation!
wow. big one. must say i was not up on this!! are tunes from this lp comped? or was it booted?
dude this SLAYED my ass. thankyou
What year was this released?
There is some more info about the Ghetto Brothers gang & band here: http://www.cantstopwontstop.com/w_art_ben.cfm
It says that there is a CD reissue. Thanks for posting this.
Max
Hello Waxman,
I was just with Mr. Milton Ulloa, the gentleman who purchased the entire Salsa International and Mary Lou catalogs. Yes, he is reissuing the Ghetto Brothers on CD. I was visiting him in his shop in Queens because I am putting on a Latin album cover art exhibit (opens Oct. 14) at Exit Art in NYC, & I wanted to meet the man who reissued such jems as The Brooklyn Sounds. I desperately want to exhibit the Brothers’ LP in my show & I’m hoping Mr. Ulloa will lend me his 1 mint copy 4 the exhibit. At this point he’s not yet sure! I have about 9 other collectors lending 4 the show. I have one question for you: I thought I saw that the designer of the Ghetto bros. was Mr. Angelo Velazquez, please tell me if this is correct (I didn’t get a good look at the back). I am contacting Angelo before the show to talk about his covers like the great one for “Tito Puente And His Concert Orchestra” on Tico, & I want to be prepared for the interview.
Anyway, you might like my book, “Cocinando: 50 Years of Latin Album Cover Art” published earlier this year by Princeton Architectural Press. I interviewed musicians like Joe Cain, Harvey Averne, Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Blades, and Joe Cuba, as well as the designers Izzy Sanabria, Eli Besalel, Charlie Rosario, and Ron Levine.
Keep up the good work, I like your site.
Peace & Rhythm,
DJ Bongohead
Oh, as for the song “The Girl From The Mountain” – that song is also on Harvey Averne’s Barrio Band LP from a little bit after the Brothers – since I have not yet heard the Ghetto Brothers LP, I don’t know if it’s the same song or not, but I assume so.
The Averne LP lists the composers as “Tollinchi & Collazo” – my feeling was the music was nice but the lyrics were corny…
I’ll ask Harvey, snce he’s no doubt involved in all this somehow.
Paz y ritmo
Bongohead
This LP was part of my insparation to pursue the music business back when I was 10 years old. Today I have worked with several major label artists as Bass player, producer and engineer. I was able to get a hold of a digital transfer from a guy who had a mint copy of the album (my original is all beat up), and with my 25+ years of engineering and mastering using modern digital and analog tube equipment, I was able to assemble a copy of this record with stunning detail and clarity. I only wish that whoever is putting this LP out on CD, does not botch it up like 90% of the remastered material from the time. I would be willing to master it, or even remix it from the original multitrack (probably 4 track from the way I can pick out the separation on the LP)at my expense just to make sure that a recording this historical gets out sounding like a high quality master should sound. I got to see these guys live at a block party in 1972 on the corner of Trinity and E158th street and my life was changed forever. Thanks to the GB’s.
There’s some great footage of the Ghetto Bros in the film “flyin cut sleeves”. There’s even something that looks like a TV-performance. Its all short clips though.
Great stuff!
Peace,
Dress
yo can anyone re-post the audio to this? if even just temporarily – i could host it after that no problem. this stuff needs to get out to the world
Hi, Thought that you might like to know that the Ghetto Brothers album will be re-issued on CD very soon! Check http://www.salsa-international.com for more details.
I love all the songs. But my favorites are Got This Happy Feeling and The Girl From The Mountain.
Peace!!!
Does anybody know if this album have re-issued on vinyl? It’s great!!! GHETTO BROTHER POWER and VIVA PUERTO RICO LIBRE rocks!!! Also the other songs are great. But as a DeeJay I got to have it on vinyl. hehe
Peace, Love and Unity
TORO
DO NOT BUY THIS RECORDING. This label is crooked. None of the artists on this label have been paid the royalties they are due. If anything, share the MP3s because the music is so amazing, but please do not allow this man to rip off more great Latin artists while he pockets all the money.
Yeah, ditto what they said above: the Ghetto Brothers are NOT getting paid off this – the label reissued it without proving they had the rights to do so. SHADY BIZ!
check http://www.fosse-armate.com for more fuerza!!!
Do not buy this POOR sounding remaster!!!! I have it. It sounds like crap!! I offered to remaster this for free. I’vwe had conversations with Jeff Chang about this. They did exactly what I was afraid they would do in the case of a quick remaster!! They added so much noise reduction to it that they totally killed the high end. The cymbals sound pixelated!!! They ruined it!! I have a copy that I remastered from a very clean vinyl copy which blows the CD away as far as sound quality goes! I even sent a copy of my remaster to the company that put out the CD with a long letter explaining how not to ruin a good sounding master by trying to mask the hiss level. Regardless to what anyone says, when you mask hiss you also kill the high end of a recording, no matter the quality of equipment.
I was a Ghetto brother and was classmate to one of band member i was there when power-fuerza came out and it great then, as it is now i have a copy on cd thank you for your time
if the salsa international reissue is charged with both shitty sound quality and unethical dealings, does anybody know where I can get a better sounding, dues-appropriately-paid copy? I’m also on a search for the sounds of brooklyn record that was reissued by the same label. speak up if you know!!!
oops, i mean brooklyn sounds.
DO NOT PURCHASE OR BUY THIS CD!!!!!!!!
I agree with “Warning”. As stated above…
DO NOT BUY THIS RECORDING. This label is crooked. None of the artists on this label have been paid the royalties they are due. If anything, share the MP3s because the music is so amazing, but please do not allow this man to rip off more great Latin artists while he pockets all the money.
Benji Melendez who started the Ghetto Brothers and lives in the Bronx with wife and kids can USE the money!!!!!! He has not seen a dime for this album!!!! This website should step up and hook up this amazing person.
This is all true… They’re not getting a dime for any of their wonderful music. I should know, they’re my uncles.
If anybody wants to respond to Yellow Benjy from the Ghetto Brothers please feel free to contact me at e-mail yellowbenjyghettobrothers@yahoo.com or my website at ghettobrothersnyc.com The band is for hired. If you think that they sound great you should hear them now.
This is for :Dress:, You havn’t seem anything yet! Flying Cut Sleeves is a hit. Its been out for years by our friends, Henry and the late Rita. There is more things to see about the Ghetto Brothers. Benjamins website will be ready soon. But it is true about the music. He is not getting anything for it YET! Enjoy the music as well. Wandabm
This is a fantastic record – I am listening to it right now. Amazing melodies and composition!
Sure would like to find Yellow Benjy. He saved my life. Once a Ghetto Brother always a Ghetto Brother.
If you have any info on him sure would like to communicate with him. Please feel free to contact me either by e-mail or you can call me at 267-909-8679. Taino Louie Ghetto Brother
hey Taino Louie, I think you can contact Yellow Benjy rhrough the email address three posts higher than yours (yellowbenjyghettobrothers@yahoo.com).
These cats are an inspiration. To even think of what they were trying to do (positive social change) in their circumstances (the South Bronx of the 60s and 70s) and actually DOING it is incredible, beautiful, soulful, and deep. PAZ Y ACHE !!!
PS I wish that maybe that cat with the all the audio engineering knowledge would get with the remaining Ghetto Brothers, and maybe with some legal advice, get the rights situation cleared up and then they can release their own version of the original LP on CD. I mean even CD-R copies with color printer artwork, I’m sure people would buy, if they knew the money was going directly to the creators of the music.