This is the second collection of music from Venezuela in the 1970s and beyond to be released on Soul Jazz Records. The album once again features innovative figures in the history of underground Venezuelan music, mostly unknown outside of their home country – their music a blending of progressive rock, jazz, experimental electronics and disco –created mainly in the 1970s – during a time when the country was both a cultural and economic powerhouse in Latin America.
While much of 1960s Venezuelan rock music emulated British and USA styles, and salsa dominated the dancefloors of Latin America, the 1970s saw the evolution of a new generation of creative local artists such as Vytas Brenner, Daniel Grau, Aldemaro Romero, Un Dos Tres Y Fuera who all explored the possibilities of mixing together rock with elements of electronica, funk, jazz, latin rhythms simultaneously exploring their links with Venezuelan roots music, creating a new sound which blended a multitude of new and old world influences, uniquely Venezuelan.
Most of these artists featured on Venezuela 70 remain practically unknown outside of Venezuela’s borders and yet their progressive forward-thinking music is some of the most sophisticated in the world – a stunning ‘melting pot’ mix of sounds from the cosmic and psychedelic rock of Vytas Brenner to the Moroder-esque disco experimentation of Daniel Grau, and the tropical funk of Un Dos Tres Y Fuera and beyond.
Aside from the relatively known Vytas Brenner and Daniel Grau, most of the music on this album is incredibly rare (even in Venezuela)! The album is released as heavy double gatefold vinyl with full colour inners, exclusive text on artwork, CD with slipcase and large booklet, and digital album.