We Are Busy Bodies is thrilled to announce the reissue of Elegua’s rare private press album. The album has been long out-of-print and highly sought after by collectors and fans of Latin music. The release follows the label’s recent exploration of latin jazz with reissues of Venezuelan pianist Virgilio Armas’ 1970 album De Repente, and 1973 album, Espejismo.
Originally released in 1977, their sole album was recorded at Northern Studios where the Boston College of Music students recorded three original songs and a Herbie Hancock cover.
The group was led by the late Venezuelan trumpeter, Gustavo Aranguren who composed two of the album tracks. Aranguren studied electronic music at Boston College of Music and received a masters in music composition from Harvard University, going on to an acclaimed music career.
Elegua was born out of the collective efforts of the Venezuelan musicians while in Boston who were passionate about the direction of Latin American musical forms and wanted to make their own musical impact. The group’s aim was to interweave contemporary elements with traditional Latin music to create a new and original style of their own.
The band’s innovative approach to combining traditional Latin rhythms with modern elements resulted in a sound that was both familiar to audiences and excitingly new.
At a time when Latin America was beginning to assert its cultural influence on the world stage, Elegua’s music was a powerful message of change and renovation. The band’s goal was to share their music with audiences far beyond the “barrio,” as the original liner notes state. We Are Busy Bodies’ reissue ensures that their original message remains intact and can reach new audiences.
The Elegua reissue is a must-have for fans of Latin jazz, and a testament to the enduring power of this transformative era in music history.