Ghetto Records was Joe Bataan\u2019s way to get over on The Man and out of the \u2019hood, a bold move by an artist looking for independence and creative control in an industry that had exploited his talents and treated him like chattel. Hatched from desperation yet full of hope Ghetto Records came crashing down shortly after its inception. The seven albums in the Ghetto discography languished out of print. \u201cFrom Ear to Ear\u201d (1971) by La Fant\u00e1stica was one of them. <\/p>\n
Orquesta La Fant\u00e1stica was led by tenor saxophonist, vocalist, and composer Samuel “Sammy” Le\u00f3n, who hailed from Brooklyn. His 11-piece orchestra of local musicians featured a rather unique sound, which combined piano and vibraphone with a brass section of two tenor saxophones and a pair of trumpets. They were signed to Ghetto Records by Bataan\u2019s business partner George Febo after being blown away by both the band and the overwhelming reaction of the crowd at the Village Gate. <\/p>\n
La Fant\u00e1stica had all original tunes, with modern arrangements and a t\u00edpico feel. Most importantly, they were fortunate to have vocalist Rafael “Ralphy” De Jes\u00fas, aka Chuleta and \u201cFrom Ear To Ear\u201d greatly benefited from his contributions. <\/p>\n
\u201cFrom Ear To Ear\u201d is composed exclusively of heavy-hitters, including the beguiling English-language psychedelic soul slow-burner \u2018Latin Blues.\u2019 \u2018Con Qui\u00e9n Andas,\u2019 a hot salsa banger beloved by DJs and collectors alike, features killer saxophone and trumpet riffs with an interplay worthy of Puente or Machito. <\/p>\n
Though \u2018Ya No Te Quiero\u2019 and \u2018Telegrama\u2019 are breakup songs, they function as swinging dance floor ass-shakers with heavy percussion breaks and crazy horn riffs. The band’s origins as an instrumental outfit are further displayed by a couple of vocal-free workouts that close out the album: \u2018M&M,\u2019 a guaguanc\u00f3 rumba jam session dedicated to the band’s discoverer, Maisonave, and \u2018Sassie,\u2019 a Latin jazz suite that flies through a number of captivating sections with different rhythms, tempos, and arrangements. <\/p>\n
One aspect of the release that has inspired discussion and conjecture is its psychedelic album art. It was designed by an employee at Sanabria’s design studio, Charlie Rosario. They wanted something more colorful and hip that would grab the public’s attention. Rosario\u2019s surrealistic illustration, with its disembodied ears, rainbows and multi-colored female head floating amongst the clouds, was perfect! <\/p>\n
We are now reissuing \u201cFrom Ear to Ear\u201d once again thanks to our collaboration with Now-Again Records. Our release includes an insert with liner notes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Joe Bataan\u2019s Ghetto Records released La Fant\u00e1stica\u2019s \u201cFrom Ear To Ear\u201d LP in 1971. This sought-after album is composed exclusively of heavy-hitters, including the beguiling English-language psychedelic soul slow-burner \u2018Latin Blues.\u2019 <\/strong><\/p>\n