International diggin stories
pcmr
5,591 Posts
Post'em upPERU 
I was in Peru last summer working with a local NGO as part of a community group I started with my friends (the story behinf this is a whole other thread)Having the time of my life living and working in such a great community. If any of you had done any fieldwork you know work can be hectic and since we we're finishing our days at like 9pm (6 days a week) I did'nt have much leisure time.I loved going to see friends play some latin jazz and watching the new traditional music teacher we hired 
as well as shopping for bootleg dvd's and cd's but I could not find records I had only found some dude selling some Fania posters and had gotten this piece off of him 
After about a month I was living in an appt and at the time we we're quite a few from Qbc (volunteers,friends passing by) and decided to throw a St-Jean (quebec holiday) party in the appt. The shit got out of control... people we're dancing to the salsa bumping out the speakers on the roof and shit.Then the block security guard came in...I had never spoken to him except a few nods as he was making his rounds. He comes in and we don't know what to expect and he just busts out dancing in the illest moves i've seen. completely 
just dancing solo vibing to the music...I go up to him and we start shooting the shit and I mention I really like salsa and brazilian music and show him my Barretto LP bam! instant connection.. Turns out dude is super knowledgeable and is a mega fan of salsa, he schools me on Fania and other artists/labels/genres years..the man was a true salsero. We become quick friends and he brings me tons of cd's to listen to everynight.Than on the week-end he brings me to Lima's main record spot ( 
)Jesus.. dude was wondering how I could still listen to those "discos negros" but he was the best digging partner ever.The spot is a two floor storehouse full of records and like 4 dealers. Tons of super dusty and (third worldesque condition) lp's. My man is pulling out fania comps, this baby 
, and some oscar de leon and a bunch or criollo stuff. All records we're like 2-4 soles each (3,25soles/1USD) we bargained it up and I end up with a backpack full of records.Than dude invites me to his house in Callao. His neibourhood is the epicenter of salsa culture in Peru. The Callao festival has hosted all the greats (i was lucky enough to get some live festival only cdrs form my man) even had a statue built in memory of the great Hector Lavoe 
Walking to his house i see people dancing in the streets and salsa bumping out of restaurants i was loving it.I get to his house and he puts on a criollo instrumental cd and starts busting a cahon solo 
He then proceeds to pull out a box of VHS tapes... I spent hours watching salsa footage the most notable being Celia in Africa (facemelting dancing) and the Fania AllStars in the bronx video (great footage and scenes..sweet bronx street concerts and ray baretto interview RIP so positive minded) total 
So there you have itShare you stories batcheros!
I was in Peru last summer working with a local NGO as part of a community group I started with my friends (the story behinf this is a whole other thread)Having the time of my life living and working in such a great community. If any of you had done any fieldwork you know work can be hectic and since we we're finishing our days at like 9pm (6 days a week) I did'nt have much leisure time.I loved going to see friends play some latin jazz and watching the new traditional music teacher we hired as well as shopping for bootleg dvd's and cd's but I could not find records I had only found some dude selling some Fania posters and had gotten this piece off of him After about a month I was living in an appt and at the time we we're quite a few from Qbc (volunteers,friends passing by) and decided to throw a St-Jean (quebec holiday) party in the appt. The shit got out of control... people we're dancing to the salsa bumping out the speakers on the roof and shit.Then the block security guard came in...I had never spoken to him except a few nods as he was making his rounds. He comes in and we don't know what to expect and he just busts out dancing in the illest moves i've seen. completely just dancing solo vibing to the music...I go up to him and we start shooting the shit and I mention I really like salsa and brazilian music and show him my Barretto LP bam! instant connection.. Turns out dude is super knowledgeable and is a mega fan of salsa, he schools me on Fania and other artists/labels/genres years..the man was a true salsero. We become quick friends and he brings me tons of cd's to listen to everynight.Than on the week-end he brings me to Lima's main record spot ( )Jesus.. dude was wondering how I could still listen to those "discos negros" but he was the best digging partner ever.The spot is a two floor storehouse full of records and like 4 dealers. Tons of super dusty and (third worldesque condition) lp's. My man is pulling out fania comps, this baby , and some oscar de leon and a bunch or criollo stuff. All records we're like 2-4 soles each (3,25soles/1USD) we bargained it up and I end up with a backpack full of records.Than dude invites me to his house in Callao. His neibourhood is the epicenter of salsa culture in Peru. The Callao festival has hosted all the greats (i was lucky enough to get some live festival only cdrs form my man) even had a statue built in memory of the great Hector Lavoe Walking to his house i see people dancing in the streets and salsa bumping out of restaurants i was loving it.I get to his house and he puts on a criollo instrumental cd and starts busting a cahon solo He then proceeds to pull out a box of VHS tapes... I spent hours watching salsa footage the most notable being Celia in Africa (facemelting dancing) and the Fania AllStars in the bronx video (great footage and scenes..sweet bronx street concerts and ray baretto interview RIP so positive minded) total So there you have itShare you stories batcheros!
Comments
Brazil is a lifelong dream for me hopefully I'll achieve it in the coming years
Have a great time man
I'm not even sure if the dan90059 I met was the *real* dan90059.
I got the portable from a flea market in Lisbon for 8 Euros and it's really loud, no heaphone jack though.
And Melody from a flea market in Paris (Porte de Vanves) for 20 Euros. I had that scenario in the back of my head, like "how cool would it be to find Melody Nelson in a Parisienne flea market" and luckily it happened.
I flew home from Athens and all I had in my onboard luggage was the portable, the 45s and a book. They ran it through the xray thing about 5 times, then did all the drug swabs on it, looking back, it's not something they would see everyday when xraying bags.
I have a good one from digging in Shanghai (yup, it's possible) but I don't have the time to write it all over again. Maybe some other time.
Peru looks awesome.
- J