Biography
During his teenage years in Harlem, Henry "Pucho" Brown nurtured an intense devotion to jazz, rhythm & blues, and mambo all at once. In the late '50s he spent several years with pianist Joe Panama's group, and when that ensemble disbanded in 1959 he launched his own unit. Even prior to earning recorded recognition, the outfit drew attention from leading Latin jazz figures. Beginning in 1963, Brown entered the studio and reached peak form from 1966 through 1970 by cutting more than nine albums for Prestige. On those sessions he helped originate the Latin boogaloo style, fusing jazz, New York Latin traditions, R&B and soul, and the emerging funk pioneered by James Brown and similar artists. He freely juxtaposed original material from Brown and the Latin Soul Brothers with reinterpretations of songs by Herbie Hancock, the Temptations, the Beatles, Duke Ellington, and John Barry.
Throughout the 1960s, few musicians fused jazz, Latin music, pop, soul, and funk in such balanced proportions as Henry "Pucho" Brown. Though Pucho and his ensemble—which featured saxophonist Harold Alexander along with drummers Bill Curtis and Neal Creque at different points—never attained the broad acclaim granted other Latin jazz acts, the Latin Soul Brothers delivered grooves of comparable intensity. An African American rather than Latino, Pucho deliberately connected the era's popular Latin sounds from Machito, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, and Cal Tjader with the funky soul-jazz approach of Gene Harris, Stanley Turrentine, and Jack McDuff. He pursued this integration consistently, beginning with the 1966 debut Tough!, whose covers of Herbie Hancock, the Beatles, Johnny Mandel, John Barry, and Burt Bacharach were chosen to secure jukebox and dancefloor play. Between 1967 and 1972, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers released eight additional albums and numerous 45 rpm singles. Their standout long-player, 1969's Jungle Fire, contained "Got Myself a Good Man," later sampled by the Chemical Brothers, Beastie Boys, and J Dilla. Strong record sales and live work followed, yet the early '70s popular-music shift altered their trajectory. Following 1972's Super Freak, the group ceased studio activity, though assorted lineups continued occasional touring into the early '80s.
The acid-jazz and electronic-music surges in Great Britain during the early '90s prompted DJs to revisit the Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers catalog and invite the band for club dates. In 1995, mass reissues appeared while the musicians issued Rip a Dip and Jungle Strut—their first recordings in 23 years. Renewed demand led to tours across Europe and Asia. They sustained momentum with the well-received 2004 album The Hideout. Brown maintained near-constant touring for the subsequent decade before reducing activity as he approached his eighties, though he still performs on select occasions. The early-'90s British rediscovery also brought Ace-label reissues that resonated with the acid-jazz audience. His 1995 return effort Rip a Dip and Jungle Strut sparked extensive touring, including live collaborations with DJs Gilles Peterson, A Guy Called Gerald, and Kirk Degiorgio. Two further albums arrived in 1997—Mucho Pucho and Groovin' High—accompanied by continued European and Asian performances. In 1999 the band delivered Caliente con Soul! for Ubiquity's Cu-Bop imprint and How'm I Doin'? for Minnesota's Cannonball label, the latter featuring guest contributions from trombonist Fred Wesley, flutist Dave Valentin, saxophonist Eric Alexander, and trumpeter Lew Soloff. After residencies and club engagements in major American cities, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers recorded The Hideout, named for the storied West Harlem venue where they performed frequently during the '60s. Produced by Todd Barkan and captured by engineer Katherine Miller, the collection offered incisive renditions of material by Stevie Wonder, Les Baxter, Bebo Valdez, and Clyde Stubblefield, among others. The group maintained its touring schedule while ceasing further recordings.
Throughout the 1960s, few musicians fused jazz, Latin music, pop, soul, and funk in such balanced proportions as Henry "Pucho" Brown. Though Pucho and his ensemble—which featured saxophonist Harold Alexander along with drummers Bill Curtis and Neal Creque at different points—never attained the broad acclaim granted other Latin jazz acts, the Latin Soul Brothers delivered grooves of comparable intensity. An African American rather than Latino, Pucho deliberately connected the era's popular Latin sounds from Machito, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, and Cal Tjader with the funky soul-jazz approach of Gene Harris, Stanley Turrentine, and Jack McDuff. He pursued this integration consistently, beginning with the 1966 debut Tough!, whose covers of Herbie Hancock, the Beatles, Johnny Mandel, John Barry, and Burt Bacharach were chosen to secure jukebox and dancefloor play. Between 1967 and 1972, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers released eight additional albums and numerous 45 rpm singles. Their standout long-player, 1969's Jungle Fire, contained "Got Myself a Good Man," later sampled by the Chemical Brothers, Beastie Boys, and J Dilla. Strong record sales and live work followed, yet the early '70s popular-music shift altered their trajectory. Following 1972's Super Freak, the group ceased studio activity, though assorted lineups continued occasional touring into the early '80s.
The acid-jazz and electronic-music surges in Great Britain during the early '90s prompted DJs to revisit the Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers catalog and invite the band for club dates. In 1995, mass reissues appeared while the musicians issued Rip a Dip and Jungle Strut—their first recordings in 23 years. Renewed demand led to tours across Europe and Asia. They sustained momentum with the well-received 2004 album The Hideout. Brown maintained near-constant touring for the subsequent decade before reducing activity as he approached his eighties, though he still performs on select occasions. The early-'90s British rediscovery also brought Ace-label reissues that resonated with the acid-jazz audience. His 1995 return effort Rip a Dip and Jungle Strut sparked extensive touring, including live collaborations with DJs Gilles Peterson, A Guy Called Gerald, and Kirk Degiorgio. Two further albums arrived in 1997—Mucho Pucho and Groovin' High—accompanied by continued European and Asian performances. In 1999 the band delivered Caliente con Soul! for Ubiquity's Cu-Bop imprint and How'm I Doin'? for Minnesota's Cannonball label, the latter featuring guest contributions from trombonist Fred Wesley, flutist Dave Valentin, saxophonist Eric Alexander, and trumpeter Lew Soloff. After residencies and club engagements in major American cities, Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers recorded The Hideout, named for the storied West Harlem venue where they performed frequently during the '60s. Produced by Todd Barkan and captured by engineer Katherine Miller, the collection offered incisive renditions of material by Stevie Wonder, Les Baxter, Bebo Valdez, and Clyde Stubblefield, among others. The group maintained its touring schedule while ceasing further recordings.
Albums
