Nico Gomez is a Belgian writer/composer who is famous for his Latin-American sounds. He conducted the famous Nico Gomez Orchestra and also wrote for Los Chakachas, another well known Belgian group. “Ritual” recorded in the early 70s in Belgium its a tasty batch of Latin funk grooves, with a deep Afro-soul sound thrown into the mix, and some slight Chicano rock touches, like fuzzy guitar and heavy organ.
It includes fantastic funk versions of two Perez Prado groovers “Caballo Negro” and “Lupita“the latter of which is the monster dance floor mash up but the whole album really rocks.
Belgium is not the first place you d think of when it comes to Latin or Afro-funk. Yet, one of the greatest records to blend both styles came from the small northern European country, masterminded by Nico Gomez and his Afro Percussion Inc. Ritual was originally released in 1971 on the Dutch label Omega International and is now reissued by Mr Bongo, bringing its blazing funk grooves to new ears and those already tuned in to this masterpiece s legacy. Across its 11 tracks Ritual delivers the kind of production, arrangement, and musicianship that rightfully belong in a dictionary next to the definition of professional. Gomez s band was tight and they knew it, showing it off on their covers of Perez Prado s Caballo Negro and Lupita by injecting the originals with a deep funk that blends both Afro and Latin influences.
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