Ahhh… the smell of 2024 and new music to being delivered to our ears let’s you know that things are off to a great start especially when F-Spot Records makes a global announcement of the upcoming new single by Mestizo Beat. It’s been just about two years since we’ve heard from the outfit and from the looks of things, they’ve been busy in the lab recording a polishing things up for hard hitting, horn heavy double-sider of audible pleasure. And if you know anything about us here at Nostalgia King then you’ll understand exactly why this one resinates with us and our love of Blaxploitation films, disco breaks and all things funky.
Blending sounds of early 70s Funk & Soul, Latin-Jazz, and Afrobeat, Mestizo Beat kicks the year off with a heavy dose of new material. First up is “She’s A Rose b/w Lotsapoppa,” their next 45, offering two sides of masterful instrumental soul music written & produced by The Magaña Brothers out of their hillside studio, Spc 166 in Topanga, CA.
Side A’s “She’s A Rose” takes us back to the golden years of the Blaxploitation film genre and the soundtracks we have grown to love. This song was inspired by the compositional and orchestral arrangements from the greats, such as Curtis Mayfield’s “Superbad,” Johnnie Pate’s “Shaft in Africa,” and Bobby Womack’s “Across 110 Street.” Featuring Tim Felten of Surefire Soul Ensemble on keys, with horns written and arranged by Jesse Audelo, Mestizo Beat takes the listener on an evolving journey, exploring the mood and cinematic elements of flute, saxophone, and wha’d-out guitar, topped off with a funky drum and percussion break.
On the flip, “Lotsapoppa” rounds out the B-Side, blending the musical styles of Latin and Nigerian disco-funk into a track that’s perfect for the dancefloor and those late nights out. Written about Bernard “Lotsapoppa” Crowe, a notorious drug dealer who survived an attempted murder by Charles Manson, this side is sure to get the body moving with the afro-disco rhythms and chant vocals, dubbed out around a tightly arranged horn section written and arranged by Jesse Audelo and Jason Cressey. “Lotsapoppa” features guests Steve Haney from Jungle Fire on Percussion and Cressey of the True Loves on trombone.