Nunca Tarde – a round-up of recent new albums (Dos Santos, Cheo Feliciano, Hermanos Gutiérrez, Frederico 7, Oriente Trio, Marcelo Galter, Marina Mole, Tipa Tipo and many, many more)

By Mark Sampson 07 October, 2026

It’s a jam-packed programme this month, with mambo, jazz, salsa, rock, even a bit of classical music from Brazil, not to mention some interesting new sounds from Peru and a tribute album from Japan. Where on earth should I start? At the beginning, stupid. Yes, but…

Fernando Noronha: Ain’t No Hiding From The Blues (Worldhaus Music)

In the beginning… was the blues. It’s not often, though, that you get to hear it played by a Brazilian vocalist and guitarist. It’s his 9th record and the culmination of four years of writing and recording, marking 30 years since he formed his band Black Soul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and built a career that’s taken him across stages in North America, South America and Europe alongside legends like B.B. King and Chuck Berry. And talking of legends, his guitar can snarl like Magic Sam’s, reverberate like Ry Cooder’s (when he switches to acoustic) and chill you to the bone like Albert Collins’. There’s a blistering version of Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man” that features some terrific harp blowing by Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Highly recommended for blues fans the world over.

Dos Santos: Es Amor (Otherly Love)

This one seems to have been with me for months; in fact, it came out at the back end of August – which just goes to show… something. It’s the Chicago-based quintet’s fifth album, their first since 2021’s City of Mirrors. Led by the never-less-than-interesting Alex E. Chávez and powered by one of my favourite drummers, the Panamanian Daniel Villarreal, Dos Santos are one of those bands you can’t classify, with their own unique sound: a blend of cumbia, son jarocho, psychedelic rock, jazz and Afro-Cuban percussion – and plenty more during the 10 new songs here. Chávez suggests that “we wanted to make a record that sounds like us live – raw, intense.” The title track alone suggests that they succeeded.

Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit)

There’s nothing really that I can say about this that hasn’t already been said, other than to announce that the eminent World Circuit label has issued a very pukka-looking special edition double LP to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this global phenomenon. Hurry, hurry, hurry, while stocks last!

Cheo Feliciano: Cheo (Craft Latino)

And talking of anniversaries… Craft Latino are past-masters when it comes to reissuing landmark albums from Fania and other Nuyorican labels from the golden age of salsa. This one is probably my pick of a recent bunch that includes Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe‘s Cosa Nuestra, Héctor Lavoe‘s ¡Que Sentimiento!, Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound’s Lucky 7 and Chamaco Ramírez‘s rather splendid Alive and Kicking, which has been out of print for 45 years. What’s so special about Cheo? Maybe it’s the singer’s honey-rich baritone voice, or the all-star supporting combo, with Larry Harlow on piano and Louie Ramirez on vibes combining to create a sound that reminds me of George Shearing’s Latin quintets, or maybe it’s simply the easy, laid-back atmosphere that bathes you in a good, good feeling.

Hermanos Gutiérrez: Los Ojos del Cóndor (Easy Eye Sound)

It would take a hard person to please not to experience that same good feeling when listening to the Swiss-Ecuadorian guitar-twanging brothers. On this their seventh album (already!?), they trade their customary desert scenery and atmosphere (which often for me conjures up the Harry Dean Stanton character striding purposefully across the sun-blasted terrain of Paris, Texas) for that of the high Andes. Alejandro’s indigenous charango guitar appears occasionally in the mix of intertwining electric, acoustic and lap steel guitars to help conjure up a big South American bird gliding effortlessly around some rarefied mountain scenery.

Gustavo Virissimo: Reflexos (Self-released)

And here’s another guitar-wielding hombre from down south. It’s the Brazilian artist’s self-produced debut album, combining contemporary jazz (sometimes with a Hermeto Pascoal and an Itibere Zwarg twist) and the rhythmic richness we associate with the music of Brazil. The eight numbers move between instrumental pieces and vocal numbers with either lyrics or with wordless scatting in support of the leader’s guitar. Most were recorded (in Porto Alegre, where Virissimo is based) in two to six takes, eschewing technical perfection for the loose improvisational feel of musical conversation. At just 24, the guitarist could have a long career ahead of him and it’ll be intriguing to see where he goes from here.

Orchestra Mambo International: ¡Apúntalo! (Loft Recordings)

My record of the moment – from a 14-piece international and intergenerational outfit whose origins can be traced to West Yorkshire. Trombonist and co-songwriter Jonny Enright grew up with brass bands in Halifax, while DJ and all-round Latin obsessive Lubi Jovanovic hails from Bradford. Knowing both cities as I do, it’s hard to make the leap involved when you hear the authentic, joyful music they produce, which transports you to an era when the orchestras of Machito, Tito Puente and other giants were kicking up a storm at venues like the Palladium. It’s full-on mambo madness that doesn’t let up for a moment.

Mambo Legends Orchestra: No Hay Que Hablar ‘NUFF SAID! (Truth Revolution Recording Collective)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, musicians who spent years playing with the likes of Machito, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez were resurrecting another mambo-tastic big band. Co-led by timbalero, arranger and musical director Jose Madera, saxophonist and flautist Mitch Frohman, and the late bongo master John “Dandy” Rodriguez, the orchestra is an assembly of longtime friends and collaborators to celebrate both the enduring artistry of the Palladium generation and the younger musicians who continue to carry the language forward. With guests like the late-lamented Eddie Palmieri (on the opening “Sabroso Guaguancó”), trombonist Jimmy Bosch (on “El Trabajador”) and alto-saxophonist Bobby Porcelli, their first album in 15 years is indeed a rousing celebration of an era and a genre that continues to inspire dancers around the globe.

Frederico 7: Brasileirôu (Lion’s Lair Records)

Described as “an album of Brazilian soul, rhythm and lived poetry”, the new release by the expatriate Brazilian artist based in Austin, Texas, follows his previous Exótico Americano, which created quite a media stir. Sonia McLaughlin, singer and leader of Nossas Novas, had this to say about Frederico 7’s dozen new numbers: “The songs are sad and joyful; mystical and down to earth… filled with nuance and spirit.” Listening to these highly individual, variegated numbers (written over nearly two decades apparently) makes me wonder where he’s been during my own last two decades or so. Produced by the esteemed Beto Martinez and recorded between Austin and Brazil, Brasileirôu is something to get your teeth into (so to speak).

Oriente Trio: Canto (Self-released)

Back to Peru, Lima in fact, for a project dedicated to exploring Peruvian tropical music through the lens of a conventional jazz line-up: guitar, double bass and drums. Inspired by bands of the late ’60s and early ’70s, the trio found it a challenge and an opportunity to adapt that repertoire to their smaller format. It seems to me they’ve succeeded in creating something discreetly special with this their third album.

Marcelo Quintanilha: Classica in Versi (YB Music)

So then… here’s that classical album I promised you. It’s not quite as simple as that – as you might divine from the label it’s released on, the oft-cutting-edge YB Music. It’s the singer, composer and producer’s 13th album and it reimagines some of the world’s most celebrated classical melodies as contemporary songs. It was originally conceived in Portuguese, but the album actually ended up presenting nine of the songs in Italian, one in French and one in Spanish. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Debussy are but four of the European big-hitters represented and the songs are performed by an ensemble led by the singer on acoustic guitars with occasional guest appearances by the likes of Mafalda Minnozzi and Tony Canto. It’s an ambitious idea, but it manages to create a convincing bridge between classical repertoire and popular song. Here’s a representative track to test the water…

Sexteto Tropical: Melao y Guaguancó (El Palmas Music)

To Venezuela, and make it snappy. Which is what this sextet specialised in: salsa with a cymbal snap, guitar crackle and cowbell pop. Originally released on Discos Efi and now reissued by the Barcelona-based label, this slice of late ’60s/early ’70s is raw and vibrant. Boogaloos, guaguancós and a “Descarga Tropical” jam to conclude proceedings collide with little let-up and no studio frills. Strange, though. Looking at the cover, you’d swear the sexteto was a septeto.

Marcelo Galter: Marcelo Galter investiga a beleza sem fim de Dorival Caymmi (Rocinante)

The Rocinante label rarely disappoints – and this release is a revelation. Occasionally, a new album hits me on the head like a rolled-up pair of thick winter socks and makes me think, Aha! Something special going on here. As the title suggests, the Bahian pianist and composer investigates the endless beauty of Dorival Caymmi, but not in the way of a conventional tribute, more a contemporary quest to explore the great composer’s spirit of invention. As Galter himself puts it, “I want to invite people to dive into the waters of Bahia and discover what the title already announces: that the beauty in Caymmi is, indeed, infinite.” This is no mere piano-led jazz album – Galter adds his voice, indigenous instruments, Guinea-Bissau musician Mû Mbana’s voice and Fulani flute and some stunning Afro-Brazilian percussion to the mix – but something truly individual that demands to be heard. This “re-imagination” of “O Vento” is just one of many highlights across the eight numbers.

José Alberto “El Ruiseñor”: BuenAventura (Tumi Music)

Here’s another label that rarely disappoints. Tumi’s latest dive into the musical heritage of Cuba brings us the fourth album for the Bath-based label by the larger-than-life, big-hearted vocalist. He and his band of Cuban and Mexican alumni serve up son and salsa with a powerful sense of romantic yearning. Whether singing solo or in duets with guests like Kenia Sánchez or El Haragan y Cia, the human voice comes out on top throughout these ten classy numbers.

Davisito Navarro: Davisito + El Negro Live from New Orleans (Self-released?)

While on a Cuban trajectory… No relation to “Fat Girl”, the legendary short-lived bebop trumpeter “Fats” Navarro, Davisito was born in Manzanillo, Cuba, but has made his home in the Crescent City since 2023, where apparently there is a burgeoning Cuban emigré scene. His debut album captures him live in the company of his own quintet augmented by his fellow Cuban, the splendid drummer and percussionist Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez. Much of it is more straight jazz than the Latin variety, but the playing is first class throughout the 10 mainly long numbers and the album announces a genuine new talent. Here’s the band’s take on a composition by one of New Orleans’ top drummers, the Wynton Marsalis alumnus, Herlin Riley.

Bajune Tobeta: Sergio Mendes Tribute (CROIX JAM)

That’s probably quite enough jazz for one helping, so here’s the first of a couple more tribute albums. This one, under the aegis of the Tokyo-based producer, Bajune Tobeta, commemorates the second anniversary of the beloved Brazilian global star’s passing. According to Tobeta, “This project began with a single wish: to hear Gracinha [Leporace, Mendes’ widow and ex-musical partner] sing ‘Mas Que Nada’ once more.” She does and it is probably one of the stand-outs among the 11 numbers associated with Mendes. The current single is a version of Jobim’s “Inutil Paisagem” that features Paula Morelenbaum, one third of the Morelenbaum/Ryuichi Sakamoto partnership responsible for 2001’s glorious Casa, itself a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Various Artists: Arnaldo Baptista 7.8 – Canções Inesquecíveis Revisitadas (Café8 Music)

The second tribute is an extraordinary one in many ways. For a start, it celebrates the 78th birthday of Arnaldo Baptista, a founding member of Os Mutantes. Secondly, it takes a very unusual form: 56 tracks by over 60 artists spread over four compilations, Cobre, Sunny, Pink and Jeans. You’ll forgive me for not having listened to all of them, but this is clearly an epic – like one of those dance marathons of the Depression depicted in the film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? The compilations focus on Baptista’s post-Mutantes solo period that took off in 1974 with the release of the celebrated Loki? Many of the contributing artists are new names to me, but I recognise the likes of Rod Krieger, Hyldon and the now venerable Sandra Sá. No doubt some of the others have featured in one or more of Andy Cumming’s On The Margins column. Here’s a taster of what to expect…

Marina Mole: Azucrim (Café8 Music)

Marina Mole is just one of the myriad artists involved in the Arnaldo Baptista project and it just so happens that she released an album on the same label during September. It is in itself a little extraordinary, sounding at times to my ears like a cross between Patti Smith and the earliest incarnation of Siouxsee and the Banshees. It’s a concept album, but not like one of those prog-rock creations back in the day. It’s all about an angel created by the artist herself who must descend to earth to live as a human. Here’s the single, focus track or whatever you want to call it. Love the song, love the video, love the schtick.

Maglore: Fluxo Natural (LOCO Records)

We’re still in Brazil – it’s hard to get out sometimes – and it’s time for a bit of classy pop-rock. They’ve been around since 2009 and it’s their sixth album, so the group has got history. Committed to the sanctity of the song, the four-piece unit mix MPB, rock, folk and an indie aesthetic to create something resembling a contemporary 1980s sound. Given their classic guitar, keyboards, bass and drums line-up, there are no real surprises, but they do what they do very well.

Y La Bamba: Ojos Del Sol (self-released?)

Happy 10-year anniversary to Y La Bamba for an album described by KEXP as “a work of poetry, memory, and healing”. There’s a special new vinyl edition with an additional song (“Sin Tu Amor”) to celebrate the anniversary. The first generation Mexican-American producer and artist, Luz Elena Mendoza, is the creative force (and the extraordinary voice) behind Y La Bamba, who will be touring the U.S. this month with Hermanos Gutiérrez and Vanessa Zamora.

Jaime Chirif Watanabe: Garabatos (Buh Records)

More guitar music from Peru now, but this sure is different. For a start, it came out (in the back end of August) on cassette. I kept my cassette collection, but you don’t see too many in this format these days. It’s an album of nine electro-acoustic pieces built exclusively from improvised guitar recordings edited and generally transformed so that some sounds become totally unrecognisable. I rather like the minimalist approach; here’s a taster of what to expect. By the way, I picked up my double-deck Akai cassette recorder in Cash Converters for €15 and my old cassettes still sound as good as the day they were recorded. Just in case Garabatos inspires you to…

Maurilio: Flecha do Avesso (Frase Records)

Here’s the debut album from a new (to me, anyway) singer-songwriter based I believe in Bahia, along with his co-artistic director, Lívia Nery. It features some high profile contemporary names such as Juçara Marçal and harks back to the Afro-Brazilian music and MPB of a bygone era. It’ll take a few more listens for the songs to stick, but I like what I hear. Shades at times of Max de Castro.

Tipa Tipo: Arquetipas (Bit Rosie)

Peruvian yacht rock, anyone? Based on a cursory listen, I’m definitely going to put my hand up. Arquetipas is the band’s second album and it’s full of breezy melodies in a way that at times reminds me of the Rio-based Bala Desejo. Adele Fournet, who sings, plays keyboards, writes and co-produces, talks of feeling like “I’m walking around in a grayscale world, and I want a rainbow. That’s what we’re trying to do in Tipa Tipo.” Fournet and co-producer, songwriter, singer and guitarist Felipe Wurst met in Peru and then decamped to Brooklyn and thence Bloomington, Indiana. Drummer Jordan Leong Auber completes the trio, who released their debut Cintas in 2024 to understandable acclaim.

The Buena Vista Orchestra: Ayer, Hoy, Mañana (SSK Records)

No, I’m not duplicating an entry. This “Cuban music repertory ensemble” are about to embark on a mammoth tour of the U.S. – with Europe scheduled for 2027 – just to prove that they’re the real thing, even if the album does commence (a trifle suspiciously) with “Chan Chan”. It and the other seven numbers demonstrate an affinity more for the Afro-Cuban All Stars than the semi-mythical outfit from whom they take their name. Led by violinist Rolando Morejón Reyes, the Buena Vista Orchestra simply make great Cuban music.

Marcos Valle: Vento Sul (Vampisoul)

And finally… (and I thought I’d never type those words) no Nunca Tarde column would be complete without a reissue of an early Marcos Valle LP by Vampisoul. This one, dating from 1972, is arguably one of his finest, featuring as it does the glorious “Democústico” among other highlights. Like one of music’s truly greats, Valle had and has a propensity to regularly reinvent himself.

That’s it for another month or so. I’m off to have a lie-down, worn out by so many great releases. See you next time.

(Thanks to Martin Cohen for the photo of Mambo Legends Orchestra.)

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