Fruko & Joe Arroyo
“Rebelión Tropical: The Very Best Of”
Compiled by DJ Bongohead
Released 3rd January 2011

Rebelión Tropical’ tells the story of Julio Ernesto “Fruko” Estrada and Álvaro José “Joe” Arroyo González – Colombia’s original tropical bad boys.

Fruko single-handedly brought modern New York style salsa to Colombia becoming a Quincy Jones type figure for Colombian music. Fruko y sus Tesos were the premier powerhouse salsa band at Discos Fuentes in the 70s and 80s and CD1 brings together their most celebrated tracks that feature a host of talented vocalists, including of course Arroyo. Also collected together on CD1 are some of the steamiest tunes Fruko produced including tracks from the Latin Brothers, Afrosound, Wganda Kenya, La Sonora Dinamita and Los Corraleros De Majagual.

CD2 sees Fruko’s partner in crime Joe Arroyo given the floor. Kicking the CD off with some of Joe’s most boom-ting vocals for Fruko we then delve into Joe’s work with La Verdad which was at the forefront of tropical innovations in the 80s and saw him invent his own rhythm the ‘joeson’.

From cumbia to salsa, champeta to chicha, Latin funk to the almost unclassifiable sound of the ‘joeson’ this collection has it all – over 150 minutes of pure vintage Latin heat to get your rebellion started.

“The objective [with our first album cover Tesura] was to show what was to come: a movement, a barbaric, impulsive new culture, that had already passed through other countries but [though just arrived] in Colombia, was here to stay. So we had to have the revolver to show we were tough, crazy. He’s got a gun!” Fruko

“We definitely were hippies, “full Afro”, counterculture, and such. I even became involved in a cult, the Rosicrucian sect, with purple robe, head shaved and all. The hippy movement gave us flowers, [face] painting, and free love. I ended up having eight children because of all the touring, I had women in different places. It was in reality a double life.” Joe Arroyo