LA RETRETA MAYOR by LA RETRETA MAYOR

Awesome Latin jazz-funk self-titled LP from Venezuelan band La Retreta Mayor —founded and led by guitarist Alex Rodríguez— originally released in 1976 on Discomoda.  First time reissue. 180g vinyl.

The short-lived 10-piece band and numerous guest musicians created a jazz-funk & fusion gem considered a reference in Venezuelan music history. The group unfortunately disbanded right after the recording and did not play live or record any more music together.
The album contains quite a few heaters for the dance floor like ‘Zambo’ and ‘Líquido Elemento’, blazing with the rich brass section and percussion.

DESCRIPTION
Rodríguez is a classical and jazz trained guitarist who in the early days of his career would join some of the best orchestras in Venezuela, including Aldemaro Romero’s Onda Nueva. He put together this brief project: La Retreta Mayor, which only released this one album.
La Retreta Mayor was a short-lived 10-piece band with the addition of numerous guest musicians, totaling 29 members, that created a jazz-funk & fusion gem considered a reference in Venezuelan music history. The group unfortunately disbanded right after the recording and did not play live or record any more music together.
The album contains quite a few heaters for the dance floor like ‘Zambo’ and ‘Líquido Elemento’, blazing with the rich brass section and percussion, not to mention the opener ‘Torta de Pan’, reminiscent of recordings of classic US funk bands such as the JBs.
Rodríguez would follow this album two years later with the now much sought-after LP “Búsqueda” recorded and produced between the States and Venezuela.