DESCRIPTION
Announcing the explosive debut album from one of London’s most electrifying acts: New Regency Orchestra — an 18-piece Afro-Cuban jazz big band channeling the pulse and fire of 1950s New York City, infused with the raw energy of London’s jazz and Latin scenes.
This release marks the beginning of something truly special — a reimagining of golden-era Afro-Cuban jazz from legends such as René Hernandez, Tito Puente, Rafael Labasta, and Orlando Marin. The orchestra delivers a powerful selection of ten invigorating instrumentals and two scorching vocal cuts, wrapped in the spirit of 1970s salsa, classic mambo, and big band funk, updated with fresh arrangements and club-ready punch.
Founded by Lex Blondin (of Total Refreshment Centre and Church of Sound), and produced in collaboration with Andy Wood (Como No), the group was born from a deep love of the Afro-Cuban jazz pioneers — Mario Bauzá, Machito, Chano Pozo, and the historic convergence of Cuban and American jazz at NYC’s iconic Palladium Ballroom.
With Eliane Correa as musical director, New Regency Orchestra became a rotating collective of London’s finest musicians. Their reinterpretations are bold and joyful:
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‘Pregon’ opens with anthemic horn stabs
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‘Mambo Rama’ gets a bass-heavy, synth-drenched Lex Blondin rework
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‘Papa Boco’ and ‘Labasta Llego’ add rich vocal flair
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‘Sahib & Tito’ cleverly blends Tito Puente’s ‘Mambo Buda’ with Sahib Shihab’s ‘Nus’
From dancefloor fire to cinematic cool, every track pays homage to its roots while bringing London’s modern jazz spirit into full focus. As FarOut Magazine put it:
"A beautiful menagerie of sounds... awash with distinctive Latin funk and the spirit of 1950s NYC big band jazz."
This is pure collective joy, a sound of shared heritage and new possibilities.
TRACKLIST
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Pregon – 01:40
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Sambaroco – 03:02
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Mambo Herd – 02:57
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Fiesta Time – 03:27
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Para Los Papines – 03:45
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Sahib & Tito – 03:19
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Scarlet Mambo Hour – 02:44
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Papa Boco – 04:03
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Labasta Llego – 02:59
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Mambo Rama (Lex Blondin Rework) – 02:33
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Mango Walk – 02:50
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Harlem Jamboree – 04:14