Caterina Valente and Edmundo Ros take on the hit hippy musical, Hair — and win!
“Be In (Hare Krishna)” is the side two kick-off track from 1969’s Silk ‘n’ Latin LP:
-front cover-
-rear cover-
[Pssst: Click on the triangle above to play “Be In” by Caterina Valente & Edmundo Ros]
The album artwork for the US cover – also used in Costa Rica, Brazil, and Venezuela – was presumably too racy for other markets around the world, such as the UK, Australia, South Africa, Greece, and Spain, where the album was retitled Nothing But Aces and given new cover art:
Similarly, in Turkey, this same set of songs would be issued as Latin Together with cover art that avoided the human form altogether.
Decca would issue “Hare Krishna (Be In)” as a single in the US, UK, and Germany (1969), and also Turkey (1970). Record World designated the “Be In” as a ‘Four Star Pick’ in its March 1, 1969 edition and praised the recording thusly:
One of the tunes from Hair in an exciting and imaginative arrangement by Edmundo and Caterina.
45 picture sleeve
Germany
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Biographical information courtesy of Discogs —
Edmundo Ros was born in Trinidad in December 1910. The family moved to Caracas, Venezuela. Edmundo’s musical career started in the army, then he became the tympanist in the Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. He moved to London in 1937 to continue classical studies, but popular music was to become his career. He played drums in the Fats Waller recordings, played percussion and sang in Don Marino Barreto’s Cuban band and formed his five-piece Rumba Band in 1940, and the rest is history.
Edmundo’s Rumba Band with strange rhythms was a smash hit in London, although the Nazi bomb almost hit the club. His first recording for Parlophone was Record of the Month in June 1941 (Harlequin HQ CD 15). The contract with the famed Bagatelle Restaurant opened the doors for Ros to high society. All the leaders of Allied Countries and the Royal Family came there to dine and listen to Edmundo’s Rumba Band. In 1951 Edmundo bought the famous Coconut Grove and named it “Edmundo Ros Dinner and Supper Club”. Only those mentioned in Who’s Who were allowed in the club. The Club was world famous and the BBC had regular radio broadcasts there. In the late 1950’s Ros got the smart idea of recording Broadway musical melodies arranged to different Latin rhythms: the mambo, cha cha cha, rumba, samba, baion, bolero, valse creole, merengue, guaracha, and the conga. He also made a series of TV shows for the US and European markets. The 1960’s was the the peak of Edmundo Ros’ popularity and commercial success.
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LINK to Afro-Cuban +/- Latin Jazz
