Box of Boricua is a special dead-stock collection of 70's Chicago-Puerto Rican 45's on the Ebirac Label, recently unearthed by Numero Group and packaged in a strictly limited (and now sold out) vinyl box set. 12 singles, in all. Numero acquired these in the run-up to developing their forthcoming NUM036 Cult Cargo: De Cobo Rojo A Chicago. "While the Numero Goup has made a mission of unearthing lost and forgotten culture, never before have we been able to share the original papers and plastics of a city's scene and sound. Found while delving into the assets of Carlos "Caribe" Ruiz's Ebirac label in preperation for Cult Cargo: De Cobo Rojo A Chicago, each of the twelve 45s included here is an authentic Ebirac record, drawn from dead stock long-since abandoned by the label itself. In nearly every instance, these 45s were distributed from the stage only. In case you didn't happen to catch Tipica Leal '79 on January 27th, 1984, at the Palm Gardens on Armitage and pick up a copy of "Mi Salo'n Esta' de Fiesta" during intermission...this box is here to correct that oversight.
Underdogs all, the musicians of the Ebirac label never got to warm up audiences of the El Mirador or the Keymen's Club during the short residencies of imported talents such as Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe. These 45s weren't positioned in local stores alongside well-funded Fania hits, but were hand-sold off folding card tables, during performances in Humboldt park or at a host of community centers, before being stashed away with some resident youth group's catchers mitts and hoops gear. When business at Ebirac began to slow in the early 1980s, most of the label's remaining product was stored for later evaluation. The passing of Carlos Ruiz in 1987 left Ebirac's dead stock all but forgotten." (from the notes included with the Box of Boricua)
Mediafire Download Link: Removed by request from Ken of Numero Group.
1. Puerto Rico Mi Cuna (Lamento Navideño) / "Ernestina Reyes" La Calandria with the Ebirac All-Stars 3:01
2. Plena Matrimonial- Contraversia / "La Calandria y Ramito" with the Ebirac All-Stars 3:44
3. La Danza de los Reyes / Orquesta La Solucion 4:07
4. Oye Negra / Orquesta La Solucion 4:59
5. Guaguanca Coroco / La Justicia La Justicia (canta Jorge "Groucho" Alvarado) 5:41
6. Alegre Jibarito / La Justicia (canta Ismael "Jibarito" Rosa) 5:52
7. Lamento al Congreso- Plena / Orquestra La Solucion (canta "Ramito") 6:01
8. Ay, Si, Si- Merengue / Orquesta La Solucion (canta Hector de Valle) 7:30
9. Merengue y Bembé / Orquesta La Solucion 4:05
10. A Bailar Son Montuno / Orquesta La Solucion 5:07
11. Homenaje a (Roberto Clemente) "Lamento" / Orquesta La Solucion (canta Hector del Valle) 7:27
12. "Mi Patria" Es Boringuen (Inprovisacion) / Orquesta La Solucion (canta "Ramito") 6:36
13. El Duro / Manuel y Sus Estrellas "Combo" (canta T. Rodriguez) 5:53
14. Palabras Vacias / Manuel y Sus Estrellas "Combo" (canta H. Narvaez) 5:26
15. Mi Amigo / Tipica Leal 79 Jazz Quintet (canta Jose L. Casas) 2:47
16. Mi Salo'n Esta' de Fiesta / Tipica Leal 79 Jazz Quintet (canta Jose L. Casas) 2:57
17. Morir de Amor / Tipica Leal 79 Jazz Quintet (canta Yvonne & Yvette Morges) 2:34
18. Dejame Vivir / Tipica Leal 79 Jazz Quintet (canta Yvette Morges y Jose L. Casas) 3:13
19. La Juventud of Chicago "Lamento" / Ebirac All Stars- Perform 3:10
20. Mi Unica Ilusion / Juventud Tipica 78 3:33
21. Las Frutas del Pais / Orquesta La Justicia (canta Juan "JAP" Castro) 4:00 22. Borinquen Es Mia / Orquesta La Justicia (canta Juan "JAP" Castro) 6:08
23. Solitario "Lamento Guaguanaco" / Orqesta La Union (canta Juan "Loner" Roman)6:51
24. Chicago, Latino / Orqesta La Union (canta Junior Lozado) 5:26
