John Beltran Back to Bahia album artwork

A shudder of island bliss entombed in black wax by John Beltran. His first release for Detroit’s MotorCity Wine Recordings is a marvelously upbeat Afro Latin pop ditty called “As The Sun,” calling us back to the tropical solar sanctuaries of Brazil’s Bahia de Todos os Santos. Intricate fretwork by John Arnold stands in place for a vocalist and evokes more than most lyrics could manage.

On the B-side is a serious boogie workout called “Entardecer” — a track that is so deeply rooted in the sounds of island funk that I’m not entirely sure if this isn’t something squirreled away from a ’70s rock supergroup’s lost Nassau sessions. This little 7″ contains multitudes.

John Beltran: Back To Bahia / MotorCity Wine Recordings (7″ Vinyl)
1. John Beltran: As The Sun (05:12)
2. John Beltran: Bem Vindo (01:57)
3. John Beltran: Entardecer (05:26)
4. John Beltran: Outro (01:45)