DJ Rata swings at Ran Kan Kan!

Our pal DJ Rata has a groovy new DJ night called Ran Kan Kan. It is held on early Friday evenings at Diviera Drive–happy hour, indeed! Named after a fabulous composition by Tito Puente, the night includes the playing of all sorts of cool stuff–yes, including Mambo records–and it swings from 6pm to about 10:30 or so and it takes place in a side outdoor patio area, where the DJ set-up is on the other side of an open garage door. Señor Rata was nice enough to ask Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus to spin with him on Friday, July 27. After pulling a bunch of records for this occasion, around 5:00pm, when it was just about time head to the venue, the New York City area was hit by a tremendous thunder storm that sent torrents of rain for over an hour or so. The gig was therefore postponed, and instead, The Phast Man made the scene at D-Drive the following Friday, August 3.

So that’s what happened–Rata y Phasta playing records to those fine folks at Diviera Drive who wanted to get an early start on their weekend buzz. Part of the deal was that the DJs get pizza–and the pizza there is good! Also, conveniently located next to the DJ booth was a pinball machine that had some free plays on it. This is an activity that Phast Phreddie used to occasionally excel in, so he had to try his hand at it, as Rata played his groovy Mambo records. 1,400,000 points wins a replay. Seems like a lot. The first ball The Boog played and he racked up about 380,000 points! This got The Boog hooked, but he never played a ball like that again after about ten games–some games never went above 90,000 points (but tilting never helps!). At one point, Rata turned to The Boog and asked if he was ready for another set of record turning. The Boog started for the DJ booth, then begged off–“Let me try one more game.” This game was the bomb, as the kids say. The Boog racked up over 300,000 points on the first of three balls–and the ball went out of play when there was a tilt. The next two balls did even better, and with all the bonus points involved, the score went way over the amount needed for a replay with a loud bang and came in at around 1,600,000 points! OK, The Boog is ready to play records now…

DJ Rata displays groovy Batman 45 adaptor at Ran Kan Kan!

These happy hour gigs at Diviera Drive are great. As the astute Boogaloo Bag reader knows, The Drive is a fine Italian restaurant and the music that Rata and El Rapido played was piped all over the place–seems you can hear it best in the bathrooms! Management complimented the DJs on their musical selections, saying that the swingin’ bongo beats were very appropriate for the hot and humid early Friday evening.

After Rata and The Boog had packed up, were paid and got ready to leave, our friends One Mint Julep and Brett Burton entered the Diviera Drive premises for a nip and a nibble and we got to chat with them for a spell, but unfortunately, they missed the bop.

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at DJ Rata’s Ran Kan Kan Happy Hour at Diviera Drive:

• Mike Laure y Sus Cometas–Vas a Queretaro [from EP Las Tocadas Con Miguel] (Musart; Mexico)
• Los Mirlos–La Danza de Los Mirlos (Dinsa; Peru)
• Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra–Quiet Village (Cha-Cha-Cha) (Columbia)
• The Lincoln Trio–Garden of Eden Part I (Big Top)
• Hubert Laws–Feeliln’ Alright? (CTI)
• Yma Sumac–Gopher [from EP Yma Sumac Mambo!] (Capitol)
• Lambert Hendricks & Ross–Doodlin’ (United Artists)
• Billy Stewart–Crazy ’Bout You Baby (Chess)
• Nina Simone–It Be’s That Way Sometimes (RCA Victor)
• The Pagents–Enchanted (Era)
• The Nocturnes–Riptide (Leedon; Australia)
• Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra–Gesundheit (A-Choo! Cha-Cha) (RCA Victor)
• Orquesta Novedades–Echale Grasa (Throw Grease on It) (Capitol)
• Olatunji–Jolly Mensah (Columbia)
• Ronny Douglas And the Ascots–Wopacha (Tic-Tac-Toe)
• Quartette Trés Bien–Boss Trés Bien Part 1 (Norman)
• Bud Powell–Un Poco Loco (Blue Note; Japan)
• Los Aragon–Makumba (Musart; Mexico)
• African New Sound–African Jerk (Akué; France)
• [unknown artist from Thailand]–[unknown song title] (B.K.; Thailand)
• West Kensingtons–Django (El Paso; Spain)
• Laurel Aitken–Pachanga (Part I) (New Beat; UK)
• Larry Marshall–Throw Me Corn (Studio 1; Jamaica)
• Ginger Williams–Little Boy (Paradise; UK)
• Joe Quijano and his Orchestra–Fun City Shingaling (Cesta)
• Eddy Senay–Ain’t No Sunshine (Sussex)
• The Surfaris–Tor Chula (Felsted)
• Chantays–Beyond (Downey)
• Jack Costanzo and His Orchestra–Theme From Route 66 (Liberty)
• Orch. Conga International–Sakina Pt. I (Editions Mbonda; Kenya)
• Perez Prado–Tivoli Mambo (Discos RAFF; Mexico)
• Ray Barretto–Love Beads (Fania)
• Mickey and the Soul Generation–Iron Leg (Maxwell)
• The Salty Peppers–La La Time – Part I (Capitol)
• U.S. Warren–The Drop Pt. II (Chytown)
• Pucho & Latin Soul Bros.–Freddie’s Dead (Zanzee)
• The Undisputed Truth–Smiling Faces Sometimes (Gordy)
• Woody Herman and the Herd–The Duck (O Pato) (Columbia)
• René Touzet and His Orchestra–Ticklish Mambo (Caquillita) (GNP)
• The Ramsey Lewis Trio–Black Eye Peas (Argo)
• Mohammed El Bakkar and His Oriental Orchestra–Belly Dancers of Port Said (Audio Fidelity)
• Johnny Clark–Can’t Stop Me Now (Thompson Sound; Jamaica)
• Moody Scott–Groovin’ Out on Life (Sound Stage 7)
• Gloria Lynne; The Earl May Trio–The Jazz in You (Everest)
• Grace Markay–Sally Go ’Round the Roses (Capitol)
• The Noc-A-Bouts–Jungle Safari (Cosmic)

None of these are for sale. Some of them have links to the youtubes in order for the reader to dig the essence of the hustle.