OPA'S FUSION EXPLOSION GOLDENWINGS RETURNS TO VINYL

Let’s take a trip down south. We’re thrilled to announce the long-awaited Top Shelf vinyl reissue of Goldenwings, the 1976 fusion masterpiece from Uruguayan trio Opa. Masterminded by such musical legends as the Fattoruso Brothers, Airto Moreira, and Hermeto Pascoal, Goldenwings, delivers an exhilarating blend of sumptuous Latin rhythms, mind-bending synths, and lush vocal harmonies, including such underground favorites as “African Bird,” “Corre Niña,” “Tombo,” and the title track.

Returning to vinyl for the first time in 50 years, Goldenwings features all-analog mastering by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI. A tip-on jacket, replicating the album’s original, eye-catching design, completes the package. Special bundles pairing the album with Jazz Dispensary merchandise, as well as a Top Shelf 2024 Megabundle featuring all our reissues of the year at an unbeatable price are available exclusively in our store. Let’s get groovy!

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The story of Opa begins in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, where brothers Hugo and Jorge Osvaldo Fattoruso forged their musical roots. In 1963, the Fattorusos formed their first band, Los Shakers (alongside Roberto “Pelín” Capobianco and Carlos “Caio” Vila). Influenced heavily—in both look and sound—by the Beatles, the four-piece enjoyed a wildly successful career in South America, releasing multiple hit albums and helping to establish the region’s psychedelic rock scene. When the group disbanded in 1969, however, Hugo and Jorge were eager to expand their repertoire and formed Opa alongside bassist Ringo Thielmann.

Despite their garage rock roots, the Fattoruso brothers took a different direction with Opa, blending Latin jazz, funk, pop, and rock for their own highly delectable flavor of fusion. The venture also found the brothers taking up new instruments, swapping guitars and vocals for keyboards (Hugo) and drums (Jorge). As the new decade dawned, the trio relocated to New York City, where they caught the ears of the celebrated Brazilian jazz drummer, Airto Moreira.

Moreira—who had also recently settled in the US alongside his wife (jazz singer Flora Purim)—was at the forefront of the fusion scene, playing with the likes of Miles Davis, Return to Forever, and Weather Report. He was immediately taken with Opa—recruiting them for several studio projects, hiring them as his live band, and helping the group sign to the venerable jazz label, Milestone Records.

At the top of 1976, the band went straight to work on their US debut, with Moreira serving as producer. Joining the trio were a handful of high-profile guests, including guitarist David Amaro (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter) and Brazilian icon Hermeto Pascoal (flute, percussion), while Moreira made several cameos as a percussionist. The result was a Latin jazz-fusion extravaganza, filled with enticing three-part vocalizations, robust rhythms, lush synth textures, and enchanting flute solos.

Among the highlights is the opener “Golden Wings,” a funk-forward jam, in which Hugo creates otherworldly sonics through multiple layered keyboards, including the Moog, ARP, and Oberheim. Similarly cosmic is “Totem,” which blends percussive breakdowns with soaring synths. The folk-forward “Corre Niña,” meanwhile would be revisited by the band with Flora Purim on her 1977 LP, Nothing Will Be As It Was…Tomorrow.

Ahead of the aptly titled dancefloor closer, “Groove,” the band delves into an impressive, four-part suite—built around Moreira’s enduring hit, “Tombo.” The album also features two compositions by Uruguayan star Rubén Rada: the joyful “African Bird” and the dreamy, seven-minute-long jam, “Paper Butterflies (Muy Lejo Te Vas).” Not long after, Rada would take an active role as a musician on the band’s 1977 follow-up, Magic Time.

Opa only released two albums before disbanding in the early ’80s. Hugo Fattoruso moved to Brazil, where he worked with the likes of Djavan and Chico Buarque, and Jorge returned to Uruguay, where he formed a group alongside his wife, singer Mariana Ingold. While neither of Opa’s albums found commercial success during their initial releases (despite the high-profile personalities involved), both titles gained underground followings over the following decades—coveted by jazz-funk DJs, crate diggers, and acid-jazz aficionados alike. Now, 50 years later, Goldenwings is back for a new generation of groovers and shakers to enjoy.

Tracklist:

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