"Kenny's Place" by Esperanto
An immaculate Venezuelan fusion groove discovered by way of Ohbliv's NTS show.
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In February of 2022 the multi-talented veteran producer Ohbliv tweeted, “One of my goals was/is to make an unknown one-dollar record a grail record for the diggers.”
In short, he hoped to sample a record that many saw as dispensable and turn it into a sought-after collector’s item. I’m sure he has already done this. More importantly, the ongoing celebration of music through his NTS radio show and Twitter feed helps introduce enthusiastic listeners to many artists and songs that would otherwise languish in obscurity.
A little while back I was checking out the 12/18/2023 episode of his NTS show and the fifth track caught my attention. It was a recordeding by the Venezuelan fusion band Esperanto. Titled “Kenny’s Place,” the song comes from their 1981 sophomore album Vegas. The record has had a bit of a resurgence thanks to a 2022 reissue via Paris-based Favorite Recordings.
Vegas was inspired by bandleader Jorge Aguilar and drummer Pablo Matarazz’s trip to Los Angeles to play some live shows. When their L.A. contact had to bail for a touring opportunity of his own with Tina Turner, he invited them to visit Vegas to meet other musicians and get a sense of the local scene. You can learn more about the backstory through the reissue liner notes.
It’s fascinating that a city often associated with debauchery, glamor, glitz, and a sinister underbelly inspired such a beautiful and diverse record - an indication of how limiting public perceptions of a geographic location can be.
Songs range from uptempo dance records like “Kailua” and “Love Crusader” to mesmerizing slower numbers like “Wishful Thinking,” as song that benefits greatly from the gorgeous co-lead and background vocals of Sharon Ross.
But it was “Kenny’s Place” that Ohbliv decided to highlight and it only takes one listen to understand why. I find listening to the song an intoxicating, hypnotic experience. I love how it fluctuates between, slow, mellow, and almost sad, to more upbeat and hopeful. The pacing and skillful musicianship have made me listen to it on loop more than a few times. Sharon Ross and Jerome Wilson do a wonderful job of adding a bit of flair to the recording with their soft, subtle background singing.
I love this song so much and can’t recommend it enough. I was thrilled when it broke 1,000 plays on Spotify. It still needs to break 1,000 on YouTube. Good music finds a way to endure and people like Ohbliv give forgotten greatness a better chance of finding an audience.
Listen to “Kenny’s Place” on any platform here. Make sure to check out Less Than 1,000 Spins on Spotify and YouTube. You can also check out Formerly On Less Than 1,000 Spins on Spotify and YouTube.
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