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- The Analog Vault // Essential Listening -

A seminal South American jazz record that stands as Jorge López Ruiz’s magnum opus. Crafted by the Buenos Aires-born double bassist and composer in 1967 as a protest suite against Argentina’s oppressive military dictatorship, this album was initially banned at the time of its release. 

But nothing could have silenced El Grito (translated as The Scream), a courageous concept album of cinematic arrangements that embodies Ruiz’s revolutionary ideas through hard bop-leaning, big band jazz. From the urgency of "M.A.B. - Amor" to the sublimely emotive "Tendré El Mundo”, Ruiz leads his virtuoso orchestra through a passionate whirlwind that will sweep the listener off their feet. - The Analog Vault

Be With is delighted to present Jorge López Ruiz’s El Grito (Suite Para Orquesta De Jazz), eternal Argentinian magic released on CBS in 1967 that must be one of the most sought-after South American jazz LPs.

The work of a genius artist living under an oppressive dictatorship, erased by the government of the time, this is buried treasure in every sense and it’s been a rare record for over 50 years. But it isn’t just being hard to find that has pushed up the prices of those few original copies that survived, this is a foundational record in the development of jazz in South America.

Yet this is not challenging jazz. There are certainly avant garde, free jazz flourishes, but the hard bop characteristics make this a very accessible album: easy to listen to without being easy listening. And López Ruiz’s love of film brings a definite cinematic feel.

This Be With edition of El Grito sounds sensational, if we do say so ourselves. Working with audio from the original analogue tapes, the vinyl mastering chops of Simon Francis are on full show here in what he considers to be some of his best ever work for Be With. Pete Norman’s cutting skills have made sure nothing is lost. The tortured artwork has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to helping this revered work find a rightful place in every protest art collection. – Be With Records