Let My People Go

"I feel compelled to spread his name, even if it's 25 years late, because it's too good to stay in hiding...The next time you go to a party, hit the DJ up with a CD-R of "Legs". When the whole place explodes in a frenzy, and the last plume of smoke has billowed off the dance floor, take your melted disc back and tell them Darondo sent you to put dynamite in the people's quarry."
John Mayer (Columbia Recording Artist)

A mystery to most, Darondo records are high on the wants-lists of many collectors. He is spoken about in hushed-tones by other Bay Area musicians. Back in the day he was seen cruising around town in a white Rolls Royce (with a "Darondo" license plate). He opened-up for James Brown and lived a colorful lifestyle hanging with folks like the notorious Fillmore Slim. Take a listen to these tracks, released for the first time together on an album, and you may agree that he could have been the next Al Green or Sly Stone. But about 25 years ago Darondo disappeared.

Releasing three singles in the early 1970s (as Darondo, Darondo Pulliam, or the miss-spelled Dorando) he mixed low-rider soul with blues and r'n'b. He delivered in a variety of styles from the socially-charged "Let My People Go" to the sexually-driven funk of "Legs". All three singles were recorded in the Bay Area, and both sides of each of the singles are fantastic productions.

"You can hear a little bit of everything," says Darondo about his music style. "There's a little jazz and a little soul. They say if you Black you supposed to have soul. I got Latin flavor in me so there's some Latin in it. Definitely got the Blues in it. I sound kinda' country but I grew up in the Bay Area," he adds.

Growing up in Berkeley California Darondo got his first gig at the age of 16 years. He played in a band at the Lucky 13 teen club, one town over in Albany. He credits Kenny Burrell as his main early influence on guitar. "That's basically who I learned the guitar from. I used to put his albums on and play his chords."