Names You Can Trust

10/17/2025

Esteemed soul man of Panama Mr. Ralph Weeks has in recent years been enjoying a much overdue retrospective of his remarkable six decades-long musical journey with the help of Names You Can Trust. Now onto their fifth record release together since 2019, the label has covered both Weeks’ original holy grail material as well as re-cuts and reimagining of some of his rarefied and unreleased songs.

One of Mr. Weeks’ two iconic 45 releases on Panamanian label Sally Ruth was a funky soul side called “Let Me Do My Thing,” originally recorded in 1971 as Weeks’ answer to Charles Wright’s big tune “Express Yourself,” which had just hit the airwaves in 1970. Weeks’ musical response would help define his legacy. He was gonna express himself, he was gonna Do His Thing. This golden age ultimatum recorded with the Dynamic Exciters of Panama as the backing band was a simple, straight ahead number with a defining message that would be carried on throughout Weeks’ independent career. The funkified air and creative freedom of the original tune is a prime example of the crossover Combos Nationales sound that flourished in the prolific Panama recording industry of the era, and in the ensuing decades Weeks’ tune would live on as a cherished rare groove for souleros, funk fans, and bootleggers alike.

Fast forward to 2023, when Ralph Weeks and Names You Can Trust prepared for a Bay Area appearance at the wonderful Latinos Con Soul weekender put on by San Francisco’s Discodelic record shop, the groundwork was laid in the studio for a revival, a reawakening of Weeks’ funky fan favorite. A spectacular ensemble of NYCT’s All-Star artists and alumni was convened in the studio, including Caito Sánchez on drums, Victor Axelrod (Daptone Records) on clavinet and Sam Day Harmet (La Banda Chuska) on guitar. Anant Pradhan (The Skatalites), Eric Biondo (The Budos Band) and Alex Asher (Los Cumpleaños) occupied the brass section, and Ralph Weeks even lent his still formidable chops on electric bass and keyboards, a little OG flare to back up his silky voice with a deft musical touch. What came out of the sessions was a chance for NYCT to pay homage to Weeks’ iconic original, without replacing it, and build a brand new version from the ground up with the maestro and composer himself!

2 track album

10/14/2025

Coming Soon...

Ralph Weeks gonna do his thing.
We gonna do our thing.
You gonna do your thing.

Let Me Do My Thing >

07/17/2025

Caíto Sánchez returns to Names You Can Trust for his second 45 single, a further excursion into the talented multi-instrumentalist’s intimate world of psychedelic rock en Español!

Oscuridad! Realidad! 🌓⭐️

Available now via our bandcamp (Link⬆️) ...

https://nyctrust.bandcamp.com/album/luna

or pass by in person to in Red Hook
this Sunday 7/20 for Release Party / NYCT Takeover.

🖤🖤🖤

VOCALS, DRUMS, GUITAR & BASS BY CAÍTO SÁNCHEZ
ORGAN & PIANO BY VICTOR AXELROS
PERCUSSION BY RICK MONTALBÁN

"LUNA"
RECORDED BY AT TRANSMITTER SOUNDS

"SIN TI"
RECORDED BY AT DIAMOND MINE

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION AND ENGINEERING
BY AT DON'T TRIP

WRITTEN BY CAÍTO SÁNCHEZ
MIXED BY VICTOR AXELROD
MASTERED BY FRANK MERRITT AT

📸BY AT




🎶

06/02/2025

>

ORDER LINK IN BIO💻💳🖤

Terror/Cactus returns to Names You Can Trust for the first time since his debut on the label’s Split Single series from 2020. Since then, the Seattle-based Martin Selasco has been steadily cultivating his individual brand of futuristic electronic cumbia, playing a multitude of shows and festivals, as well as releasing a handful of singles and a self-produced long-player, Forastero. The Buenos Aires-born Selasco embodies the new wave of cumbia that has always been championed by his home country: machine-forward audio/visual performances combined with a mixture of bugged out digital folklore and live instrumentation, and in the case of this latest recording with NYCT, baritone and clarinet from Seattle-collaborator .

Terror/Cactus will be bringing this new sound to life in an upcoming East Coast tour (STARTING TOMORROW ) with an expanded lineup featuring NYC-based musicians on saxophone & on percussion.

WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY MARTÍN SELASCO
BARITONE SAX AND CLARINET BY KATE OLSON
MIXED BY ERIC BANTA AT NYCT
MASTERED BY FRANK MERRITT LONDON

COVER ILLUSTRATIONS BY

⚠️⚠️

EXTRA SPECIAL NYCT POPUP SHOP
& RELEASE SHOW NEXT MONDAY JUNE 9
ONLY AT

⚠️⚠️

05/23/2025

What's Next On The Menu...

Terror/Cactus returns to NYCT
with two brand new productions on 7-inch.

Available May 30

11/08/2024

Victor Axelrod aka Ticklah's landmark fusion of reggae and salsa, "10th Anniversary" double 7-inch special edition. Originally released on NYCT in 2014, this previously sought-after press featured his long-anticipated reinterpretation of Willie Colón & Hector Lavoe's Nuyorican classic El Dia De Suerte. With countless musical endeavors under his belt, plus founding duties in the Dap-Kings, Antibalas and the Easy Star All-Stars, Ticklah remains a serious force in the studio as exhibited in his methodical deconstruction of these seminal New York City Latin anthems. Reworked entirely from the ground up with a precise and soulful approach to foundation reggae roots and dub, Ticklah's extended take on El Dia De Suerte stretches out into new territory, yet remains faithful to the original's timeless message via Mayra Vega's stunning vocals. Rounding out the package are Ticklah's renditions of Eddie Palmieri's Mi Sonsito and Si Hecho Palante from his 2007 album on Easy Star, already deemed dancefloor essentials by soulful DJs worldwide, remastered and now presented on vinyl for the first time. It's arrived, again!

4 track album