Hip-Hop News

**UNRELEASED AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ**

Afro-Cuban Jazz of the highest orderl! And even better, these two songs have remained UNRELEASED for the past 52 years! Vibraphonist, flutist, and band leader Ulysses Crockett was a big name on the Bay Area latin-jazz scene of the 1960s. He started out with his own group Afro Blue Persuasion which included a very young Paul Jackson on bass who later became famous as a member of Herbie Hankock's fusion-jazz masters The Headhunters.

"Cuban Fantasy" and "Poinciana" were both recorded live in 1967 but remained unreleased until now. Both songs are taken from the soon to be released 33rpm record titled "Live at Haight Levels" which includes more unreleased material as well as the full length version of both of these two edited tunes.

This 7" runs at 33rpm to provide the best sound quality possible.

Manoo Strikes Again!

2018 was an amazing year for the French-born DJ and producer as he dominated the house scene with the crescendo highlight being voted No 1 Afro House Producer on Traxsource.

Very few producers manage to escape the constraints of genre barriers in their work, but Manoo somehow does this with ease. Be it Soulful, Afro, House, Ambient or Techno his musical DNA continues to push the boundaries and interweaves all the right elements.

Speaking of DNA his latest production sees him return to Tribe records for vinyl and digital releases to deliver the Kromosome X EP.

Kromosome the title track with its thunderous atmosphere manifests a storm in its journey. DJ's take note, this is the track that takes your dancefloor to the next level. The bass pulsates with a dark tone throughout whilst the synths swirl and flies into realms activating your DNA to dance and causing your Kromosome gene to express itself through its nucleus and molecular machinery.

Just when you thought you had peaked Manoo has no mercy. Enter his signature Mystical Gong on Elektronikart to warn you he has more to offer. With his ability to tell a story through sound Manoo effortlessly directs this composition in a way that each musical component is having a conversation.

Two monster funk fuelled afro disco monsters released in conjunction with the Triassic Tusk label from Scotland and their 2018 compilation Screamers Bangers & Cosmic Synths Vol II. Now presented here on a fat 180 gram 12'' remastered both tracks get a whole side of wax for the first time and now sound better than ever ! ''It Makes Me Dance And Sing'' is pulsating afro disco groove and comes from Liberian artist Tecumsay Roberts who originally released one album in 1979 - ''Getting It On'' which is extremely hard to track down. On the flipside Commy Bassey gives us the main track from her ''Let's Dance'' long player from 1980 with the catchy ''We Want Togetherness''.

By popular demand, Analog Africa is repressing a high quality LTD edition of 1000 copies of Rob's first legendary 'Funky Rob way' album - comes in a gatefold cover and a 60x30cm poster !

Rob "Roy" Raindorf, born on the 13th of May 1949 in Accra, is definitely one of the most enigmatic artists to come out of Ghana. He appeared from nowhere with a unique and twisted sound. An admirer of American artists Otis Reading, James Brown, Wilson Pickett and Ray Charles, Rob began his trade by learning the piano at a music school in Cotonou, Benin. One off pressing - tip!!

When his education ended, he ventured out to make what money he could by getting gigs with the movers and shakers of the Beninese music scene, namely Orchestre Poly-Rythmo as well as the Black Santiagos. Absorbing and learning the intricacies of music composition, Rob returned to Ghana where he began to write his own songs and eventually sought the backing of a band, specifically one which possessed horns.

In 1977, a young Rob travelled to the city of Takoradi in western Ghana to approach an army band named Mag-2 whom he had seen perform in Accra. Mag-2 had an entire section of its ensemble dedicated to horns and some of the sophisticated music equipment available in Ghana at the time - Hofner guitars, Yamaha keyboards and the like.

Belonging to the "magnificient" second battalion of the Takoradi-based army unit, original founder Amponsah Rockson decided to aptly name the band "Mag-2." Joining the army during the 1970s was often an easy decision, particularly for musicians, since the army provided not only good music equipment but basic services such as food and medical care.

Mag-2 was essentially filled with the best elements of "The Parrots," a highlife band in which Amponsah was the lead guitarist. Their primary task was to entertain soldiers and with the army tour bus, perform from town to town as well as in reputable venues in the captial. Enticed by the style of music Rob had proposed, Mag-2 backed the Ghanaian sensation on two of his most astonishing records - his first and second albums -"Funky Rob Way" and "Make it Fast, Make it Slow," both of which were recorded at Essiebons studios in Accra.

Despite Rob's training and musical education, Amponsah was responsible for the vast majority of the compositions, such as building the chord progression and arranging the horns that Rob craved. Rob would even wait for the Mag-2 maestro's cue to begin singing. Despite early successes, a once-unflinching interest in Afrobeat began to wane by the early 1980s and Disco Boogie rapidly became the vogue style around which label owners and music producers sought to capitalize upon. The style Rob had shaped his career around was in decline and an adequate income consequently became a major concern, forcing him to travel to Hamburg, Germany in search of a financial backer.

The Daktaris is a well-disciplined army of two hundred African Bull Elephants marching relentlessly up your business to the beat from Funky Drummer. Or so began the liner notes on the original pressing of this album.

Truth is often stranger than fiction. In 1998 Desco Records—a precursor to Daptone and Soul Fire records—released The Daktaris' Soul Explosion, ostensibly as a reissue of an unearthed Nigerian LP from the seventies. Though it's now common knowledge that the story was a bit of a hoax, the record's significance as a seminal part of the Afrobeat and afro-funk renaissance of the last two decades cannot be denied. The roots of the Budos Band, Antibalas, and uncountable others can be traced back to this enigmatic afro-funk release.

Now, two decades later, Daptone has remastered the album from the original tapes, including a bonus track that had previously only been available on a 45, and featuring extensive all new liner notes by Bosco Mann telling the bizarre true story behind the Daktaris sessions.

KEY MARKETING POINTS:
- FULLY REMASTERED, including new bonus track, 'In the Middle.'
- Extensive new liner notes by BOSCO MANN explaining the real story behind The Daktaris.
- Features members of The DAP-KINGS and ANTIBALAS.
- Features JOJO KUO (drummer for FELA KUTI) on vox and percussion.
- Originally released on DESCO RECORDS in the 1998, has been out of print for years.
- The spirit of the late, great Fela Kuti runs through The Daktaris' Soul Explosion. - Jazz Times

The return of the Zanzibara series: first-time reissue of a Deep Taarab masterpiece from legendary Swahili singer Zuhura Swaleh, recorded in Nairobi in 1981.

Zuhura Swaleh & Party initially rose to fame on the Mombasa scene in the early 1970s. Traditional taarab music - the Islamic music of Zanzibar and the East African coast - had for a long time been influenced by Bollywood soundtracks, but Zuhura & Party were instrumental in bringing the focus back onto classic Swahili styles, at the same time introducing a new fast-paced and electrically amplified style known as chakacha that revolutionized the scene.

Zuhura was not afraid of speaking out and her music - sometimes featuring risqué lyrics - dealt with contemporary issues from a female perspective, something of a rarity at the time and something that would pave the way for the new 'modern taarab' sound that came to fore in the 1990s.

The group played across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania throughout the 70s, and while playing a wedding in Nairobi in 1981 they were approached by the local Polygram studio to record an album - one of the only full-length Taarab recordings of the period. The record did not catch on as the LP format was not suited to the tiny portable record players in use in Kenya back then, and the record industry as a whole collapsed in the wake of the 1982 coup d'état attempt and the resulting economic slump. Only a few records were pressed and have since become much sought-after collectors' items. Locally the songs survived and remained popular as pirated dubs (first on cassette now on CDR).

Buda Musique is proud to present one of the few Taarab LPs ever recorded for the first time on vinyl outside of Kenya.
*180 gm pressing.
*First time reissue.

Vaudou Game, the French afro-funk band, is back from Togo with a brand new album called Otodi.

Afro/Latin/Jazz from the UK. . getting low on this too. (sounds of the universe top jazz albums of the year)

Official repress on 12" of these sought after Charly Kingson tunes..
The label says:
Charly Kingson, (ps. for Charlie Kingue Soppo) is a legend of afro-funk who managed to shake the entire continent up with his infamous 1978 LP, Born In Africa. Often forgotten when conversations turn to Afro-dance, and the likes of Tony Allen or Fela Kuti, he has been an incredible source of inspiration to many musicians exploring the funkier side of jazz-dance, and this album itself goes way beyond any traditional notion of tropical discotheque. "Born In African" itself is a funky groover for the dancefloor and here is the original 1982 Remix, made by Dutch legendary percussionist Eddie Conard available again, featuring Nimele Bolo' on the flip-side. Released in 1982 on Ariola/Fleet, but also pressed on the original Fleet label. The latter (remarkably with identical catalog-number) never saw daylight. But, we got them all! All in all, this hard to find 12' (at Discogs copies on the Ariola/Fleet label go for around 250 euro) was recently re-discovered, and now you can finally enjoy it again.

In exile from his city in Northern Mali, singer/songwriter Ahmed Ag Kaedy returns to the origins of Tuareg folk with sessions of stripped down solo acoustic guitar. Mellow pentatonic notes dance over plaintive vocals, intimate and close mic'd, endearing in their simplicity. Drifting from melancholic ballads and pleas for peace, "Akaline Kidal" is a politically charged and poignant recording for a community ripped apart by division and civil war.

Originally released in 1982 on the short-lived Lyncell Records imprint, BBE Music is excited to
present the brilliant and ultra-rare album 'African Sunset' by South African band Kabasa.
Formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata 'TNT' Sibeko, guitarist Robert 'Doc' Mthalane
(described as the Jimi Hendrix of South Africa) and percussionist Oupa Segwai, Kabasa
recorded a trio of powerful albums in early-80s Johannesburg. Having been part of the
iconic Afro-rock band Harari, the first ever local black pop band to appear on South African
TV, Mthalane and Segwai decamped to team up with Sibeko for Kabasa's eponymous
debut in 1980.
'African Sunset' is their third and final album and is produced by the band with songwriting
duties shared between founding members Sibeko and Mthalane as well as newly-joined
percussionist and flautist Mabote 'Kelly' Petlane. Taking in psychedelic rock influences
alongside shades of jazz, funk and more traditional sounds, 'African Sunset' is a timeless
album, standing out to this day thanks to its heavy grooves, great songwriting and superior
musicianship.
With original pressings of 'African Sunset' now virtually impossible to find, BBE Music is
delighted to present this carefully remastered version that includes original artwork.
Available on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

Mar & Sol presents the new album of the legendary band África Negra,"Alia cu Omali". New songs and some popular classics recorded between Lisbon and S.Tomé.
This album Its a reflection of the old rumba and soukous music that this epic band of São Tomé e Príncipe got us used to. They are an icon and one of the main bands of this island, representing in their music the authenticity and culture of the former Portuguese colony on the equatorial meridian.

It is our mission to expand this culture and here it is the testimony in our series of Luso Afro music which could best represent São Tomé.

Banging kwaito double sider! Two of the best tracks pressed on a 12 - Nicely remastered.

Patience, Violet ,and Pinky recorded their first Album in 1992. Knowing each other from the music scene, the back up singers turned friends teamed up with Emmanuel Diale and signed with Mob Music to embark on their music career as their own act. The first two albums were straight African Disco, A leftover sound of the 80's that some had still hoped to capitalize on. By the time they released their third album Why O Nketsa so Baby, loosely translated to "Why are you doing this to me Baby", Kwaito was still called either Disco or International House, and it was new sound that was taking over. The third album was influenced by the Shangaan sound made largely popular by artists like Penny Penny and Peta Teanet. Looking back now, at the time Mob Music was really leading the pack with this new sound. Being one of the last labels to have official releases with artwork and a group of young talented producers given full creative freedom they pushed the sound in a way only few other labels of that time can be given the same credit.

For their fourth and final album on Mob Music they worked with legendary producer/songwriter Malcom "X" Makume. With three years of songwriting experience and stellar talent behind the desk the result was the LP Malende. Eight tracks that would combine the early kwaito sound with the more uptempo International House topped off with productions heavily inspired by what had been slowly making its way from Chicago over the last 10 years. At the time they had some success and to this day are well known amongst the real heads.

The girls would go on to record one final album once their contract with Mob was up and then after a 5 album catalog would hang up their matching outfits for work a in a newly free South Africa. They remain friends to this day.

*For this release LCT have chosen two of their favourite tracks from the album Malende, wonderfully remastered and pressed loudly on a 12" single for the Deejays

The Polyversal Souls are back with another collaboration with Ethopia's No. 1 soul singer Alemayehu Eshete. As they did on their first mutual release Alteleyeshegnem (PH45011), one more time the band presents a new interpretation of one of Alemayehu's classic songs.

Feqer Feqer Nèw is heavy soul at his best, completed by Alemayehu's trade mark vocal style. On Portrait of Alemayehu (Daytime), the Polyversal Souls are admiringly painting a picture of the master's gentle aura which surrounded him during the session.

It's that time again. The skies are calling and its time to board our trusty jet for the 5th outing of Africa Seven's premiere class compilation Africa Airways. For volume 5 its time to brace yourselves for 10 slices of Afro boogie goodness.

We up the boogie time groove with The Black Bells Group (the first band of lead singer Sidney 'Patrick Duteil' who went on to become the godfather of French hip-hop and a well know TV presenter. Here the groove is swinging... the perfect opener. Next up is German-based Cameroonian musician and cousin of Manu Dibango, Charly Kingson with this bass-synth boogie stomper. Big brass and jazzy trumpets add layers of sparkle too.

Next its time for some highlife inspired boogie from Ghanian Gyedu Blay Amboley. Highlife fused with reggae, disco, boogie and jazz just as the lyrics say.

Next we pair up with Africa Seven friend Eko once more under his Dikalo guise. The Cameroonian master musician is on fine form with his heavy brass and deep percussion with a driving afro boogie groove. To round off Side A its off to Cameroon again to groove with Jean 'Mekongo President'. Think Bernard 'Chic' Edwards on the bass with some African style and you can see it's the bottom end groove and afrobeat drums that power this gem along.

We open the second side slowly and purposefully with the highly sought after 'French Girl' from Fotso. Drippy bass synth grooves and a wondrous percussion and drum shuffle pair with piano riffs to make this a unique sounding track. Our friend Tala AM is next with the foot-stomping 'Sugar Lump'. JK Mandengue is next with most definitely the catchiest chorus you will hear today. Nigerian Jide Obe gets synth and clavinet rich with his doe to sensible dating advice 'Too Young'. We close off the album with a track from label good friend Jo Bisso under his Mulamba guise. Sounding like a long lost TV theme from a late night TV show circa 1977. Let's get down and boogie with the brand new dance in town folks... the Dashiki.

Until Volume Six takes flight it is time to unbuckle those seat belts folks.

Kumasi was a group comprised of Ray Phiri, Jabu Sibumbe, Isaac Mtshali and Lloyd Lelosa. Sometime between their formation as The Cannibals (*needing reissues*) and the almighty group Stimela, Kumasi released one album and a couple of singles. The artists had contracts under Gallo and couldn't reveal that they were linked to the music in any way, leading Kumasi to have only a brief mysterious run in the early 80s.

But the secrets out! This release presents a collection of five songs from their incredibly rare full length LP, and adds to that their version of the South African classic, 'Picnic'. Pressed as a 2x12' compilation, sounding incredible! Kumasi brings a unique blend of disco funk with that special South African tinge.

Ray Phiri died in 2017 - this album goes out in his dedication.

*Release has four variations of the Protea flower sticker*

*** UNRELEASED AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ FROM 1967 ***

Ulysses Crockett studied classical piano from 6 to 14 years old, adding alto saxophone and flute at 16 years old while attending Oakland California's McClymonds High graduating in 1956 as student body president and Valedictorian entering Stanford University in the fall of 1956.

During the Lawrence Ferlinghetti Bay area beatnik era (circa 1957-1960), Ulysses' group was known as The Latin Jazz Quintet which included an early female bongo drummer named Joyce Zavaleta. Joyce had an extensive vinyl LP collection of afro-cuban records including compositions and performances of legendary bassist Israel 'Cachao' López and international known singer Celia Cruz. Joyce met U.C. Berkeley Student John Miller and taught him the Cuban piano styles. The regular members of the Afro-Blue Persuasion band consisted of John Miller - piano, Harald Haynes - congas, Robert Belinksy - drums, Ulysses Crockett - vibraphone, and Robert Bing Nathan - upright contrabass.

At nineteen years old each, bassist Paul Jackson (who appears with genius composer, performer and pianist Herbie Hancock) and tenor flautist Robert Harvey were both serving in the U.S. Army station located in the San Francisco base known as the Presidio. On weekends, both Paul and Robert would sit in with the Afro-Blue Persuasion band.

"Live at Haight Levels" is the one and only recorded live performance by the Afro-Blue Persuasion. Finally, the songs are going to see the light of the day after 52 years! This is afro-cuban jazz at its very best! A stunning treasure rarely to be found - unless it's on Mo-Jazz!

Key selling points:

- all songs previously unreleased

- deluxe vinyl LP with old school tip-on cover

- incl. full album download code

- limited to 500 hand-numbered copies

After many years the long lost Apocalyptic Disco Funk offering has been unearthed and re-released for the world to hear. Rob's prophetic pre-apocalypse disco message, Hellfire, was originally released as a promotional LP by Nigerian label Taretone. Though a seminal work by Rob, disco stylings had fallen from vogue on the Nigerian dance floors. With the local airwaves dominated by artists like Félix Lebarty, Rob's promotional release was shelved, and never got to see a full-scale commercial issue. Ultimately the master tapes were lost by Taretone and the album was doomed to obscurity for decades until its recent rediscovery by Tambourine Party Records.

Hellfire is both a disco burner and a frantic warning about the impending end of the world. From the downtempo title track Hellfire to the floor-filling Glory be to Jesus, Rob will be sure to get his message across. Once the needle is dropped it is hard to deny that even if the world is coming to and end you can die happy listening to this album.

Sissoko is the undisputed master of tamani (the original talking drum), that he started to play since he was a child (thanks to the teaching of his grand-father Djeli Baba Sissoko and Djeli Maka Sissoko and Djatourou Sissoko) and from which he is able to extract all the notes simply with a one, natural movement. Baba Sissoko plays also ngoni, kamalengoni, guitar, balaphon, calebasse, hang and ... he sings!

He is from a great and ancient dynasty of griots from Mali: in the Malian tradition, griots are deputed to calm down hearts and souls, by means of music. Baba Sissoko has been the first one to introduce the sound of tamani in the modern music of Mali.

In the Baba compositions there is a great influence of Amadran, that is a repetitive and hypnotic musical structure typical from Mali by which, according to many researchers, blues was born.

Among others, he worked and cooperated with Habib Koite, Rokia Traore, Ibrahim Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club, Don Moye and Art Ensemble of Chicago, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Enzo Avitabile, Miguel Anga Diaz, Omar Sosa, Chris Joris, Bob Stuwart, Aka Moon, Roberto Fonseca, Oumou Sangare, Philippe Caterina, Toots Thielemans, Kasse Mady Diabate, Afel Bocoum, Cheick Tidjane Chek, Toumani Diabate, Ballake Sissoko, Mighty Mo Rodgers, Antonello Salis and many others.

In the latest works, Baba enjoyed working with Luca Sapio (in the album "Three Gees"), hosting Corey Harris (Grammy winner, star of the well- known documentary "from Mali to Mississippi" directed by Martin Scorsese) . also his work with DJ Khalab, 'Khalab & Baba ", released in October 2015, won the track of the year award at the 2016 Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards, an annual ceremony by Gilles Peterson, DJ of the BBC.

Never content with the ordinary, Baba Sissoko started his personal outstanding musical journey in Bamako, Mali, several years ago. Carrying on his shoulders the legacy of a legendary dynasty of Malian griots and repeating to himself that 'It's getting closer and closer but I'm not there yet' he broke all the boundaries,

His most appreciated satisfaction came few years ago when he found out that his firstborn daughter, Djana, a young and super talented 18 years old, decided to follow his path and to join him in the mission to deliver his meaningful message of peace and joy to the world.

Consolidating the relationship with the Italian producer Luca Sapio they recorded a new album together called 'Fasiya' that magnifies this cross- cultural exchange where looking at the roots to shape the future is the key

If ever a record delivered the promise of new excitement this one is exactly that kind. Baba constantly explores new sounds, and as a result, has electronically transformed his traditional ngoni into one of the wildest fresh sounding lead instruments to hit the music world in years.

With his arsenal of handmade instruments, he provided a mystic way followed like a comet tail by Djana's sparkly soulful vocals where Bambara blends naturally with English and Franc¸ais.

For the occasion Max Weissefeldt (Poets Of Rhythm, Dr. John, Guy One) sat at the drums and lighted up some fiery high-life beats, solid ground for tentacular horns arranged by M. Claudio Giusti that skyrocketed the whole record into the sky.

All recorded in Luca's analog studio, the result is an organic music corner stone that fueled by new and vintage obscure gear panoramizing a new sound directed at anyone who wants to lost himself in a vibey sonic garden, but most of all at anyone who can feel the beat, that basically means everybody.

Volume 9 of Mukatsuku Afro series kicks off with 'M'Ongele M'Am' from Cameroon artist Eko Roosevelt Louis taken from his early 1980's self-titled album and licenced for this 45 from Nubiphone & Africa Seven. The track was one of the highlights of the 2017 Pop Makossa compilation for Analagog Africa and it's the first time ever on a single in its own right.Driving brass funk fuelled afro disco does not really get much better than this. On the flipside Georges Ouedraogo from Burkina Faso gives us us the dance floor bomb ''Deni'' taken from his 1978 long player ''Gnanfou Gnanfou'' also licenced from Africa Seven and also the first time ever on a single. Punchy brass offset by those hipnotic vocals and funky wah-wah guitar has a deserved place on the flip. Strictly no repress. Essential 45 for the dancefloor !

The first commercial vinyl edition of this classic of modern African music, from Burkinab musician and singer-songwriter Victor Deme. The album is a unique mosaic of folk blues melodies, intimate Mandingo ballads, and Latin

influences, salsa and flamenco. This reissue celebrates the album's 10th anniversary, which was a huge success in France (Gold disc, with 100,000 copies sold) and voted Album of the Year in 2008 by France Inter listeners (the No. 1 French public radio station).

After a 30-year career in Burkina Faso, Deme finally released his first album aged 46. In 2007, with the help of journalist David Commeillas and of Soundicate's activists, they founded the label Chapa Blues Records to promote Victor's

music. The singer started to work on his album in the small studio at the back of his artist residence in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The studio is no more than two rooms separated by a truck windshield and equipped with

a 16- track console, but it has become the rallying point of numerous talented artists. 'His voice is warm and slightly husky and his songs are splendidly lyrical and supported by excellent guitar playing.' - Songlines (The Best Albums of 2008)

LP DELUXE EDITION includes: Pink vinyl / Poster / Redeem code, Ltd to 300 copies, LP includes redeem code / Ltd to 700 copies - PRAED's fourth album. This is the ultimate kit to prepare calmly for the sixth extinction! The Lebanese duo delivers a raging interpretation of the chaabi - popular Arabic music - using synthesizers, drum Machines, samples and other devices. The result is hypnotic and psychedelic, on the verge of trance. The clarinet of Paed Conca and the soaring lyricism of Raed Yassin sound like distant calls for help emerging from a world that is falling apart and slipping away. The record itself is enhanced by its sleeve - designed by the Lebanese artist Raphaëlle Macaron - printed in 5 Pantone colors making it as explosive as the music.

LP DELUXE EDITION includes: Pink vinyl / Poster / Redeem code, Ltd to 300 copies, LP includes redeem code / Ltd to 700 copies - PRAED's fourth album. This is the ultimate kit to prepare calmly for the sixth extinction! The Lebanese duo delivers a raging interpretation of the chaabi - popular Arabic music - using synthesizers, drum Machines, samples and other devices. The result is hypnotic and psychedelic, on the verge of trance. The clarinet of Paed Conca and the soaring lyricism of Raed Yassin sound like distant calls for help emerging from a world that is falling apart and slipping away. The record itself is enhanced by its sleeve - designed by the Lebanese artist Raphaëlle Macaron - printed in 5 Pantone colors making it as explosive as the music.

'Miri' is the fifth album by Malian ngoni maestro Bassekou Kouyate and the followup to the acclaimed 'Ba Power' (2015) which saw a more electric approach, complete with distortion and wah wah pedal (as Mojo magazine

says 'in Kouyat 's hands, the little lute, with its skin made from the head of a cow, becomes every bit as thuggish as a distorted Les Paul.'). The sound on this new album is more rootsy and reconnects to the beginnings

of Bassekou's solo career and his celebrated debut album 'Segu Blue' (2007). 'Miri' ('dream' or 'contemplation' in the Bamana language) sees Bassekou in a somber, contemplative mood, reflecting about life, love, friendship, family and

his country in a time of crisis. Mali's problems are plentiful: egoism in politics, Islamists, tensions between nomads and cultivators and climate change (including the Niger river drying up).

As always there is the intricate sound of Bassekou's virtuoso ngoni playing - and, ever the innovator of the ngoni, one of the album's stand out tracks, 'Wele ni' sees him playing slide ngoni with a bottleneck. Guests include Habib

Koite, Afel Bocoum, Abdoulaye Diabate and Michael League (Snarky Puppy, Bokante) amongst others. 'Superb ... As usual, the playing is incredible. He takes an ngoni - a lute like

cross between a guitar and a cricket bat - and creates complex riffs and rills that draw the listener in to the music. It seems and sounds simple but there is incredible layered complexity to the music as it builds. The sound isn't forced

but you find yourself following the multiple rhythms and strands of the music in a natural way as each pushes forward into your consciousness ... Magnificent.' ***** Music-News

Africa cumbia psychedelic

Kêtu Records started as a project which sells original vinyl discs with the aim of promoting African music of the Golden Age (1960-70). We have developed a large network in Africa to trace these original vinyl discs. We also organize events and sell the discs. Part of the profit is reverted to support local initiatives such as local orchestras, O.N.G. that help disables and schools.

For this first single release, NKOTTI FRANCOIS, great Cameroonian artist of the 70s-80s and still active on the African scene, signs for a reissue of 'MUWASO MWA LONGE' and 'NJA KA'; two amazing titles from the LP Retro 2000.

First ever experimental Tuareg guitar soundtrack. Original soundtrack recording to the film Zerzura, the first ever Saharan acid Western, telling the story of a nomad's search for a magic city of gold. Evoking the desert journey with free form guitar improvisations, the soundtrack is a meditation on the mysteries of the Sahara. Composed by writer and actor Ahmoudou Madassane, the instrumental score takes the familiar Tuareg guitar tradition into new directions, transforming desert blues into ambient soundscapes. Recorded in studio while watching footage from the film, the score was recorded in live and spontaneous takes. Heavily based around the electric guitar, Madassane also plays a handful of other in-studio instrumentation (prepared piano, Moog, Timpani) and is joined by a number of collaborators, including guitarist Marisa Anderson. A prolific and backing artist in a number of groups (Mdou Moctar, Les Filles de Illighadad), Madassane is well versed in Tuareg guitar folk and draws inspiration from this tradition before veering off into uncharted territory. Pieces fluctuate in timing and break free from standard rhythm, moving from melancholic serenity to blurry psychedelic fury. An experimental foray for Tuareg guitar, Zerzura is the first of its kind.

Released in 1992 this recording is a unique and beautifully crafted album combining hip hop, funk and synth elements with a pulsating Japanese sensibility Hoodoo Fushimi's masterpiece recording has stood the test of time gaining a cult following along the way and we're honored to be reissuing this important recording in the Japanese musical lexicon.

The Wings were a band from the South Eastern region of Nigeria who enjoyed wide reaching success in their homeland in the early 70's as a plethora of rock bands emerged mainly for the purpose of entertaining federal troops. Led by their charismatic frontman Spud Nathan they enjoyed a string of hits such as Kissing you so Hard and Gone With the Sun.

The Wings story would take a tragic twist in 1974 when Spud Nathan while riding in a car driven by the guitarist Manford Best was killed in an accident on the infamous Njaba Bridge in Imo State. Nathan's death created widespread controversy. Most of the band (and fans) blamed best for the accident since he had been behind the wheel. Also he had allegedly had sex with a groupie in the brand new car before it had the chance to be properly blessed which was considered to be bad juju. To add insult to injury while the rest of the band wanted to go on hiatus to mourn Best insisted that the Wings resume activity with him in the lead singer spot. The band would eventually go on hiatus and Best would break away to form the Super Wings to relatively little success due to fan resentment whilst the other members of the group reformed as the Original Wings causing a bitter rift not just between the ex bandmates but amongst the rival fans.

Time has been kinder to their legacy as their second album My Love is For You has since been heralded as a classic of it's genre. A unique album with earnest vocals, sincere songwriting and the encapsulating grooves that once made their former band the talk of the town.

A relatively obscure recording until now. Good Find Records presents My Love is For you in it's entirety. We'll let you be the judge.

Taken from the well-received 'Comedic Afrika' CD, which was Produced and Compiled by Joaquin Joe Claussell, Cosmicdelic Afrika PT1 is a collection of (demos) that Joaquin has been in the studio working on in his spare time. The Vinyl format PT1 consists mostly of extended Edits and Overdubs from the CD. The Part 2 of the series will feature the original Joaquin Claussell compositions. PT 2 is stated for a release that will follow shortly after the Cosmicdelic Afrika PT1 release. Similar the previously released CD, the vinyl version will include musical jewels such as Amadou et Miriam's 'Bara' which is no longer available on Vinyl and going for big bucks on the open market- that is if you can find a copy.

Low Jack and Clara! seal a killer first year for the mutant dancehall series 'Les Disques De La Bretagnes' with this necessary doublepack including their long sold out instalments
for the series, Launched earlier in the year as a sublabel of Editions Gravats, Les Disques De Las Bretagnes has become a go-to home for ruffneck, forward new spins on the Black
Atlantic links between dancehall, reggaeton and electronic music. Now, following Iueke's sold out 'Champion' 12' - as played by Aphex Twin - the label extend a very handy catch up of Low Jack and Clara! y Maoupa's 12's packaged as a 2LP with new sleeve art, Of Honduran heritage and based in France, Low Jack brings a unique sidespin on dancehall templates with his 'Riddims du lieu-dit' LP. Originally one side of a split tape with Equiknoxx for Bokeh Versions, its edits of Industrial obscurities and classic
dancehall made for a rude, refreshing take on '80s and '90s digi-dub and dancehall that sold out within a week. Likewise, Clara! y Maoupa treated reggaeton with a mix of reverence and daring, twisting classic '90s ragga with bumping dembow while also introducing the Spanish artist as a deadly vocalist. Her Ruge is without question one of the deadliest tracks of the year - so good!!!!
100% deadly.















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Howie B & Nick Young Reaktivieren Nach Über 15 Jahren Ihr Legendäres Pussyfoot-label, Das Seit 1993 Wegweisend Im Bereich Breaks/downbeat/triphop War, Und Heute Um Weitere Facetten Des Elektronischen Eklektizismus - Von Afrobeat Über Electro-psychedelia Bis Grime - Erweitert Wird. Der Neue Sampler "space Is The Plaice" Enthält 27 Komplett Exklusive Tracks (plus Cd-bonustrack) Von Ausnahme-produzenten Wie Howie B, Jacknife Lee, Dem Superproduzenten-trio Tojin Kit (jim Abbiss, Chris James, Kidkanevil (of Massive Attack)), Ancient Lights Feat. Flowdan (roll Deep), Deadly Avenger, Pye Corner Audio, Luke Haines, Dj Rui Sa Silva, Sowie Den Japanern Fantastic Plastic Machine, Chari Chari, Tilt Und Major Force Productions.

Limitierte Farbauflage Auf Pinkem, Gelbem Und Blauem Vinyl.

Ver Records In Association With Alex Dayo Drumming School Proudly Presents Gùndo Fara, The Debut Ep By Zantogola.
Inspired By The West African Heritage Of Popular Rhythms And Songs, Zantogola Are At The Same Time Masters And Explorers Of The Plenguedey Music: A Fusion Between Elements Of Mandingue, Highlife And Afrobeat With Hip Hop, Reggae And Jazz.
The Band Mixes Traditional African-percussions Rhythms With Brass, Voices, Guitars, Balafons And Ngonis To Create Contemporary, Reflective, Joyous And Highly Danceable Songs.
The Zantogola Project Was Born In 2016 With The Meeting Of Alex Dayo And Matteo Boyero, And Has Grown Up Into A Full Scale Band And Human Adventure. Among The Members Of The Band There Are Musicians Like Alai Sanfo, Hien Narcisse Moustique Piqué, Robert Goldsmith, David Kemp, Nick Onley, James Macphail, Owain Arthur, Moussa Dembele And Shreya Rai.
Alex Dayo Is A Drummer/percussionist From Burkina Faso, Former Musician Of The Kouledafourou National Ballet And Leader Of Wountey, The Band Who Initiated Plenguedey Music. Alex Moved To London In 2008 Where He Set Up A Drumming School.
Shreya Rai Is A 25 Year Old Singer From Nepal. She Is The Main Female Singer For Zantogola, And Also Performs With Other Bands Such As Namlo And Makindu (wahever 004). She Is A Highly Creative And Dedicated Artist, And A Composer In Her Own Right: Look Up Her Name For Future Releases.
This Ep Also Features Some Special Guests: Violinist John Garner, Rafael Anker On Evi (electro Valve Instrument), Togo Clément Palé On Bass, Sophia Mogapi On Snare/cymbals, Marta Badia Marin On Background Doundoun And Dabaiyah Fidel On Backing Vocal.
Zantogola Means the Greatest In Everyone' And It's The Name Of A Character In Burkina Faso's Folklore. There Are Many Tales Of His Extraordinary Powers. He Plays His Percussion Louder Than Anybody In The Country, So Loud That You Could Hear Him From All The Other Villages.
He Can Devour A Whole Village's Food Supply For A Year In A Single Day, But His Appetite Is Matched By His Generosity: He Will Farm All The Fields For The Whole Village Single-handed. He Also Sleeps For A Whole Season Unless The Village Needs Him.
Zantogola Also Inspires A Message Of Humbleness. In These Dark Times, Zantogola Stands Against Growing Nationalism And The Tightening Of Borders To Create A Spirit Of Common Purpose And Brotherhood.
Gùndo Fara Means secret Revealed' In Bambara, One Of The Most Widely Spoken Languages In French Speaking West Africa.
This 45 Rpm Loud Cut 12'' Ep Is An Introduction To An Eleven Track Album To Be Released In Spring 2019, It Is Limited To 300 Copies And Comes With B Side Drum Mixes That Will Not Be Included On The Spring Album Release.

Composed And Arranged By Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Produced By Matteo Boyero And Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Recorded By Matteo Boyero At Wahever Records, Except Drums On tare' Recorded At The Alex Dayo Drumming School, And Bass And Electro Valve Instrument On taré', Recorded At Dondoli Studio By Joseph Sangare
Mixed By Peter Soldan At Dada Studios
Mastered By Simon Davey At The Exchange
Artwork By Sandra Von Hazelberg

Musicians
Seli:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: Lead And Backing Vocal, Drum Set (congas, Djembe, Cymbals, High Hat And Calebasse), Bass Bara, Doundoun, Kenkeni & Top Bell, Sabar, Tama, Maracas
Shreya Rai: Lead And Backing Vocal
Dabaiyah Fidel: Backing Vocal
Abdoulaye Sanfo: Djembe Solo
Moussa Dembele: Balafon (xylophone)
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: Medium Bara
James Macphail: Bass
Owen Arthur: Electric Rhythm And Lead Guitar
Robert Goldsmith: Baritone Sax
David Kemp: Alto Sax
Nick Onley: Tenor Sax
Matteo Boyero: Drum Machine Kick Programming

Taré:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: Lead And Backing Vocal, Balafon, Rhythm Djembe 1, Drum Set (congas & Djembe 2), Bara, Sabar, Cowbell, Shekere Abdoulaye Sanfo : Djembe Solo, Rhythm Djembe 3
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: Kenkeni And Top Bell
Marta Badia Marin: Background Doundoun
Shreya Rai: Lead And Backing Vocal
Pale Togo Clément: Bass
Raphael Anker: Evi (electro Valve Instrument)
John Garner: Violins
Robert Goldsmith: Baritone Sax
David Kemp: Alto Sax
Nick Onley: Tenor Sax
Matteo Boyero: Drum Machine Kick Programming

Sya Drums (musicians Present In The Full Version Of The Track Not Included):
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: Rhythm Djembe 1 & 2, Djembe Solo, Drum Set (congas & Djembe 3), Maracas, Woodblock, Doundoun, Kenkeni & Top Bell, Criquet Sophia Mogapi: Drum Kit (snare And Cymbals)
Abdoulaye Sanfo: Djembe Snare
Matteo Boyero: Drum Machine Kick Programming

Special Thanks To Peter Soldan At Dada Studios, Joseph Sangare At Dondoli Studio, Sandra Von Hazelberg For The Artwork, Finsbury Park Art Club And All The Students At The Alex Dayo Drumming School.

Notes By Alex Dayo:
Seli' Means pray': Whatever Our Beliefs As Human Beings, Let's Pray To Know Ourselves So That We Can Gain A Better Awareness Of Humanity's Needs. taré' Means majesty'. How Great Is Your Mother's Love. How Great Is A Lover's Love. It's Your Choice To Find The Balance: As We Cross Many Rivers, We Encounter Many Mothers And Loved Ones. The Greatest, They Are In My Heart Majestically, I Shall Never Forgot Them. Not All Women Give Birth To A Majesty. I'm Talking Too And Dedicating Tare To Her Majesty, My Mother Sita Sessouma, My Mother By The River Kalpana From Nepal, And To All You Great Women From All Over The Planet.
I Specially Dedicate This Ep To All My Students.

Coming soon will be a very special 7inch edit of the highly sought-after
Joe Claussell Remix of Awade. On the flip side will be another unreleased gem
taken from the Instant House Archives titled Drum Box.
This will be a very limited 7inch so don't sleep...

Los Angeles DJ/Producer Jose Marquez's sound is a result of being brought up around Afro-Latin, Caribbean and other World Music at a young age. Always intrigued by electronic sounds as well, Jose's mission has been to fuse his love of global rhythms with the dance floor. Ankabé delivers just that!
The overall message of the song is about peace, 'Ankabé' means Unity in Sidy's native language of Bambara from Mali, West Africa. Sidy says 'The song is saying...let's all work together and bring the best in the world'.
Ankabé starts off minimally and slowly builds, creating anticipation as the drums start to get louder whilst Sidy's deep vocal intensifies to an inevitable climax that is sure to ignite any dance floor.
Jose says 'Sidy's vocal and drums are the perfect fit. You don't need to know the Bambara language to understand what the song is saying, you can feel it in the rhythm....let the drums speak to you.'
Jose burst onto the scene in 2010 with memorable remixes & edits of artists such as Celia Cruz, Nina Simone, Oumou Sangare and many others. In less than two years' time, Jose was blessed with the opportunity to introduce his sound to the world by remixing for renowned House music labels such as Tribe Records, Djoon Experience, Vega Records, Yoruba Records, Wonderwheel Recording and most recently, the iconic NYC label responsible for the explosion of Latin music in the 70's, Fania Records!

Having remained continuously active since 1971, the Yoruba Singers are the longest-running musical group in Guyana. Emerging from a music scene mostly dominated by slick, commercial entertainment, the Yoruba Singers brought a new dimension to Guyana popular music, cooking up a potent stew of afrocentric vibes, steeped in a committed invocation of the country's African heritage. The Yoruba Singers released several recordings during their imperial period in the nineteen seventies and eighties, but what is broadly regarded as the group's magnum opus is the 1981 album Fighting for Survival. The album sums up the group's first decade of operation, serving up a heavy mix of calypso, jazzy funk, reggae and afrobeat. Initially released on the short-lived Interculture label and later reissued on a Guyana-only compact disk, the album has long been more talked about than actually heard. But thanks to Cultures of Soul a new edition is now available in wide release, and with it comes the opportunity to experience some of the deepest grooves the Caribbean has to offer!

Africa Seven presents A7 Edits. The African reissue and compilation output slides over to the dancefloor with its new edits label, packing both holsters with edits alongside sought after originals, a combination you don't see all that often. The man in charge of the first edition is Stefano Ritteri, who has seen recent releases on Freerange and Congoloid, has DJs like Axel Boman regularly playing his edits and has his own imprint Viaggio set to drop in 2019. Stefano is a producer where sampling is key to his creative process and unreleased edits of African and other worldly delights have made up a lot of his DJ sets of recent.

With the A-side we see Stefano take on Ekambi Brillant's 1976 Nyambe, originally released on BBZ productions and later featuring on our African Funk Experimentals series. Stefano takes the Cameroonian's disco number, extends it, speeds it up and adds a whole lot of dancefloor energy, with a well-constructed break down and party-time drop. Stefano manages to create the perfect dancefloor weapon with this one, maintaining a lot of the original energy and reintroducing it into the 21st century.

On the B-side we have Stefano's interpretation of one of the more psychedelic numbers that we have released on Africa Seven, with Zinabu from Bunzu Soundz, originally featured on their 1976 in demand Afrodisia album. This edit sees the Nigerian psychedelic highlife lift off into space, with trippy sound effects playing on top of chunky sampled drums and a well thought out bass line whilst the guitar solo competes against the vocals for lead position.
A7 Edits offer with this release the opportunity to see how the artist has interpreted two original works on the same record. This being Volume 1, it goes without saying that we have others on the way.

Amazing Afro-beat album from a Fela Anikulapo Kuti's disciple. A sublime spiritual &
political session recorded at Phonogram studio (Lagos, Nigeria) in 1979, on a 16 tracks.
After the critically acclaimed second album we're very proud to present the first and really
hard to find vinyl reissue of Kingsley Bucknor. Also know as "King Bucknor" the famous
Nigerian producer, arranger and singer delivered two brilliant, hypnotic and long traditional
afro-beat tracks .All the ingredients of the afro-beat definition are here, killer drums, straight
riff guitars, hypnotic bass, heavy horns chorus, strong political lyrics with beautiful melodies.
Ultra-Rare, unique, Essential!