Aug 30, 2013

From Australia with their 2nd album: The Liberators - Power Struggle


 Produced by Nate Goldentone aka Nathan Aust (Dojo Cuts, The Liberators) Australian premier afrofunkjazz combo The Liberators are back with the brand new album "Power struggle". Born in an unused factory space in urban Sydney, The Liberators - a compelling 10-piece Afrofunkjazz steamroller - have relentlessly pushed their sound to become leaders in the Australian Afrobeat resurgence. With their second album "Power Struggle", The Liberators have gone deeper and darker into the polyrhythmic, horn-driven realms of Afrobeat, producing eight weighty songs worthy of fueling any revolution. With a maturing mix of jazz, latin, soul and funk, it's obvious the sounds of fracturing world events echo throughout the album. The Liberators produced Power Struggle in Sydney, recording straight to tape in a no-nonsense, no-overdub fashion, capturing the phenomenal vibe of their live shows. Some of these shows include a roof destroying performance alongside Mulatu Astake and Craig Charles at Russ Dewbury's legendary "A Night at Jazz Room". Power Struggle will leave you nodding your head, fist in the air, ready to join the uprising. The Liberators are back, harder and stronger than ever (available November 2013).

kudosrecords.co.uk






Tracklist



01. Cairo Uprising [:03:41]
02. Soul Dive [:04:37]
03. Dark River [:06:05]
04. Red Green Live Die [:04:31]
05. Dos Caras [:05:32]
06. Power Struggle [:05:47]
07. No Friend of Mine [:03:42]
08. Epicoso [:05:11]
09. Water Somewhere feat. Roxie Ray [:03:20]

Aug 27, 2013

Embryo - Africa



Embryo is a musical collective from Munich which has been active since 1969, although its story started in the mid-1950s in Hof, Germany where Christian Burchard and Dieter Serfas met for the first time at the age of 10. It was one of the most important German jazz-rock bands during the 1970s and has also been described as "the most eclectic" of the Krautrock bands. 

Always trying something new, the next big Embryo adventure was a tour via Turkey through to Egypt, and later a tour through Africa. "AFRICA" documents these projects with an exceptionally wide variety of musics.
 

 

Tracklist

A1. Djangedi (3:09)
A2. Sango (4:15)
A3. Mao in Afrique (part 1) (2:13)
A4. Mao in Afrique (part 2) (3:52)
A5. Konga (2:40)
A6. Yulius' song (1:54)
B1. Dun Dun mix (5:46)
B2. Bush (1:55)
B3. Wole Alade (3:04)
B4. Lagune Musik (7:27)
B5. Crossriver xylophone (1:55)




Line-up / Musicians
 
- James Adesumole / trap drums (b4/5)
- Ayantunti Amoo / dun dun & bata drums (b4/5)
- Lamidi Ayankunle / yoruba drums, voice (side a, b2) bata drum & vocals (b1/4/5)
- Christian Burchard / percussion, vibes, marimba, cymbal, voice (side a, b1/2/4/5)
- Yomi Fawole / vocals, dun dun drum (b1)
- Andy Ade Frankel / dun dun bata (a2/3)
- Yulius Golombeck / guitar, voice, percussion (side a, b1/2)
- Gerald Hartwig / bass, voice, Yoruba percussion (side a, b1/2), tavil (b4/5)
- Edgar Hofmann / saxophone, violin, flute (side a, b1/2)
- Daniel Koranteng / conga (b4/5)
- Mbayo / voice, dun dun drum (a4)
- Ede Nwigwe / xylophone (b4/5)
- Amos Oguntokun / bata drum (b4/5)
- Ademola Olayiwola / bells, bata drum (b4/5)
- Muraina Oyelami / lead dun dun drum, lead vocals (b1)
- Adeleke Sangoyoyin / dun dun drum (b1)
- Dieter Serfas / drums (side a, b2)
- Peter Serfas / electronic drums (side a)

Afro Linkage Ensemble (b3):
- Kumle Ajayi / bass
- Wole Alade / Alto saxophone, flute (+b4)
- Deji Olaopa / piano
- Wale Popoola / drums
- Ayobami Thomas / percussion
- Melo Yremkye / guitars


Aug 26, 2013

From Ghana: The Jewels & Ghanaian highlife


Unfortunately, I cannot find any information about "The Jewels", 
but any interesting brief history of highlife music in Ghana ...

 

A little bit of blues, swing, rhythm and blues and African rhythms: So the style of music can sound Highlife from Ghana. Or even completely different: A pinch of samba, a touch of European church music, mixed with sea shanties - but also because the Ghanaian rhythms not missing. Because they are the common denominator of highlife music that is so diverse that it is difficult to characterize.
The roots of the high life in the bustling capital city of Accra in the late 19th Century, when Ghana is still a colony of Great Britain. Especially on the coast meet different cultures. This leads also to a musical melting pot of music from around the world mixed with indigenous sounds and rhythms.
Within the country develop at the beginning of the 20th Century, two different forms of this genre: the high life of the rich and the high life in the bush.
On the coast of Ghana is dancing the black and white elite to dance orchestra Highlife: Africanized foxtrot, waltz and ragtime, played by large string and brass bands. Dance to the rich in tails, top hat and much pomp.
Meanwhile produced within the country of the guitar band highlife. Especially in the simple style of this instrument differs from the elite: The harp lute Seprewa and later the guitar shape this music - and percussion instruments.
The signs of the beginnings: The band "Sam's Trio," which also "Kumasi Trio" was called. As early as 1928 they are in London in a studio and record the song "Yaa Amponsah" on. To date, this structure can be found in almost every highlife number.
Although so many Western influences collide in this music, highlife, after independence in 1957 Ghana's national music and also has political value: The president often takes a whole orchestra with him on his trip abroad.
As it rumbles in the 80s in Ghana - corruption and arbitrariness determine the policy, the economy is declining - breaks the music industry. More and more musicians wander off: Many to Germany, where highlife, funk and rock fused with the so-called Burger-highlife is. Or to Canada, there to wait an enthusiastic audience and a liberal working environment.

srf.ch 


moreover, ... I found an interesting brief history of highlife music in Ghana by John Collins




 

Aug 23, 2013

The Brighton Beat - Live @ the Bean Runner (for free)



  Recorded live at The Beanrunner Cafe in Peekskill, NY;  The Brighton Beat's first live album is now available for digital download, with hard copies available at all live events.  It features some re-imagined Brighton Beat classics, and a cover of Fela Kuti's "Dog Eat Dog."  The amazing artwork was hand painted by local Peekskill artist Andrew Barthelmes

---

 "Afro-beat big band The Brighton Beat can sound really quiet considering the number of people on stage. The five mellow tracks on Live At The Bean Runner, recorded in Peekskill, NY, are allowed to develop organically. Kicking off with a cover of Fela Kuti's Dog Eat Dog they slip into Giraffe, one of the stand-out tracks from The Brighton Beat LP, throwing quite a few hat tips to the Supertramp classic Bloody Well Right.  

Live At The Bean Runner is a mellow album as a whole, flowing gently but picking up speed every now and then when it looks that they have painted themselves into a corner. Jazz comes to the rescue in Loose Cannon and they end the album on a high note with great percussion and keyboards interplay, a loud guitar solo and a good ol' sax battle during Big Top.





Tracklist


1.
Dog Eat Dog 12:21



2.
Giraffe 12:16



3.
Loose Cannon 12:28



4.
Indian Summer 15:50



5.
Big Top 12:17 

Aug 22, 2013

Frankoye ‎– On Campus Life


Nigerian afro beat LP released in 1989 
but sounds tough like 70's Fela. 


Tracklist

A Campus Life
B Official Robbery


Frankoye - Campus Life - afrofunkamelick from afrofunkamelick on Vimeo.

Aug 20, 2013

Geraldo Pino


 


Fela Kuti quoted: 
 
"I was playing highlife jazz wenn Geraldo Pino came to town in ’66 or a bit earlier, with soul. He came to town with James Brown’s music…and with such equipment you’ve never seen, man. This man was tearing Lagos to pieces. Woooooooooh, man. He had Nigeria in his pocket. Made me fall right on my ass!"
 

When he appeared at the Barbican in London last May, the singer, guitarist and bandleader Geraldo Pino, who has died aged 69, revealed himself as one of the forgotten fathers of African popular music. He had a major influence on west Africa's soul, funk and Afrobeat scene in the 1960s and 70s, and made a huge impression on the young Fela Kuti, yet his music had been largely unheard for the past 30 years.

Born and raised as Gerald Pine in Freetown, Sierra Leone, he was the son of a Nigeria-based lawyer and lost his mother and sister at an early age. Rebelling against his background, he started playing music at a social club and co-founded the Heartbeats at the start of the 1960s, playing covers of American hits and Congolese versions of rumba, then sweeping west Africa. The most famous Congolese musicians were Franco and Dr Nico, whose names inspired Gerald Pine to turn into the exotic "Geraldo Pino".

Playing Freetown nightclubs such as the Flamingo, Palm Beach and Tiwana, the Heartbeats became one of the highest earning bands in west Africa, and when television was introduced in Sierra Leone in 1962, Pino and the Heartbeats had their own show. In early 1963 they cut their first records - including Maria Lef For Waka, Heartbeats Merengue and Zamzie - which were released on his own Pino Records label. Zamzie is still used by Voice of America as a signature tune.

Africa was alive with dance music in those optimistic, post-colonial days and the Heartbeats provided a sophisticated, internationalised sound which began to challenge the ubiquitous highlife. Pino was also a great manager, promoter and businessman. Touring Ghana and Nigeria (1965-67), he was very much the playboy pop star, with a Pontiac convertible, flashy clothes and, most importantly, hardware unheard of in Africa at that time: imported amplifiers pumping out the sound of his electronic instruments and a six-microphone PA system.

Pino had the stage presence to match, impressing women and men equally. Among his 1960s and 70s hits were Power to the People, Give Me Ganja, Let Them Talk and Make Me Feel Good.
He impressed Fela Kuti (then still Ransome Kuti) when he played Lagos, Nigeria. At the time the Nigerian was playing jazzy highlife while Pino arrived with James Brown's style of music and formidable equipment. "He had all Nigeria in his pocket," Fela said in 1982. "Made me fall right on my ass, man."

Pino returned to Nigeria in 1967, and later that year took up a residency at the Ringway hotel, Accra, Ghana. The original Heartbeats broke up at the end of the decade and he recruited Ghanaians for the new Heartbeats 72 from a psychedelic band, the Plastic Jims. In the 70s they played west African concerts alongside Jimmy Cliff, Rufus Thomas and Manu Dibango. Pino's records made him famous as far away as Kenya.

In 1969 he settled in Nigeria and never left, buying a TV station and the Airport hotel in the city of Port Harcourt. There he introduced up-and-coming Camerounian musicians and played with Fela Kuti. In 2005 two of his albums were reissued, bringing his sounds to a new generation. In London last year, he played again with former Heartbeats drummer and arranger Francis Fuster, and despite failing health acquitted himself well.

Pino had cancer and was diabetic. A Port Harcourt paper reported that he was being treated for "a mere pain on the foot when he finally gave up the ghost". Pino never married, though he is believed to have fathered several children.

Geraldo Pino (Gerald Pine), musician, born 10 February 1939; died 10 November 2008.

theguardian.com




Aug 16, 2013

Mansion - Devil Woman


HARD TO FIND AFRO ROCK/ FUNK  LP from 1976 on CLOVER Records, Nigeria CXL 2003.




Tracklist

A1 The Love Song
A2 Devil Woman
A3 Don't Take That Love Away From Me
B1 Heaven Is Here On Earth
B2 You Can't Stop Us
B3 The Great Question

Aug 15, 2013

William Onyeabor - Who Is William Onyeabor?


LUAKA BOP BECOMES THE FIRST RECORD LABEL TO SUCCESSFULLY LICENSE WILLIAM ONYEABOR, THE MYSTERIOUS, WIDELY BOOTLEGGED NIGERIAN ARTIST.

Luaka Bop will celebrate Its 25th anniversary with World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who Is William Onyeabor? and related collaborations with Dam-Funk, Devendra Banhart, Justin Strauss, Caribou, John Talabot and Others

"The world might just be better off not hearing [Onyeabor's "Atomic Bomb"], which will burrow and propagate its seed exponentially by the second, into the hearts and souls of all humanity. It's the catchiest song I've ever heard; when it gets in my brain, I can't sleep...He's a mythical character from Nigeria." 
Devendra Banhart in Uncut

"Anyone out there who is making music at the moment...will be quite excited by this..." 
Damon Albarn on BBC Radio One

"LCD Soundsystem sounds like an American William Onyeabor."
Peaking Lights


"Talked to Luaka Bop about details of the William Onyeabor comp they are working on...Gonna blow minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Four Tet


"People are really going to freak out!"
Caribou


Through its World Psychedelic Classics series, Luaka Bop has succeeded at introducing long-forgotten artists including Os Mutantes, Shuggie Otis and Tim Maia to the world at large. 

William Onyeabor is as obscure as these other artists were before their Luaka Bop releases, although his recordings from the '70s and '80s are beloved by die-hard record collectors and artists such as Damon Albarn, Devendra Banhart, Four Tet and Caribou, to name a few. The music ranges from synth-heavy electronic dance music to Afrosoul with saxophones and female backup singers, to psychedelic funk with wah-wah guitar and fuzzy keyboards—and often combines all of these elements.

In spite of Onyeabor's cult following, Luaka Bop is the first label to successfully license his catalog, and on October 15 will release World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who Is William Onyeabor?

The vinyl release comprises 13 tracks spanning Onyeabor's body of work and will include artwork by John Akomfrah, Njideka Akunyili, Harrison Haynes, Dave Muller, Odili Donald Odita and Xaviera Simmons. The CD and digital releases will include nine tracks.

Who Is William Onyeabor? may be the most complicated, if also one of the richest, undertakings in Luaka Bop's (rarely straightforward) 25-year history. Following the eight albums Onyeabor self-released between 1978 and 1985, he became a Born-Again Christian, refusing ever to speak about himself or his music again. Various biographies can be found online. Some say he studied cinematography in the Soviet Union and returned to Nigeria in the mid-70s to start his own film company, Wilfilms. Some say he was a lawyer with a degree from a university in Great Britain. Others portray him as a businessman who for years worked on government contracts in Enugu, Nigeria.

By attempting to speak with Onyeabor himself, and by talking to people who seem to have firsthand knowledge, Luaka Bop has been trying to construct an accurate biography of him for the past 18 months...without success.

One thing that's undisputable is that Onyeabor's music is utterly unique and ahead of its time.

luakabop.com 

 

Aug 8, 2013

Tabukah ‘X’ ‎– Tabukah ‘X’


Crazy Rare Ghana/ Nigerian Afro Rock/funk . Impossible to find. Mostly Ghanaian band based in Nigeria - Nigeria only release. Check "Finger Toe":




Unforunately also do not have this album, therefore pls contact me to share it ...

Tracklist

A1 Right Thing
A2 Mama I'm Lost
A3 Freaky Chaps
A4 Long Long Way
A5 Finger Toe
B1 Get On The Move
B2 You've Done Me Wrong
B3 Be My Girl (Baby)
B4 Sons Of Tan

Aug 6, 2013

Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals hits

Mad grooves from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s -- featuring work by the enigmatic Mulatu, plus some of the other extra-cool artists on that country's groundbreaking soul and funk scene! Mulatu plays Fender Rhodes and organ on his tracks -- grooving with a slow, snakey approach that's almost a bit like the work of Sun Ra, but which also has distinct African touches. The sound here is quite different than the Nigerian funky work of the 70s -- much more laidback and open-ended, with less American influences, and a really unique approach! Titles include ''Yekermo Se'', ''Yegele Tezeta'', ''Munaye'', ''Metche Dershe'', ''Kasalefkut Hulu'', and ''Tezeta'' by Mulatu Astatque, ''Heywete'' and ''Bemgnot Alnorem'' by Bahta Gebre Heywet, and ''Yetesfa Tezeta'' by Tesfa-Maryam Kidane. Vinyl release of tracks pulled from the Ethiopiques CD-only series, done with some good notes.

 
 

Aug 2, 2013

Tony Grey And The Black Kings - Congratulations




Tracklist

A1 Memories Of Old (When We Were Together)
A2 Congratulations
A3 More Day's
B1 Beautiful Love
B2 Chukwu Dube Ayi
B3 I'Ayi Bili Nudo