Global Grooves — All Formats  

Monumental Afro Soul from El Rego Et Ses Commandos – El Rego's best recordings from the late 60s to early 70s – a beautifully done compilation put together by Daptone and Frank Gossner, the deep digging West African music expert behind Voodoo Funk! Theophile Do-Rego is a legend in his native Benin, essentially credited as the godfather of Benin funk – but to date, he hasn't been celebrated around the world nearly as famously as the superstars of African music hailing from Nigeria and Ghana. That's something that can change really quickly if enough people pick up this truly great compilation of pioneering recordings. Singer El Rego and his excellent, diversely capable band – sax and flute by Baboni Oudou, sax by Michel Diogo, guitar by Oscar De Souza, trumpet by Emmanuel Ganssounou, guitar by Roger Coffi, tumba by Marcelin Kpohonon, additional vocals by Christian Agueh, and bass by band leader Paul Hounnou – take a tighter approach to funky soul. Just a couple tracks on this set roll past the 4 minute mark – which gives it a tighter soul sound, along with some Benin blues and some riveting JB-indebted vocal affections. We owe Voodoo Funk and Daptone big for putting this together! Includes "Feeling You Got", "Zon Dede", "E Nan Mian Duku", "Dkobime", "Dis-Moi Oui", "Djobime", "Hessa" (the centerpiece of the album, 3 minutes of Afro Soul perfection. . .the whole set is great, but this track is unforgettable), "Kpon Fi La", "Do Do Baya", "Vive Le Renouveau", "Achuta", "Cholera" and "Ke Amon-Gbetchea".

Great electronics from the Indian scene of the 80s – music that's a lot warmer and more evocative than you might guess from the "robotic" in the title – thanks to plenty of roots in the Kollywood soundtrack scene! The instrumentation is often spare, but still echoes the fuller scope of Bollywood brilliance – and at some level, Ilaiyaraaja's music here represents an 80s take on earlier Bollywood funk – sometimes a bit quirkier, due to the instrumentation – but hardly ever cold or stark at all, and very different from the kind of electronics that were brimming big on the European scene. Part of this quality really comes from the vocals – sung by singers who include KS Chitra, Malaysia Vasudevan, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jayaram, and others – often in styles that have the playful back/forth approach of Indian film lyrics. The set's a treasure through and through – with 17 mesmerizing tracks that include "Kadal Mele", "Mancha Podi", "Adi Rani", "Poo Poo Kkum", "Ilasa Sirusa", "Eswarane", "Needhi Idhu", and "Poongatre".

Great electronics from the Indian scene of the 80s – music that's a lot warmer and more evocative than you might guess from the "robotic" in the title – thanks to plenty of roots in the Kollywood soundtrack scene! The instrumentation is often spare, but still echoes the fuller scope of Bollywood brilliance – and at some level, Ilaiyaraaja's music here represents an 80s take on earlier Bollywood funk – sometimes a bit quirkier, due to the instrumentation – but hardly ever cold or stark at all, and very different from the kind of electronics that were brimming big on the European scene. Part of this quality really comes from the vocals – sung by singers who include KS Chitra, Malaysia Vasudevan, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jayaram, and others – often in styles that have the playful back/forth approach of Indian film lyrics. The set's a treasure through and through – with 17 mesmerizing tracks that include "Kadal Mele", "Mancha Podi", "Adi Rani", "Poo Poo Kkum", "Ilasa Sirusa", "Eswarane", "Needhi Idhu", and "Poongatre".

It's hard to sum up the sound of a continent in such a tiny package – but the 3CD set is surprisingly rich nonetheless, thanks to a very good track selection, and a tight focus on the hippest material available! The collection mixes both older African grooves with current cuts that represent the freshest sounds of recent years – and the package is divided into three differently-themed CDs – Stars, which features some of the biggest names of the continent; Roots, which features some more classic-styled work; and Dance, which showcases some of the crossover modes in more recent years. There's a whopping 47 tracks in all – and titles include "Black" by MC Jean Gab & Tony Allen, "Extract" by Drummers of Burundi, "Jerusalem" by Alpha Blondy, "Kamalemba" by Pape & Cheikh, "Lakkal" by Vieux Farka, "Blues Of Wollo" by Samuel Yirga, "Kothbiro" by Ayub Ogada, "Mambo Kwa Soksi" by Remmy Ongala, "Zahrafat Al Sa'id" by Musicians Of The Nile, and "Zouglou Dance" by Magic System.

A very cool collection of work from the South African scene – and almost all of it from the start of the 60s, despite the way the title is listed! Apart from one 1940 track, most of the music here comes from 1960 – a pivotal year when South African music was really growing up – pulling together rootsy elements and inflecting them with some of the key changes happening in the scene in the wake of rich developments in jazz – including big influences from the modernists who would move onto work in Europe and the UK just a few years later. Many numbers here have a leaping, joyous sort of groove – often with a key instrument in the lead voice – such as a tenor, flute, whistle, or trumpet – often upfront in the mix even more than the vocals. Titles include "7 Up Swing" by Abafana Flute Jive, "Nanku" by Doris Mkhize & The Cement Mixers, "Inhliziyo Yam" by Cowboy Superman & His Cowboy Sisters, "Tholi Bare" by Lulu Sibeko & Sedgewick Brothers, "Sophtown Special" by Sophtown Cool Seven, "Kwela Rich" by Richard Nombali, and "Saya Vuma" by Sample Siroqo.

Great electronics from the Indian scene of the 80s – music that's a lot warmer and more evocative than you might guess from the "robotic" in the title – thanks to plenty of roots in the Kollywood soundtrack scene! The instrumentation is often spare, but still echoes the fuller scope of Bollywood brilliance – and at some level, Ilaiyaraaja's music here represents an 80s take on earlier Bollywood funk – sometimes a bit quirkier, due to the instrumentation – but hardly ever cold or stark at all, and very different from the kind of electronics that were brimming big on the European scene. Part of this quality really comes from the vocals – sung by singers who include KS Chitra, Malaysia Vasudevan, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jayaram, and others – often in styles that have the playful back/forth approach of Indian film lyrics. The set's a treasure through and through – with 17 mesmerizing tracks that include "Kadal Mele", "Mancha Podi", "Adi Rani", "Poo Poo Kkum", "Ilasa Sirusa", "Eswarane", "Needhi Idhu", and "Poongatre".

Both sides of one of the biggest breakout stars of the 80s – an artist who helped bring the sound of Senegal to a huge new audience, and whose music went onto become one of the building blocks for world music at the time! The package is divided up into two completely different slices of work – one CD of international hits, including a few key collaborations – and another CD that features early tapes from Senegal – some wonderful early material that really opens up our understanding of Youssou N'Dour! These tracks mostly feature Youssou working with Etoile De Dakar – getting lively backing, in a sometimes rough-edged way – all a great contrast to some of the more polished projects from later years – in a way that really brings us a new appreciation of his vocals. The package features 11 gems from these early days – titles that include "Aziz", "Yalaye Dogol", "Independence", "Tabaski", "Bandjoly Ndiaye", "Alboury", and "Thioule Anta" – plus 17 more hits that include "Set", "Shakin The Tree", "One Day", "Bamako", "Miyoko", "Kocc Barma", "Old Tuscon", "Diabaram", and "Xale".

A beautiful set of late 60s to early 70s Soweto township jive sounds – soulful, joyful and amazing numbers mostly only ever available on rare South African 45s – brought to the world at large by our friends at Strut Records! Most numbers are from the early 70s, with a couple from the last couple years of the 60s, material from local combos in the years before the Soweto uprising of 1976. It's wonderful music, and you'll want to jump up and dance to most of the numbers – most with exuberant vocals and wholly danceable guitar and percussion, a joyous mix jazz, soul, rumba and funk in the craft. Amazing! Includes "I Sivenoe" by Melotone Sisters With Amaqola Band, "Maphuti" by Mgababa Queens, "Kuya Hanjwa" by S Piliso & His Super Seven, "Wenzani Umoya" by The Big Four, "Inkonjane Jive" by Zed Nkabinde, "Take Off" by Tempo All Stars, "Enuva" by African Swingsters, "Sikhwele" by Aba-Lilizeli, "10 To 11" by Sammy Boy, "Iza Wena" by Happy Africa and more. 20 tracks on 2LPs.