Global Grooves — CDs  

No anarchy here – as the groove is bold and tight, and right on the money – making for maybe the greatest album so far from the legendary Bukky Leo! The reedman's been working in London for decades, yet has only gotten his due in recent years – turning out a pan-global blend of spiritual jazz, Afro Funk, and possibly a bit of Caribbean groove too – all wrapped together in a style that really shows off Bukky's long legacy in music! The overall production and execution of this album is even greater than previous recent releases – helping give Bukky that tight focus we first heard many years back – and which really helps keep a strong spark to the groove throughout this entire album. Bukky wrote and arranged the entire set – and titles include "Afrobeat Jam", "Hard Times", "Fella Fella", "Rhythemic", "Mansa Dialema", "Jahfrobeat", "Skeleton", "Time Scale", and "Anarchy". CD also features bonus saxophone versions of "Hard Times" and "Time Scale" – plus "Skeleton (Gilles Peterson beach mix)" and "Skeleton (Gilles Peterson winter dub)".

A groovy little set – one that mixes up Afro Funk influences with bits of Italian sound library grooving – but all with a contemporary twist that's mighty nice! Guglielmo Pagnozzi handles alto sax, farfisa, and even some percussion – and his horn really dominates the sound on most of the best tracks – snaking out in ways that echo other Afro Funk alto work, but also with some hip retro touches too – a slight dose of European sex that really helps give the record a feel that's different than usual! Instrumentation is mostly live, although it feels like there's a bit of programmed rhythms at points – but again, this helps give the whole thing a nice sound of its own. Titles include "Ogun", "Leo", "Music For Sale", "Slow", "Voodoo Strange Fruit", and "Afroderrick".

Essential work from the African scene of the 70s – a collection of tracks that goes way beyond the more familiar grooves of Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango! The set may well be the deepest so far we've heard from the always-amazing Soundway Records – a package that digs into a wealth of under-heard music from early 70s Nigeria, all of it beyond simple stylistic definitions and overplayed world music cliches! Many of the grooves here are wonderfully unique – odd fusions of styles that include highlife, jazz, soul, Afrobeat, and other regional influences – sifted and shaken together, and spilled out in the studio with a really fresh sort of feel. Rhythms are at the core of most numbers here, but even those are often unfamiliar – skittish, soulful, and often somewhat playful – and the other instrumentation on the tracks is great too, and often resonates with some of the odd sounds and tunings we love in work on the Ethiopiques series. 2CD set features 26 tracks that include "Okwuke Na Nchekwube" by Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National, "Nekwaha Semi Colon" by The Semi Colon, "Osalobua Rekpama" by Sir Victor Owaifo & His Melody Maestros, "Onwu Ama Dike" by St Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band, "Feso Jaiye" by The Sahara All Stars Of Jos, "To Whom It May Concern" by Tunji Oyelana & The Benders, "Akula Owu Onyeara" by The Funkees, "Koma Mosi" by The Harbours Band, "Belema" by Opotopo, "Asiko Mi Ni" by Nigerian Police Force Band, "Alabeke" by Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band, "Blak Sound" by Leo Fadaka & The Heroes, "Arraino" by Popular Cooper & His All Beats Band, "Ugali" by Tony Benson Sextet, "Akpaisong" by Etubom Rex Williams & His Nigerian Allstars, "Eguae Oba" by Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7, "Torri Wowo" by Godwin Ezike & The Ambassadors, "Buroda Mase" by Bola Johnson & His Easy Life Top Beats, "I Want A Break Thru" by The Hykkers, and "Eguae Oba" by Osayomore Joseph & The Creative 7.

One of the most compelling albums we've heard from Luaka Bop in awhile – a set of tracks that draws from Sierra Leone roots and 70s African psych – all recorded with an intensity and urgency that really drives the album along, right from the get-go! Rhythms are fast, but never out of control – and certainly not in the too-bombastic mode that you'd hear from more hip hop-styled African work of late. Instead, they've got this bubbling, quick-stepping quality that's really wonderful – fast paced amidst the more echoey, fuzzy-edged sounds on the keyboards and guitars – all held together beautifully by the vocals fo Amed Janka Nabay! Titles include "Somebody", "Rotin", "En Ya Sah", "Kill Me With Bongo", "Feba", "Ro Lungi", and "Eh Mane Ah".