Global Grooves — All Formats  

Although South African vocalist Miriam Makeba had been cracking the American scene for the better part of the 60s, this was the album that really put her on the map – as her hit version of the song "Pata Pata" forever guaranteed that African-tinged grooves would have a place in the pop charts! The track's included as the lead off song on this classic album of "uptown African soul" (if we might use such a term), and other goodies include "Click Song Number 1", "A Piece Of Ground", "West Wind", "Ha Po Zamani", and "Jol'inkomo".

Very nice work from Miriam Makeba – who by this point is really hipping up her style a lot, taking the earlier folksy sound and infusing it with a bit more of the Hugh Masekela-driven African soul styles of the late 60s. Jerry Ragovoy produced the record, and he and Miriam handled all the arrangements. Tracks are a mix of mellower numbers with more jaunty tracks in the style of Miriam's hit "Pata Pata" (which isn't on this album.) Titles include "U Mngoma", "Iphi Ndilela", "Sibongile", "Hamba Naye", and "Umoya".

Insanely fantastic! Ananda Shankar was one of the hippest sitar players of the 60s – an artist who was not only steeped in the strongest traditions of Indian music heard in other more mainstream players, but one who also had a keen ear for modder and funkier grooves of the time! This rare American set by Ananda is one of his greatest ever – a brilliant mix of funky backings and tripped out sitar work – done in a way that blends together soul, funk, and rock – all given a particularly cool Indian twist. The vibe is very much in the best funky Bollywood style – but was actually done years before most Bollywood funk – and the set includes great covers of "Jumpin Jack Flash" and "Light My Fire", plus great original tracks like "Sagar (The Ocean)", "Snow Flower", "Dance Indra", and "Metamorphosis".

The second domestically released album from King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, with the wonderful Ju Ju sound ringing throughout every piece, from the up tempo numbers to the more mellow grooves. Interlocking, chirping guitar parts are layered over nicely percolating rhythms, 9 tracks in all: "Synchro Feelings – Hako", "Mo Ti Mo", "Penkele", "Maajo", "Synchro System", "E Saiye Re", "Tolongo", "E Wele" and "Synchro Reprise".

One of the greatest albums ever by one of the most compelling figures in Indian music! Ananda Shankar's been chronicled elsewhere and often on these pages – so by this point, you probably already know that he's a renegade pioneer who combined funky grooves with sitars and tablas, forging a whole new sound in Indian music that's still having quite a bit of influence today. This 1975 album is a stunner – way more open-minded than his other album for Reprise (which we've also got on reissue!), with tracks that push the funky groove a lot farther than you'd expect, swirling percussion, organ, guitar, tablas, moog, and sitar all together into an unbelievable sound that will leave you breathless! Titles include "Dancing Drums", "Streets Of Calcutta", "Back Home", "Renunciation", "Dawn", and "The Lonely Rider".