Global Grooves — All Formats  

Afro grooves galore – all taken to rich new territory in the hands of a few contemporary mixers! The set's based around a core track – "Prudence", sung and played by Cheick Hamala Diabate – with great work on ngoni in the lead – a hip stringed instrument that dances around with tremendous energy over raw percussion! The remixes augment the approach in a number of different styles – and often find ways to unlock a different sort of charm in the tune – sometimes by amplifying rhythms, sometimes through more subtle means. The set features the main version of "Prudence" by Diabate, plus mixes by Whiskey Barons, Jon Kennedy, Daytoner, and E's E NYC Trust – as well as the track "Fatou Kounkoun Sissoko (Sol Power All-Stars mix)".

A cool little compilation that's as groovy as you might guess from the title – and one that finally brings to light the lesser-known genre of chica – an odd fusion of cumbia rhythms with more psychedelic-styled instrumentation on farfisa, organ, and guitar! The core grooves remind us a bit of familiar cumbia, but the overall presentation is often a bit more rough-edged and almost garagey at times – a youthful interpretation of the genre that's pretty free with its approach to the music – and which often uses cool electronic touches and weird production techniques to create some really great sounds! Many tracks feature vocals, but the emphasis here seems mostly on the instrumentation – and titles include "Sonido Amazonico" by Los Mirlos, "Carinito" by Los Hijos Del Sol, "A Patricia" by Los Destellos, "Ya Se Ha Muerto Mi Abuelo" by Juaneco Y Su Combo, "La Danza De Los Mirlos" by Los Mirlos, ", "Linda Munequita" by Los Hijos Del Sol, and "Linda Nena" by Juaneco Y Su Combo.

Afro grooves galore – all taken to rich new territory in the hands of a few contemporary mixers! The set's based around a core track – "Prudence", sung and played by Cheick Hamala Diabate – with great work on ngoni in the lead – a hip stringed instrument that dances around with tremendous energy over raw percussion! The remixes augment the approach in a number of different styles – and often find ways to unlock a different sort of charm in the tune – sometimes by amplifying rhythms, sometimes through more subtle means. The set features the main version of "Prudence" by Diabate, plus mixes by Whiskey Barons, Jon Kennedy, Daytoner, and E's E NYC Trust – as well as the track "Fatou Kounkoun Sissoko (Sol Power All-Stars mix)".

A cool early 70s psych folk set from Peruvian combo El Polen – the group's second album – and it's a great one! For a group that's utilizing acoustic instrumentation so heavily, this is really atmospheric stuff – lots of buzzing guitars, earthy percussion, violin, harp and flute. There's a bit of a nature vibe at play, too – and it's really evocative stuff! There's some strong group vocals, but also some long instrumental passages. This CD edition from Lion and Repsychled includes a bonus track with vocals by Susana Baca – "Ahijada De la Luna" – plus "Concordancia", "Mi Cueva", "A Las Orillas Del Vilcanota", "El Hijo Del Sol", "La Puna" and a live version of "Valicha".

Rare funk from the Kelekye Band – material recorded after their legendary Moving World album, but never issued at the time! This amazing package is totally great – four tracks of offbeat Afro Funk, with an approach that's heavy on percussion, and topped by jazzy riffs that really complicate the sound – a vibe that goes way deeper than more common Afro modes of the time, thanks to the rich solo energy of the horns! Trumpet is especially nice, and works great with the vocals – especially when they hit a warmer 70s soul mode that almost makes the record feel like Hugh Masekela teaming up with The Blackbyrds. Titles include "Mother Africa", "Munchin Session", "Too Bad Girl", and "Jungle Funk".

Ginger Baker recorded late in the 80s – but still keeping up the Afro-styled grooves he forged with Fela during the decade before! The set's got Baker very much upfront on drums – but he's also working with a range of African percussionists who really help shape the rhythms – plus great work on guitar, trombone, and a range of saxes as well! Many tunes are very heavy on the groove – building things up before adding in more from the horns, or the occasional vocals – and the set features material recorded with two different groups, but both around the same stretch in 1987, with relatively similar lineups. Titles include "Brain Damage", "Sokoto", "Go Do", "Adoa", "Abyssinia", "Want Come Go", and "Ginger's Solo".

Sprightly, modernist Kollywood pop from the mid 80s – beautifully sung by KS Chithra, with the boundary-busting sounds and arrangements of Ilaiyaraaja! The songs are wonderful, time-honored regional pop sounds – traditionally-constructed songs blended with some 80s studio touches – loops, multi-tracking, drum machines, synths and electric keys – which all then fuse seamlessly with the haunting strings, percussion and achingly beautiful female vocals you'd expect from Kollywood – mixed with some madder, pulpy bits too! KS Chithra is as lovely of a vocalist as Asha Bhosle and other more internationally known singers, adding the warmth and depth of the songs collected here. We might even love this more than the earlier Ilaiyaraaja work Finders Keepers put together for the Solla Solla compilation – we didn't expect this to surpass it! Wonderful! Includes "Indha Vennila", "Yaaro Sonnaangalaam", "Vandadhe", "Oh My Love", "Pon Maaney", "Kankaliley", "Rathiri Thookkam", "Velli Kizhamai", "Oru Pooncholai", "Nethu Oruthara", "Hey Maina" and more.

Reputedly, this is an African funk band recorded recently by the folks at Desco Records – but as with a lot of their projects, we're not entirely sure whether or not to believe them, since they're always a bit too mysterious about the origins of their material, and this may just be some new grooves, cut by a funk band of non-African origin. Whatever the case, though, the record kicks butt, and is a very tight batch of funky instrumentals that have a classic sound that hints at Fela, Manu Dibango, and other Afro Funk artists of the 70's. There's lots of choppy guitar grooves, heavy percussion, and raw blaring sax solos. Very nice stuff, and every bit as great as the other stuff on Desco! Cuts include a cover of Fela's "Upside Down", James Brown's "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose", and the originals "Super Afro-Beat", "Daktari Walk", "Voodoo Soul Stew", and "Quiet Man Is A Dead Man".

A killer array of funky grooves from Fela Kuti – served up in a 6LP box set, with records chosen by Ginger Baker! Baker's a key choice to work on the set – given his famous recordings with Fela, heard here on the album's leadoff record – Fela & Ginger Baker Live! Next up is Roforofo Fight – an early full-length Fela LP, filled with 4 tight groovers that stand with his best work! "Go Slow" begins with this mad trumpet solo that you'll recognize from a famous sample, especially as it mixes in with keyboards; "Roforofo Fight" is a fast-time groover that has the drums working overtime to keep up with the political power of the cut. Confusion features a monster 26 minute track – and it begins with Sun Ra Arkestra-like washes of sound and spaciness, before leaping into a bass-heavy groove that provides a perfect platform for heavy jamming and vamping by the band. Alagbon Close is a lesser-known 70s session from Fela – but a great one too, and a record that captures the Africa 70 group at all their early raw best! Tracks are both very long – stretching for a side of the record apiece – and the title track "Alagbon Close" features some amazing keyboard lines on the intro, all tinny and thin – and done with this other-worldly almost Sun Ra-like quality! The other tune, "I Get No Eye For Back", also has some amazing electric piano too – but intertwined with some very strong horn work from the group! He Miss Road brings back Ginger Baker – who's producing the group, and gives them a sweet progressive vibe. Titles include "He Miss Road", "Monday Morning In Lagos", and "It's No Possible". Last up is the Na Poi album, with two long cuts cuts – "Na Poi" and "You No Go Die Unless"! Both have a freer feel than usual, with heavy percussion added into the usual mix of keyboards and sax solos. All records in original cover art, too!

About as classic as you can get for 70s Fela – 2 albums that are overflowing with righteous politics, heavy rhythms, and super-extended grooves! The CD features the complete tracks from the albums Yellow Fever and Na Poi – both recorded in 1976, but compiled here with a bonus alternate take of "Na Poi" from 1975! The 15 minute tune "Yellow Fever" is a brutal attack on miscegenation, backed by a funky groove that makes the whole thing fall into place with an amazing riffing sound – and the cuts "Na Poi" and "You No Go Die Unless" both have a freer feel than usual, with heavy percussion added into the usual mix of keyboards and sax solos.

A beautiful set of solo piano work by Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou – pulled from one of the CDs in the Ethiopiques series of compilations, and probably the most delicately melodic material in the series! Pianist-composer Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou has an extraordinary personal history – she is a daughter of the heralded Ethiopian intellectual the Kentiba Guebrou, and lived many years as a nun who recorded rarely, and then only as a means to serve the poor. The solo piano compositions in this set were culled from rare albums recorded in the early 60s and 70s, plus a few later recordings from the early 90s. The music is gorgeous and difficult to describe – sweetly somber, melancholy, and befitting the solo performances. Titles include "Presentiment", "The Homeless Wanderer", "The Last Tears Of The Deceased", "Mad Man's Laughter", and "A Young Girl's Complaint".