Global Grooves — All Formats  

While we have more or less dismissed a lot of the Celluloid world music productions from the 80s in the past, we look back now and realize that was pretty much just purist snobbery. This Laswell produced album of funky afro grooves doesn't have the same hard African funk that we dig so much about Dibango's early work, but it's more than just a respectable outing, and the 80s electro feel that's creeping in on a number of tracks sounds even better today. Most of the cuts are mid to down tempo, with playing that's a bit more smooth from Dibango's sax, and when you look at the crew Laswell assembled, it's quite the all star cast: Herbie Hancock, Bernie Worrell, Wally Badaru and Aiyb Deng alongside Dibango's Soul Makossa Gang. Four lengthy tracks: "Pata Piya", "Electric Africa", "Echoes Beti" and "L'Arbre A Palabres".

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)".

Sublime vocal work from a contemporary Georgian ensemble – but one who work strongly in the best ancient modes of the Eastern world! The group have an amazing polyphonic approach – voices rising and falling, crossing and turning, coming together in a way that's far more than usual choral work – with a heavenly quality that's completely transcendent! The approach is a bit like some of the Bulgarian choral work made popular a few decades back, but also a bit more folksy too – given the personal approach of the recording, and the use of light acoustic instrumentation and percussion from time to time – although the vocal passages are clearly the main focus here. CD features 25 tracks in all – some traditional, some more recent, all of them beautiful!

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)".

Heady sounds from Karthala 72 – a group with a very vintage sound – one that rings out with plenty of offbeat funky elements, African percussion, and maybe even a sense of bassline borrowed from Colombian music! The group have a wonderful criss-crossing of styles – and this full length set mixes electric and acoustic elements brilliantly – almost with a Konono approach at times, but with a groove that's much more expansive overall! The liner notes try to bill the record as an obscurity from the past, but it's our guess that these guys are contemporary – which is even more reason to love them. Titles include "Delores", "Diable Du Feu", "Marche De La Mort", "Bahari Farasi", "Armour Sombre", "Trop Fort", and "Le Vieux Chien Marcel".

An obscure Afro Funk combo from the early 70s – produced by Ronnie Lane of The Faces, who may very well have been inspired by Ginger Baker's love of the style! The record's got some pretty heavy guitar work, and there's lots of funky rock running through the grooves – so those African-inspired rhythms are touched by more than a bit of heavy tripped out electric fuzz. Titles include "Wajo", "Awade", "Happy Song", "Psychedelic Baby", "Midnight Lady", "Blow", and "Confusion".

A wonderful tribute to Tony Allen's landmark Black Voices album – re-presented here with the full original record, plus a host of bonus cuts too! The core record is amazing – a set that really re-introduced Allen to the world, after falling into a bit of obscurity in the 80s years after he broke with Fela Kuti – the start of a rich new chapter in his career that's continued to burn strongly for the past decade or so! The album still holds up wonderfully – as Allen's still swinging hard, in a heavy afro funk groove that sounds a lot like his 70s work – with great electric keyboards, tight guitars, and some very nice flanged-out vocals. The drumming is nice and tight – but with a freer edge that mixes elements from the older work with a dubby spacey approach that recalls rhythms of groups like Can or Cymande! Titles include "Asiko", "Get Together", "Black Voices", "The Same Blood", and "Ariya Psyche (Juju mix)". CD also features 5 more tracks – titled Black Voices Revisited – including different versions of "Asiko" and "The Same Blood" – plus "Ariya", "Get Together (with Mudbone Cooper)", and "Black Voices (with Clip Payne)".

Amazing work from a legendary Peruvian guitarist – an electric player who works here with a really wonderful sense of groove – and often an echoey tone that's completely sublime! Most numbers have this bouncy, tropical sort of vibe – but the guitar really gives them all an edge, and seems to underscore the strong percussion work that really gets things moving – a balance that's a bit like champeta at times, but maybe a bit more unique! Teo's instrument is often recorded with a style that's more 60s surf than you'd guess from the date of the sessions – and that echo trips things out nicely, and almost brings a spacey edge to some of the best numbers on the set. The package features a bonus insert with notes and images – and titles feature Teo in a number of groups – "El Sha La La" by Cielo Gris, "El Rey Loco" by Los Blue Kings De Nana, "Mi Orgullo" by Los Sanders De Nana, "El Borrachito Peruano" by Conjunto Luz Roja, "Los Hombres Tambien Lloran" by Los Jharis De Nana, and "La Tanga Carioca" by Costa Azul.

Not Afrobeat, but Astrobeat – a unique hybrid of older funk modes and contemporary cosmic touches – all served up beautifully by Ariya! The album definitely echoes older modes from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – particularly the chugging rhythms and tightly vamping instrumentation that you might know from the work of Fela or Tony Allen – but there's also some more 21st Century elements on the keyboards, which have a crackling bit of electricity that goes beyond the usual electric piano used back in the day – and which really helps give the record a different feel. Don't get us wrong – because nothing here is too slick, overproduced, or remix-heavy – the music is definitely Afro Funk at the core, just inflected in some really sweet ways – and served up mostly instrumental, on cuts that include "Blood In The Water", "Turncoat", "Future Ancestors", "New Frontiers", "Towards Other Worlds", and "Old Ground".

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.

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.

Rare Afro Rock from Nigeria – a really cool fusion of African funk and dexterous guitar – served up with plenty of hypnotic touches! Although we've dug their tracks on compilations over the years, we've never been lucky enough to hear a full album by Colomach – and are blown away at the range of sounds the group deliver on this rare gem from the 70s! Tracks range from Sahel rock with electric guitar over rumbling bass and percussion, to grooves centered around some sweet and spare acoustic guitar – often touched with a bit of flute and emotive vocals as well. Production is top shelf too – given that the set was recorded by EMI in Nigeria – and titles include "Enoviyin", "Ottoto Shamoleda", "Cotocun Gba Gounke", "Bernadetta", "Sweet Sounds from Colomachi", "K Assa Kpa Sama Kpa", "Pipan", "Yebo Blues", and "Sonorites Sahelienne".

Senegalese singer Amadou Diop with a beautiful set for Sterns Africa! Abdou's voice is rightly out front in the mix – but instrumentally, his musicians do a terrific job of highlighting Senegal tradition, albeit with clean, modern and contemporary sound. It's a blend of acoustic and electric guitars with traditional instruments – including wood flute, hoddu (a banjo-like stringed instrument) tama drums and calabash. Beautiful! Titles Include "Kodo", "Dominik", "Fadam", "Monde", "Jaabi", "Mannaa", "Maage", "Suele Toi", "Weliyaade", "Maaja", "Kissal" and "Dengere".

The great second album from Ghana's K. Frimpong – backed by the group Vis-a-Vis (though billed in the title as his Cubano Fiestas) – a stunning blend of Ghanian Highlife music and rawer Afro Funk & soul! A few K. Frimpong numbers appeared on some of our favorite African compilations of the late 90s & 00s – but this original album from 1977 has remained rare. K. Frimpong sings and he's backed up by the fairly large Vis-A-Vis players, but they deliver a pretty tight groove – drums, congas and other percussion, trumpet and sax, some really soulful electric guitar, some piano, and occasional waves of spacey synth. Amazing stuff! Includes "Hwehwe Mu Na Yi Wo Mpena", "Asaase Yi So", "Awisa" and the side-long "Adama Nana (Medley)".

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used sparely, so that the album's not a funky electric one – but in just the right ways to bring in a cool sort of 70s funk touch to the whole record – almost in some of the ways you'd find with Nuyorican funk of the same time! Vocals are great, too – mostly in French – but the instrumental element is what really moves us – and it moves us plenty! Titles include "Brujeira", "Tou Patou Feme", "Guajira Contestation", "Bomba Miscien", "Vulcano", and "Marcel Song".

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used sparely, so that the album's not a funky electric one – but in just the right ways to bring in a cool sort of 70s funk touch to the whole record – almost in some of the ways you'd find with Nuyorican funk of the same time! Vocals are great, too – mostly in French – but the instrumental element is what really moves us – and it moves us plenty! Titles include "Brujeira", "Tou Patou Feme", "Guajira Contestation", "Bomba Miscien", "Vulcano", and "Marcel Song".

An amazing set that documents the early years of the Zamrock scene – the funk and psych informed Afro Rock pioneered by vocalist and African guitar legend Rikki Ililonga and his group Musi-O-Tunya in Zambia from 1973 to 1976 – and compiled beautifully in this great set from Now Again/Stones Throw! It's incredible stuff that blends fuzzed out guitar psychedelia, raw rhythms and brass-heavy funky soul. Ililonga's legacy is represented strongly on the record made by the group he founded, Musi-O-Tunya – who work with electric guitar, bass, sax, western and African drums and percussion – as well as the Zambia album, credited to Rikki Illilonga, in which he sings and plays all instruments except trumpet. The set also includes his Sunshine Love album, in which he sings and plays all instruments except bass and drums – and a it's got a rawer, bluesier psych soul approach overall. The CD version compiles most tracks from those albums plus Musi-O-Tunya's Wings Of Africa LP and bonus tracks from 7-inches from the time. 31 tracks on 2 CDs and comes a great, book-bound package with extensive liner notes by Eothen Alapatt and an interview of Ililonga by Eothen. Disc one includes Musi-0-Tunya tracks "Tsegulani", "Mpondolo", "Walk And Fight", "The Sun", "Dark Sunrise", "The Wings Of Africa", "Jekete Yamankowa" (Parts 1 & 2), "Mpulula", "Smoke" and more. Disc 2 features tracks from the Rikki Ililonga cuts "Sansa Kuwa", "Sheebeen Queen", "Stop Dreaming Mr D", "The Nature Of Man", "The Queen Blues", "Working On The Wrong Thing", "Sunshine Love", "Angel Black" and more.

Plenty of fanfare here – given the great horns that top the groove of Kingdom Afrocks! The ensemble have a Afro Funk vibe that's mighty nice – one that's slightly askew, but in the best way possible – with some cool flat-toned electric piano running ragged over the rhythms, while the horns soar in over the top, and really give the whole record a bold dose of energy in the process! Rhythms really know when to break from the familiar at all the right moments – never sticking too straightly in a 70s Afro Funk mode, and instead going for some bold changes that really keep things interesting – and grooving as well! Titles include "Voodoo Grease", "Will To Live", "Typhoon", "Fanfare", "Escucha", and "Baila Y Goza".

A masterpiece of Turkish psychedelia – and quite possibly the greatest album ever from Turkish psychedelic maestro Erkin Koray – a mad blend of sounds that definitely lives up to its "elektronik" title! Most numbers feature a weird blend of electric guitar and baglama – used in a style that's similar to Koray's earlier Arabesk recordings, but in ways that are often more tripped out and free-thinking – almost in a groove that's similar to late 60s blends of Eastern influences and progressive rock in the US and Europe – but even wilder and weirder throughout! There's a bit of vocals on the set, but the instrumentation dominates – and titles include "Sir", "Karli Daglar", "Cemalim", "Inat", "Hele Yar", "Turku", and "Korkulu Ruya".

A masterpiece of Turkish psychedelia – and quite possibly the greatest album ever from Turkish psychedelic maestro Erkin Koray – a mad blend of sounds that definitely lives up to its "elektronik" title! Most numbers feature a weird blend of electric guitar and baglama – used in a style that's similar to Koray's earlier Arabesk recordings, but in ways that are often more tripped out and free-thinking – almost in a groove that's similar to late 60s blends of Eastern influences and progressive rock in the US and Europe – but even wilder and weirder throughout! There's a bit of vocals on the set, but the instrumentation dominates – and titles include "Sir", "Karli Daglar", "Cemalim", "Inat", "Hele Yar", "Turku", and "Korkulu Ruya".

A beautiful album from the Lijadu Sisters to cap off the 70s – and it's among their best ever! Horizon Unlimited is a nice blend of their soulful, harmony-rich vocals with lots of talking drum and electric bass in the mix – along with some other spacey soul touches! Their inspiration is as unlimited as the horizon, as they manage to brilliantly combine traditional and contemporary styles here – even better than on the preceding album – much better, actually! The vocals are as beautiful as ever, and the blend of classic-caliber Afro Beat with tight contemporary funk, pop and soul prefigures diverse global grooves for decades to come! Includes "Orere – Elejigbo", "Erora", "Gbowo Mi", "Gbalo Alogbalo", "Come On Home" and "Not Any Longer".

The amazing second album from the Lijadu Sisters – and even more amazing than the first! Like their debut, there's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of from the 70s African scene – but the groove is even more complex, and has a truly unique quality that's almost impossible to describe in words! Instrumentation is often nicely rootsy – with very earthy percussion at the bottom, light guitar, snaking sax lines, and some occasional electric touches on the more funky numbers – all in service of the sisters' unique back/forth vocal styles – not really harmonies, not really call-and-response – but somewhere in between! The whole record's wonderful, with a charm that's undeniable – and titles include "Osupa I", "Orin Aro", "Dibe Nuwa", "Iya Mi Jowo", and "Bayi L'Ense".

Do yourself a favor, and buy this album – you won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through – a really unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's almost like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course, there's a lot of Jazz Crusaders in the set – as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on the album, giving it a fantastic loping groove – but there's also plenty of unique albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms with a sly, syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester Washington and trombone by George Bohannon – all nicely grooving on the album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this one on CD – and do us all a treat!

Do yourself a favor, and splurge on this album – you won't be disappointed! The record is a gem all the way through – a really unique mixture of LA soul jazz and African rhythms, with a sound that's almost like Hugh Masekela sitting in with the Jazz Crusaders! Of course, there's a lot of Jazz Crusaders in the set – as Wilton Felder plays electric bass on the album, giving it a fantastic loping groove – but there's also plenty of unique albums on the record, especially its way of approaching the rhythms with a sly, syncopated groove that's immediately infectious! Duke's trumpet solos are great, and they're augmented by tenor work by Chester Washington and trombone by George Bohannon – all nicely grooving on the album's brilliant blend of jazzy tracks. Titles include "Jungle Funk", "Afrikaloo", "Akagruge", "Like It Is", "Mafam", and "Peace Brother". Somebody put this one on CD – and do us all a treat!

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!