Music at the crossroads – as Roger Bekono takes an older style of rural expression, and forges it with some of the more electric modes that were bubbling up on the global scene at the time – all in a set of extended groovers that feature a very lively interplay of vocals and rhythms! The tunes bubble long with keyboard parts that seem to take over from older highlife modes, while the electric rhythms have a gentler approach than the heavier modes used in American dance or soul – so that the vocals flow nicely over the tops of the tunes, rising and falling with a warm sense of inflection. Titles include "Etom Mot", "Jolie Poupee", "Enying Moni", and "Ye Wo Kombel". CD

Gibraltar Drakus was one of the key members of world music powerhouse Les Tetes Brulees back in the 80s – and here, he pays tribute to the legendary guitarist Theodore Zanzibar Epeme, whose sound was such a big part of the group! Guitar lines criss-cross wonderfully, really livening up some of the more electric rhythms on the album – reminding us that although production styles were changing at the time, music like this still really relied on the lively interplay of guitar and voice to spark the best sort of energy on the songs! Titles include "N'Nom Wom", "Exode Rural", "O Zanzibar", and "Mekeya A Dzal". CD

A wonderful live set – and one that really reflects the rebirth of a legend! Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia cut some fantastic records back in the day, but had spent years driving a cab in Washington, DC – before the reissue of some of his older gems led the musician to come back out of retirement and play live again – which he does on this really fantastic set recorded in New York! The group's a trio – just bass and drums behind Hailu's keyboards, melodica, and occasional accordion – and the vibe is nicely different than some of his earlier material, with more complexity on some of the solos, and maybe a deeper sort of sophistication in the overall approach – as if Mergia spent all that time away from music cooking up new ideas that burst forth in the performance! Titles include "Yetewat Hil", "Yegle Nesh", Abichu Nega Nega", "Belew Beduby", and "Tizita". CD