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Exact matches: 38
Exact matches1
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
FelaKalakuta Show (blue vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1976. New Copy ... $24.99 25.99
The album begins with the side-long "Kalakuta Show" – one of the most powerful tunes ever recorded by Fela Kuti, as it describes a police attack on his compound and all the violence that followed – but all while Tony Allen and Africa 70 serve up these amazing riffing grooves that are topped by Fela's work on tenor and vocals! The flipside is an equally powerful political message – the great "Don't Make Ganran Ganran", a commentary on wealth inequality in Nigeria – and a cut that's every bit as great a groover as the first! The back cover also includes "real picture of police raid on Kalakuta Republic Africa 70 House and Fela's wound after". LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches2
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
FelaNoise For Vendor Mouth (red vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1975. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
A killer Fela Kuti album from the mid 70s – one of the more obscure releases from the glory days, but a set that's overflowing with all the greatness the man and his Africa 70 group could bring to the proceedings! Side one features the wonderful "Noise For Vendor Mouth" – a long tune that begins slowly, but funkily – building to a tremendous crescendo as the lyrics deliver some words of wisdom about Fela's Kalakuta Republic, and its reputation in Nigeria – all while saxophone solos and keyboard parts really egg the proceedings on! Also great is the flipside "Mattress" – a rare stab at feminism, as Fela explains the relation between sexuality and gender in African society. The cut's got a great tripped-out break on the intro, with these mad riffing horns that sound equally cool! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches3
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Egypt 80Army Arrangement ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1985. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 28.99
The original take of "Army Arrangement" – one of the greatest 80s grooves from Fela Kuti – stretched out here over the course of the entire album! The notes list side one as being the "instrumental" and side two as the "vocal" – but in truth, the whole thing moves across the space of the album together – with the band building up into tremendous energy as they get started, then Fela coming in for some very powerful lyrics that take the Nigerian government to task for its very corrupt practices. And of course, the music is fantastic – sharp, funky, and filled with this intensity that never lets up! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches4
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Egypt 80Original Suffer Head (green vinyl pressing) ... LP
Lagos International/Knitting Factory, 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99
A stunning start to the 80s from Fela Kuti – and a record that has the Egypt 80 band cooking every bit as strongly as Africa 70! The album's got this massively cooking vibe right from the start – fast-running, fast-riffing rhythms that are peppered with horns at the beginning of "Original Sufferhead", which then lay back for a nicely weird tenor solo, and some great keyboards too! "Power Show" is great too – with more other-worldly energy, and a vibe that almost makes it feel like Sun Ra has joined the band – and decided to deliver a solo on one of those weird keyboards of his! The arrangements are amazingly tight, and a bit more sophisticated than usual – and the whole thing grooves wonderfully. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches5
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Ginger BakerLive! ... LP
Signpost, 1971. Very Good+ ... $79.99
A really seminal album from Fela Kuti – searing live set that's presented with drummer Ginger Baker – formerly of Cream, and a huge supporter of Fela's music on the UK scene! Baker had already picked up a lot of Fela's influence in his music – and his presence here made for a key moment of global exposure for the new Afro Funk sound that Fela was creating with his Africa 70 group – playing here as part of the ensemble, which oddly doesn't seem to include Baker at all. That hardly matters, though, as the young Tony Allen is on drums, and the set features great trumpet from Tunde Williams and tenor from Igo Chiko – really wailing alongside Fela on the long tracks "Egbe Me O", "Ye Ye De Smell", "Black Man's Cry", and "Let's Start". LP, Vinyl record album
(Original US pressing. Vinyl has a short click on side two, but is great overall. Cover has some light wear, but is nice too.)

Exact matches6
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Roy AyersMusic Of Many Colors ... LP
Celluloid/Knitting Factory, 1980. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Long overdue! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches7
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela Kuti & Egypt 80Overtake Don Overtake Overtake (green vinyl pressing) ... LP
Kalakuta/Knitting Factory, 1989. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
An album-length monster from Fela Kuti – and a cut that has him still burning strong in the final years of his too-short life! The cut "Overtake Don Overtake Overtake" is a funky monster – spanning both sides of the record with a choppy drawn-out groove that features a cool spacey electric piano solo, sad wailing sax, and some catchy vocals on the hook – all with a core acoustic vibe that shows no traces of Fela and the group leaning into 80s technology, as so many of their contemporaries were doing. The track's right up there with Fela's best work ever – and the later, more obscure origin of the album makes it tougher to find than some of the earlier records too! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches8
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Coffin For Head Of State ... LP
Knitting Factory, Mid 70s. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 26.99
One of the most compelling Fela albums of the 70s – and one that's got a very different feel than some of his others. The album features one long track – "Coffin For Head Of State" – and although the track still has the usual Fela staples of horn riffs, chopping vamps, and electric piano – it's also got a sad dirge-like sound that is incredibly soulful, and filled with sorrowful emotion that you don't normally catch on Fela's albums. Side two is especially great – as it's mostly instrumental, and features some great interplay between a spacey electric piano and the horn section. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches9
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Excuse O (orange vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
Two killers from the glory days of Afro Funk! Side one features the title cut "Excuse O" – a tune that begins with some of the most complicated rhythms Tony Allen had given the group to date – a skittish groove that has the electric piano jumping eagerly, driven onward by horns – while the tune moves into a crescendo after Fela's tremendous tenor solo in the middle! "Mr Grammarticalogy" is on the flipside, and is an equally unique groove – one that builds more slowly, and almost dubbily – really letting the bassline set the tone before an incredibly soulful saxophone solo sets the tone for Fela to then deliver a powerful message on Education. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches10
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Expensive Sh*t (180 gram pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1975. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
A real classic from the great Fela Kuti – a seminal mid 70s record that not only shows his impeccable sense of rhythm, but also his sense of rage as well! The title track – "Expensive Sh_t" – is Fela's answer to the time that he got busted for dope, and was forced to take a dump for the cops in order to "produce the goods" (which he had cleverly hidden in his stomach). The track has a great choppy funk groove, and is filled with the kind of raw anger you can imagine that the subject matter would produce – rich emotion that not only comes out in the lyrics, but also the sharp instrumental solos! The other track on the album – "Water No Get Enemy" – is another fantastic one, with cool electric piano solos, great tenor work, and a slinkily vamping groove. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches11
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Ikoyi Blindness (white vinyl pressing) ... LP
African Music International/Knitting Factory, 1976. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
A mid-70s message from the legendary Fela Kuti – a record whose title and cover image are a commentary on the wrong directions the Nigerian elite were heading in at the time – served up here with all the fantastic frenzied grooves that Afrika 70 can deliver! "Ikoyi Blindness" begins with quick-stepping percussion and riffing guitar, then soon opens to a great keyboard part as the horns come in, and the whole thing flowers beautifully in both an instrumental and vocal level! The flipside also features the equally-great "Gba Mi Leti Ki N'Dolow" – translated as "Slap Me Make I Get Money", an attack on the way that the rich bend the system of justice to their own needs – and really set fire by Fela and the group. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches12
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Open & Close ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1971. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 26.99
An early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches13
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Roforofo Fight (orange & green vinyl pressing) ... LP
Partisan, 1972. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... $32.99 34.99
A brilliant album from Fela – and one that shows him really coming into his own, with that tremendous new sound that would go onto influence decades of musicians! The title track – "Roforofo Fight" – is a side-long jam that instantly sets a new standard for African funk – skittish drums, a sweet keyboard line that snakily sets the groove, and a wonderful long alto solo that's got even more raspy soul than Fela's vocals! Those vocals are sometimes more broken up, verbally – and have an instrumental quality at the start – then lay into the lyrics later, with some great supporting backup. The flipside features the side-long "Go Slow" – a tune that layers and layers sounds as it moves on – from an initial thin keyboard line, to a rumbling bassy blend that has lots of room for the horns and vocals! LP, Vinyl record album
(Heavy 2LP pressing – on limited colored vinyl!)

Exact matches14
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Shakara (pink vinyl pressing – with bonus yellow vinyl 7" single) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1971. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)... $32.99 36.99
The cover image here really demonstrates the charisma of Fela at his height – dozens of topless women, kneeling around the maestro and spelling out the number 70 – but to us, the music is what really shows the man's power – a bold, progressive statement of the new energy bubbling up on the African scene – served up here on two amazing side-long tracks! Tony Allen is at the head of the Africa 70 – and his rhythms are already incredibly complex, but always right on the money – mixed with heavy tenor from Igo Chico, great electric piano lines, and a fiercely collaborative sense of energy that makes every move of the entire group come together as one. Titles include "Lady" and "Sakara Oloje" – both completely sublime! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches15
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Why Black Man Dey Suffer (yellow vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1971. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 25.99
A smoking lost Afrobeat LP! According to the notes EMI turned this album down when it was recorded in 1971, and we can't imagine what they were thinking – as the set features two lengthy tracks that follow in the best Africa 70s mode! The title track "Why Black Men Dey Suffer" rolls along at a nice midtempo groove – with lots of great Fender Rhodes before the horns come in and blow things over the top! The flipside features "Ikoyi Mentality Versus Mushin Mentality" – which picks up the pace a bit, but still with plenty of room for syncopated percussion, crisp guitar, and electric piano lines – all topped with bold horn lines that urge the tune onto greatness! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches16
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Fela & Africa 70Yellow Fever ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1976/1999. New Copy (reissue)... $24.99 26.99
A really killer 70s album from Fela Kuti – one that serves up a hell of a message, and some great slinky grooves too! "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 – bold, powerful, and Afrika 70 at their best! "Na Poi 75" begins with a cool spoken bit – then moves into this pulsating keyboard part which is almost eerily spare, until the rest of Afrika 70 come into the mix and really funk things up! Drums are wonderfully skittish – kind of double-snapping, while the bassline dips nicely below – and the tune ebbs and flows in this really great way. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches17
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ FelaFela Box Set #6 (Open & Close/Music of Many Colors/Stalemate/I Go Shout Plenty/Live In Amsterdam/Opposite People) (7LP set) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1970s/1980s. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches18
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ FelaTeacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense ... CD
Barclay/Mercury, 1986. Used ... Out Of Stock
An overlooked gem from the 80s years of Fela Kuti – and a set that has the Afro Funk genius working with strong studio help from Wally Badarou! The vibe's still as fierce and frenetic as Fela's classic material – each track takes up a full side of the record, with lots of hard rhythms, long instrumental solos, and righteous lyrics – but Badarou has a way of fleshing out the sound without making things sound clunky or commercial – using the some of the subtle elements of his own records, in ways that really bring out the darkness in the tunes! These effects are subtle, but powerful – and maybe work better with Fela than any other producer in the 80s. Titles include "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense" and "Look & Laugh". CD
(Out of print. Crease through rear tray card.)

Exact matches19
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Confusion ... LP
EMI (UK), Early 70s. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. LP, Vinyl record album
(2014 reissue on Knitting Factory.)

Exact matches20
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Shuffering & Shmiling/No Agreement (LP sleeve edition) ... CD
Knitting Factory, 1977/1978. Used Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
Shuffering & Shmiling is one of the tougher Fela albums to find, and it's reissued here with the original cover art, and with the super-extended title cut laid out non-stop end to end. The cut's a very nice groover, and a scathing attack on religion to boot! "No Agreement" is a very long track that's got a super-catchy chorus, and some great jazzy playing by Africa 70, who are led at this point by Tony Allen. Lester Bowie guests on the track, and Fela's on piano, tenor, and alto. The CD finishes up with the cut "Dog Eat Dog", which is another nice one, and a good instrumental with good solos. Packaged beautifully – and sound sounding as wonderful as ever! CD

Exact matches21
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Upside Down (Phase 4 promo) ... LP
London/Phase 4 (UK), 1976. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
Mindblowing work from the legendary Fela – definitely at the top of his game here, and brimming over with energy supplied by the Africa 70 ensemble! The tracks are long and freewheeling – but never without a sense of direction – as every ounce of the music is devoted to serving up the message of the man – from the way the keyboards step out over the grooves, to the sublime saxophone solos, to the rising energy when the vocals take flight in call/response mode! "Upside Down" is a monster groover with great rumbling sound – and "Go Slow" is slightly mellower, but no less soulful and funky. LP, Vinyl record album
(Phase 4 stereo promo pressing in a stamped sleeve, with a radio station stamp, artist/title written in marker, a small drawing, and worn corner at the bottom left.)

Exact matches22
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Unknown Soldier ... LP
Skylark (Nigeria), 1979. Very Good Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
A rare late 70s Fela set from around the time of Coffin For Head Of State and Sorrow Tears and Blood, issued a few years later on Roy Ayer's Uno Melodic imprint! Like those albums, "Unknown Soldier" was cut in response to the Nigerian army's attack on Fela's estate, the Kalakatua Republic, and the subsequent death of his mother from the attack, and has a mournful quality, mirroring the sadness and trauma of the event. And like other Fela LPs, the track is a long stretched out one, which takes up both sides of the album, fantastic in spite of the dark nature of the subject, and represents a maturity and emotionality that make this time one of the best musical moments of Fela's career! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches23
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Egypt '80Beasts Of No Nation ... CD
Shanachie, 1989. Used ... Out Of Stock
Another great one by Fela! Recorded in Lagos and mixed in Paris, with a hard raw afro funk groove. Two long tracks, as usual, played with a lot of fire by the Egypt 80 band with nice hard sax solos and choppy funky guitars. A real turn back to hard and heavy afro funk, after the Celluloid recordings of the mid 80s! Titles include "Just Like That" and "Beasts Of No Nation". CD

Exact matches24
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Roy AyersMusic Of Many Colors ... CD
Movie Play (Portugal), 1980. Used ... Out Of Stock
One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Long overdue! CD

Exact matches25
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela Kuti & Egypt 80ODOO – Overtake Don Overtake Overtake ... CD
Shanachie, Late 80s. Used ... Out Of Stock
A great double-length set that collects 2 rare sessions from late in Fela's career! Don't be put off by the date, though, because the material's great – and has that tight hard Afro Beat groove that you'll know from Underground System, another session from around the same time. "ODOO" is over 30 minutes long, with a tight choppy groove, and a very nice hook! "CBB – Confusion Break Bones" is a nice groover too, and is also nearly 30 minutes long! CD

Exact matches26
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela Ransome KutiFela Ransome Kuti Vol 1 & 2 ... LP
EMI/Pathe (France), Early 70s/1977. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
Killer 2LP set that includes a number of harder to find Fela tracks – and way more than the usual best of that you'd expect! The set has 2 tracks per side of an album, for a total of 8 cuts in all – and lots of the titles are tough to find, like "Chop & Quench", "Let's Start", "Black Man's Cry", "Je'nwi Temi (Don't Gag Me)", and "Egbe Mi O Carry Me I Want To Die". LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches27
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Afrodisiac (2 x 45rpm LP set – green & red vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, Early 70s. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... Out Of Stock
A stunner from Fela – a record that really leaps right into the groove right from the very first note – then never lets up at all! Igo Chiko provides some fantastic tenor sax solos on the tunes – and both Tunde Williams and Eddie Faychum serve up some killer trumpet – while the rest of the group moves at amazing speed, driven on by the legendary drums of Tony Allen! Fela handles a bit of keyboards, with a really cool, moody sound alongside the groove – and the whole thing was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, which might have been a surprising change from some of the more staid material in the halls of EMI. Titles include "Alu Jon Jonki Jon", "Jeu Ko Ku", and "Eko Ile". LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches28
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Coffin For Head Of State/Unknown Soldier ... CD
Universal (France), 1979/1980. Used ... Out Of Stock
Two beautiful albums from one of the most difficult periods of Fela's life. "Coffin For Head Of State (Part 1 & 2)" is a mournful dirge-like track (although not without a good deal of funk), written around the death of Fela's mother from an attack on his Kalakatua Republic. "Unknown Soldier (Part 1 & 2)" tells of that attack, and has a similar mournful quality, mirroring the sadness and trauma of the event. Both tracks are fantastic, and represent a maturity and emotionality that make this time one of the best musical moments of Fela's career! CD

Exact matches29
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Expensive Sh*t ... LP
Barclay (France), 1975. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
A real classic from the great Fela Kuti – a seminal mid 70s record that not only shows his impeccable sense of rhythm, but also his sense of rage as well! The title track – "Expensive Sh_t" – is Fela's answer to the time that he got busted for dope, and was forced to take a dump for the cops in order to "produce the goods" (which he had cleverly hidden in his stomach). The track has a great choppy funk groove, and is filled with the kind of raw anger you can imagine that the subject matter would produce – rich emotion that not only comes out in the lyrics, but also the sharp instrumental solos! The other track on the album – "Water No Get Enemy" – is another fantastic one, with cool electric piano solos, great tenor work, and a slinkily vamping groove. LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Expensive Sh*t (180 gram pressing) ... LP 24.99

Exact matches30
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70He Miss Road ... LP
Sterns, Early 70s. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
A gem of a set from the legendary Fela Kuti – a classic set of Nigerian grooves produced by Ginger Baker – who was already a frequent musical partner of Fela! The set's got a sharp groove right from the start, and possibly some slighty darker elements than some of Kuti's other records of the time – particularly in the way the guitars echo out next to the saxophones, which are often highlighted by the wonderful rhythms of the great Tony Allen! "Monday Morning In Lagos" is a really blue-tinged track that goes beyond the usual Afro Funk of the time – one of those moments when it seems as if there's a surprising link between Fela's Africa 70 group and Sun Ra's Arkestra. "He Miss Road" is a burning, building groove that has the keyboards layered up strongly with the saxes – and "It's No Possible" is a great side-long track with this really wonderful use of electric piano – again sometimes at a level that almost feels Sun Ra-like! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches31
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Sorrow Tears & Blood (180 gram pressing – with bonus download) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... Out Of Stock
An impassioned attack on police and army violence in 70s Nigeria – and easily one of Fela Kuti's best-remembered albums of the time! The lead track – "Sorrow Tears & Blood" – is really tremendous – a wicked groove that begins with a very long electric piano solo, which sets things up with almost a melancholy vibe – which is then echoed by the alto sax – all instrumental elements that create their own sort of pain and anguish, which is then given focus by the angry lyrics of the tune! "Colonial Mentality" has an equally sinister vibe, and some especially strong saxophone work – really powerful, and with a very sharp edge – so that it really stands out from the rest of the group! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches32
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Upside Down (Phase 4) ... LP
Phase 4, 1976. Very Good+ ... Out Of Stock
Mindblowing work from the legendary Fela – definitely at the top of his game here, and brimming over with energy supplied by the Africa 70 ensemble! The tracks are long and freewheeling – but never without a sense of direction – as every ounce of the music is devoted to serving up the message of the man – from the way the keyboards step out over the grooves, to the sublime saxophone solos, to the rising energy when the vocals take flight in call/response mode! "Upside Down" is a monster groover with great rumbling sound – and "Go Slow" is slightly mellower, but no less soulful and funky. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches33
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Ginger BakerFela & Ginger Baker Live! (LP sleeve edition) ... CD
Knitting Factory, 1971. Used Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
A really seminal album from Fela Kuti – searing live set that's presented with drummer Ginger Baker – formerly of Cream, and a huge supporter of Fela's music on the UK scene! Baker had already picked up a lot of Fela's influence in his music – and his presence here made for a key moment of global exposure for the new Afro Funk sound that Fela was creating with his Africa 70 group – playing here as part of the ensemble, which oddly doesn't seem to include Baker at all. That hardly matters, though, as the young Tony Allen is on drums, and the set features great trumpet from Tunde Williams and tenor from Igo Chiko – really wailing alongside Fela on the long tracks "Egbe Me O", "Ye Ye De Smell", "Black Man's Cry", and "Let's Start". CD

Exact matches34
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Gentleman (180 gram smoke vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1973. New Copy (reissue)... Out Of Stock
Fela's no gentleman here – and instead, the Afro Funk legend is wide-open and completely unbridled – soaring with boundless energy over the course of the side-long title track, then still serving up a really extended groove on the two shorter tracks on side two! The album's one of the earlier in Fela's classic run, but the core sound is very firmly in place – a sublime blend of heavy rhythms and jazz-based improvisation – with some especially wonderful saxophone on "Gentleman" and "Fe Fe Ne Eye Fe" – which really illustrate the jazz inspiration that the man brought to his music! LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches35
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Shuffering & Shmiling/No Agreement ... CD
Barclay/Universal, 1977/1978. Used ... Out Of Stock
Shuffering & Shmiling is one of the tougher Fela albums to find, and it's reissued here with the original cover art, and with the super-extended title cut laid out non-stop end to end. The cut's a very nice groover, and a scathing attack on religion to boot! "No Agreement" is a very long track that's got a super-catchy chorus, and some great jazzy playing by Africa 70, who are led at this point by Tony Allen. Lester Bowie guests on the track, and Fela's on piano, tenor, and alto. The CD finishes up with the cut "Dog Eat Dog", which is another nice one, and a good instrumental with good solos. Packaged beautifully, like the rest of these French Felas – and with the kind of notes and quality we never thought we'd see! CD

Exact matches36
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Fela & Africa 70Zombie (180 gram pressing – with download) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 1977. New Copy (reissue)... Out Of Stock
One of Fela's greatest albums – and one of the few that got any sort of international circulation in the 70s! "Zombie" shows Fela at the height of his powers – grooving away in incredibly fast, incredibly tight Afro Funk lines, weaving guitar, sax, and keyboards together with a speed that still leaves us breathless. No wonder the track had a history of causing riots when it was played! "Mr Follow Follow" is a bit mellower, but even stronger on the message tip, and graced with a sublime snakey sax solo. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches37
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
VariousRed Hot & Fela (yellow & red vinyl pressing) ... LP
Knitting Factory, 2013. New Copy 2LP (reissue)... $27.99 29.99
One of the hippest entries in the Red Hot series so far – a set of tracks dedicated to the legendary Fela Kuti – felled by AIDS after years of influential grooves – still being felt strongly by the rich array of artists collected in the set! Most tracks are contemporary, but feature a strong influence of the 70s modes of Fela's generation – those sharp percussive lines at the bottom of the tracks, soaring Afro-styled horn passages, and a righteous energy that really drives the whole thing all the way through! The package was put together in support of AIDS/HIV awareness, but is hardly an act of charity – as it's overflowing with great cuts that more than make the set stand as an Afro Funk collection on its own. Most tracks are remakes of older Fela numbers – and titles include "Buy Africa" by Baloiji & L'Orchestre De A Katuba, "Yellow Fever" by Spoek Mathambo & Zaki Ibrahim, ""Gentleman" by Just A Band & Baja, "Go Slow" by King, "Sorro Tears & blood" by Kronos Quartet & Kyp Malone, "Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am" by My Morning Jacket, "Afrodisco Beat 2013" by Tony Allen & M1, and "Lady" by Tune Yards, ?uestlove, and Angelique Kidjo. LP, Vinyl record album

Exact matches38
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Seun Kuti & Egypt 80Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80 ... CD
Disorient (UK), 2008. Used ... Out Of Stock
The long-awaited full length set from Seun Kuti – the Fela family member who's got even more of his father's groove going on than Femi Kuti! Seun's working here with the Egypt 80 band, who are in razor-sharp formation throughout – hitting rhythms and instrumental passages that show they haven't missed a bit since the departure of their famous founder. But the sound is also way more than just simple Fela-reworking too – as there's a bit more sophistication and depth to some of the instrumentation too, almost a new sense of jazz in the music that really shows up in the horn parts, which are all pretty darn wonderful. Seun plays alto sax and plenty of great organ lines, and also sings too – but the whole group is wonderful, and the album's a really collaborative affair! Recorded in Lagos, with really beautiful sound – and a set of 7 tracks that includes "Na Oil", "Many Things", "Don't Give That Sh*t To Me", "Think Afrika", "Fire Dance", "Mosquito Song", and "African Problems". CD
 
Possible matches: 45
Possible matches39
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Segun BucknorWho Say I Tire ... CD
Vampi Soul (Spain), 1970s. Used 2 CDs ... $9.99
Heavy Nigerian funk from the great Segun Bucknor – an artist who was working during the same Afro Funk revolution as Fela Kuti & Africa 70, but one who never fully got the exposure he deserved on a global level! By the time of these cuts, Segun had already been working hard in a variety of different groups – and he emerges at the start of the 70s with a bold new vision in music – one that draws on the same American soul and funk inspirations that you'll hear on the records of Geraldo Pino, but which also has some moodier elements at times too – a heady current that's clearly inspired by the psych generation, and taken to some more message-oriented lyrics at times. The blend is wonderful, especially when most cuts have these deeply funky rhythms at the bottom – and this 2CD package is a fantastic introduction to his music, with 16 long cuts that include "Sorrow Sorrow Sorrow", "Poor Man No Get Brother", "Dye Dye", "Only In My Sleep", "Adanri Sogbasogba", "Baby Get Your Thing", "Love And Affection", "Son Of January 15th", "La La La", "Gbmojo", "Ayinde Ogo", "Who Say I Tire", "You Killing Me", "Adebo", and "That's The Time". CD

Possible matches40
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Nobuyoshi Ino & Lester BowieDuet ... LP
Paddle Wheel (Japan), 1985. Near Mint- ... $33.99 38.99
Duets between AACM legend Lester Bowie – who plays trumpet – and Ino – who plays bass and synthesizer. The tracks have a spare, spacious feel – recalling some of the duet projects on ECM from the same time. Titles include "Fela Ellen David", "Kami Fusen", "Moon Over Bourbon Street", "Wishful Thinkin", and "Three Legged Race". LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes insert, and in the cool textured cover – a great copy!)

Possible matches41
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Bola JohnsonMan No Die ... CD
Vampi Soul (Spain), Late 60s/Early 70s. Used 2 CDs ... $9.99
A stunning collection of work from Bola Johnson – a key figure on the scene in Lagos in the years before Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade! Johnson's style here really shows Nigerian music at the crossroads – upbeat elements of early highlife informing the rhythms with plenty of lean guitar lines and percussion, but topped with all these great jazzy elements over the top – almost as if Johnson is bringing forth an older style of R&B inspiration in the horns, while letting things sound very contemporary in the rhythms! The mix is a bit like some of the wonderful hybrids that were happening on the London scene in the late 50s and early 60s – and the lyrics here often share a similar mix of politics and humor. The package is long overdue – and collects together rare early singles on Philips, with a great set of notes and other titles. Titles include "Somebody Find Me Trouble", "Oh My Baby Josephine", "Obiriki Aye N Yilo", "Koto Ye O", "Buroda Mase", "Kilode", "Mimo Mimo Loluwo", "Lagos Special", "Meme Latori", "Nigeria Drive On The Right", and "Pappa Rebecca Special ". CD

Possible matches42
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Lafayette Afro Rock BandSoul Makossa (blue vinyl pressing) ... LP
Musidisc/Strut (UK), Mid 1970s. New Copy (reissue)... $27.99 29.99 On April 5, 2024
An amazing Afro-Funk classic – and one of the strongest albums ever by this famous ensemble of Paris-based, African-influenced funky players! You may have heard their work on the Africa Funk compilation, so you probably know that they've got slammin drums, fuzzy funky guitars, and lots of cool extended Afro rhythms. All tracks are instrumental, with a sound that's a lot tighter and harder than Fela's work. Includes classics like "Azeta", "Voodoonun", the breakbeat classic "Hihache", and their cover of "Soul Makossa". LP, Vinyl record album
This item will not be delivered to you before Friday, April 5.

Possible matches43
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
New MastersoundsLive In San Francisco ... CD
P-Vine (Japan), 2008. Used ... $11.99 13.99
The New Mastersounds always sound grittier in a live setting – and this album is great proof of that fact! The drums seem harder, the guitar a bit more edgey, and the Hammond let loose even more than before – all flying together on grooves that run a bit longer than some of the combo's studio sets – with a bit more funky energy too! This cooking little date was recorded in San Francisco over the course of two nights that are nicely distilled down here – and the core quartet is joined by some added tenor and sax on three tracks, showing a whole new dimension of the Mastersounds groove. Titles include "Can't Hold Me Down", "Hot Dog", "Hey Fela", "Nervous", "Idris", "Thermal Bad", "Carrot Juice", and "The Minx". CD
(Out of print, digipak case has some light edgewear.)

Possible matches44
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Olumo SoundzUN (United Nonsense) ... LP
Believe International (UK), 2023. New Copy ... $22.99 25.99
The title structure hear hearkens back to some of the anagram puns that Fela Kuti used to twist the political knife back in the day – and Olumo Soundz have definitely inherited some of the spirit of that scene! Yet the group also have a different sort of vibe, in part because a number of players come from the Swedish jazz scene – most famously keyboardist Roman Andren, an artist we always love on his own record, and one whose warmth really sets the tone here! There's plenty of horns, lots of percussion, and mighty long tracks – all topped by vocals from Positive Olumo, on titles that include "UN (United Nonsense)", "Sunday Jump", "Wahala Dey Come", and "Chasin". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches45
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Orchestra Poly Rythmo De CotonouVol 4 – Yehouessi Leopold Batteur ... LP
Albarika Store/Acid Jazz (UK), 1978. New Copy (reissue)... $21.99 23.99
A stunner of an album from this legendary group – hard and funky right form the start, with these long tracks that have the TP Orchestre showing that they can jam just as hard and long as Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 – but in a very different way! The percussion is great, the guitar lines completely seductive, and the horn parts have all these cool, crispy currents that really shade in the sound in a wonderful way – making for a rich balance against the leaner qualities of the guitar lines that cut back and forth over the grooves in a really wonderful way. A killer sets from one of the African greats of the 70s – with three long tracks that include "Davi Djinto Super No 2", "Homin Si Tche", and "Aiha Ni Kpe We". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches46
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Alhaji Waziri OshomahAlhaji Waziri Oshomah Vol 1 to 5 – 1978 to 1984 (5LP set) ... LP
Luaka Bop, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy 5LPs ... $79.99 112.99
A huge package of work that finally brings the rare Nigerian albums of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah to a much larger global audience – all beautifully brought together with a booklet that pays tribute to Oshomah, with contributions from his family – and sound quality that's a heck of a lot better than tracking down scratched-up original copies of the vinyl! The sound here is amazing – a really unique fusion of both the spiritual and funky currents running through Nigerian music at the time, graced with hypnotic percussion, rhythmic guitar riffs, and some very cool keyboard work at times – all topped with Alhaji's deeply soulful vocals. Imagine a deeper spirituality in the Fela generation, and you'll just get a start at understanding this music – then you'll have plenty to discover across the albums Oyoyo King, Godfather Of Afemai Music, Etsako Super Star, Mr Please Please Please, and Mr Dynamite. LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches47
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Eji OyewaleCharity Begins At Home ... CD
EMI/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy ... $9.99 18.99
No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create this completely cooking late 70s album! The style's different than other big Afro Funk names of the time – like Fela Kuti or Manu Dibango – but shares a similar sense of flowing, open grooves – and Eji's ability to act strongly as both a lead vocalist, and a soaring soloist on tenor, soprano, and flute! Rhythms are damn funky at the core – with almost a blacksploitation vibe at times – and the tracks are all quite long, with most of the real "voice" coming from the saxes, which speak volumes on their solos. Titles include "Gele Odun (Oil Boom)", "Lagos Complex Highways", "Unity In Africa", and "Charity Begins At Home". CD
Also available Charity Begins At Home (180 gram pressing) ... LP 27.99

Possible matches48
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Eji OyewaleCharity Begins At Home (180 gram pressing) ... LP
EMI/BBE (UK), Late 70s. New Copy ... $27.99
No charity needed here – as reedman Eji Oyewole's got a wealth of talent on his own! Eji's a musician with roots in the 60s Nigerian scene, but left to follow a personal path through Europe and the US, where he picked up some wonderfully funky styles which are then brought home to create this completely cooking late 70s album! The style's different than other big Afro Funk names of the time – like Fela Kuti or Manu Dibango – but shares a similar sense of flowing, open grooves – and Eji's ability to act strongly as both a lead vocalist, and a soaring soloist on tenor, soprano, and flute! Rhythms are damn funky at the core – with almost a blacksploitation vibe at times – and the tracks are all quite long, with most of the real "voice" coming from the saxes, which speak volumes on their solos. Titles include "Gele Odun (Oil Boom)", "Lagos Complex Highways", "Unity In Africa", and "Charity Begins At Home". LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Charity Begins At Home ... CD 9.99

Possible matches49
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21Confluence ... CD
Wah Wah 45s (UK), 2023. New Copy ... $6.99 13.99
Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". CD

Possible matches50
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Dele Sosimi & The Estuary 21Confluence ... LP
Wah Wah 45s (UK), 2023. New Copy ... $25.99 29.99 About March 1, 2024 (delayed)
Dele Sosimi was raised in the shadow of Fela Kuti, literally – as he spent part of his youth in Fela's commune – yet his music is nicely free of some of the overdone Afro Funk modes of the 70s, and instead really finds a fresh way forward with all sorts of wonderful criss-crossings of styles! Sosimi was born in London, and later returned to the city – and the work here really has that special sparkle when the British scene gets things right – bringing together elements of its post-colonial richness, but with a new vision for the future – optimistic and uplifting, but never in a way that makes the music seem too facile or easygoing. One of Dele's key musical partners here is Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly fame – and titles include "Open Up", "Ride Out The Storm", "Ori Mi", "Mo Se Bola Tan", and "E Si Medo". LP, Vinyl record album
Also available Confluence ... CD 6.99

Possible matches51
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu4th Dimension ... CD
Sakho/Puu (Finland), 2009. Used ... $9.99
Brilliant work from Jimi Tenor and his Kabu Kabu group – an incredibly righteous set that's easily the best we've heard so far from the soulful ensemble! In addition to the spiritual jazz vibe of before, the group's also picked up some influences from African soul and jazz too – not just standard Afro Funk, but also some Ethiopian and Egyptian elements too – folded into Tenor's music like some mad meeting between Sun Ra, Fela Kuti, and Mulatu! Jimi's at the lead, handling tenor, flute, and a host of weird instruments – and the ensemble is heavy on percussion and horns, including some great trumpet work from Jukka Eskola of the Five Corners Quintet. Despite the monochromatic cover image, the album's got a really rich sound – a deeply soulful, deeply spiritual vibe that's totally wonderful – served up on titles that include "Grind", "Mogadishu Ave", "Mega Roots", "Aligned Planets", "Mystery Spot", "Floating Orange", "Fast Legs", "Higher Styx", and "Magical World". CD

Possible matches52
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Max BMax B No 1 ... LP
Opalo (Spain), 1972. Very Good Gatefold ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
An Afro-Funk classic! The track "Bananaticoco" by Max B has been compiled a number of times over the years, but few have gotten a chance to hear Max's super-heavy album of funk from 1973. The record's quite different than the fast Fela-like "Bananaticoco" groove, with a melange of slower funky styles – a bit like Chakachas, a bit like Lafayette Afro Rock Band, and with traces of some of the post-colonial Afro Funk groups working around London during the late 60s and early 70s. This one's got plenty of fuzzed-out guitars, rolling blown-out basslines, and heavy acoustic percussion to give the album a kick from underneath. Lots of party grooves on this one – and titles include "Free", "Samba", "Bameloo", "Nessa", "1er Movimiento", and "Poker". LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing – a nice clean copy.)

Possible matches53
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Shango Dance BandShango Dance Band ... CD
Comb & Razor, Early 70s. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
Insanely wonderful work from Shango Dance Band – a group headed by onetime Fela Kuti bandmate Ojo Okeji – whose bass work here is worth the price of admission alone! Okeji was a key part of Fela's Koola Lobitos, until leaving the group in 1968 – and taking some of the best players with him – to form the amazing Shango Dance Band, which is this incredible bridge between older Afro jazz modes and the new funk styles to explode in the 70s! At some level, the groove's a bit like that which Fela was percolating at the start of the 70s – but there's also some jazzier currents on the horn solos, especially the trumpet – and Okeji's bass is very far up in the mix – dipping, turning, and crafting these amazing grooves throughout – with a snakey vibe that's completely sublime – as is the entire record. And sure, there have been plenty of Afro Funk reissued on the market in the past decade or so – but few as essential as this one – or as enjoyable! Titles include "Position Pass Power", "Women Are Great", "Son Of Thunder", "Alupandu Gbe", and "I Need Your Love". CD

Possible matches54
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ TP Orchestra Poly Rythmo De CotonouAfro Funk ... LP
Albarika Store/Acid Jazz (UK), Late 70s. New Copy ... Temporarily Out Of Stock
An album that really lives up to its title, and one that brings together a host of rare singles from this legendary group – all of which are maybe even funkier than some of the tracks on their albums of the time! The bulk of the record is from very rare 7" singles issued on the Albarika Store label, and the set's completed by two rare compilation cuts as well – and the result is a record that's overflowing with hard-edged gems that really show off the unique funky sound of the TP Orchestra Poly Rhythmo – lots of heavy drums at the bottom, cool criss-crossing organ lines, and a style that's a lot leaner than that of Fela and some of his contemporaries. Titles include "Mi Si Ba To", "Minko E So Non Moin", "Gbeti Ma Diro", "Segla", "Kou Tche Kpo So O", "Mi Ve Wa Se", and "Aiha Ni Kpe We". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches55
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ King Sunny AdeSynchro System/Aura ... CD
Mango/T-Bird (UK), 1983/1984. Used ... Out Of Stock
A pair of groundbreaking records from King Sunny Ade – both of which represent a new wave of interest in African music after the initial burst of the Fela Kuti generation! First up is Synchro System – fantastic work from King Sunny Ade – one of his first truly global releases, and an album that marked a whole new sound in his music! Sunny had been issuing lots of his own records back home in Nigeria – but this set has the juju master working in London, with really fantastic production that pushes his sound in really great ways – echoey waves of basslines and percussion, subtle but powerful vocals, and percolating guitar that takes on a whole new sonic sensibility in the setting! There's a richness to the texture that's amazing – almost as if Brian Eno produced – and titles include "Synchro Feelings Ilako", "Mo Ti Mo", "Penkele", "Maajo", "Synchro System", "E Saiye Re", "Tolongo", "E Wele", and "Synchro Reprise". Next up is Aura – a crucial record in the early days of the global scene in the 80s – a set that lifts the music of King Sunny Ade from its roots in Nigeria, and mixes it up with some fresh elements that really open things up for a world's worth of ears! The approach isn't commercial – at least not in the modes of the later world music years – but there's occasional elements that echo the beat culture rising up in New York and London, mixed with the warmer sounds that were always at Sunny's music – especially that way of making the acoustic percussion and basslines come together in flowing waves of completely sublime sound! All tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Gboromiro", "Oremi", "Ire", "Iro", "Ogunja", and "Ase". CD

Possible matches56
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ AntibalasTalkatif ... CD
Ninja Tune, 2002. Used ... Out Of Stock
Stunning Afro Funk from this incredible combo – as great as anything from the 70s, and maybe even better! The album's the second full length release from New York's Antibalas Liberation Orchestra – and like the first, it's an insanely wonderful batch of funk tunes that follows fiercely in the Fela tradition. Choppy guitars meet with chunky rhythms, riffing keyboards, staccato horns, and a deep commitment to rootsy production – one that keeps the sound of the record firmly in the classic mode, without any fancy remix touches of house music beats. The album's amazing – the sort you could easily pass off as a rare gem you find digging through the crates in Lagos – but it's even better than that, because these guys are young, alive, and headed to your town soon for a concert! Titles include "Talkatif", "Hypocrite", "World Without Fear", "War Is A Crime", and "NESTA 75". CD

Possible matches57
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Roy AyersAfrica, Center Of The World ... LP
Polydor, 1981. Very Good+ ... Out Of Stock
Roy Ayers in a very Afro-styled mode – working here on his own after a famous collaboration with Fela Kuti – in a set that's filled with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the overall influence is very much in the Afro-Funk vein, and the album's sort of a "part 2" to the Music Of Many Colors set that was cut a few years before. William Allen worked on the record with Roy – playing choppy Afro-Funk bass, and arranging and producing a lot of the material with Roy and Jaymz Bedford – and the record also features a host of extra percussion players, as well as some vocals by the lovely Sylvia Striplin. Includes the great groover "Africa, Center Of The World", plus "The River Niger", and a great remake of "Third Eye", which was on Everybody Loves The Sunshine, but is redone here with a heavier sound! Other tracks include "There's A Masterplan", "I'll Just Keep Trying", and "Destination Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Vinyl has a small press flaw that clicks a bit on "The Third Eye". Cover has light ring impressions.)

Possible matches58
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Ginger Baker's Air ForceGinger Baker's Air Force ... LP
Atco, 1970. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
Out of the wreckage of Cream came some very hip grooves! Ginger Baker was the hippest of the group's 3 members – and although he's often credited by soul fans for his work with Fela, he should also get hats off for his work with the group Air Force. At its base, the group's in the jazz rock mode – with players that include Brit jazz luminaires Phil Seamen, Harold McNair, and Graham Bond, plus rockers like Baker, Steve Winwood, Denny Laine, and Rick Grech. The tracks are all long groovers in a post-beat group mode – and the best tracks have a jamming sound that's pretty over the top. Titles include "Da Da Man", "Aiko Biaye", "Do What You Like", "Doin It", and "Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album
(Yellow Broadway label pressing. Includes the Atco inner sleeves. Cover has light wear and a cutout notch.)

Possible matches59
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Sun Ra & His Astro InfinityCosmo Earth Fantasy – Sub Underground Series Vols 1 & 2 ... CD
Saturn/Art Yard, Late 60s/Mid 70s. Used ... Out Of Stock
A set of varied moods and settings – yet one that really does a wonderful job of fleshing out the Sun Ra aesthetic during these crucial years when Ra dubbed himself the "King Of The Sub Underground"! That humorous title is a reference to the fact that Ra and the Arkestra were still working with largely little mainstream exposure – despite the big growth of avant jazz at the time – and were instead working on beautiful recordings like these, often made without any thought of a larger market at all! The CD brings together material from albums originally issued with Sub-Underground in the title – also under other names as well, including Temple U – and the tracks represent the Arkestra really hitting some of their creative heights in a mix of live, studio, and rehearsal recordings. Titles include the brilliant "World Of Africa", recorded in 1968, but with a chunky groove and weird piano that almost feel like a precursor to Fela Kuti; the sublime "Love Is Always" and "Song Of Drums", recorded live with a spare group in a beautifully echoey setting; surprisingly great takes on "What's New" and "Autumn In New York", played by a small group with Ra on a slightly off-tune upright piano; the long "Cosmo Earth Fantasy" suite, with some very fierce sounds; and a nice live take on "Space Is The Place/We Roam The Cosmos", which jumps right into the groove at the start – with a pretty offbeat feel, and lots of cool vocal interplay! CD

Possible matches60
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ RoctoberIssue #26 – Comics Galore (104 pages) ... Magazine
Roctober, 1999. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
A great new issue – and jam packed with the usual madness! The center of the magazine features a huge year 2000 calender – with Roctober legends like Serge Gainsbourg, Sugarpie De Santo, Gary Glitter, Fela, and The Zone Brothers. Plus, there's great features on Tim Maia, Sparks, Rock & Wrestling, Terry Jacks, Johnny Legend, and others. Also includes Ivan Brunetti's hilarious I Almost Drew Nancy, the super-silly Ratso Meets Cibo Matto – and James Porter's loving Tribute To Alvin Cash! 105 pages, and worth every penny! Magazine

Possible matches61
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ Shango Dance BandShango Dance Band ... LP
Comb & Razor, Early 70s. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
Insanely wonderful work from Shango Dance Band – a group headed by onetime Fela Kuti bandmate Ojo Okeji – whose bass work here is worth the price of admission alone! Okeji was a key part of Fela's Koola Lobitos, until leaving the group in 1968 – and taking some of the best players with him – to form the amazing Shango Dance Band, which is this incredible bridge between older Afro jazz modes and the new funk styles to explode in the 70s! At some level, the groove's a bit like that which Fela was percolating at the start of the 70s – but there's also some jazzier currents on the horn solos, especially the trumpet – and Okeji's bass is very far up in the mix – dipping, turning, and crafting these amazing grooves throughout – with a snakey vibe that's completely sublime – as is the entire record. And sure, there have been plenty of Afro Funk reissued on the market in the past decade or so – but few as essential as this one – or as enjoyable! Titles include "Position Pass Power", "Women Are Great", and "I Need Your Love". Features bonus 7" single – with the tracks "Son Of Thunder" and "Alupandu Gbe", LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited reissue from 2016, with bonus 7-inch and insert.)

Possible matches62
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
✨✧ SorcerersI Too Am A Stranger ... LP
ATA (UK), 2024. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
The Sorcerers are a small group, but they've got a really expansive sound – a blend of percussion, keyboards, and jazzy horn work that feels like a much larger Afro Funk group – but often delivered with a lean focus on the rhythms that really makes them sound unique! There's plenty of echoes of both West and East African styles here – served up in a mix of flutes, saxes, vibes, keyboards, and trumpets – plus mighty sharp percussion at the core, which drives the record in a nice range of rhythms that break from any standard modes you might expect! The vibe is almost as if The Sorcerers have drunk deep from all the classics of artists like Fela, Mulatu, Ebo Taylor, and other older legends – then found a way to distill them all together with energy that's all their own. Titles include "The Road Forward", "Yasuke In Roppongi", "Moth", "He Who Kills With One Leap", and "Oromo Moon". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches63
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✨✧ Horace Tapscott & The Pan Afrikan Peoples ArkestraWhy Don't You Listen – Live At LACMA 1998 ... CD
Dark Tree (France), 1998. Used Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
An amazing record from pianist Horace Tapscott – maybe one of his most ambitious projects ever, and a set that stands head and shoulders next to his classic work for the Nimbus label! As with some of those records, this set features his large Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra – performing live at LACMA in 1998, and also augmented by a vocal choir at times – working with a sense of pride and power that's very much in the best 70s spiritual jazz mode! We honestly didn't know that Tapscott had continued the group this far into the 90s – we've only heard them on record up through the early 80s – and the lineup really represents the maturing vision of the music, with some especially great work from Tapscott on piano, Phil Ranelin on trombone, and Michael Session on soprano, alto, and tenor – plus lead vocals from the mighty Dwight Trible. Titles include "Aiee The Phantom", "Fela Fela", "Listen Africa", "Caravan", and "Why Don't You Listen". CD

Possible matches64
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✨✧ VariousAfricans – Original Soundtrack From The Television Series ... LP
Antilles, 1986. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
Way cooler than the usual score you might expect – as the record not only features the main theme, plus some ethnographic recordings – but also includes cuts by Fela, Toure Kunda, and Youssou N'Dour! LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner.)

Possible matches65
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✨✧ Tony AllenBlack Voices ... CD
Comet (France), 1999. Used ... Out Of Stock
A seminal set that really put Tony Allen back on top – a record that showed that Allen was way more than just Fela's drummer, or another Afro Funk artist in general – but instead a really free-thinking, deep-concept musician overall! The album comes from key time that Allen spent on the Paris scene in the 90s – really refining a new sound, while keeping all the best bits from before – creating this new sort of darker groove that almost mixes older percussion with kind of a spacey style that's echoes proggish funk from a range of groups from Can to Cymande! There's loads of cool keyboards and tight guitar lines, and even the vocals have some spacey production that makes them fit nicely with the grooves. Titles include "Asiko", "Get Together", "Black Voices", and "The Same Blood", and remixes of "Asiko" and "Black Voices". CD

Possible matches66
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✨✧ Tony AllenSecret Agent (180 gram pressing) ... LP
Nonesuch/World Circuit, 2010. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)... Out Of Stock
Tony Allen never lets us down – and even though he recorded this set well into the first decade of his "comeback" years, an album like this still has the same sort of fresh, urgent feel that got him noticed again by a whole new generation of fans! There's definitely lots of Allen's roots with Fela in the music – the kind of Afrobeat grooves that Tony first helped invent back in the 70s – but as with some of his other recent records, there's also a strong willingness to play with tradition, too – mixing in unusual sounds and patterns that really keep things interesting, and which show why Allen's probably been the best ambassador of Afrobeat styles in the 21st Century! Vocals are by Allen and a few other singers over the course of the set – and the band's a super-tight combo with some especially great keyboards from Claude Dibongue. Titles include "Secret Agent", "Ijo", "Switch", "Celebrate", "Ayenlo", "Pariwo", "Nina Lowo", "Atuwaba", and "Alutere". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches67
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✨✧ Tony AllenTony Allen Live ... CD
Comet (France), 2004. Used ... Out Of Stock
Smoking Afro Funk from the legendary Tony Allen – recording during an incredible world tour in 2004, in a lean, mean groove that stands as a nice counterpoint to his studio sessions of the past few years! Tony's working here with a stripped down quintet – led by himself on drums and vocals, and featuring lots of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards, plus trumpet, bass, and guitar. The sound here is really great – as all tunes on the set are nice and long – and taken in back-to-basic jams that get back to the core sound of Afro Funk that Tony first invented with Fela, while still retaining some of the more cosmic touches of some of Allen's recent work. There's no overly-clever electronics or studio tricks to get in the way of the grooves – and the tunes on the set jam with an intensity that shows why Tony's been selling out concerts around the world in recent years! Titles include "Don't Fight", "Yeshe", "No Accomodation", "Eparapo", "Asiko", and "Black Voices". CD

Possible matches68
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✨✧ Tony Allen & Africa 70No Accommodation For Lagos/No Discrimination ... CD
Evolver, 1979. Used ... Out Of Stock
Stunning Afro Funk grooves! Fela's legendary drummer, Tony Allen, leads the set on both of these rare albums – packaged together back to back! The groove on the record is pure Fela – and Mr. Kuti helps out with production and playing on one of the 2 records in the set. The first album – No Accomodation – features Allen leading the Africa 70 group on 2 very long tracks – "African Message" and "No Accomodation For Lagos". The other album – No Discrimination – has shorter tracks (about 9 minutes long), with some very nice guitar work, and an even tighter groove than the other cuts. Titles include "Road Safety", "Love Is A Natural Thing", and "Ariya". CD

Possible matches69
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✨✧ Roy AyersLots Of Love ... CD
Uno Melodic/Soul Jazz (UK), 1983. Used ... Out Of Stock
An incredible album by Roy Ayers – but one that's often overlooked because it was a rare indie effort issued between Roy's years at Polydor and Columbia! The session's Roy's only full album for Uno Melodic – the label he formed to showcase the talents of Sylvia Striplin, Ladies Of The Eighties, and others – and it's done in a snapping, boogie-styled groove that's very similar to the work by other Uno acts at the time. There's still plenty of the late Polydor Roy in the mix too – especially on the album's mellower numbers, which glide along nicely with all the right jazzy touches we love in a classic Ayers groove! Highlights include the excellent "Chicago", a really dark funk track with a mad descending groove; the Fela-styled "Black Family"; the warmly jazzy "Lots Of Love", an instrumental with vibes along strings; and the bass bumping "Everybody", a wicked later funk number! Other tracks include "And Then We Were One", "DC City", "Drive", and "Fast Money" – all great too! CD

Possible matches70
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✨✧ Good The Bad & The QueenGood The Bad & The Queen ... CD
Parlophone, 2007. Used ... Out Of Stock
Damon Albarn of Blur & Gorillaz, bassist Paul Simonon of the Clash, guitarist Simon Tong of the Verve & Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen. Produced by Danger Mouse. CD

Possible matches71
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✨✧ Stephen MarleyRevelation Part 1 – The Root Of Life ... CD
Universal, 2011. Used ... Out Of Stock
The Marley legacy smolders on thanks to some solid efforts from the contemporary generation – and here's one from Stephen Marley – joined on Revelation Part 1 by Wale, Capleton, Damian Jr Gong Marley, Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley and others. "Made In Africa" opens it up featuring accompaniment from the cast of Broadway's Fela musical, plus "Break Us Apart" with Capleton, "She knows Now", "Working Days" feat Spragga Benz, "Now I Know", "Old Slaves", "Freedom Time", "Can't Keep I Down" and more. CD

Possible matches72
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✨✧ Hugh MasekelaBoy's Doin' It ... LP
Casablanca, 1975. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
A mid 70s effort from Hugh Maskela, recorded in Nigeria, an excellent melding of his jazz inflected pop sound with some deeper soulful grooves. The vibe here is showing both some funk and disco influences, but with trademark South African style melodies floating over top and a dedication to Fela, you know there's some afro beat creeping in too. 6 tracks in all: "The Boys Doin' It", "Mama", "Excuse Me Please", "Ashiko", "In The Jungle" and "A Person Is A Sometime Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches73
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✨✧ Hugh MasekelaIntroducing Hedzoleh Soundz ... LP
Blue Thumb, 1975. Very Good+ Gatefold ... Out Of Stock
Like Hugh Masekela's other records on Blue Thumb, this is a totally great bit of Afro funk, with a good hard groove filled with tight jazz playing, and some nice choppy rhythm that feels like it belongs on a Fela record. Great stuff played by his tight little Hedzoleh Soundz group, with the cuts "Kaa Ye Oya", "Patience", "When", "Adade", and "Languta". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches74
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✨✧ Pax Nicholas & The Netty FamilyNa Teef Know De Road Of Teef ... LP
Tabansi (Nigeria), 1973. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
An Afro Funk treasure from the 70s – a rare album recorded by Pax Nicholas, a singer and percussionist who was part of Fela's legendary Africa 70 band! The album's got a sound that definitely echoes that heritage, but with a groove that's pretty weird too – more stripped down than most of Fela's work, with a thin keyboard part that often pulsates under the horns, creating an offbeat, edgey vibe in the music! Nicholas' groove is almost like taking Fela, and putting it through an odd sort of filter – one that turns things slightly sideways, and brings a really fresh sound to more familiar Afro Funk modes – kind of with the same other-worldly feel we love in some Ethiopian work of the time. Tracks are all nice and long – and plenty jamming – and titles include "Na Teef Know De Road Of Teef", "Ataa Onukpa", "Na Six Feet", and "You". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches75
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✨✧ Dele SosimiYou No Fit Touch Am ... LP
Wah Wah 45s (UK), 2015. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Very old school Afro Funk from Dele Sosimi – and we mean that in the best way possible! Dele's working here in a style that's right in the best 70s mode from Fela Kuti – very hypnotic at a rhythmic level, but filled with progressive lyrics from the man himself – all at a level that's immediately captivating, and which somehow manages to sound as fresh as the styles first coming out decades ago! The group is wonderfully tight – horns, riffing guitar, snapping drums, and even some backup vocals alongside Dele's lead and keyboards – and the whole think packs one hell of a punch all the way through. Titles include "Na My Turn", "E Go Betta", "You No Fit Touch Am", "I Don't Care", "Sanctuary", and "We Siddon We Dey Look". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches76
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✨✧ Souljazz OrchestraFreedom No Go Die ... CD
Do Right (Canada), 2007. Used ... Out Of Stock
More Afro Funk than the soul jazz you might guess from the group's name – but that's OK with us, because the record's plenty darn great! Souljazz Orchestra are one of the best of the current wave of Afro combos to hail from Canada – and they manage to get an incredible full sound from a surprisingly small range of instruments – usually just 3 saxes, a trumpet, keyboards, and percussion – but played with a sense of power to earn them the "orchestra" in their name! There's a definite Fela influence going on here – grooves that move fast with very skittish rhythms – snaking out with great horn bits and keyboard lines. But the overall approach is a bit tighter too – much more focused at times, on slightly shorter tunes, about half of which are vocal numbers. Two tracks have the group breaking format a bit – a great cover of "The Creator Has A Master Plan" and the Latin-inflected "Little Habana" – and other tunes include "Mista President", "The Blind Leading The Blind", "Insurrection", and "Mojuba". 9 tracks in all! CD

Possible matches77
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✨✧ Tunde WilliamsMr Big Mouth ... LP
Afrodisia (Nigeria), 1977. Near Mint- ... Out Of Stock
Yes!! It's as if the folks at Honest Jon's have unearthed a great lost Fela session, and for all intents and purposes, they have! Mr Big Mouth is a session written and led by trumpeter Tunde Williams, a mainstay in Fela's group for many years and one of the most distinctive voices in the horn section. The tracks were recorded in 1975, featuring a burning lineup of Afrika 70 that cut many seminal sides, and though they did see release in the mid 70s, this is one of the hardest to find recordings by the group. Both tracks roll along on the signature percolating Afrobeat groove, with rippling hornlines and call and response vocals elevating the proceedings to a new height: "Mr Big Mouth" and "The Beginning". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches78
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✨✧ VariousGilles Peterson Worldwide – A Celebration Of His Syndicated Radio Show ... CD
BBE (UK), 1990s/2000s. Used 2 CDs ... Out Of Stock
A brilliant collection of spacey soul, funk, hip hop from Gilles Peterson – a well chosen set of modern classic, many of which originally premiered on his incomparable Gilles Peterson Worldwide radio show! The stylistic breadth is as great as the material is – and it's also amazing to see so many great artists and tracks in one place that in many cases first came to our attention thanks to Gilles! It ranges from the tripped out sound tapestries of Cinematic Orchestra, the boundless creativity of Jay Dee, spacey grooves from Sa-Ra Vikter Duplaix and Spacek, the proud Afro Funk Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80, blunt funk hip hop from Madlb/Quasimoto, deeper gems from stars such as Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse and Jill Scott and more. A treasure trove of material from the 90s onward – chosen by Gilles Peterson himself! 27 tracks on the 2CD version: "All Things To All Men" by Cinematic Orchestra feat Roots Manuva, "Let's Ride" by Q-Tip, "Take The Box" by by Amy Winehouse, "Manhood" by Vikter Duplaix, "Just A Lil' Lovin" by Outlines, "Wesley Music" by RSL, "Many Things" by Seun Kuti & Fela's Egypt 80, "La Ritournelle" by Sebastien Tellier, "Too Fly" by Dwele, "Dollar" by Steve Spacek, "Rosebuds" by Sa-Ra, ""Emotions" by Benga, "Twice" by Little Dragon, "1 Thing" by Amerie, "Tides" by Nitin Sawhney and more. CD

Possible matches79
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✨✧ Blue Lab BeatsMotherland Journey ... LP
Blue Note, 2022. New Copy 2LP ... Out Of Stock
The first full length set from London duo Blue Lab Beats – a pair who are very well-placed on Blue Note Records, but more as ambassadors of some of the more soul-styled work the label has done in recent years! There's a very collaborative vibe going on here – as the core producers open the door to a range of guests, and change up the moods of the cuts from track to track – almost with the sort of energy of the initial Black Radio projects from Robert Glasper, but with more London elements in the mix – and an approach that moves far past jazz at many moments! The album features work from Killbeatz, Kiefer, Ghetto Boy, Emmavie, Poppy Daniels, Kofi Stone, Jerome Thomas, and others – including a from-the-grave appearance by Fela Kuti – and titles include "Motherland Journey", "A Vibe", "Gotta Go Fast", "Labels", "I'll Be Here For You", "Dat It", "Home", "Warp", "Sensual Loving", and "Blow You Away". LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches80
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✨✧ Muyiwa Kunnuji & OsemakoAPP – Accumulation Of Profit & Power ... CD
Office Home (France), 2022. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Muyiwa Kunnuji played trumpet with Fela Kuti back in the day, and he definitely references Fela's legacy with the politics in the title of the set – yet his approach here is nicely his own, and a really fresh vision of the legacy of older Afro Funk! There's still plenty of the long tracks with rumbling grooves that you'd hear from back in the day – but things are maybe tighter overall, and definitely have more of a focus on Kunnuji's trumpet solos, which are occasionally peppered with some vocals too – all sewn together with maybe an ear for a wider range of West African styles too! Titles include "Bro Hugh", "Meeting Point", "Sanitize Your Heart", "Giant Of Africa", "Recipe Of Death", and "Oshelu". CD

Possible matches81
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✨✧ Alhaji Waziri OshomahAlhaji Waziri Oshomah Vol 1 to 5 – 1978 to 1984 (5CD set) ... CD
Luaka Bop, Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy 5CD ... Out Of Stock
A huge package of work that finally brings the rare Nigerian albums of Alhaji Waziri Oshomah to a much larger global audience – all beautifully brought together with a booklet that pays tribute to Oshomah, with contributions from his family – and sound quality that's a heck of a lot better than tracking down scratched-up original copies of the vinyl! The sound here is amazing – a really unique fusion of both the spiritual and funky currents running through Nigerian music at the time, graced with hypnotic percussion, rhythmic guitar riffs, and some very cool keyboard work at times – all topped with Alhaji's deeply soulful vocals. Imagine a deeper spirituality in the Fela generation, and you'll just get a start at understanding this music – then you'll have plenty to discover across the albums Oyoyo King, Godfather Of Afemai Music, Etsako Super Star, Mr Please Please Please, and Mr Dynamite. CD
Also available Alhaji Waziri Oshomah Vol 1 to 5 – 1978 to 1984 (5LP set) ... LP 79.99

Possible matches82
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✨✧ Souljazz OrchestraFreedom No Go Die ... LP
Do Right (Canada), 2007. Very Good+ ... Out Of Stock
More Afro Funk than the soul jazz you might guess from the group's name – but that's OK with us, because the record's plenty darn great! Souljazz Orchestra are one of the best of the current wave of Afro combos to hail from Canada – and they manage to get an incredible full sound from a surprisingly small range of instruments – usually just 3 saxes, a trumpet, keyboards, and percussion – but played with a sense of power to earn them the "orchestra" in their name! There's a definite Fela influence going on here – grooves that move fast with very skittish rhythms – snaking out with great horn bits and keyboard lines. But the overall approach is a bit tighter too – much more focused at times, on slightly shorter tunes, about half of which are vocal numbers. The Latin-inflected "Little Habana" has the group breaking format a bit – and other tunes include "Mista President", "The Blind Leading The Blind", "Insurrection", and "Mojuba". 8 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

Possible matches83
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✨✧ Sweet TalksKusum Beat ... LP
Philips (Nigeria), 1974. Sealed ... Out Of Stock
A blend of traditional modes and 70s Afro Funk – the debut album from this hip combo from Ghana! Tracks are long, open, and jamming – and almost build with a groove that makes you feel like the group's working live in the studio to come up with their jams, yet with a tightness that's different than the longer modes of Fela Kuti! Riffing guitars really drive most of these cuts along – and although the set starts with some echoes of the sweetness of high life, that quickly drops out to make room for heavier 70s modes, especially on the percussion and organ bits. Titles include "Sasa Abonsam", "Oburumankoma", "Kyekye Pe Aware", "Akampanye", "Eyi Su Ngaangaa", and "Mampam Sukuruwe". LP, Vinyl record album
 
Partial matches: 3
Partial matches84
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Tlahoun GessesseTlahoun Gessesse – Ethiopian Urban Modern Music Vol 4 ... LP
Buda/Heavenly Sweetness (France), 1970s. New Copy ... $24.99 29.99
A stunning set of vocal recordings by Tlahoun Gessesse – one of the most important singers during the golden age of Ethiopian Music – caught here on a set of sides that sadly saw that period coming to an end! The tracks on the set are mostly from the early 70s, a time that saw great political changes in Ethiopia – and tremendous censorship and restrictions on cultural production. Gessesse's vocals during this time are perhaps even more melancholy and heartfelt than before, and he's working here on a number of sides with the legendary Mulatu – with arrangements that have a angular, almost modernist edge. Despite the language barriers that keep us from understanding what Gessesse's singing about, there's an incredibly evocative quality to the work that transcends time and place – and titles include "Alegntaye", "Aykedashem Iebe", "Ene Negn Wey Antchi", "Yene Felagote", "Beyet New Mengedu", "Lantchi Biye", "Tchuheten Betsemu", and two versions of "Kulun Mankwalesh". First time on reissue vinyl for this material – which originally appeared on the 17th volume of the Ethiopiques series. LP, Vinyl record album

Partial matches85
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Nomade OrchestraEntreMundos ... CD
Far Out (Brazil), 2017. New Copy ... $7.99 16.99
A second great set from Nomade Orchestra – a Brazilian group who bring a trans-global approach to jazz-based instrumentation – with a resulting sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of! These guys aren't in the usual Brazilian groove, and they're also not like some of the Afro Funk combos that have sprung up on that scene – and instead they seem to take the nomad in their name seriously, and wander the globe searching for sounds and styles to fit into their music! Instrumentation is especially strong on saxes – alto, tenor, and soprano – which really emphasize some of the more dramatic currents in the music – and the group's also heavy on percussion, with some slight electric touches on keyboards and guitar. Titles include "Jardins De Zaira", "Felag Mengu", "Estrada Para Camomla", "Olho Do Tempo", "Terra Fertil", "Rinoceronte Blues", and "Vale Da Boca Seca". CD

Partial matches86
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✨✧ Mdou MoctarNiger EP Vol 1 (yellow vinyl pressing) ... LP
Matador, 2023. New Copy ... Out Of Stock
Rare slices of work from Mdou Moctar – material collected from tapes recorded between 2017 and 2020, often featuring the group in a range of different settings in their native Niger! The work throughout is filled with the sublime guitar of Mahamadou Souleymane – but the shift in setting makes for a strong sense of variety, especially as some of the titles feature more guitar lines than vocals, which is always OK with us! Titles on this first volume include "Imouhar (drum machine version)", "Chismiten (drum machine version)", and live takes of "Sibidoul", "Layla", "Afrique Victime", and "Afelan". LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition yellow vinyl pressing!)
 
 
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