Incredibly funky work from Manu Dibango – a set that's easily as great as his classic Soul Makossa album – but which is a lot more obscure overall! The work's got a fiercely-jamming quality all the way through – lots of rumbling percussion at the bottom, and also a bit of keyboards as well – served up in a heady brew that turns out to be a perfect setting for Dibango's sharp-edged reeds! The record's got a few especially great break tracks, but all numbers are pretty darn great too – filled with more funky changes, flaring horns, and 70s-styled grooves than you might ever hope to find in a single album! Tracks include "Black Beauty", "Soul Fiesta", "The Panther", "Africadelic", "Moving Waves", "Afro Soul", "Wa Wa", "Percussion Storm", "Monkey Beat", and "Oriental Sunset". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing rare chapter in the career of the legendary Manu Dibango – and a darn funky one as well! This early 70s album was recorded in Paris, right before Manu's huge global "Soul Makossa" hit – and although it was done as an obscure sound library release, it really shows Dibango jumping into all the best funky modes that would soon make him a giant! In face, the whole thing might well be Manu's funkiest record ever – as the tracks have no vocals, and are tight and right on the money – with plenty of heavy drums and massive basslines – plus instrumentation from a very cool lineup of French jazz players that includes Yvan Julien on trumpet and Francois Jenneau on tenor. Manu himself blows lots of funky flute and sax solos – and also plays vibes, piano, and organ – on very groovy instrumentals that include "Iron Wood", "Coconut", "Zoom 2000", "Aphrodite Shake", "Soul Saxes Meeting", "Out Of Score", "Ba-Kuba", and "Groovy Flute". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great project from the legendary saxophonist Manu Dibango – a set that's almost a return to more rootsy territory after his more upbeat grooves of the 80s – even though Manu was always a bit more of a hybrid player overall! The set was originally issued in two different volumes, and was an effort by Dibango to chart the different sounds and styles of the African continent – working with top shelf musicians in a variety of modes – all instrumental, a mix of electric and acoustic, and often with plenty of jazzy elements in the mix! The album is a great overlooked chapter in Manu's career – proof that he kept on evolving, way past his initial hits – still a great saxophonist, branching out here past the sound of his native Cameroon. Titles include "Pavane Pour Melodie", "Longe Lese", "Missiya", "Miango", "Aloko Party", "Oh Koh", "Diana Lama", "Panafrican Jam", and "Parfum Des Iles". CD

A really great shift in setting for legendary reedman Manu Dibango – an album recorded in Jamaica with production from Geoffrey Chung – who helps the saxophonist find a whole new groove for his soulful style! The album's from a moment where many were flocking to Kingston to record with top-shelf talents – but there's something about this record that's better than most of that generation, possibly because right from the start, Manu always had a way of taking regional sounds and finding a much stronger global focus! Players include Sly and Robbie on rhythms, plus Ansel Collins and Clive Hunt on keyboards, Barry Rogers on trombone, Mikey Mao Chung on guitar, and surprisingly, Jon Faddis and Randy Brecker on trumpets. 2LP set features 12 tracks from the sessions – and titles include "Reggae Makossa", "Choc N Soul", "Night Jet", "Bona Sango", "Kumbele Style", "Tek Time", "Goro City", "Frozen Soul", "Doctor Bird", and "Full Up". LP, Vinyl record album

By the mid 70s, the New York Latin scene was boomin' so large it could easily fill venues like Yankee Stadium – as you'll hear on this excellent live set from the Fania All-Stars, a monster record that easily ranks with the best live Latin sides of the time – like Eddie Palmieri at Sing Sing, the Tico-Alegre All Stars at Carnegie Hall, or Mongo Santamaria at Yankee Stadium! Tracks are nice and long – a real mix of soul and Latin, with slight funk and electric touches – and players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Ricardo Ray, and Roberto Roena. Vocals are by a host of singers that include Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz – and Manu Dibango also joins the group for the track "Congo Bongo", a great long number in which he does a hot little solo! Other tracks include "Bemba Colora", "Hermandad Fania", "Echate Pa'Lla", "Pueblo Latino", "Mi Gente", and "Soy Guajiro". LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost bit of funk – and a pretty mysterious record, too! The record came out hot on the heels of Manu Dibango's big original version of "Soul Makossa" – and while it's got a groove that definitely leans towards Afro Funk, it's also got plenty of Caribbean touches too – a wicked blend of funk and island styles that's almost like The Beginning Of The End at some of the best moments – but with a touch of New York underground as well! We've never been entirely sure if the group wasn't just a Winley Records studio project – maybe The Rimshots under another name – but whatever the case, the record's a damn funky classic – filled with lots of original-sounding grooves that make the whole thing well worth tracking down. Titles include a version of "Soul Makossa", with a groove that's harder than the original – plus "Skin N Soul", "Good Groove", "Mozambique" and the extended "Bahamas Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A beautiful little record, and one that seems to take all the African-inspired elements in the music of Randy Weston – and push them even farther than Randy did on his own recordings of the 60s and 70s! The group's headed up by Cheikh Tidiane Seck, not to be confused with Weston's contemporary on the French scene of years back – Chiekh Tidian Fall – and Seck is a great pianist whose talents are spread equally between Fender Rhodes, moog, Hammond, and acoustic piano – in a lineup that also has Yizih Yode on tenor, Mohamed Hafsi on bass, Marque Gilmore on drums, and Adama Dembele on percussion! The rhythms explode beautifully, and differently on each new track – and the album's a perfect fusion of rootsy rhythms and jazz – served up with help from Manu Dibango on one track, and Abd Al Malik on another. Titles include both acoustic piano and Rhodes readings of "Ganawa (Blue Moses)" – plus "African Cookbook", "In Memory Of", "Tanja", "Niger Mambo", and "Timbuktu" – plus the Seck original "Mr Randy". CD

A beautiful little record, and one that seems to take all the African-inspired elements in the music of Randy Weston – and push them even farther than Randy did on his own recordings of the 60s and 70s! The group's headed up by Cheikh Tidiane Seck, not to be confused with Weston's contemporary on the French scene of years back – Chiekh Tidian Fall – and Seck is a great pianist whose talents are spread equally between Fender Rhodes, moog, Hammond, and acoustic piano – in a lineup that also has Yizih Yode on tenor, Mohamed Hafsi on bass, Marque Gilmore on drums, and Adama Dembele on percussion! The rhythms explode beautifully, and differently on each new track – and the album's a perfect fusion of rootsy rhythms and jazz – served up with help from Manu Dibango on one track, and Abd Al Malik on another. Titles include both acoustic piano and Rhodes readings of "Ganawa (Blue Moses)" – plus "African Cookbook", "In Memory Of", "Tanja", "Niger Mambo", and "Timbuktu" – plus the Seck original "Mr Randy". LP, Vinyl record album

We've had some great trips on Africa Airways in recent years – and this sweet fourth set proves once again that the fun lies in the journey, not the destination! As before, the cuts here share a lot more with American funk than you might think – especially the tight late 70s style with lots of basslines at the bottom, and some warmly jazzy currents in the instrumentation – which often serve to provide a superb setting for the vocals over the top – sometimes just sing-song chorus bits, but merged perfectly with the grooves! Tracks here come from French labels like Fiesta and Sonodisc, and there's definitely some of that criss-crossing between West African and Parisian modes going on – on titles that include "Sun Explosion" by Manu Dibango, "Nassa Nassa" by Uta Bella, "Nimele Bolo" by Charly Kingson, "Africain" by Momo Joseph, "Biram" by Kemayo & K-System, "Soul Magabe" by Pierre Didy Tchakounte, "Funny Saga" by The Monsters, and "Tinini Yanana" by Jake Sollo. LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue collection of work – one that really gets at the unusual appearance of Latin rhythms on the African scene of the postwar years! Latin sounds from Africa are nothing new, but they're one of those things that's always taken for granted, too – kind of assumed in most discussions of the rhythms from the 60s onward, but never explained as fully as might be needed! Given the already-great grooves going down on the continent for generations, it's surprising that African musicians might pick up styles from Cuba and the Caribbean – yet due to the vagaries of global cultural circulation, that's exactly what happened – and the music has never been the same ever since. This really well-done package offers up a range of tracks from the 50s through the 70s – showing some of the earliest African extrapolations of Latin styles – clearly enforcing the "Afro" in Afro-Cuban rhythms – then moving onto some later grooves that offer up some funkier styles too. The work's a bridge between the ethnographic sets on Honest Jons, and some of the tighter grooves you might find on a Soul Jazz collection – a wonderful blend of music, packaged beautifully too. Titles include "A Moins Que Namikosa" by Orchestra OK Jazz, "Rampa Rampa" by Orchestre Yaya Mas, "Quiero Wapacha" by Charles Lembe, "Ven Y Ven Y Ven" by Orchestre OK Jazz, "Vamos A Bailar" by Rio Band, "Guantanamo" by Laba Sosseh, "On Verra Ca" by Orchestre Baobab, "Mi Guajeo" by Orchestre N'Guewel, "N'Niyo" by Amara Toure, "Il N'Est Jamais Trop Tard" by Pierre Tchana & Orchestre Poly Rhythmo, "Africa Boogaloo" by Le Grande Kalle with Don Gonzalo & Manu Dibango, and "Adigbedoto" by Gnonnas Pedro. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Femi Kuti, Dennis Ferrer, DJ Food, Masters At Work, Les Barons, Hugh Masekela, Fela Kuti, Peter King, Manu Dibango, Dackin Dakino & more. CD

You might know "Soul Makossa" – the worldwide hit by Manu Dibango that was covered by many folks, and sampled heavily in later years too – but this set takes a look at the deeper scene behind that famous groove, through a host of wickedly funky tracks from the late 70s scene in Cameroon! The tracks here are all upbeat, and not afraid to pick up a few influences from disco when they want – but they've also got a more loose, open sort of vibe – a wonderful flow that seems to set the scene for just about anything to happen over the course of the longer songs! Instrumentation and vocals are equally important here – especially the basslines and guitars – and the style of the work starts out in Dibango territory, but soon moves past into a range of very cool modes. As usual with Analogue Africa, the whole thing's way more than just a batch of songs, too – as the notes are huge, and really get at the special feeling of the scene – a world that we've never seen opened up this well. Titles include "More Love" by Pat Ndoye, "Mininga Meyong Mese" by Nkodo Si-Tony, "Ye Medjuie" by Emmanuel Kahe & Jeanette Kemonge, "Pop Makossa Invasion" by Dream Stars, "Nen Lambo" by Bill Loko, "Yaounde Girls" by Mystic Djim & The Spirits, "Nogon Engap" by Olinga Gaston, "Mussoloki" by Bernard Ntone, and "M'Ongele M'Am" by Eko. CD

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

By the mid 70s, the New York Latin scene was boomin' so large it could easily fill venues like Yankee Stadium – as you'll hear on this excellent live set from the Fania All-Stars, a monster record that easily ranks with the best live Latin sides of the time – like Eddie Palmieri at Sing Sing, the Tico-Alegre All Stars at Carnegie Hall, or Mongo Santamaria at Yankee Stadium! Tracks are nice and long – a real mix of soul and Latin, with slight funk and electric touches – and players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Mongo Santamaria, Ricardo Ray, and Roberto Roena. Vocals are by a host of singers that include Santos Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, and Celia Cruz. Manu Dibango also joins the group for the track "Congo Bongo", a great long number in which he does a hot little solo! Other tracks include "Bemba Colora", "Hermandad Fania", and "Echate Pa'Lla". CD

Amazing Afro Funk from one of the greatest groups of the genre – The Lafayette Afro Rock Band, a funky ensemble recording in Paris in the early 70s! The group were working in a hotbed of cross-cultural styles – and brought American funk rhythms firmly into play with African influences – creating grooves that were even heavier and harder than the work at the time by Fela Kuti, and which have stood for years as some of our favorite funk records! This album's one of their best – named after the title cut, their great take on Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa" (done here even funkier than the original!), and featuring other great tracks, like "Voodounon", "Azeta", and "Hihache" – all of them filled with heavy bass, tight drums, and fuzzy guitar! Other cuts include "Oglenon", "MF Grayson", "Nicky" and "Right Foot". This remastered CD version is enhanced and includes a rare video for "Ozan Koukle". CD

A great Arthur Baker and John Robie electro remake of Manu Dibango's funky global classic, with The Awesome Foursome! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Ouch! Expensive – but worth it! This excellent set features 2CDs worth of killer club tracks – most of which we've never had on reissue before! The whole set is a massive tribute to the legendary New York DJ David Mancuso – the man who broke many of these tracks back in the day. The set features a nice book with comments on Mancuso by Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, and Larry Levan – but the real treat is the music! Titles include "Serious, Sirius Space Party" by Ednah Holt, "High Preistess" by Kharma, "Stay Free" by Ashford & Simpson, "Devotion" by Ten City, "Is It All Over My Face (unreleased full length version)" by Loose Joints, "City Country City" by War, "Love Honey, Love Heartache" by Man Friday, "Love Money" by TW Fun Masters, "Aeo (parts 1 & 2)" by Brian Briggs, "Life On Mars" by Dexter Wansel, "Yellow Train" by Resonance, "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango, "Mystery Of Love (instrumental)" by Fingers Inc, and "Rude Movements" by Sun Palace. 18 long cuts in all! CD

They got the "sizzlers" in the title right – and the set actually goes past just disco – as it brings together a nice range of upbeat and groovy tunes from the 70s – with a few surprises along the way! Titles include "Boogie Nights" by Heatwave, "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango, "Car Wash" by Rose Royce, "Adventures In Paradise" by Minnie Riperton, "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra, "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" by Sylvester, "Fire" by Ohio Players, "Get Up Offa That Thing" by James Brown, "Let's Start The Dance" by Bohannon, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, "I Need A Man" by Grace Jones, "Can You Feel The Force" by The Real Thing, "Casanova" by Coffee, and "Got To Give It Up" by Marvin Gaye. LP, Vinyl record album

You might know "Soul Makossa" – the worldwide hit by Manu Dibango that was covered by many folks, and sampled heavily in later years too – but this set takes a look at the deeper scene behind that famous groove, through a host of wickedly funky tracks from the late 70s scene in Cameroon! The tracks here are all upbeat, and not afraid to pick up a few influences from disco when they want – but they've also got a more loose, open sort of vibe – a wonderful flow that seems to set the scene for just about anything to happen over the course of the longer songs! Instrumentation and vocals are equally important here – especially the basslines and guitars – and the style of the work starts out in Dibango territory, but soon moves past into a range of very cool modes. As usual with Analogue Africa, the whole thing's way more than just a batch of songs, too – as the notes are huge, and really get at the special feeling of the scene – a world that we've never seen opened up this well. Titles include "More Love" by Pat Ndoye, "Mininga Meyong Mese" by Nkodo Si-Tony, "Ye Medjuie" by Emmanuel Kahe & Jeanette Kemonge, "Pop Makossa Invasion" by Dream Stars, "Nen Lambo" by Bill Loko, "Yaounde Girls" by Mystic Djim & The Spirits, "Nogon Engap" by Olinga Gaston, "Mussoloki" by Bernard Ntone, and "M'Ongele M'Am" by Eko. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that situation – kind of a quickie project issued by Mainstream Records to cash in on the hit – but it's also an amazing bit of lost funk, and a record that's lasted for years in the hearts of beatheads! The group's a studio combo headed by Richard Fritz – and includes funky drummer Paul Humphrey, organist Charles Kynard, and guitarist David T Walker – all players we can trust to keep things groovy. The record does include a version of "Soul Makossa" that's pretty great – but even better is the breakbeat classic "House Of The Rising Funk", apparently the same version of the track that was issued on a 45 under the name The Chubukos. Other nice ones include "Kissing My Love", "Hot Mud", "Get It", "Hot Doggin", and "Let Me Do My Thing". CD

A really well done compilation of African Funk – filled with tracks we've never heard before, and pushing way past the obvious contents of other compilations! The package is right up there with the best of the best – Booniay, Club Africa, Nigeria 70, and others – in that it brings together a wealth of tracks from France, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun, West Africa, and even Switzerland – all united by a flair for the groove, and a sound that's steeped in 70s funk! Basslines, scratchy guitars, and tight percussion abound – and the set's got a total of 16 tracks that include "Let Me Get Stoned" by Boo & The Tru Tones, "The Soukouss" by Manu Dibango & Hal Singer, "Mama Matotoya" by The Vickings, "Leo (parts 1 & 2)" by Kolahyah, "Awarness Is What You Need" by Monomono, "Grazing In The Grass" by The Ramblers International, "Hello Black Benny" by Tony Leveille & Ses Challengers Sound, "Ojinga's Own" by The Yoruba Singers, "Black Poem" by Moussa Dumbia, "Joe" by Marius Cultier, "Africa Boogaloo" by Kalle & L'Africa Team De Paris, and "Afrodeclic" by Marc Thomas. CD

A cool collection of Afro-funky nuggets – a set that features a few classics from back in the day, plus contemporary work that show just how strongly the original vibe has continued into the 21st Century! The set list is great – and there's a lot less familiar material than you might expect – well-chosen tracks pulled from a variety of contemporary labels dedicated to keeping up the groove – Mr Bongo, Soul Makossa, Awesome Tapes From Africa, and others – on titles that include "Wake Up Your Mind" by Joni Haastrup, "Khomo Tsaka Deile Kae" by Marumo, "E Go Betta" by Dele Sosimi, "Baleka" by Zimba, "Motapo" by Manu Dibango, "Kudaushe" by Afriquoi, "Take Me Higher" by Om Alec Khaoli & Umoja, "Simigwa Do" by Gyedu Bley Ambolley, "Gyae Su" by Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band, and "Shaka Bundu" by Penny Penny. LP, Vinyl record album