Monday 17 May 2010

Various Artists: Three Good Afro Compilations!

Various Artists

"Nu Afro-Beat Experience"
( LP Shanachie Records, 2002 )


Tracklisting:
1 Akoba (K-Klash Remix) - Awa Klash 8:25
2 Jekalewa - Tony Allen 4:58
3 Surulere - Duro Ikujenyo 4:19
4 Soro - Jagunlabi 4:27
5 Oriki - Duro and Jimmy Sholanko 5:08
6 Beleke - Fatai Rolling Dollars 4:38
7 Revenge of the Flying Monkeys - Ayetoro 5:26
8 Tamedun Don Come - Tamedun 3:03
9 Turbulent Times - Dele Sosimi 9:39
10 Another System - Imo 6:26
11 Olufela - Kayode Olajide 4:56
12 Black Face - Seyi Sholagbagde and The Black Face 7:10
13 Allelujah Amen - Olufumi 4:18

Review:
Shanachie presents the sounds of modern Afro-beat with Nu Afro-Beat Experience.
Most of these artists stick to the basic blueprint created by Fela Kuti, but with more modern production.
Others add varying degrees of other musical influences, like Tony Allen's incorporation of hip-hop or Jagunlabi's Afro-house sound.
By Sean Westergaard
(AMG. Copyright © 2010 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.)

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Various Artists

"African Scream Contest"
Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds From Benin & Togo
( 2 X LP Analog Africa , 2008 Germany )
Catalog # AALP 063


Tracklisting:
A1. Lokonon André & Les Volcans - Mi Kple Dogbekpo
A2. Picoby Band D'Abomey - Mi Ma Kpe Dji
A3. Gabo Brown & Orchestre Poly-Rythmo \x{2013} It's a Vanity
A4. El Rego et Ses Commandos - Se Na Min
B1. Napo De Mi Amor et Ses Black Devil's - Leki Santchi
B2. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Gbeti Madjro
B3. Roger Damawuzan - Wait For Me
B4. Ouinsou Corneille & Black Santiagos - Vinon So Minsou
B5. Orchestre Super Jheevs des Paillotes - Ye Nan Lon An
C1. Tidjani Kone & Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Djanfa Magni
C2. Discafric Band - Houiou Djin Nan Zon Aklumon
C3. Le Super Borgou De Parakou - Congolaise Benin Ye
D1. Vincent Ahehehinnou - Ou C'est Lui Ou C'est Moi
D2. Les Volcans De la Capital - Oya Ka Jojo

Review:
After releases by Zimbabwean 70s bands the Green Arrows and Hallelujah Chicken Run Band, the Analog Africa label now delves into the amazing history of music from 1970s Benin and Togo. This compilation highlights forgotten raw and psychedelic Afro sounds, and the well-researched liner notes tell fascinating stories to accompany the mind-blowing music. The essence of Analog Africa is clear; searching in dusty warehouses for forgotten music to keep the sound alive. Label owner & vinyl collector Samy Ben Redjeb arrived in Cotonou, Benin, "without any special expectations, just hoping to lay my hands on few good records--what I found in the process cannot really be described in words".
Like most modern music in French-speaking West African countries, the music of Benin and Togo was influenced by a few main musical currents: Cuban, Congolese and local traditional music, as well as Chanson Francaise. Additionally, the geographical location of Benin and Togo--sandwiched between Ghana and Nigeria--exposed Beninese and Togolese musicians to Highlife music.
The cultural and spiritual riches of traditional Beninese music had an immense impact on the sound of Benin's modern music. Benin is the birth place of Vodun (or, as it is known in the West, Voodoo), and some of the rhythms used during traditional rituals - Sakpata, Sato, Agbadja, Tchenkoumé and many others - were fused to Soul and Latin music as early as the mid-1960s and later to Funk. In the late '60s and early '70s rock and soul music started creeping into the region. In particular, the music of James Brown and Johnny Halladay became immensely popular with university students. It was then that the music scene in Benin really started to take off. That fusion is the essence of this compilation.

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Various Artists

"African Spirits"
"A Spiritual Jazz Journey Looking Back To Africa"
( 2XLP Soul Brother Records , 2004 UK )
Catalog # LP SBPJ 22


Tracklisting:
A1 - Pharoah Sanders - Our Roots Began In Africa
A2 - Joe Chambers - The Almoravid
B1 - Sathima B. Benjamin - Africa
B2 - Archie Shepp - Song For Mozambique
B3 - Moe Koffman - Days Gone Bt (Egyptology)
C1 - Carlos Garnett - Banks Of The Nile
C2 - Adele Sebastian - Desert Fairy Princess
C3 - J Life - fro Blue
D1 - Nate Morgan - Mrafu
D2 - Nation/African Liberation Arts Ensemble - Children

Review:
This album consists of 10 tracks that represent a spiritual jazz journey looking back to Africa: the motherland, the roots of jazz, the birthplace of black music and the ancestral origins of the musicians themselves.
Individually the tracks - some of the best music of its type ever recorded - are in demand in their own right, with most being compiled for the first time. In the 1960's and 1970's many Afro Americans started to look back to their roots and the roots of the music for inspiration, direction and confirmation. Alex Haley, author of the best selling 1976 book 'Roots' (later adapted for an acclaimed television series) travelled by safari to the village of Juffure, in the Gambia to trace the history of his ancestors back to Africa. Musicians including Yusef Lateef, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and many of the artists on this compilation experimented with African instruments and sounds during this period. It was a time of black celebration, the 'Afro' hairstyle was a prerequisite for hipness. The drum - the most basic rhythm instrument and the foundation that almost all modern music rests on - came from Africa. Indeed, Jazz music itself can also trace its origins back to Africa; in fact scientists, historians and archaeologists have suggested that the entire human race took its first steps in Africa and evolved from there. The music contained on this album, whilst rhythmically strong is also imbued with haunting melodies and spiritually uplifting shades. A major factor behind the making of this music was a reaction against a society based on commercialism and insincerity: this is music with a message, music of substance, music that demands the listener be drawn in. It's music that you can really feel…music that moves and fulfils you, leaving you spiritually uplifted. This album is not just about selecting and bringing together a collection of in demand Jazz cuts…it's about inviting the listener on a musical journey back to Africa, back to ancient civilisation.
By Laurence Prangell, Soul Brother Records. (Copyright © 2010 All rights reserved)

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By Celo

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

for the three:

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Bill said...

Thanks for the share.

Tim said...

I've been keeping my eye out for African Scream Contest, thanks!

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