Dindo Yogo - Apres Leurs Tournées de Tokyo-Paris-Kinshasa (1987)

Dindo Yogo was a singer and composer who passed through Viva La Musica and Langa Langa Stars, before settling into Zaiko Langa Langa for his longest band tenure. During his career, ended early at the age of 44 in 2000, he also produced several solo recordings. This album from 1987 captures a full, rollicking Zaiko sound, powered by that band's great guitarists, Popolipo and Petit Poisson.

Strangely, each side of this record begins, abruptly, with the extended sebene of last song on the other side. I was tempted to fuse them onto the proper songs, but left them as they were. "Souviens-Toi" is the best song on the album, but it is all fine listening.

Enjoy!

Teta Lando - Menina de Angola (1990)

I've been listening to Angolan music a lot lately, and I devoted my radio show to it this week. Unfortunately I did not have this record available yet, for it has several tasty songs. Teta Lando was an important figure in Angolan music history who caused national mourning when he died in 2008. His long career included activism and leadership of the National Musicians and Composers Union.

This album swings between semba and a couple of slower songs full of suadade. It's interesting how influential Portuguese fado was in that country's African colonies. While the guitars and percussion are nice throughout, and the keyboards are mostly tasteful, it is Teta Lando's expressive singing that hooks you in this relatively short recording.

Enjoy!

Basil 'Manenberg' Coetzee & Lionel Pillay - Plum and Cherry (1979)

Basil Coetzee acquired his nickname, 'Manenberg,' from his masterful performance in a wonderful collaboration with Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) in 1974. Coetzee remained in South Africa through the long years of apartheid, while many of colleagues in the SA jazz community fled repression to Europe and elsewhere. A good summary of Coetzee's career is here.

This album followed the seminal "Manenberg - Cape Town Fringe" by five years, and Coetzee's exuberant, joyful sax in that performance had become much more soulful in the rendition of Dollar Brand's "Cherry" that fills all 25 minutes of side one.

While Basil Coetzee achieved fame, if not fortune, for his musical efforts, pianist Lionel Pillay received neither. Although he spent years as a session musician, contributing to great recordings like Winston Mankunku's "Yakhal' Inkomo," and, as Lionel Martin, with the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Pillay died in obscurity.

This obscure album is really Pillay's opus, with two extended songs featuring his improvisations on piano, electric piano and organ. While Coetzee's sax flows through much of "Cherry," it is absent altogether on the flip side, filled by Pillay's "Plum." Throughout the album both Rod Clark, on drums and percussion, and bassist Charles Johnstone set down wicked, prolonged rhythms. Pillay samples "Manenberg" in "Plum," but much of the song rocks with disco or even house overtones. Pillay is brilliant on any keyboard he touches, on this unique recording.

Enjoy!

Barbaros del Ritmo - Palo de Mayo (1971)

All around the edge of the Caribbean, where the sea meets the sand, the presence of African music is pervasive. Carried to the shores of various countries as slaves, or making their way there as escapees, Africans settled and integrated with local indigenous populations and descendants of colonial conquerors. While the music of Haiti and Cuba are completely familiar, and the cumbias of Colombia have swept the world, some less developed countries have equally compelling coastal music, varying from place to place depending on the cultural mix.

Palo de Mayo is Nicaragua's contribution to this musical diversity, and this was the first recorded Palo de Mayo album. Sung in English and mískito, the dominant indigenous language on Nicaragua's coast, this folkloric style is like mento on steroids. Most of the songs are Caribbean standards, but you will be surprised at the rendering. This is straight out party music, developed to celebrate May 1, harkening back to English celebrations from centuries ago.

Barbaros del Ritmo were the primary band of Bluefields, Nicaragua's small port, during the 60s and early 70s. This record was produced by Charlie Robb, the country's leading musician of the day, and his cosmopolitan experience added significantly to the horn arrangements. His trombone and sax contributions are essential. Despite its origin in one of the smallest of places, this music smokes. Try to be still, while listening to it. I predict you will be moving.

Enjoy!

Le Gran Maitre Franco et T.P.O.K. Jazz - Ekaba-kaba (1987)

Today I post my fiftieth record since activating this site in March, with an amazing (to me) 30,000 page views by you. I feel privileged to have joined this community of impassioned music lovers, and grateful that I can contribute. To celebrate, I chose to share a mint condition recording from the immensely influential and profoundly important Franco Luambo Makiadi. Recorded in the same year as Attention Na Sida, and perhaps eclipsed by it, Ekaba-kaba is another brilliant musical effort.

This recording already was posted a few years ago on the wonderful Global Groove site, but not only is the recording offered here an exceptionally pristine one, I also think that Franco's legacy is so important, that propagating its preservation is a responsibility. Inspired by the excellent, informative WorldService site, I am making this mint recording available as a lossless FLAC file in addition to the normal MP3, limited to fifty downloads of the fiftieth post.

Enjoy! or FLAC while you can!

26 July - A kind listener noticed that there was a skip at the beginning of the second track of the recording I posted. I've replaced the 320 MP3 file with that track re-recorded, but for those of you who already downloaded the MP3 album, you can download the repaired track as an MP3 here. Due to upload restrictions, I'm afraid all FLAC downloaders will have to download the repaired track's FLAC file here and replace it manually. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Dr. Nico & Empompo Deyesse - Derniere Memoire (1990?)

Legendary Congolese guitarist Dr. Nico (Nicolas Kasanda wa Mikalay) traveled to Benin around 1983 to make what would be his last recording, along with saxophonist Empompo Deyesse and a stellar band. Beginning with a definitive reprise of his classic song "Africa Mokili Mobimba," this wonderful record is testament to the virtuosity of the "god of the guitar." Three of the five songs on the album were written by Nico, and in each his guitar is dazzling. "Boninga," written by Deyesse, is also excellent, with memorable vocal harmonies that reflect the musicality of the talented saxophonist. This recording occurred during a flurry of creativity by Nico, after a decade of silence and obscurity. Sadly, his brilliance was lost in 1985, at the young age of forty-six.

I could find little trace of this record or the German label Voix d'Afrique, so am unsure of both the date of recording and publishing. If you know more details, please help us out in the comments.

Enjoy!

Pepe Kalle - Chante le Poète Simaro Massiya (1989)

Time to turn attention back to the Congo. Here is a splendid Pepe Kalle album that shines on every front. All of the songs are strong, but "Diarrhee Verbale (Tuba Tuba)" is tout puissant. This album is as much a Carlito one as it is Pepe Kalle; the duets shine throughout. I've always considered this one of Diblo Dibala's finest outings, as well, and I just wait for him to break out on every song. He takes over the sebene on "Tuba Tuba," Pepe Kalle's rich baritone sailing above. Papa Noel contributes wonderfully on lead, too, as do Simaro, Makosso and Lokassa on rhythm guitar. This is a fantastic, classic album.

Enjoy!

Paul Matavire - Doctor Love Volume Two (1990)

When I entered the tiny record shop in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in early 1991, the sound system pumped out a catchy tune that tipped slightly towards disco. It was "Dhindindi Fulltime," the current hit by Paul Matavire, backed by the Jairos Jiri Band. Matavire was a blind performer who became very popular throughout the country during the late '80s because of his fine singing and pointed, and sometimes humorous, songs. He generated some controversy for personal behavior, in the process, including rape charges. Like many Zimbabwean musicians, Matavire died young, leaving a fine legacy of music behind. This album is an excellent sample of it, with diverse songs including one slow one for tight dancing. It also has the closing reggae-chimurenga rocker "Pamberi Navajiri," which was collected on the classic Zimbabwe compilation, Take Cover!.

Enjoy!

Khiama Boys - Kubva Kure (1990)

The Khiama Boys surfaced in 1988 and produced a series of albums throughout the next decade plus. Music built on energetic, harmonic singing, thumping beats and fast guitars, it reminds me of Bhundu Boys at their peak. No credits are given for the musicians, and as this recording took place as the band was going through some personnel changes, it is impossible for me to name them. The Music of Zimbabwe page has a brief discussion of the band, as well as a discography, and that may give some clues. At least four CDs were available for awhile, through Stern's, but they appear to be out-of-print now.

I am really enjoying my temporary immersion in Zimbabwe's dynamic music. There will be a few more records coming your way soon, but I recommend you snag this excellent, rare recording. Now.

Enjoy!

John Chibadura & The Tembo Brothers - Rugare (1988)

Continuing to explore the trove of records I picked up in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in 1991, here is a solid album from John Chibadura & The Tembo Brothers. This band was the most successful proponent of sunguru music, a cross between rhumba and jit jive that likewise relies on blisteringly fast, intertwined guitars. Chibadura was an excellent guitarist and charismatic performer who sang of working class situations and issues. He released dozens of hit albums before his death in 1999 at the age of 42.

Enjoy!

Mbilia Bel - Boya Ye (1985)

Another Mbilia Bel to lighten you up. Boya Ye is one of the early headliner albums of this chanteuse. She is backed by Tabu Ley Rochereau and his band Afrisa International, though none of the musicians are given credit on the record jacket. Three of the four songs are Tabu Ley's, and on two of them she sings sweetly. On "Tonton Skol," Mbilia barely surfaces in the ensemble singing, and she disappears altogether during the animation break. "Shawuri Yako" is sung in English over a plodding rhythm, and only irresistible guitar riffs make it a pleasurable listen.

While perhaps not the best Mbilia Bel record, this record has a couple of strong songs. Later in 1985 it was re-released by Stern's Africa, with one song substitution. Stern's also released a CD in 2006 that had both this album and another from 1985, Ba Gerants Ya Mabala, but I believe it is now out-of-print. There is a "best of" double CD from 2007 that is available here, and I just ordered one. So while you wait for delivery of yours, you can listen to this nearly pristine copy of the original release.

Enjoy!

P.S. It is possible to earn money by posting links to purchases, as I have done here, but I am using a link that provides a small slice of the sale to my local non-profit, community radio station, KTNA.

Ephat Mujuru & The Spirit of the People - Mbavaira (1983)

Ephat Mujuru was a virtuoso on the mbira thumb piano central to Zimbabwean traditional music. Through a prolific career based in both Zimbabwe and the U. S., Mujuru had a tremendous impact through his recordings and many performances, as well as his extensive teaching of his art. Tragically he died unexpected ten years ago, at the young age of fifty-one.

This is one of several records cut by Ephat Mujuru in Zimbabwe during his tenure as a student in the U.S. in the '80s. It is incredibly short, containing four songs that could fit on one side of an LP, but it is a welcome uplifting listen for these tumultuous times. May it bring a bit of peace to you this weekend, wherever you are.

Enjoy!

O.J. Ekemode - Sisi Shade (1987)

Friends have noted my perfectionist tendencies, and they certainly extend into my music passion. Nothing beats seeing music performed live, where the only separation between musician and listener is air. With recorded music, I try to keep the separation as minimal as possible. That is why I am fastidious with record care. Now I find that when I am digitizing my record library, for me and for you, I tend to take more care removing as much surface noise as practical. I want to listen to the cleanest recording possible in order not to be distracted from the music.

This great record was one of a handful in my Nigerian collection that suffered moisture damage. Through successive vacuum cleanings I was able to reclaim the vinyl, and that made it possible to hear how worn the record was from heavy rotation in the years just after I purchased it. I therefore used the tool ClickRepair to remove some pops and cracks, and the result sounds pretty decent, but not perfect. The record sleeve was trashed, too, and I delayed posting this recording as I contacted a few friends to see if anyone had another, better copy. Nobody did, so I did some work on mine and was able to clean it up quite a bit. If anyone wants to send me good artwork for this album, I would appreciate it and repost it here.

That is a long preamble to consideration of this rare album. O.J. put together a dynamite band of 17 to record a very strong afro-beat set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The two songs sung in English, "Selma to Soweto" and "Be Counted," are both overtly political and directed at his audience during his long stay in the U.S. Both are excellent. The talking drum provided by Sikiru Adepoju is simply awesome throughout the album, and he is given plenty of room to strut. The rhythms rock. Yet O.J. is in top form on sax, too, and his singing is emblematic. This is an album you should not miss.

Enjoy!

Amayenge - Amayenge (1989)

This is the second of a trio of Zambian recordings published by Mondeca Records that I have been able to post, and like the other Zambian records offered here, this is a gem. Quite different from either of the previous bands, Amayenge is high-energy dance music fueled by furious percussion and singing. There are the great guitars typical of Copperbelt pop, but band leader Kris Chali's voice dominates, as well as his percussion solos.

Recorded in Zimbabwe, where the band was popular, this album even has a chimurenga song in praise of the revolutionary Zimbabwe of the day. There also are several songs praising Zambia's first and persistent President Kenneth Kaunda, who at the time was charting an independent, one-party path, and who was to lose power a short two years after this album was recorded. There is ample information about the band and songs on the album sleeve.

Enjoy!

Sooliman E. Rogie - African Lady (1975)

S. E. Rogie was a palm-wine and highlife guitarist from Sierra Leone who also could sing very well indeed. This album was the first he recorded during his sixteen-year tenure in the United States. Rogie's music is light and easy, and this record reminds me of cotton candy: fluffy and overly sweet. Not to say I don't like it; just that I have to be in the mood, one that comes infrequently.

Yet Rogie's voice is hard to forget, and some of his songs, like the title track, stick forever. A couple of his early hits that swept West Africa over forty years ago are collected on another record, which I might be able to offer you in the future. This one is worth a listen for the singing and guitar and the gently swinging songs. Maybe the sweetness that gets to me emanates from the back-up singers, and not from Rogie at all?

Enjoy!

You may read a biography of S.E. Rogie here.