The Blog is Moving to a new adress : www.africangrooves.fr !

Hello everyone ! 

Just a little word to inform you that this blog "African Grooves" is moving to a new adress !! This post is my last post on blogspot !

I have my own official Website now, the adress is : http://africangrooves.fr/category/blog/ !!

It's easier than with blogspot, you will know find a search tool bar to find articles easily (for instance, you'll just have to write "Cameroon" in the Search Tool Bar to find all the articles related with !).

More, you'll find appart from the blog section a special mix section, a label version (for my new "Nanga Boko Record" record label), a interview / video section and a shop section, to buy new releases or original records taken from my own collection !

See you there, and many thanks for all your support !

Armand de Preseau

www.africangrooves.fr

https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com/

www.facebook.com/nangabokorecords

Coulibaly Tidiani - Sie Koumgolo (Burkina Faso, 1979, Sacodis)

 

Coulibaly Tidiani, born on the 31th of December 1941 in Kankala town, was one of the most famous  singer from Burkina Faso (former Upper Volta) in the 70's, as well as Amadou Balake.

He began his carrer in the 60's playing with the Volta Jazz Orchestra, and founded his own band in the 70's, the "Orchestre Dafra Star de Bobo-Dioulasso", one of the most popular band at the time in the country.

He recorded three albums, and a few 7 inches records.

The song I wanted to present you today, "Sie Koumgolo", an uplifting melancholic ballad with psychedelic guitars and wild piano parts, is taken from his last LP, recorded in 1979 in Ivory Coast.

Coulibaly Tidiani - Sie Koumgolo

You can also listen to it on my Youtube channel : https://youtu.be/LQXeB6PsIUs

Have a nice week,

Armand

Ali Farka Toure - Radio Mali (Mali, 1976, Sonafric)

Following to this former post, I decided to make you (re)discover one of my favourite Malian artists, Ali Farka Touré, with "Radio Mali", a short but very nice deep desert blues song - Enjoy !

Ali Farka Touré - Radio Mali

You can also listen to it on my Youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYsSq2LNOdQ&t=28s

 

Have a nice week,

Armand

Kojo N'dah and Soundz Connection - Ewule Ma Mbawu La (Ghana, 1981, Kojo N'dah)

This week, I decided to share with you one of my favourite Highlife record from Ghana, very obscure (the record is a private pressing), from Kojo N'dah, an artist who used to live in Ivory Coast and who recorded a few LP.

The track presented here, "Ewule Ma Mbawu La", is an awesome percussive and bouncing dancefloor highlife track, with rhodes keys and synths in Vis-a-Vis Orchestra vein - Enjoy !

Kojo N'dah and Soundz Connection - Ewule Ma Mbawu La

You can also listen to it on my youtube channel here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7NkWNNYIGw&t=144s

Have a nice weekend,

Armand

Atangana Pascal et Les Supers Volcans - Amayang Wom (Cameroun, 197?, Disques Cousin)

Debut album from the Cameroonian musician Atangana Pascal, released at the end of the 70's, personal favourite Bikutsi album, no weak tracks !

Atangana Pascal et Les Supers Volcans - Amayang Wom

Happy Easter,

Armand

Theadora Ifudu - Four In A Tangle (Nigeria, 1980, Theagart Records)

Splendid Afro Soul track to finish this beautiful sunday by the Nigerian Diva Theadora Ifudu - Enjoy !!

Theaodra Ifudu - Four In A Tangle

See you next week,

Armand

Zao - Ancien Combattant (Republic of Congo, 1984, Black Music)

One of the biggest African Anthems by the Congolese Artist Casimir "Zao" Zoba, taken from his first album.

This version is actualy an adaptation from "Petit Imprudent", a song written and composed in 1969 by the guitarist and singer Idrissa Soumaoro, but Idrissa never succeded in his claim.

There is also another cover of this song, recorded in 1973 by the Guinean band Balla Et Ses Balladins.

Zao - Ancien Combattant

 

Best regards,

Guillaume

Ebo Taylor and Uhuru Yenzu - You Need Love (Ghana, 1980, Essiebons)

Instant feel good track by Ebo Taylor, one of the most important and prolific musician, arranger, composer from Ghana.

He relased dozens and dozens of singles and albums with Ghanaian bands and by himself, from the 60's up to now, and is still touring today all over the world and releasing albums and compilations.

This track "You Need Love", is taken from his 5th album, "Conflict Nkru", which is my personnal favourite.

Ebo Taylor and Uhuru Yenzu - You Need Love

 

Have a nice sunday evening,

Armand

The Sweet Talks - Eyi Su Ngaangaa (Ghana, 1976, Philips)

The Sweet Talks were one of the most famous band from Ghana, formed in December 15th 1973 by Jonathan Abraham, proprietor of the Talk Of The Town Hotel in the city of Tema.

They recorded more than fifteen albums, toured all over Africa but also in America (Los Angeles in 1978), where they recorded their biggest selling record, Party Time In Hollywood.

The track presented here, "Eyi Su Ngaanga", an outstanding afrobeat, is taken from their 2nd album from 1976.

The Sweet Talks - Eyi Su Ngaangaa

See you soon,

Armand

Orchestre Super Mazembe - Samba (Kenya, 1982, Virgin)

The Orchestre Super Mazembe was a very popular band in Nairobi (Kenya) in the 80's, as known on the Lingala Kenyan scene as Les Mangelepa and Baba Gaston.

The band was formed in Zaire in 1967 by Mutonkole Longwa Didos, and was called "Super Vox" at the time, but changed its name to Orchestra Super Mazembe when the members moved to Nairobi in 1974.

 The members decided to split in 1985, after more than 5 albums and several singles recorded.

Orchestre Super Mazembe - Samba

 

Have a nice sunday,

Armand

Melome Clement et Le Tout Puissant Poly Rythmo - Zo Tche Kpo Dote (Benin, 1979, Disques Tropiques)

Another wicked track from Benin by the very well known almighty Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, conducted by Melome Clement !

This afro disco track is taken from an album out in 1979 on the SATEL record label to celebrate the 11 years of the band (their first recordings were made in 1968 !), hope you will like it !

Melome Clement et Le Tout Puissant Poly Rythmo - Zo Tche Kpo Dote

Happy New Year, all the best for 2017 !

Armand

Tina - Mulembuami (Gabon, 1976, Pathe Marconi)

Obscure beautiful folk track from Gabon, by a singer who seems to have released only this track, no more infos.. Enjoy !

Tina - Mulembuami

 

Have a nice evening,

Armand

Mamo Lagbema - Raogo (Togo, 197?, Editions Fazao)

Following to that post, I wanted to present you another song from Mamo Lagbema, an artist from Togo who I really like.

"Raogo", the song presented here, is an amazing fusion Afro fusion track with beautiful horns is taken from his second LP - Enjoy !!

Mamo Lagbema - Raogo

See you soon, 

Armand

MBT's - MBT's Sound (Congo, 1970's, MB Sound)

Devastating Afrobeat track from this super obscure band who released only this 7inches on a private record label, I have no info on this band, just that they are apparently from Congo.. But what a track !

M.B.T's - M.B.T.'s Sound

 

Best regards,

Armand

The Lijadu Sisters - Amebo (Nigeria, 1976, Afrodisia)

Originated from Ibadan (Nigeria), Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu are two identical twin sisters who where very prolific from the 1960s to the 1980s in the Nigerian musical scene.

They recorded 5 albums and a few 7 inches, and were also famous in the United States, made several concert there and in Europe and are now living in New York.

I decided to make you discover one track, "Amebo", a slow psych afro rock / reggae track taken from their 2nd LP (my favourite, full of winner tracks !), recorded in 1976 !

The Lijadu Sisters - Amebo

Have a really nice sunday evening,

Armand

African Brothers Band International - Self Reliance (Ghana, 197?, Anopa Nsonoma)

 

African Brothers Band (renamed to African Brothers International Band in 1973) was one of the most profilic band of Ghana, formed in 1963.

The band was led by Nana Kwame Ampadu, and was composed by some great figures of the Ghanaian music, such as Joe Mensah, Paul Sagoe, Kofi Amoah or Eddie Donkor.

The track I want to present to you here is taken from my favourite album of the band, with an amazing cover !

African Brothers Band International - Self Reliance

Regards, 

Armand

CK Mann Big Band - Fa Wakoma Mam (Ghana, 1976 , Essiebons)

C.K. Mann Big Band was one of the most popular and important Ghanaian band at the time, leaded by Charles Kofi Amankwaa Mann, who released many 7 inches and LP's from the 60's to the late 80's.

This album is my favourite, bringing together 4 outstanding talents : Oscar Sulley, Ebo Taylor, Papa Kofi Yankson and C.K. Mann).

I decided to make you discover my favourite track of the band, a melancholic Highlife ballad, "Fa Wakoma Band".

CK Mann Big Band - Fa Wakoma Mam

Have really nice Sunday evening,

Armand

Mary Afi Usuah and the SES Cultural Centre Band - Ima Mma Nyem (Nigeria, 1975, SESCULT)

Mary Affiong - Afi - Usuah is originating from Oron, a town near Calabar, in south east of Nigeria.

Considered as one of Nigeria's best divas, Mary studied Opera in a prestigious music conservatory in Rome the 60's.

She released a few 7 inches there, and came back to Nigeria in the early 70's and continued to play and record music.

The track presented here, "Ima Ma Nyem", is taken from the album she recorded in 1975 with the famous trumpeter Daniel ‘Satch’ Asuquo from the Atomic 8, and with the South Eastern State Cultural Centre Band of Nigeria.

It was produced in very small quantities by the State, and is really, really hard to find in any condition.

Im really, really proud to present you this sublime album, loaded of spitirual Afrobeat and mental Jazz tracks, hope you'll like it !

Mary Afi Usuah and the South Eastern State Cultural Centre Band - Ima Mma Nyem

As a tip to this article, I compiled also one track of her other album from 1978 in one of my former selection here, have a look !

Best regards,

Armand

Mamo Lagbema - Love Music and Dance (Togo, 197?, Mamo Disque)

Mamo Lagbema was a Togolese singer, who released only a few records on his private own label.

The track presented here is one of his hits, a bouncy Afro Disco track, recorded with L'Orchestre BSA !!!

Mamo Lagbema - Love Music and Dance

 

Best regards,

Armand

Afro Train - Ode To Hendrix (Ivory Coast, 1973, Société Ivoirienne du Disque)

 

Afro Train was a studio-composed band, who released only one 7 inches back in 1973 on the famous "Société Ivoirienne du Disque" record label.

The band, reunion of Ivorian and Cameroonian musicians, was composed of :

Vincent N'Guini : Lead Guitar

Jean Ndjoh - Bass

Keith Banvo - Drums

Mohamed C. Cherif - Organ

Greg Skelton - Sax Tenor

Roger Nahum - Sax Alto

Harry Forson - Trumpet

Jean-Claude Kongnon - Tumba

I decided to make you (re)discover the A Side of this beautiful record, a tribute to the American Voodoo Guitarist Jimi Hendrix !

Afro Train - Ode To Hendrix

Sincerely yours,

Armand