Ziskakan - Ral Si Ton Koukoune (1981, La Reunion, Editions Reunion Ocean Indien)

Let's travel to the Reunion Island, with a song from Ziskakan, a band founded in 1979 by Gilbert Pounia.

This very prolific band has released several album through the years, and is still touring today.

I decided to make you discover "Ral Si Ton Koukoune", a track taken from the first album of the band.

Ziskakan - Ral Si Ton Koukoune

See you,

Armand

Ahmed Malek - Hassan Terro (Algeria, 1978, Ministere de l'Information et de la Culture Algérienne)

 

Ahmed Malek, born in 1931 in Bordj El Kiffan (Algeria) was one of the most prolific Algerian musician and movie score composer.

He composed soundtracks for a dozen and dozen of movies (Les Vacances de l'Inspecteur Tahar, Omar Gatlato, Aziza..), of TV shows and documentaries.

He died in 2008 in Bordj El Kiffan.

I decided to make you discover one of my favourite tracks from him, composed in 1967 for the movie "Hassan Terro", directed by the film maker Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina.

You'll understand why Ahmed Malek was nicknammed "The Algerian Ennio Morricone" !

Ahmed Maled - Hassen Terro

This excellent compilation was recorded at Studios de la Radiodiffusion Télévision Algérienne.

As a big bonus, here is another track of this compilation !

Ahmed Malek - Mystery Track

Best regards,

Armand

This article is for you, Allaoua

Dan Ian and his Spades - She's A Monarch (Nigeria, 1976, Go Gay Records)

 

Happy New Year to everyone !!! Wish you the best !!

It's been a long time without any articles but, now, I'm back for your ears only !

Let's begin this new year with a Nigerian living legend, Dan Ian !

Born in the village of Umuezeawala in the early 50's, Dan Ian Mbaezue is a guitarist and a singer, who began his musical career in the early 60's.

He played in many well known Nigerian bands, such as The Wings, Wrinkar Experience and with other big names (Sonny Okosun..).

He recorded many singles, and a few albums through the 70's and 3 LP's with his own band, Dan Ian Spades.

He still lives today in his village.

I decided to make you discover "She's a Monarch", one of the songs taken from of his third album, accompanied by The Friimen Musik Coy, a very cool Afro Rock track !! 

Dan Ian and his Spades - She's A Monarch

Best regards,

Armand

Milestone - Mighty Man (Dominica, 1975, Disques Debs)

 

Soulful funky track from this well known band originated from Dominica, a small island in the French Antilles.

Milestone - Mighty Man

Sincerely yours, 

Armand

Voices Of Darkness - Bonjour cherie (Nigeria, 1974, Decca)

 

Picture courtesy of Voodoofunk / Superfly

The "Voices of Darkness" was a band created in the early 70's in Douala, Cameroon, and composed of 6 Nigerian and Cameroonian musicians :

Joe Brown (the leader of the band) on the Organ, Lead Guitar, Vocals, Rhythm Guitar 

Cel Anderson on the Bass and Vocals

Emmanuel Ovo on the trumpet and Congas

Paul Mony on the Drums

Emmanuel Ebot on Congas, Timbals and Vocals

Dennise Kenneth on the Percussions and Alto Saxophone

"Bonjour Chérie" (Hello Darling) the track presented here is taken from their one and only LP, recorded in 1974 in Nigeria.

This album never had a properly release, it was mispressed in France with an Ebenezer Obey LP (check the picture of my personal copy at the end of this article), on DECCA, the French divisionary of the Afrodisia label, and never had a cover..

Beautiful Afro Soul Ballad, this track relates a phone conversation between a man (Cel, the bassist of the band) and his ex-girlfriend, who raised alone their child - Enjoy !

Voices of Darkness - Bonjour Cherie

Best regards,

Armand

Fadoul et Les Privilèges - Leilet Al Jadba (Morocco, 197?, Disque Fan El Hayat)

 

Known as the Moroccon "James Brown", Fadoul was a very famous singer back in the early 1970's, native of Casablanca.

With his band "Les Privilèges", he recorded 4 at least (as far as I know..) 7 inches, and gave a few live shows in his country.

Fadoul died in 1991.

Fadoul et Les Privilèges - Leilet Al Jadba

Fadoul et Les Privilèges in concert, courtesy of Habibi Funk Records

Sincerely yours,

Armand

Idrissa Soumaoro et l'eclipse de l'I.J.A - Nissodia (Mali, 1978, Eterna)

Legendary Malian record out in 1978 on ETERNA, a German based label from Idrissa Soumaoro and a German association, "L'Eclipse de l'Institut des Jeunes Aveugles" (Blind teenagers institute).

This record was produced at the time by the German association that took care of blind Malian teenagers in Bamako, and it was never properly released commercially.

This is the first record on which were revealed three future huge names of the Malian music : Idrissa Soumaoro, Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia (who got married together later, but that's another story..).

Idrissa Soumaoro et l'Eclipse de l'I.J.A - Nissodia

All the best, 

Armand

Pat Thomas and Marijata - I Need More (Ghana, 1977, Gapophone)

Born in 1951 in Agona (Ashanti region of Ghana), Pat Thomas is, with Ebo Taylor (an old friend of him, who plays guitar on the track presented here), one the greatest figures of the Ghanaian music.

Immersed in the musical scene since his childhood, Pat Thomas has recorded more than 20 albums, dozens and dozens of singles, and has played with many bands through the years, from Highlife to Afrobeat : The Blue Monks, The Satellites, The Sweet Beans (his own band), Marijata..

Pat Thomas - who lives in Ghana today - is, like Ebo Taylor, still playing and recording nowadays, and is regularly on tour.

The track presented here, "I Need More", is taken from his last album on the Gapophone music label (one of the best record label from Ghana) and was recorded at the time by Kayode Salami and Monday Oki, the two mythical recording engineers of the EMI NIGERIA Studio based in Lagos.

Pat Thomas and Marijata - I Need More

Enjoy,

Armand

Sory Bamba du Mali - Kanaga 78 (Mali, 1979, Sonafric)

 

Hi dear readers !

Malian Mood today, with a song taken from the 3rd album by the singer Sory Bamba, who belongs to the Dogon ethnic group (Souh-East Mali, near the town of Bandiagara).

Sory Bamba released several single albums, and used to played also with great Malian bands such as "L'Orchestre Kanaga de Mopti" or "L'Orchestre Regional de Mopti".

This really hard to fin album, out on 1979 on the Sonafric label, contains 6 great tracks, and "Kanaga 78", the track I want to make you discover today is one of those.

A crossover of Disco, Traditionnal Malian music and furious psychedelic groove, close your eyes, you're in the Malian desert..

Sory Bamba du Mali - Kanaga 78

See you soon,

Armand

New Selection - Nigeria Soul Sisters (Feat Mary Afi Usuah, Christiana Essien, Theadora Ifudu..)

Hi dear readers,

After a long time of searching, selecting, mixin and editing, I'm very proud to present you my new compilation !

Here are the best mental cuts of the best four (for me) Nigerian divas :

- Christiana "Christy" Essien

- Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu, the twins Lijadu sisters

- Theadora Ifudu

- Mary Afi Usuah 

 Please listen this selection until the end to really enjoy this mix - Hope you'll like it !!

Armand de Preseau - Nigeria Soul Sisters

You can download this new selection right here (as usual, right clic, "save as").

The next Selection will be Ghanaian or Arabic !

Sincerely yours,

Armand

Harry Mwale Experience - Don't Feel Shy (Zambia, 1976, Mwale Records)

Hi Folks !

Zambian mood tonight, with a quiet soul ballad from Harry Mwale, an obscure artist of the Zamrock scene back in the 70's in Zambia.

Perfect for a Sunday evening, I decided to present you "Don't Feel Shy" from Harry Mwale, backed with his band "Osaye", taken from his one and only album.

Harry Mwale Experience - Don't Feel Shy

Hope you liked it,

Armand

This article is dedicated to my beloved Soum

Shadow - Dat Soca Boat (Trinidad ad Tobago, 1979, Kalinda)

 

Hi everyone !

Tonight we travel to the Caribbean, with Mighty Shadow, a very prolific Calypsonian singer from Trinidad and Tobago, that released several albums from the 70's until now.

The song I present you here is a calypso / funk tropical classic track, taken from a LP out in 1979, on the great Kalinda record label - Enjoy !

Shadow - Dat Soca Boat

Sincerely yours,

Armand

Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band - Egypt Strut (Egypt, 1968 to 1973, Sphinx Productions)

Hi dear readers !

For this post we go to the mystical Egypt, with a very famous band back in the 1970's, Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band !

All the songs of this recently pressed compilation were recorded in Heliopolis Egypt between 1968 and 1973.

Close your eyes, you're on the Nile, hearing the songs of the Pyramids..

Salah Ragab and the Cairo Jazz Band - Egypt Strut

I've already talked of this band in this earlier post, with a slightly different version of the song I present you here.

Take care, see you soon,

Armand

Rax Saba Tha Inc - Seventh Combination (Ghana, 1977, Awoko records)

 

Hello,

This time we move to Ghana, with a very unique and hard to find record from "Rax Saba Tha Inc" band, out in 1977 on the Awoko record label (All the LP's I have on this label are great !).

I decided to make you discover "Seventh Combination", a slow spiritual afrobeat track, hope you'll like it !

Rax Saba Tha Inc - Seventh Combination

All the best,

Armand

Eskill et Vicky feat Le Tout Puissant Orchestre de Cotonou - Ecoute Ma Melodie (Benin, 1980, Omo Sun)

Hi dear readers !

A rainy sunday, perfect for the track of the week : "Ecoute Ma Melodie" (hear my melody), a Beninese afrobeat track about love, from 1980, sung by Eskill and Vicky, backed by the famous Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou !

Eskill et Vicky feat Le Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou - Ecoute Ma Melodie

 

Have a nice week-end,

Armand

Orchestre Les As du Benin feat Roger Damawuzan - Tropicana Souvenir (Benin, 1973, Philips West-African Records)

Hi !

Today let's hear a nice Afrobeat track taken from the first LP by L'Orchestre Les As du Bénin : Tropicana Souvenir.

Les As du Benin was a band that used to play at the Tropicana hotel, in Lome, Togo, and the band was composed by 7 musicians :

- Beaudouin Amegee on the lead guitar & vocals

- Georges Mensanh on the bass

- Kponton Venance on the second guitar

- Leon Awoumey on the Drums

- Celestin Eklou on the Organ & vocals

- Lucien Ayite on the Congas

- Roger Damawuzan on the Congas and vocals

You would notice that the last one, Roger (he will change his name later for Dama, because of politics), became later one of the most famous Togolese musicians (but this is another history..).

Orchestre Les As du Benin - Babaa Na Ayele

Have a good sunday,

Armand

Freedom Family - Africa My Fathers Land

 

Happy New Year my dear reader reader !!!

To begin this new new year 2015, here is a little track taken from the second LP from the "Freedom Family" Band, a Nigerian Disco Funk group based in Lagos back from the 70's.

Their First LP, "Ayentsoo", was recorded in 1974 and has been reissued, you can find it easily at your favourite record store.

I decided to make you discover a track taken from their second LP, more obscure, out in 1979.

Hope you'll like it !

Freedom Family - Africa My Fathers Land

Sincerely yours, all the best for 2015,

Armand

Francis The Great Mbarga - Ravissante Baby (Cameroonese Afro Disco Fusion)

Hi Everyone !

This week I decided to make a very special article on a Cameroonese artist, Francis "The Great" Mbarga, who released two Afro Disco records in 1977 ("Ravissante Baby") and in 1978 ("Crazy Tube"), at the age of 7.

Those two records were released on his father's label, "Cinafric Contacts", when the Mbarga family lived in Paris (France).

I decided to make you (re)discover one song taken from his first record, "Look Up In The Sky", an epic 13 minutes long afro disco track sung in English and French by the Mbarga kid, with some pychedelic synth moments - Enjoy !!

Francis The Great - Look Up In The Sky

 

Also, I had the greeeat chance to meet Mr. Mbarga ! So, as a BIG Bonus, here is the 45min long interview (sorry, it's in French..) I had with this great, interesting, nice, funny, natural and sincere man.

Thanks for all !!

Armand

Clement Melome et l'Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou - Nous Avons Gagné

Hi !

Today we stay in the beautiful country of Benin, with a veeeery well known band, l'Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, with a slow Afro rock track, "Nous avons gagné" ("we won"), out on the "Polydisco" label (actually the shop werecame out exclusively the records of the band at the time).

Not  a common track track but one of my favorite, because it's not "another jerk thing", its a track about love and evil..

Clement Melome et l'Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou - Nous Avons Gagné

Have a good sunday, take care of you,

Armand

Vikings Martinique - Nidia

Hi everyone, hope your week was good !

To finish it, here comes "Nidia", an amazing psychedelic cadence taken from an obscure record by "Les Vikings Martinique".

Les Vikings Martinique - Nidia

Truly yours,

Armand.