ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU The Vodoun Effect: 1972-1975 (Analog Africa) cd 24.00
One of our favorite cuts from the recent African Scream Contest compilation was from the Benin based Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Contonou, a stellar Afro-funk collective that in various line-ups recorded over 500 tracks between 1970-1985. This is part one of a planned two volume release, this one focusing on a prolific string of singles released on various private labels between 1972-1975. As the story goes, the band were signed to a major African label and recorded at a high quality studio (which will be the focus of the second volume), but while the label head was away on business, the band would take matters into their own hands, recording various singles for small independent labels, often at people's homes with only one microphone for the singer and the band in a close semi-circle behind him. The sound quality with such limitations is actually quite amazing and really displays the group's tight -knit musicianship. Like Fela Kuti's legendary band, the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou deal in heavy James Brown inspired Afro-funk, but more centered on guitars and organ than the horn section. This is one of the best and most consistent anthologies of West African music from a single group we've seen in these parts all year! Highest recommendation!
MPEG Stream: "Mi Homlan Dadale"
MPEG Stream: "Mi Ni Non Kpo"
MPEG Stream: "Iya Me Dji Ki Bi Ni"

ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU Volume 3: The Skeletal Essences Of Afro Funk (Analog Africa) cd 24.00
Not sure what to say about this legendary Afrobeat outfit that we haven't already. We first discovered Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou via the amazing African Scream Contest compilation, and ever since, we've become a bit obsessed, playing the first two collections to death! This long in the works THIRD collection, gathers up still more recordings from these aQ faves, culled like the other collections from nearly 500 recordings, the tracks here have never been issued outside of Africa, and like those past installments, display one of the funkiest bands around, recorded mostly for small labels, and often with just one mic in the living room of friends' homes, but the sound, and the songs, so catchy, and groovy and funky, wild funky-drummer drumming, killer horns, whirring organs, emotional vocals, the sound big time beholden to James Brown, and often displaying the Latin music influence on West African music at the time as well. Fuzzed out and funky, most definitely psychedelic, groovy as all get out, infectious and irresistible, any one who dug the first two comps (and/or loved African Scream Contest), this one's a no brainer. So great! And like all Analog Africa releases, gorgeously packaged, the cd in a digipak, with a huge booklet, featuring lyrics to all the songs, tons of photos, the digipak and the book housed in a heavy slipcover!
MPEG Stream: "Ne Rien Voir, Dire, Entendre"
MPEG Stream: "Houzou Houzou"
MPEG Stream: "Adjro Mi"

ORCHESTRE REGIONAL DE KAYES The Best Of The First Biennale Of Arts & Culture For The Young (1970) (Mississippi) lp 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Thus far Mississippi Record's bread and butter has been seriously deep blues and gospel compilations, with the occasional pre-war Hawaiian tune or Balkan folk ensemble. However, with the reissue of Orchestra Regional de Kayes, originally released in 1970, and the sterling soon to be re-pressed Lipa Kodi Ya City Council comp from a few lists ago, Mississippi is finding a bit of flexibility in their catalogue, with no drop in quality whatsoever.
In 1960, after Mali won Independence from France, the government specified that each of the eight regions of Mali be represented by an orchestra comprised of, naturally, their very best musicians. The orchestras convened once a year from 1962-68, and subsequently every other year until the mid-eighties, to determine who was the best. This record documents a portion of the repertoire performed by the Orchestra Regional de Kayes, representing a region in the northwest of Mali bordering Senegal. It is their only recording, and was originally released in the Barenreiter-Musicaphon series. The bulk of the songs are renditions of traditional Mande folk songs, interpreted in the context of Mali's burgeoning modernity. And now, with a bit history under our collective belts we feel more justified in saying casuallyÉ holy shit, this is beautiful.
After a few listens, it comes as no surprise that we are listening to players that were determined most officiously and perhaps ridiculously, to be THE best. Sit with that for a moment... THE BEST. What comes as a surprise, therefore, is how soulful, sensitive and lyrical every performance is. Though technically flawless, the musicians' chops are always employed in service of taste and spirit. The guitars alone are worth the price of admission, and are deployed in a seriously vast and nuanced manner; sometimes darting through the mix with insect-like dexterity, other times languidly careening across the chorus with zen-like patience, and most often threading their way adroitly to a soft spot between rhythm and melody, tradition and innovation, in which the players freedom is found in a limitless palette within and through the manipulation of convention. And in this way, the guitar playing is always very musical, but also lyrical and mimetic, as though the players are talking to you, or hinting at some emotional quantity embedded in the form. And that is just the guitars!
The vocals are also fantastic, with plenty of excellent call and response dynamics between a lead vocalist and a chorus. A few of the tracks feature lead vocalists that spill untamed and urgent phrasings that harken to recent Aq fav Omar Souleyman, and also hint at the kind of rabid flows some of us have come to love in the grime explosion. However, most of the vocals are more soulfully paced, and sometimes a bit mournful and bluesy. Needless to say they are all very moving performances. The vocals are also supported by some gorgeous and syrupy accompaniment from an array of wind instruments, and a terrifically spare but present percussion ensemble. Something particularly exceptional in this collection compared to some of what we've heard in the Ethiopiques series, and more recently with the Nigerian Trilogy on Soundways, is the sense of space and continuity. This is one band, in one room, and as a result there is a sense of atmosphere and spaciousness that makes the record effective. Rather than a survey of style, it is an invitation to inhabit a space that is entirely elegant, and lyrical. It's hard to believe that it has taken this so long to find re-release, so don't miss this limited opportunity to gain a fleeting glimpse into a truly powerful and nascent period in Mali's musical history.

PATTON, CHARLEY Screamin' And Hollerin' The Blues: The Worlds Of Charley Patton (Revenant) 7cd 160.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This is seriously one of the most amazing packages we've ever seen. And lucky for us the music easily lives up to the breathtaking packaging. This is the ultimate Charley Patton collection, finally giving props to the man who was tearing it up when Robert Johnson was still a kiddie. 5 discs of every issued and unissued track by Patton and his sessionmates Son House, Willie Brown, Louise Johnson, Henry 'Son' Sims, Bertha Lee, Delta Big Four, Buddy Boy Hawkins, Edith North Johnson as well as talent scout HC Speir. Disc 6 is Pattons contemporaries: Ma Rainey, Howlin' Wolf, Poor Boy Lofton, Kid Bailey, Walter Rhodes, Rube Lacy, Blind Joe Reynolds, Tommy Johnson, and Pops Staples. Disc 7 is all interviews with Pattons associates: Staples, Wolf, Speir, and Booker Miller. Also included is a 128 page book John Fahey wrote about Patton in 1970, as well as liner notes from Fahey, and a host of blues scholars, lyrics, full size reproductions of 6 original 1929 ads, a full set of 78 record label stickers and tons more. But it's the packaging that'll knock your socks off. A huge green fabric 78rpm-style hardcover (something like 14" x 11") slipcase, complete with a pocket for Fahey's book, and all 7 cds mounted on faux 10"s, in old fashioned 10 inch sleeves, which along with the liner notes are all bound on one side just like old multple set 78s. So unbelievably nice. For those unfamiliar, Patton was one of the founders of Mississippi Delta blues. With a palpable anger just below the surface, Patton combined gruff gravelly vocals, heavy handed guitar style, amazing bottleneck slide, and lyrics made up on the spot, into some of the most important music in our history.
RealAudio clip: CHARLEY PATTON "Pony Blues"
RealAudio clip: CHARLEY PATTON "A Spoonful Blues"
RealAudio clip: CHARLIE PATTON "Down The Dirt Road Blues"
RealAudio clip: SON HOUSE "County Farm Blues"
RealAudio clip: UNKOWN CONVICT "Blues"

PEE PEE DYNAMITE A Groovy Christmas and New Year b/w The Soul of Christmas (Academy / Voodoo Funk) 7" 8.98
Ho ho ho! Just in time for the holidays, the diggers at Academy/Voodoo Funk have unearthed and reissued this rare 7" slab of Christmas cheer, Afrofunk style. Pee Pee Dynamite (what a name!) was an artist from the happenin' mid-'70s music scene in Ghana, and this single was produced by Kwado Donkoh, known to those in the know for his work with the Uhuru Dance Band and the Agoro Records label.
If you pay attention, sure the singer is talking 'bout Christmas and New Years, but unlike a lot of seasonally themed recordings we've heard, this really could be played anytime, the seriously groovy funk shuffle happenin' on the A-side will keep the party goin' right through New Years Eve and long into January... Meanwhile the slower, soulful B-side, truly lives up to the name "The SOUL of Christmas". A neat stocking stuffer for the funk lover in your life. Limited edition as well.

PEKOS / YORO DIALLO s/t (Yaala Yaala) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
First release from Drag City sublabel Yaala Yaala, a new Sublime Frequencies style series of West African musics culled from field recordings, found sounds and tapes purchased at flea markets. And much like Sublime Frequencies, these mostly low fidelity recordings are allowed to remain mysterious, no liner notes, very little information about the artists, just a brief bit of text, mostly about the discovery of the music itself, and one can only assume, no system in place for providing the artists with royalties. A sticky situation for sure, one we can only hope the label will eventually address and make right. In the meantime though, these recordings are so fantastic. Raw and intense, gritty and gorgeous.
Yoro Diallo is from Mali and is a well known singer and here is paired up with Pekos, who plays a guitar-like lute, an instrument whose sound is absolutely mindblowing, a fierce buzzing rhythmic riffing, crunchy and heavy, warm and resonant and so so powerful. Strummed and struck, picked and rubbed, weaving a totally hypnotic groove, on the first track it takes the form of a raw blues jam, the melody looped and repeated mantra like while Diallo, wails over the top, his voice deep and intense, as powerful and raw as the music beneath it. The two trade verses, Pekos offering up a never ending patter, almost scatting, while Diallo swoops in every few measures and destroys, his delivery a super intense almost toasting. The first track has been stuck in the cd player on repeat since we first got this in. All the intensity and emotion of Konono No.1 and the same sort of festive vibe, as well as the same song structure, a looped cyclical jam that could go on forever and ever and oh how we wish it would. The second track is like a slowed down back porch version of the first. The strings weaving a loping laid back backdrop, with simple percussion, and the same vocal interplay, Pekos more subdued, Diallo a gorgeous intense roar.
Besides the first track, the other highlight is probably the track, a sprawling midtempo jam, way in the background, simple metallic rhythms and softly strummed guitars, while over the top, another guitar is pounded in and out of tune, warbling drunkenly, intertwined with the vocals, eventually dropping most of the melody and becoming another percussion instrument, emitting occasional squalls of tangled melody before returning to its motorik pulse, until eventually evolving into an almost James Brown like detuned funk jam, with the crowd watching going wild. So intense and emotional. One of our favorite 'new' recordings, we can hardly wait for the rest of the series...
MPEG Stream: "Untitled 1"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled 3"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled 4"

PHIZMIZ, ERGO The System Of A Down Sessions Vol. 1 (Mukow) cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The return of the truly genius and truly wild and weird Ergo Phizmiz. You may have read about him in the most recent issue of the Wire. Or you may have picked up one of his cd-r's that we listed here in the past, including a disc of interpretations of The The songs. Well, if you dug that one here's another one for you. Tweaked and twisted versions of songs by nu metallers System Of A Down! Fear not, the songs are barely recognizable, in fact a couple of times it made us laugh out loud these "versions" were so bizarre. Jungle rhythms, soaring soundtrack strings, skipping exotica records, creepy holiday music, and bleating trombones are smeared wildly over sliced and diced chunks of the original songs. Sounds like something that would be right at home on Tigerbeat 6 or Violent Turd.
MPEG Stream: "Chop Sue Me"
MPEG Stream: "Fucked Kirkus"

PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS, THE Psycho African Beat (Academy) cd 14.98
Good grief, how rad is this! Another one, where we think, do we really even need to write a review? Authentic African garage groove from the '70s, by a band that was freakin' called THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS! From the same label that brought us the likes of Ofege, and the Lagos Disco Inferno comp. C'mon, what else do you need to know?
This archival release collects everything ever recorded by this Ghanaian band, who put out just 3 super rare records in their day: two 7"s and a 12" ep. Thanks to a several years of dedicated effort by the compiler, Frank "Voodoofunk" Gossner, all those tracks are here (8 of 'em, 23 and a half minutes total), and they are plenty groovy indeed, bursting with lively rhythms, wildly jamming organ, James Brown influenced funkiness, and not just a little bit o' fuzz guitar, especially on the mind-melting "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le" that wraps this up in a throbbingly mesmeric finale. While we can't tell you what that particular title means, there are 3 here in English: "Hijacking", "We're Laughing", and "Extraordinary Woman" which might (or might not) give you a sense of what sorts of things this band was concerned with, lyrically.
We've been lucky lately, so many great reissues from the '70s African rock/funk scene, Ngozi Family, Amanaz, Witch, Tirogo, Sweet Talks, now this! Of course if you're familiar with those, these Aliens won't seem quiet so alien. For instance, if you liked that The World Ends comp, these guys (who weren't on it, as that was all Nigerian acts) woulda fit right in! Due to the rarity of these records, and possibly the name of the band, this is considered by some to be one of those "holy grail" releases, though spoiled as we are already by those other great reissues we are just happy to have even MORE great African '70s garage to groove to.
The compact disc comes in a swank hardcover package, with a 32 page booklet. The regular vinyl lp edition is nice too... and then we have ONE COPY (though we can maybe get more) of the expensive, ultra deluxe 4x7" box set version for those who need such a fetish object in their collection.
MPEG Stream: "We're Laughing"
MPEG Stream: "Gbe Keke Wo Taoo"
MPEG Stream: "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le"

PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS, THE Psycho African Beat (Academy) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Good grief, how rad is this! Another one, where we think, do we really even need to write a review? Authentic African garage groove from the '70s, by a band that was freakin' called THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS! From the same label that brought us the likes of Ofege, and the Lagos Disco Inferno comp. C'mon, what else do you need to know?
This archival release collects everything ever recorded by this Ghanaian band, who put out just 3 super rare records in their day: two 7"s and a 12" ep. Thanks to a several years of dedicated effort by the compiler, Frank "Voodoofunk" Gossner, all those tracks are here (8 of 'em, 23 and a half minutes total), and they are plenty groovy indeed, bursting with lively rhythms, wildly jamming organ, James Brown influenced funkiness, and not just a little bit o' fuzz guitar, especially on the mind-melting "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le" that wraps this up in a throbbingly mesmeric finale. While we can't tell you what that particular title means, there are 3 here in English: "Hijacking", "We're Laughing", and "Extraordinary Woman" which might (or might not) give you a sense of what sorts of things this band was concerned with, lyrically.
We've been lucky lately, so many great reissues from the '70s African rock/funk scene, Ngozi Family, Amanaz, Witch, Tirogo, Sweet Talks, now this! Of course if you're familiar with those, these Aliens won't seem quiet so alien. For instance, if you liked that The World Ends comp, these guys (who weren't on it, as that was all Nigerian acts) woulda fit right in! Due to the rarity of these records, and possibly the name of the band, this is considered by some to be one of those "holy grail" releases, though spoiled as we are already by those other great reissues we are just happy to have even MORE great African '70s garage to groove to.
The compact disc comes in a swank hardcover package, with a 32 page booklet. The regular vinyl lp edition is nice too... and then we have ONE COPY (though we can maybe get more) of the expensive, ultra deluxe 4x7" box set version for those who need such a fetish object in their collection.
MPEG Stream: "We're Laughing"
MPEG Stream: "Gbe Keke Wo Taoo"
MPEG Stream: "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le"

PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS, THE Psycho African Beat (Academy) 4x7" 58.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Good grief, how rad is this! Another one, where we think, do we really even need to write a review? Authentic African garage groove from the '70s, by a band that was freakin' called THE PSYCHEDELIC ALIENS! From the same label that brought us the likes of Ofege, and the Lagos Disco Inferno comp. C'mon, what else do you need to know?
This archival release collects everything ever recorded by this Ghanaian band, who put out just 3 super rare records in their day: two 7"s and a 12" ep. Thanks to a several years of dedicated effort by the compiler, Frank "Voodoofunk" Gossner, all those tracks are here (8 of 'em, 23 and a half minutes total), and they are plenty groovy indeed, bursting with lively rhythms, wildly jamming organ, James Brown influenced funkiness, and not just a little bit o' fuzz guitar, especially on the mind-melting "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le" that wraps this up in a throbbingly mesmeric finale. While we can't tell you what that particular title means, there are 3 here in English: "Hijacking", "We're Laughing", and "Extraordinary Woman" which might (or might not) give you a sense of what sorts of things this band was concerned with, lyrically.
We've been lucky lately, so many great reissues from the '70s African rock/funk scene, Ngozi Family, Amanaz, Witch, Tirogo, Sweet Talks, now this! Of course if you're familiar with those, these Aliens won't seem quiet so alien. For instance, if you liked that The World Ends comp, these guys (who weren't on it, as that was all Nigerian acts) woulda fit right in! Due to the rarity of these records, and possibly the name of the band, this is considered by some to be one of those "holy grail" releases, though spoiled as we are already by those other great reissues we are just happy to have even MORE great African '70s garage to groove to.
The compact disc comes in a swank hardcover package, with a 32 page booklet. The regular vinyl lp edition is nice too... and then we have ONE COPY (though we can maybe get more) of the expensive, ultra deluxe 4x7" box set version for those who need such a fetish object in their collection.
MPEG Stream: "We're Laughing"
MPEG Stream: "Gbe Keke Wo Taoo"
MPEG Stream: "Okponmo Ni Tisitsi Emo Le"

PSYCO ON DA BUS s/t (Platform) cd 16.98
The press release for this record claims that it attempts to "fill the gap between the 70s and the new millenium, blending gospel & soul vocals, Afrobeat rhythms, jazz & funk licks with wicked electronics", but uh... they forgot to confess it's *bad*. This is just limp throwaway material, too fragmented and half-thought-out to warrant a cd release, too spaced out to be funky, too loungey to be anything more than cocktail party background mood music at some yuppie watering hole. Legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen deserves better than that, doesn't he? Granted, the album was made between a tour that Allen, Doctor L, and various other guys embarked upon in 2000, and it was probably hard doing stuff on the bus or in living rooms in between soundchecks. But that's no excuse for releasing this when it sounds so obviously halfbaked (or totally baked, if you know what I mean). Sorry, I'd recommend you pass on this and pick up Tony Allen's recently reissued older albums -- No Accommodation For Lagos / No Discrimination and Jealousy / Progress -- which are certifiably great Afrobeat classics.
RealAudio clip: "Afropusherman"

QUANTIC Addis To Axum - Music, Words & Arrangements Of Ethiopia (Mochilla) cd 14.98
Another great installment in Mochilla's series of global DJ mixes documenting the crate-digging treasures of one DJ's trip to a far off land. The last one we listed was Madlib's killer Speto Da Ruo: Dirty Brasilian Crates Vol. 1 and what that was to Brazilian Popular Music, this one is to Ethiopian music of all varieties from the funky to the folkloric.
Culled from a 2004 trip to Ethiopia with the Soundway label's Miles Cleret, Quantic met Mulatu Astatke and first discussed plans for his first trip to Los Angeles for a legendary 2009 concert performed with a full orchestra and jazz legends Bennie Maupin and The Tribe's Phil Ranelin. Most of the records played on this mix are over 30 years old, and their dusty crackle is often left intact. But don't expect this to be merely an Ethiopiques series rehash. While it starts in familiar ethio-jazz territory it veers seamlessly into traditional chanting, street festivals and performers, exotic cinematic instrumentals and evocative ballads. A near hour long seamless mix of surging energy and warm beauty for hot summer nights!
MPEG Stream: "Excerpt 1"
MPEG Stream: "Excerpt 2"
MPEG Stream: "Excerpt 3"

QUESTION MARK Be Nice To The People (QDK) cd 16.98
Question Mark are indeed obscure... but when you hear 'em it'll be no mystery why we think they're awesome! And, despite some similar garagey allegiances, they're not to be confused with Detroit's ? & The Mysterians from the '60s. This Question Mark is a band from Africa, circa 1974. That's right, yet another one to add to the grand stash of international psych reissue riches being industriously dug up by labels like Shadoks, Soundway, and Now-Again. Yep, we've all been lucky lately, getting reissues of '70s groovy garage fuzz groove monsters from Zambia's "Zam Rock" scene (Rikki Ililonga, Witch, Amanaz, Chrissy Zebby Tembo, Ngozi Family), also from Nigeria (Blo, Ofege, Tirogo) and Ghana too (The Psychedelic Aliens)... Now here's Question Mark, a Nigerian band who recorded this, their sole album, in Kenya. And they totally fit right in with those mentioned. Really, all we should need to say is that, if you like the same label's earlier reissues of Witch and Tirogo and the rest, you'll want Question Mark.
Fuzz guitar, pulsating organ, driving beats, it's irresistible stuff, with that definite African "feel" to the rhythms, though the pleasant vocals are all in English (most of the lyrics are about girls: "Oh My Girl", "Hey Hey Girl", "Mary Anne") and clearly Question Mark's music is indebted to Western influences, especially the softer songs like the sunshiney "Oh My Girl" sounding like they could be off an American Nuggets comp. But don't worry, they never get too "ordinary", there's also plenty of off-kilter psychedelic jamming and warbling organ, indeed they they follow that melodic number with the manic "Freaking Out", which by the way is the song here we realized we'd heard before, maybe you have too, it appeared on Soundway's compilation Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz. And they really couldn't have selected anything more appropriate for a comp of that title! Well, unless they'd picked some of the other tracks from this album...
First time reissued on cd, complete with fat cd booklet packed with informative liner notes - there's an extensive interview about the history of the band with lead vocalist/organist Frank Izuorah and percussionist Uzo Agulefo, both of whom now reside in Texas (one's a family therapist, the other a Professor of Economics), who also offer their commentary on each of the disc's 8 tracks. Wherein we learn that the title track was their attempt at copying Ofege's style...
MPEG Stream: "Have You?"
MPEG Stream: "Be Nice To The People"
MPEG Stream: "Freaking Out"

RAGAB, SALAH AND THE CAIRO JAZZ BAND Presents Egyptian Jazz (Art Yard) cd 23.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
REPRESSED, BACK IN STOCK!
Wow! What an artifact. Here's some Egyptian jazz from the late '60s-early '70s courtesy of of the man who founded the first jazz big band in Egypt and later accompanied Sun Ra on tour in Egypt, Greece, France and Spain. We're pretty sure you must be damn curious by now, so we should tell you that beyond those enticing facts this is some seriously fine jazz played by a band made up of some of the best musicians in Egypt during that era. Five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, drums and percussion all coming together to form a super rich and tasty sound. Incorporating Middle Eastern melodies and mystique into its sound, this is the kind of jazz that's pretty impossible not to fall for. Like the best instrumental Ethiopiques tracks, Sun Ra's big-band era and Randy Weston's multicultural approach to hard bop. Incredibly pleasing!
MPEG Stream: "Dawn"
MPEG Stream: "Oriental Mood"

RAGAB, SALAH AND THE CAIRO JAZZ BAND Presents Egyptian Jazz (Art Yard) lp 25.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Now available on vinyl!
Wow! What an artifact. Here's some Egyptian jazz from the late '60s-early '70s courtesy of of the man who founded the first jazz big band in Egypt and later accompanied Sun Ra on tour in Egypt, Greece, France and Spain. We're pretty sure you must be damn curious by now, so we should tell you that beyond those enticing facts this is some seriously fine jazz played by a band made up of some of the best musicians in Egypt during that era. Five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, drums and percussion all coming together to form a super rich and tasty sound. Incorporating Middle Eastern melodies and mystique into its sound, this is the kind of jazz that's pretty impossible not to fall for. Like the best instrumental Ethiopiques tracks, Sun Ra's big-band era and Randy Weston's multicultural approach to hard bop. Incredibly pleasing!
MPEG Stream: "Dawn"
MPEG Stream: "Oriental Mood"

RAIL BAND Mansa 2 (Sterns) 2cd 19.98

RAIL BAND Soundiata (Syllart) 2cd 17.98

REFAT, MAHMOUD Miramar (100Copies) cd-r 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We like a label that is totally upfront about their intentions, no beating around the bush, a label like 100 Copies, who are simply and succinctly letting us know, that this is in fact, a drastically limited release, and once we run out, we will not be able to get more. So be warned, we tried to order a ton of these, and ended up with a little more than a dozen. So why should you care? Well for the 12 or 13 of you who are quickest on the BUY IT NOW button, the work of Mahmoud Refat is a series of soundscapes crafted from the sounds of daily life in Egypt, conversations, calls to prayer, street musicians, portable power stations, the sounds of children playing, the bustling market, all woven into fuzzy glitchy dronescapes, some dark and lugubrious and barely moving, others skittering and looped sounding, while still others are funky jazzy Autechre-ish jams. Chopped up voices, sampled instruments, soft indistinct drifts of ambient sound, ultra minimal abstract glitch and rumbling cavernous whirs all woven into a gorgeously mesmerizing whole, from the distinct sonic threads of people's lives, halfway around the world.
LIMITED TO 100 COPIES (duh) and we have less than ten...
MPEG Stream: "Wrong Information 1"
MPEG Stream: "Mirimar"

ROB Make It Fast, Make It Slow (Soundway) cd 16.98
Soundway Records strikes again with another groovy reissue, this one from Ghana. (Actually there's two killer new Soundway titles of African extraction that just came out, the other one, by Edzayawa, we plan on reviewing next time.) You might know Rob already from the title track of this record, which appeared on Soundway's great Ghana Soundz compilation a few years back. Apparently they got a lot of requests for a full Rob reissue from folks entranced by "Make It Fast, Make It Slow", so here it is, yay! And it's full of more awesome Afro-funk tunes besides that one from the comp.
This was Rob's 2nd album, originally released in 1977, rare and collectable ever since, this being its first reissue outside of Ghana. Soundway calls the one-named Rob "enigmatic" and says that this record offers up a "stranger, slower" form of Afro-funk than is the norm, and we'd agree. Make It Fast, Make It Slow tends towards the latter half of that title commandment, and is possessed of a unique, odd feel, having a spiritual vibe to it, with Rob providing the sort of spaced out gospel funk preaching on songs like "I've Got To See You Again, Lord" and "He Shall Live In You" that reminds us of some soulful early Parliament/Funkadelic stuff along those lines. His slightly gruff voice is compelling, and stands in nice contrast to the sweet, soft backing chorus. And though while this is not "just" dance music, this IS super funky, with irresistible rhythms and magnificent horns that both groove and warble. When Rob sings "Loose Up Yourself" on the opening track, you will!
Of the many great Afro-funk reissues we've seen lately, this one is a definite standout, up there with Danger by the Lijadu Sisters, ferinstance. Packaged with the usual Soundway care (the cd in mini-lp style sleeve), and the vinyl version comes with download code.
MPEG Stream: "Loose Up Yourself"
MPEG Stream: "Make It Fast, Make It Slow"
MPEG Stream: "I've Got To See You Again, Lord"

ROB Make It Fast, Make It Slow (Soundway) lp 16.98
Soundway Records strikes again with another groovy reissue, this one from Ghana. (Actually there's two killer new Soundway titles of African extraction that just came out, the other one, by Edzayawa, we plan on reviewing next time.) You might know Rob already from the title track of this record, which appeared on Soundway's great Ghana Soundz compilation a few years back. Apparently they got a lot of requests for a full Rob reissue from folks entranced by "Make It Fast, Make It Slow", so here it is, yay! And it's full of more awesome Afro-funk tunes besides that one from the comp.
This was Rob's 2nd album, originally released in 1977, rare and collectable ever since, this being its first reissue outside of Ghana. Soundway calls the one-named Rob "enigmatic" and says that this record offers up a "stranger, slower" form of Afro-funk than is the norm, and we'd agree. Make It Fast, Make It Slow tends towards the latter half of that title commandment, and is possessed of a unique, odd feel, having a spiritual vibe to it, with Rob providing the sort of spaced out gospel funk preaching on songs like "I've Got To See You Again, Lord" and "He Shall Live In You" that reminds us of some soulful early Parliament/Funkadelic stuff along those lines. His slightly gruff voice is compelling, and stands in nice contrast to the sweet, soft backing chorus. And though while this is not "just" dance music, this IS super funky, with irresistible rhythms and magnificent horns that both groove and warble. When Rob sings "Loose Up Yourself" on the opening track, you will!
Of the many great Afro-funk reissues we've seen lately, this one is a definite standout, up there with Danger by the Lijadu Sisters, ferinstance. Packaged with the usual Soundway care (the cd in mini-lp style sleeve), and the vinyl version comes with download code.
MPEG Stream: "Loose Up Yourself"
MPEG Stream: "Make It Fast, Make It Slow"
MPEG Stream: "I've Got To See You Again, Lord"

ROGIE, S.E. The Palm Wine Sounds of... (Workers Playtime) cd 15.98

ROYAL BAND DE THIES Kadior Demb (Teranga Beat) cd 21.00
Another amazing archival release from the Teranga Beat label, who in the past have given us records by Guelewar and Karantamba, both huge hits around here, and we're digging this one just as much. The 1979 debut from this Senegalese nine piece band, whose sound is rhythmic and hypnotic, definitely psychedelic, with dense super hypnotic percussion and a killer horn section, not to mention a bad ass axeman, the songs here are tranced out and groovy, the rhythmic structure reminds us of Konono No1, with that very distinctive staccato start stop groove, right down to the super dramatic multiple drum hit breakdowns that seems to define Konono's sound as much as the amplified thumb pianos. But that's only part of the equation in Royal Band De Thies. The sound energetic and emotional, dark and minor key, a bit of that Ethiopiques vibe going on for sure, but these guys are relentless, their sound like some impossible hybrid of traditional African music, hard bop jazz, and heavy psych rock, with some tracks slipping into more high life style, some into brooding balladry, and others with a little bit of a rocksteady feel, but with many of the tracks culminating in stretched out jams, horns and guitars all tangled up over dense driving grooves. The vocals too, super passionate, lots of call and response back up vocals, but the lead vocals are do dramatic and intense. The recording too, captured live, with just a couple mics, has the sort of energy that made classic jazz records so vital and immediate sounding, as much about the energy and emotion as the music. Just give a listen to the first two samples, it's the band at their most intense and rocking, and while the rest of the record is not nearly so intense, it definitely gives you an idea of the sort of musical ferocity these guys were capable of, and even though much of the record is a bit more laid back, it's all pretty fantastic.
The cd comes housed in a full color slipcase, and both cd and lp include a big booklet packed with liner notes and photos!
MPEG Stream: "Cherie Coco"
MPEG Stream: "Kouye Magana"
MPEG Stream: "Ma Kodou Deguene"
MPEG Stream: "Dagath"

ROYAL BAND DE THIES Kadior Demb (Teranga Beat) lp 29.00
Another amazing archival release from the Teranga Beat label, who in the past have given us records by Guelewar and Karantamba, both huge hits around here, and we're digging this one just as much. The 1979 debut from this Senegalese nine piece band, whose sound is rhythmic and hypnotic, definitely psychedelic, with dense super hypnotic percussion and a killer horn section, not to mention a bad ass axeman, the songs here are tranced out and groovy, the rhythmic structure reminds us of Konono No1, with that very distinctive staccato start stop groove, right down to the super dramatic multiple drum hit breakdowns that seems to define Konono's sound as much as the amplified thumb pianos. But that's only part of the equation in Royal Band De Thies. The sound energetic and emotional, dark and minor key, a bit of that Ethiopiques vibe going on for sure, but these guys are relentless, their sound like some impossible hybrid of traditional African music, hard bop jazz, and heavy psych rock, with some tracks slipping into more high life style, some into brooding balladry, and others with a little bit of a rocksteady feel, but with many of the tracks culminating in stretched out jams, horns and guitars all tangled up over dense driving grooves. The vocals too, super passionate, lots of call and response back up vocals, but the lead vocals are do dramatic and intense. The recording too, captured live, with just a couple mics, has the sort of energy that made classic jazz records so vital and immediate sounding, as much about the energy and emotion as the music. Just give a listen to the first two samples, it's the band at their most intense and rocking, and while the rest of the record is not nearly so intense, it definitely gives you an idea of the sort of musical ferocity these guys were capable of, and even though much of the record is a bit more laid back, it's all pretty fantastic.
The cd comes housed in a full color slipcase, and both cd and lp include a big booklet packed with liner notes and photos!
MPEG Stream: "Cherie Coco"
MPEG Stream: "Kouye Magana"
MPEG Stream: "Ma Kodou Deguene"
MPEG Stream: "Dagath"

SANGARE, OUMOU Seya (Nonesuch) cd 17.98
One of the most treasured voices in Mali's musical landscape, Oumou Sangare has been making rich and rewarding music for over twenty years now. She is really one of those rare examples of someone who is respected and loved so deeply by her neighbors all throughout West Africa, as well as having the good fortune to see her music spread throughout the rest of the world in more recent years, to equal fanfare. Drawing upon the influence of folks like Ali Farka Toure and Youssou D'Nour in her ability to inject so much melody and passion into her songs, and with over forty amazing musicians playing on the record, the sound and instrumentation is beyond lush, and serves as an equally strong force to counter Sangare's beautiful and timeless voice. This is true soul music!
MPEG Stream: "Sukunyali"
MPEG Stream: "Iyo DJeli"
MPEG Stream: "Donso"

SJOB Movement (Academy) cd 13.98

SJOB Movement (Academy) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

SKANDRANI, MUSTAPHA Istikhbars & Improvisations (EM Records) cd 22.00
Another gorgeous discovery courtesy of Japanese reissue label EM, this one from Algerian composer / pianist Mustapha Skandrani, who recorded this record in 1965 in Paris, and raised quite a few eyebrows (in fact, nvoked much scorn and derision) by choosing to perform a handful of traditional Algerian vocal pieces (istikhbars) transcribed for piano, the most European of instruments (hence the derision). But purists of the time be damned, the results are stunning, these solo piano pieces are so lovely, haunting and stately, melodic and lyrical, with Skandrani presenting two versions of each piece, first the modal istikhbar, and then a subtly more fluid and loosely expressive improvisation based on that istikhbar, directly following it, a pattern that continues for the duration of the record, which definitely displays the two seemingly disparate influences, European and Andalusian, interacting and complimenting each other, these variations and interpretations not at all divisive, as the naysayers would have had listeners believe, but instead a bridging of musics and cultures, the liner notes mention this sounding a bit like Glenn Gould, Skandrani's Istikhbars & Improvisations like a modal Goldberg Variations, although we also hear echoes of G.I. Gurdjieff, an Eastern tinged moodiness and sinuous fluidity that also brings to mind Ethiopian pianist Tsegue-Maryam Guebru of Ethiopiques Vol. 21 fame.
So beautiful, and so recommended.
Like all EM releases, gorgeous packaging, with extensive liners notes in both Japanese and English.
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Raml Maya"
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Raml Maya Improvisation"
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Moural"
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Moural Improvisation"
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Sika"
MPEG Stream: "Mode:Sika Improvisation"

SOLANKE, JIMI Storyteller (Eko Star) cd 16.98

SOM IMAGINARIO s/t (Rev-Ola) cd 16.98
Oh how nice! Want to feel the glow of summer's warmth no matter what it feels like outside? Som Imaginario have got the golden rays for all of us to bask in. Brazil, 1970 - and yeah start thinking Os Mutantes and the Tropicalia revolution of sound. While they never got the wide attention that some of their peers would end up receiving, their music was just as dazzling, delightful and adventures as those whose names are now much more known (Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, etc). Som Imaginario were a six piece who initially came together to back up Milton Nascimento for his short lived Brazilian TV show. This, their debut, was never released outside of Brazil until now, and with Os Mutantes launching a reunion tour this spring, the time is ripe for other wonderful sounds from that scene to finally resurface. Equal parts sun soaked pop, fun-freak-out and an underlying irreverent spirit make this one of those reissues that doesn't just sound cool in theory but you actually want to listen to it over and over.
MPEG Stream: "Super-God"
MPEG Stream: "Tema Dos Deuses"

SPIRITUAL SINGERS Ntsamina (Mississippi) lp 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
MISSISSIPPI Alert! MISSISSIPPI Alert! MISSISSIPPI Alert!
Wow! This is unlike any gospel or African music we've heard. The Spiritual Singers were (are?) an evangelical pop group hailing from Brazzaville, that fused Afropop, R&B, garage rock, high off-kilter vocals and epic harmonies into a strange amalgam of groovy far-flung devotionals. Fronted by Berthe Loudi, whose amazing vocal quality borders on the endearingly outsiderish: raw, passionate and high keening at times, almost out of tune but in a way that goes perfectly with the music, tempered by the lovingly angelic quality of the back-up harmonies. The combo features two guitars, bass, organ and some really amazing drumming that kicks up the grooves on the faster numbers and highlights the epic devotional quality on the slower ones. Released in 1980, this is another highly worthwhile entry in the Mississippi catalog. Remember, these are limited!

STAFF BENDA BILILI Tres Tres Fort (Crammed Discs) cd 16.98
What is it about Kinshasa? The capitol city of the Democratic Republic Of The Congo first brought us the mind blowing Konono No.1, who fashioned PA's and amps out of old car parts, and rigged up thumb pianos with home built pick ups, crafting one of the most unique and fascinating and exuberant sounds we had ever heard. Now, also from Kinshasa, comes Staff Benda Bilili, an even more unique musical combo (as if that were even possible). A group of senior paraplegic street musicians, who live in and around the grounds of the zoo, who travel in cool custom built wheelchairs that look more like motorcycles, they sing and play guitar, and are backed up by a young all acoustic rhythm section, featuring a 17 year old prodigy, who plays wild psychedelic leads on a one string 'guitar' made from a tin can. There are pictures in the booklet, it's hard to believe anyone could conjure such amazing sounds from this little bit of scrap and string, but the proof is right here.
The music itself is not as far out as Konono No.1, it has much more of a traditionally folky feel, a distinctly highlife vibe, the vocal harmonies form the core of the sound, lush and laid back, stunningly intricate and gorgeous, the various stringed instruments buzz and twang, simple drumming holds it all together, and the occasional wild tangled squiggly solos on the tin can lute, sounding slippery and super high, the songs build to festive codas, and just as often slip back into something much more contemplative.
Feel good, sunshiney sounds that make you want to dance or drift off, you can almost imagine these guys all parked in their motorcycle wheelchairs, rocking late into the night around the campfire or under the streetlights. But you don't have to imagine, there are a handful of live videos too, so you can watch these guys create these amazing sounds live, sitting on the grass in the park, under the trees, hanging out in after dark lit only by firelight, and seeing that little kid rock out on the tin can lute, WOW. Also includes a really cool trailer, for what could either be a documentary about the band, or it could just be a short film / trailer for the record.
Needless to say, but we will anyway, TOTALLY recommended, especially for anyone who loves Konono No.1!!
MPEG Stream: "Sala Keba"
MPEG Stream: "Moto Moindo"
MPEG Stream: "Staff Benda Bilili"

SWEET TALKS The Kusum Beat (Soundway) cd 15.98
The UK label Soundway pretty much kills it every time, concentrating on reissues and compilations of super groovy stuff from West Africa and Latin America in the '70s, especially wowing us with the material they've dug up from Nigeria and Ghana... that's what we have here, one of two new Soundway reissues on this week's list, both of bands from Ghana, the other being Hedzoleh Sounds, highlighted nearby. Sweet Talks (great name!) knock out six energetic, get up and dance numbers on this 1974 album, their second, originally a hit release for them in their native country, where they were one of the top acts of the day, mixing up Afrobeat, highlife, and Western JB's styled funk in a fresh and exciting manner. This music's always in motion, relentlessly rhythmic, the exuberant, expressive vocals vying with frenetic percussion and tooting horns. Catchy little melodies are also a big part of the Sweet Talks equation, with tasty electric organ licks galore...
Even though it's from a quite different part of Africa, we'd venture that this should appeal to folks into the funkier entries in the Ethiopiques series!
For this facsimile reissue, the compact disc comes packaged in a nice miniature lp style sleeve, and of course the lp format is packaged in a nice regular sized lp sleeve. Another great Soundway release, big thanks to them for performing such a service, since otherwise we'd probably never know about, nor be able to find or afford, the original records by these groups that so very much deserve lasting exposure and a wide audience.
MPEG Stream: "Mampam Sukuruwe"
MPEG Stream: "Sasa Abonsam"

SWEET TALKS The Kusum Beat (Soundway) lp 16.98
The UK label Soundway pretty much kills it every time, concentrating on reissues and compilations of super groovy stuff from West Africa and Latin America in the '70s, especially wowing us with the material they've dug up from Nigeria and Ghana... that's what we have here, one of two new Soundway reissues on this week's list, both of bands from Ghana, the other being Hedzoleh Sounds, highlighted nearby. Sweet Talks (great name!) knock out six energetic, get up and dance numbers on this 1974 album, their second, originally a hit release for them in their native country, where they were one of the top acts of the day, mixing up Afrobeat, highlife, and Western JB's styled funk in a fresh and exciting manner. This music's always in motion, relentlessly rhythmic, the exuberant, expressive vocals vying with frenetic percussion and tooting horns. Catchy little melodies are also a big part of the Sweet Talks equation, with tasty electric organ licks galore...
Even though it's from a quite different part of Africa, we'd venture that this should appeal to folks into the funkier entries in the Ethiopiques series!
For this facsimile reissue, the compact disc comes packaged in a nice miniature lp style sleeve, and of course the lp format is packaged in a nice regular sized lp sleeve. Another great Soundway release, big thanks to them for performing such a service, since otherwise we'd probably never know about, nor be able to find or afford, the original records by these groups that so very much deserve lasting exposure and a wide audience.
MPEG Stream: "Mampam Sukuruwe"
MPEG Stream: "Sasa Abonsam"

T++ Wireless (Honest Jons) 2x12" 22.00
Imagine if you can, some sort of modern electronica dubstep / traditional East African folk music hybrid. Sounds pretty amazing for sure. Definitely kind of difficult to conjure up, but Wireless, the final recording from techno producer T++, has taken these two sonically disparate elements and created something truly spellbinding.
T++ is just one of the many pseudonyms producer Torsten Profrock has used over the years, loosely affiliated with the Skull Disco collective, exploring various permutations of dub and techno, but this is the first we've heard from him in any guise, and we have to say it's pretty killer.
Combining super skeletal skittery beats with archival recordings from EMI's archive of historical music (the same one Honest Jon's as has been working through to compile its various reissues), Profrock takes various recordings of vocals and ndingidi (a one string fiddle like instrument) from old 78s and chops and cuts and reassembles and reinterprets, creating a super haunting minimal abstract techno that is ghostly and otherworldly but also very human and organic sounding. "Cropped" loops a simple 2 step rhythm around a gorgeous hummed melody, a refrain that gives the listener chills every time, while beneath the beat, various bits of buzz and shimmer, and fragments of melody drift and swirl. "Anyi" starts out thick and squelchy, only to splinter into some super abstract dub, peppered with shards of hiss and fuzz. Soft swells of intense vocalizing and mournful minor key melody undulate just below the surface, along side thick streaks of buzzy bass. "Voices No Bodies" is another stretch of skeletal skitter, wreathed in woozy spectral loops, the African elements barely audible beneath the hypnotic clipped shuffle. And finally "Dig", which is the most traditionally 'dubstep' sounding of the bunch, with bigger beats, and that lurching two step stutter, laced again with mysterious fragmented voices, bits of buzz, clouds of soft focus effects, all woven into a gorgeously rhythmic and hypnotic whole.

T.P. ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO The Kings Of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80 (Sound Way) 2lp 21.00

TABOU COMBO Respect... (Secret Stash) lp 17.98

TAMIKREST Toumastin (Glitterhouse) lp 29.00

TARTIT Abacabok (Crammed Discs) cd 16.98
There is no doubt that we have a big soft spot for so much of the music that comes out of West Africa and Mali in particular, so we were not sure how we missed the first album from this great Mali outfit called Tartit, but we are more then pleased to jump on their fan wagon with their new outing Abacabok. Recorded in the northern Mali desert by Congotronics producer Vincent Kenis, this is a record that keeps you captivated from start to finish. Call and response vocals, handclaps and percussion creating the perfect back-beat, three-string lute and one string fiddle, a few moments of electric guitar. It all comes together to form a record that feels so coherent, hypnotic and grounded to the salt of the earth. Fans of Tinariwen and Ali Farka Toure will be thrilled to hear this record. And just about everyone here at AQ has caught the Tartit fever with a fury! This is really great!
MPEG Stream: "Eha Ehenia"
MPEG Stream: "Tihou Beyatene"

TEMBO, CHRISSY ZEBBY & NGOZI FAMILY My Ancestors (Hummingbird) cd 24.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
We've been getting all riled up over some hot Afro-rock releases lately, first from those killer Nigerian comps put out by the Strut and Soundway labels and then The Peace's Black Power reissue. But the lo-fi fuzz that's really rocking our world is this gem from Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi family, 1974's My Ancestors. Though included on the Love Peace and Poetry African psych compilation, Chrissy Zebby Tembo may not be so memorable from that because their track was the one instrumental track from My Ancestors, and though it's great, it's not as good as the tracks where Tembo sings. Like an odd hybrid of Malcolm Mooney from Can and Sabbath-era Ozzy Osbourne, Tembo's English delivery over these fuzzed-out groovers is the reason to take notice. Hailing from Zambia, same as The Peace and The Witch (another Afro-rock group we'd like to see get more affordably reissued), Tembo wails over these rhythmically charged but largely western-style rock structures. The best being the Sabbath gone to South Africa "Trouble Maker". In constant rotation, since this first arrived a few weeks ago, we've finally managed to get enough to share with our customers. Don't hesitate, this whole record kills!
MPEG Stream: "My Ancestors"
MPEG Stream: "Trouble Maker"
MPEG Stream: "Feeling Good"

TEMBO, CHRISSY ZEBBY & NGOZI FAMILY My Ancestors (QDK Media / Normal ) cd 16.98
About five years ago we freaked out over a cd reissue of this '70s Afro-fuzz album, one of the first we'd heard in the "Zam-Rock" genre now replete with so many great reissues. It's just been reissued again on cd, by a different label, and, best of all, at a much nicer price than before. Here's mostly what we said the first time if you missed it then:
We've been getting all riled up over some hot Afro-rock releases lately, first from those killer Nigerian comps put out by the Strut and Soundway labels and then The Peace's Black Power reissue. But the lo-fi fuzz that's really rocking our world is this gem from Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi family, 1974's My Ancestors. Though included on the Love Peace and Poetry African psych compilation, Chrissy Zebby Tembo might not have stood out so much on that 'cause their track was the one instrumental track from My Ancestors, and though it's great, it's not as good as the tracks here where Tembo sings. Like an odd hybrid of Malcolm Mooney from Can and Sabbath-era Ozzy Osbourne, Tembo's English delivery over these fuzzed-out groovers is the reason to take notice. Hailing from Zambia, same as The Peace and The Witch [whom we've recently raved about, repeatedly], Tembo wails over these rhythmically charged but largely Western-style rock structures. The best being the Sabbath gone to South Africa "Trouble Maker", some proto-metal action there for sure. In constant rotation ever since it came in. Don't hesitate, this whole record kills!
Definitely recommended for fans of The Witch, Ngozi Family's 45,000 Volts, Rikki Ililonga, and others in the Zam-Rock realm, not to mention fuzzed out garage in general.
MPEG Stream: "My Ancestors"
MPEG Stream: "Trouble Maker"
MPEG Stream: "Feeling Good"

TEMBO, CHRISSY ZEBBY & NGOZI FAMILY My Ancestors (Hummingbird) lp 30.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL!!! Good thing too, since the cd reissue is now out of print. Our review of it follows...
We've been getting all riled up over some hot Afro-rock releases lately, first from those killer Nigerian comps put out by the Strut and Soundway labels and then The Peace's Black Power reissue. But the lo-fi fuzz that's really rocking our world is this gem from Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi family, 1974's My Ancestors. Though included on the Love Peace and Poetry African psych compilation, Chrissy Zebby Tembo may not be so memorable from that because their track was the one instrumental track from My Ancestors, and though it's great, it's not as good as the tracks where Tembo sings. Like an odd hybrid of Malcolm Mooney from Can and Sabbath-era Ozzy Osbourne, Tembo's English delivery over these fuzzed-out groovers is the reason to take notice. Hailing from Zambia, same as The Peace and The Witch (another Afro-rock group we'd like to see get more affordably reissued), Tembo wails over these rhythmically charged but largely western-style rock structures. The best being the Sabbath gone to South Africa "Trouble Maker". In constant rotation, since this first arrived a few weeks ago, we've finally managed to get enough to share with our customers. Don't hesitate, this whole record kills!
MPEG Stream: "My Ancestors"
MPEG Stream: "Trouble Maker"
MPEG Stream: "Feeling Good"

TERAKAFT Akh Issudar (World Village) cd 21.00

MPEG Stream: "Akh Issudar"
MPEG Stream: "Soubhanallah"

THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN s/t (Virgin) cd 13.98
Damon Albarn has quietly emerged from the shadows of 90's MTV fame with Blur's hit (No. 2 Song) to become one of the more interesting musical figures in the more mainstream realms of modern rock. From his travels to Africa that resulted in the great Mali Music album, his collaborative efforts in The Gorillaz, and even the last Blur record, Think Tank which was pretty much a solo endeavor and contained some really smart and somewhat somber pop songs. He's also been running a great record label Honest Jons who have released some amazing records old and new from the likes of Moondog, Candi Staton, Tony Allen, Las Malas Amistades, etc. The Good The Bad & The Queen is his latest project and he's assembled quite the all-star cast including Clash bassist Paul Simonon and legendary drummer (of Fela Kuti fame), Tony Allen, with production duties handled by Danger Mouse. Together they've created a really nice album of subdued pop songs with layers of warmth and an expansive and moody disposition. At times it even made us think of a more polished version of Three Mile Pilot's Another Desert Another Sea, and this for sure should appeal to fans of Pinback and Radiohead. This keeps growing on us listen after listen, revealing something more each time. For sure one of our favorite major label records in quite a while.
MPEG Stream: "Kingdom Of Doom"
MPEG Stream: "Behind The Sun"

TINARIWEN Amassakoul (Harmonia Mundi) cd 21.00
About time we listed this, people have been raving about this North African band for a while, and this new domestic cd came out last fall...we've been selling 'em pretty steadily but our review slipped thru the cracks until now. So here's the lowdown if you haven't yet heard about these folks. The members of Tinariwen are Tuareg, nomadic people from the borderlands of Libya, Algeria and Tunesia. Formed in 1982, the group can probably boast the most interesting circumstances under which they met: in a rebel training camp of Colonel Ghadaffi's while fighting in an insurgency against the Malian government! So it may or may not seem odd that the most distinctive sound they share with another is the lilting electric guitar of Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure. After 22 years Tinariwen have fused shades of Taureg music with Bo Diddley like rhythms and traditional instruments with electric bass, guitar and drums. Andee thinks the rhythm they keep returning to throughout the album sounds a lot like 50 Cent's "In The Club"!
MPEG Stream: "Amassakoul 'N' Tenere"
MPEG Stream: "Aldhechen Manin"

TINARIWEN Imidiwan: Companions (Independiente) lp 22.00
Now available on vinyl!
While the origins and history of this Tuareg nomadic group are so interesting and epic, these days what truly stands out is the amazing records they make. Their last outing Aman Iman, was a bigtime AQ favorite and this follow up does not disappoint.
On each release, Tinariwen tend to ease into their sound with more flow and a tranquil intensity that's very hard to achieve, yet it comes to them so naturally. Their guitars, vocals, hand claps, and percussion all come together to create such a hypnotizing intensely moving musical experience. For sure following blueprints laid down by the late great Ali Farka Toure but truly finding their own voice and signature sound that rings with so much soul and such undeniable authenticity. Tinariwen are one of the few African bands who have managed to slightly cross over into a larger following without losing one ounce of their integrity or musical vision. They truly have crafted a sound that's instantaneously recognizable as their own and it's so awesome that we've begun to hear their influence on lots of American indie bands like Brightblack Morning Light, The Drift, OM, and Wooden Shjips. The album closes with "Desert Wind" which really captures the desolate feeling of sand blowing across the desert sky, a track that most drone acts would kill to call their own. Once again Tinariwen has made a record that we're sure will stand the test of time.
MPEG Stream: "Tahult In"
MPEG Stream: "Lulla"
MPEG Stream: "Kel Tamashek"

TINARIWEN Imidiwan: Companions (World Village / Harmonia Mundi) cd + dvd 21.00
While the origins and history of this Tuareg nomadic group are so interesting and epic, these days what truly stands out is the amazing records they make. Their last outing Aman Iman, was a bigtime AQ favorite and this follow up does not disappoint.
On each release, Tinariwen tend to ease into their sound with more flow and a tranquil intensity that's very hard to achieve, yet it comes to them so naturally. Their guitars, vocals, hand claps, and percussion all come together to create such a hypnotizing intensely moving musical experience. For sure following blueprints laid down by the late great Ali Farka Toure but truly finding their own voice and signature sound that rings with so much soul and such undeniable authenticity. Tinariwen are one of the few African bands who have managed to slightly cross over into a larger following without losing one ounce of their integrity or musical vision. They truly have crafted a sound that's instantaneously recognizable as their own and it's so awesome that we've begun to hear their influence on lots of American indie bands like Brightblack Morning Light, The Drift, OM, and Wooden Shjips. The album closes with "Desert Wind" which really captures the desolate feeling of sand blowing across the desert sky, a track that most drone acts would kill to call their own. Once again Tinariwen has made a record that we're sure will stand the test of time. Oh, and this also comes with a rad documentary film about the group on an all regions dvd.
MPEG Stream: "Tahult In"
MPEG Stream: "Lulla"
MPEG Stream: "Kel Tamashek"

TINARIWEN Tassili + 10:1 (Anti) cd 15.98
Tinariwen have proven to be one of the most dependable and consistently awesome bands on the planet. Each of their records are filled with such soulful desert blues. it was just a matter of time before their sounds began to reach a wider audience, without the group compromising one ounce of their musical integrity. On their debut outing for Anti, they continue to do what they do best. Meditative guitar playing, sweeping rhythms, hypnotic vocals, moments of chant and response, and an overall vibe that that keeps us under its spell from start to finish.
While this album marks the first time big name Western artists have joined them in collaboration, do not fear, if there wasn't a big sticker on the cover telling us this features members of TV On The Radio and The Dirty Brass Band, along with AQ fave guitarist Nels Cline (of Wilco), we really would have never known. That speaks so highly to the amount of respect Tinariwen has received from so many of today's musical finest, as these folks know and respect Tinariwen's sound and vision so much that they just add subtle touches that flow with their sound, instead of trying to inject their own ideas into the sound.
There is more of an acoustic , sparse and dusty feel to Tassili + 10:1 than their earlier records. Yet it keeps intact all the great elements that made us fall in love with them from the beginning. Another awesome outing from an incredible band!
MPEG Stream: "Imidiwan Ma Tennam"
MPEG Stream: "Tenidagh Hegh Djeredjere"
MPEG Stream: "Tenere Taqqim Tossam"
MPEG Stream: "Walla Illa"

TIROGO Float (QDK / Normal) cd 16.98
Two new reissues of badass obscure African '70s garage fuzz rock on this list, hot damn! One from Witch (whose album Lazy Bones!! we were already big fans of) and this record from Nigeria's Tirogo, one of the bands who appeared on that rad Lagos Disco Inferno comp. Tirogo were labelmates with the band Blo, and ought to appeal to folks into Blo, Ofege, Sjob, and others from the Nigerian scene, as well as "Zam Rockers" like Witch, Amanaz, and the Ngozi Family from down in Zambia. Originally released in 1977, Tirogo's Float, their debut, is a stoned masterpiece of psychedelic garage groove with authentic African vibes. Seriously, at this point, can't we just say, if you like those others, you'll like this? 'Cause you will. Stinging fuzz guitar leads swirl and sizzle over seriously funky, energetic rhythms, as the vocalists chant about girls and the devil... yeah! The sort of thing that when you're listening to it, you can't help but think, "this is the best shit ever!"... and it's kinda true!!
Dunno how many more records like this they can dig up, it's hard to imagine, but we're grateful for what's been reissued thus far, winners like Tirogo and Witch, wow. And they do it right, the cd booklet includes an extensive, interesting interview with original Tirogo lead vocalist and bassist Wilfred Ekanem, conducted by African music collector and Now-Again head honcho Egon, who coordinated these reissues.
MPEG Stream: "Devil's Gonna Get You"
MPEG Stream: "Ajufo"

TOUMAST Ishumar (Real World / Ryko) cd 16.98
We are huge fans of Tinariwen, that amazing ensemble out of the Saharan desert who so effortlessly integrate electric guitars into their West African hypnotic blues. So we were super excited to check out Toumast when we learned that its leader, Ag Keyna, was not only once a freedom fighter in North Africa but also spent time as a member of Tinariwen. It's no surprise that musically this shares a lot in common with Tinariwen, which is not a bad thing at all! From impassioned foot stompers to entrancing and spacious songs full of soul, the music of Toumast is rich with a survival spirit that one can hear and latch onto even when you don't understand the language.
Keyna was severely wounded by military fire in the early '90s, and was airlifted out of Africa to France for medical care. He began to channel his fighting spirit into music making with the aid of his niece who is a great percussionist, along with the amazing vocal styling of Aminatou Goumar. And thus Toumast was born.
The songs on Ishumar all catch such tasty grooves and make for a listen that is both immediately satisfying and constantly growing on us with each repeated listen. So good!
MPEG Stream: "Ikalane Walegh"
MPEG Stream: "Maraou Oran"

TOURE, ALI FARKA & TOUMANI DIABATE Ali And Toumani (World Circut / Nonesuch) cd 17.98
What a moving set of songs! Ali Farka Toure recorded this record shortly before he passed away, along with the immensely talented and soulful kora master Toumani Diabate. There is a mournful and graceful feeling to this record for sure, Ali Farka knew he was near the end of his life and these songs are filled with such patient, beautiful, and trance inducing sounds. Toure's classic guitar stylings touch on such tender and raw emotions while Diabate adds a warm bed of sound to flesh it all out, yet there is a stark and stripped down approach to these songs that really makes them that much more powerful. With such intricate, delicate and purposeful playing, along with Toure's emotional presence felt so strongly throughout the record, you are reminded what true blues really sounds like. Diabate has the special gift of being capable of making music that is totally therapuetic and healing and soothing, and that matched with Toure laying down his last songs to tape, makes this such a moving, entrancing and completely beautiful album. Highly recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Ruby"
MPEG Stream: "Sabu Yerkoy"
MPEG Stream: "Samba Geladio"