One of 26 tracks available on the <a href="http://georiot.co/3TgR">Strut Africa</a> sampler on iTunes.

Taken from the album <i>Inspiration Information</i> by Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics, "Esketa Dance" is one of the songs included on our Strut Africa collection, which also features music from legends including Ebo Taylor, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Tony Allen, and more. 

For a limited time, the original albums on which these songs appear are also available for at a special discounted rate. Happy holidays from the Strut crew!

More from Strut:
<a href="http://www.strut-records.com">Home Page</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Strut-Records/20359830443">Facebook</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/strutrecords">YouTube</a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/strutrecords">Twitter</a>

Inspiration Information 3

Dewel

Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics - Esketa Dance (Strut Africa)

Ibo Combo - Mateau

TERANGA BEAT proudly presents the ROYAL BAND de THIÈS in their first ever and entirely unreleased 1979 recording. Singers and composers JAMES GADIAGA & SECKA will guide you through the sweet melodies, wicked rhythms and vocal traditions of Senegalese music, in a fabulous performance that combines MBALAX with AFRO-JAZZ.

While many bands in the world claimed the title of “Pacesetters” none can stand next to ROYAL BAND de THIÈS. The 9-member band with its dynamite percussion and horn sections will twist you like tornado! Tracks like "HOMMAGE À MBAYE FALL" will take you on a musical journey to the cultural crossroads of Senegal, West Africa’s meeting point of European, Latin American and African musical traditions. This real-time, two-microphone recording gives the impression that the group is playing live in front of you, making it hard to believe it dates back 33 years ago!

The liner notes of the double gatefold LP and CD booklet include more interesting details, outlining JAMES's & SECKA's musical careers along with the past and present of the band. We hope you will enjoy!


Royal Band de Thiès - Hommage À Mbaye Fall

June 23rd marks the arrival of the long-awaited proper reissue of Amara Toure’s groundbreaking Afro-latin studio works captured between 1973 and 1980. Analog Africa has prepared a special gatefold double LP version on 140g vinyl, encompassing the three singles he recorded under the Black and White ensemble between 1973 and 1976 along with the highly coveted Orchestre Massako group’s stunning 1980 LP Accompagné Par L’Orchestre Massako. This is the entire known works of the mystic composer and it is stated in the press that after he recorded Accompagné Par L’Orchestre Massako, he would never been seen again and his whereabouts are unknown to this day. Breaking ground out of the rich legacy and musician development system Dakar, Senegal, producer Ibra Kasseì created, the origins of Ibra’s movement begins in the late ’50s when fusion music around the world was beginning to stretch outside of sketch forms. Cuban styles of son montuno and patchanga were infused with local folk traditions and modern instrumentation of each successive generation, producing a hybrid of West African and Caribbean music that is intoxicating and hypnotic in every rhythm, harmony and overtone. Senegal was buzzing with new creativity through the ’60s and beyond, met with an array of highly advanced musicians and visionaries. Nightlife music for those that wanted something beyond the radio hits and presented with a passionate essence that connected many people in the region of the time.

Amara Toure was brought up in a progressive movement unlike any other and by the time he was able to head his own groups and record his own content from the experience he gained networking with Ibra Kassei, African music had finally hit a global scale. When you open up the lid on the musicians who never made it outside of the regions known for strong music activity, an overwhelming list of artists come up and there is no question that Amara Toure ranks amongst the top of these creators. Originally from Guinea-Conakry, Amara Toure remained underground and raw during his tenure producing records, creating some of the most earth-shattering grooves and harmonies from any West African artist ever. To have his works in one album from the exceptional team at Analog Africa is a dream come true, updating pre-existing copies of originals that run in the triple digit numbers amongst hardcore collectors and doing a great job at preserving the analog warmth of the originals. The singles material was recorded in Cameroon while the 1980 content was done in Libreville, Gabon. Absolutely breathtaking guitar, percussion and horn heavy music that is timeless without question. For the vinyl junkies, this one has been pressed on deluxe gatefold double LP as a 140-gram vinyl and is presented in four-color screenprinted covers and also comes with a screenprinted poster. Limited edition to 1,500 copies, so order now if you want to secure a vinyl copy as these will surely run out quickly. Analog Africa does various reprints on back catalog titles out of print but these are never announced ahead of time. One can only hope they will run multiple campaigns for these prints as this music is too good for words.

Get it HERE

Salamouti  - Amara Touré et l´Orchestre Massako

Teranga Beat’s aim since the beginning of the label is to release lost and unreleased recordings of both famous groups and formerly unknown artists of West Africa. While going through several archives of the region, what thrilled me the most was the feeling of unexpected, especially when I stumbled upon a terrific recording from a totally unknown group. Discovering music that nobody has ever listened to before. I guess it has something to do with the psychology of the collector, always searching for that record nobody has. 

My favourite discovery up to date is the Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès, a band that did not manage to release any of its recordings. I had previously heard their name in Thiès, but to my ears it sounded like an urban legend. People involved in music would rate it as the best group in the city, but nobody had ever seen a record from them, let alone a cassette. I thought it was one of these stories of gross exaggeration, so common in West Africa. However, when I fell upon their recordings and listened to them I realised it was all true.

In 2013 Teranga Beat released the first volume of Dieuf-Dieul's recordings. Today, on this vol. 2 album we proudly present the rest of their recorded tracks. On Vol.1 the tracks were well divided among three singers: Assane Camara with his unique style, an  Afro-Manding hybrid, which he acquired through years of performing in the South region of Senegal, but also by virtue of being a Sosseh (that is, of Gambian origin) himself; the great Griot Gora Mbaye with his strong voice and deep wolof lyrics, displaying his strong links to the tradition of the country; and finally, the then young and talented Bassirou Sarr with his great singing skills. 

Five out of seven overall tracks of Volume 2 feature Bassirou Sarr, a truly exceptional singer. Whether in a ballad or some explosive Mbalax, Bassirou's voice is always full of emotion. But if I had to pick out one song, that would definitely be "Raki". When Bassirou got the chance to finally listen to the song (30 years after its initial recording!), he told me the following story: one night, while performing singing "Raki" in Kolda, he noticed a man weeping right in front of the stage. Suddenly, the man turned to Bassirou and said: "Now listen here, you're not going nowhere! You're staying here and play this song all night long!". 

One of the two remaining tunes, "Rumba Para Parejas", is a great latin cover sung by Assane Camara (Camou Yande). Although in his interview Bassirou admitted that Latin music was not their strong point, this track shows how good performers Dieuf-Dieul actually were. Besides, it is somehow ironic that, after the band broke up, all of its members gradually became Salsa musicians.

Having said all that, I am delighted to announce that Dieuf-Dieul are back together after 32 years, preparing for their first international tour! I sincerely hope this record will contribute to the international recognition Dieuf-Dieul fully deserve.

DIEUF - DIEUL de Thiès - Nianky (Short Edit Version)

'afropsychedelic' music by the Soweto crew BCUC (Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness)taken from their album OUR TRUTH to be released worldwide in November 2016 on vinyl, CD ,and digital format on NYAMI NYAMI records

BCUC - 'YINDE'

Taarab doublesider killer! Harambe with it's insane R&B groove riff, flip it and you have the crazy liverpool track. Originally from mid 60s aimed for the growing tourism in Mombasa and it's regions. Both tracks officially licensed on our inhouse label. Comes in tasty Afro7 sleeve with original label design. Head over to afro7.net READ THE FULL STORY and get your copy today!

Harambe / Liverpool

Mac & Party Harambe / Liverpool - New Afro7 single!

Osvaldinho Da Cuica E Grupo Vai-Vai - Vendaval (ATW Extended Edit)

Rehwe Mie Enyim

Premiere: Y-Bayani & Baby Naa - Rehwe Mie Enyim

◉  PREORDER NOW  https://lesdisquesbongojoe.bandcamp.com/album/onye-kata-obia ◉

◉ General Franco Lee Ezute And His Harmony International Band  / Onye Kata Obia ‎ | BJR0023 | October 5, 2018 ◉ 

LP & Digital album available on : https://lesdisquesbongojoe.bandcamp.com
Our Record Store & Label : http://www.bongojoe.ch
Stay in touch with our latest releases and info on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BongoJoeLabel/
We’re also on youtube : www.youtube.com/channel/UC1y_EAPWeDV36TpQbRFKoEA


It’s an enormously exciting event to have this album reissued in a gorgeous, remastered edition, which will bring the music of this master artist to a new audience, and hopefully ignite a new interest in the exhilarating Ukwuani sound of the 1970s and 80s. If you’re about to listen to this music for the first time, you’re definitely in for a treat. 

Franco Lee Ezute died in 2013 at the age of 64, but thanks to this record his harmony will continue to reign supreme.

General Franco Lee Ezute And His Harmony International Band  - Onye Kata Obia

Available on Analog Africa No.13 - The Skeletal Essences of Afro Funk
Release date: April 30th

DIEUF - DIEUL de Thiès - Nianky (Short Edit Version)

Teranga Beat

Recent comments

Mel Evenson

Sergiusz Gintrowski

Petrolina VI (Gelm)

Related tracks