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JACKIE MITTOO & THE SOUL VENDORS - "Love Is Blue"

From the compilation:
Afrobeat Airways 2 - Return Flight to Ghana 1974-1983
Release Date: September 17th, 2013
(click below for promotional pictures and additonal information)

bit.ly/15AR6bg

From the coastal cities of Accra and Cape Coast, basked in a tropical sound heavily influenced by highlife, to the semi-Saharan cities of Tamalé and Bolgatanga (part of a self-proclaimed ‘Islamic Funk Belt’) via the central city of Kumasi, Analog Africa (analogafrica.blogspot.com/) has criss-crossed Ghana in search of rare tracks, part of its ongoing, hard-grooving mission to bring the soul, funk, and vintage local pop out of obscurity and into its deserved international place.

Building on the success of the first installment in 2009, Afrobeat Airways 2 (Analog Africa; release: September 17, 2013) is a selection of 13 ultra-rare tracks by some of the musical giants who had created a movement that rocked the West African nation throughout the ‘70s: legendary singer K. Frimpong; Nana Ampedu (leader of the mighty African Brothers Band); Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and his superb guest appearance with The Complex Sounds; afrobeat star Ebo Taylor, backing his son in an unreleased track called ‘Children Don’t Cry’; the enigmatic Rob and his unique blend of twisted afrofunk; innovative drummer De Frank; and Uppers International, with their raw Islamic funk style. More obscure artists such as Los Issufu and his Moslems, Waza Afrika 76 and Tony Sarfo and his Funky Afrosibi make northern hemisphere debuts, adding to a rich list of Ghanaian artists whose music could be transferred seamlessly to any dancefloor in the world.

As with all Analog Africa releases, this is about more than just the sounds. It’s about the place, time, and people who shaped the scene. To document this, the accompanying 44-page booklet of Afrobeat Airways 2 features an introductory essay written by Afropop Worldwide editor Banning Eyre, exploring the development of soul, funk and afrobeat during the ‘60s and ‘70s in Ghana. The remaining 30 pages are packed with interviews and biographies of the artists and producers involved in the creation of this wonderful music.

Additionally, the Analog Africa team have managed to track down the photographers of the famous Modern Photo studios, located at the front of Accra’s legendary TipToe, a venue notorious for organizing unforgettable dance competitions, ‘Miss Tip Toe’ contests and the most in-demand highlife and afrobeat gigs of the day. 400 negatives have been lent to the Analog Africa team. Samy Ben Redjeb selected 50 of the most expressive pictures to document this little-known but striking musical scene.

SAY MIN SY SOH - Pierre Antoine & Vis-a-Vis (dedicated to Hidehito Morimoto and Vik Sohonie)

Analog Africa No.15 – ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2
*Hypnosis, Distortions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978* 
Catalogue No. AACD 075 (1xCD)/AALP 075 (2xLP) 
CD with 44-Page Booklet / LP with 16-Page LP Size Booklet


In 2010, against all odds, Angola Soundtrack Vol.1 was awarded the German Record Critics’ Prize in the category "Black music". This victory was all the sweeter for its triumph over the predicted winner, Aloe Blacc´s multi platinium record, "Good Things".

Many were surprised that the award was handed to a compilation that covered obscure music, but it didn’t surprise the team behind Analog Africa who believed such award should have come much earlier. 

Since discovering the music of Angola 15 years ago, styles such Kazucuta, Rebita and Semba have become an addiction for Samy Ben Redjeb, the compiler, who proclaimed a serious warning in the first edition liner notes: 

"Listening to these tracks may cause addiction and provoke heavy rotation!"

The unique blend of incomparable musicianship, passionate delivery and regional rhythms that make these tracks so combustible are no accident.  An exceptional set of circumstances existed in the history of Angola before Independence that created the giant leap in the style and standard of bands and recordings of the time.

When Portuguese repressive measures prevented the small Turmas, street musician groups, from being able to perform in Carnaval celebrations in 1961, a Portuguese civil servant, entrepreneur and Angolan music fan named Luis Montês was already in a position to capitalise on Luanda’s need for a live music scene. His self-designed “Kutonocas”, Sunday afternoon live music festivals, delighted a Luandan population hungry for a communication between the city and musseques (townships). It also forced groups to adapt to a different style of playing that would accommodate large stages and broader audiences. They equipped themselves with electric guitars, and fed on the musical influences from Cape Verde, Congo and the Dominican Republic, while staying patriotically true to their own musical legacy and unique rhythms. 

The intimacy of those participating in this musical revolution meant they playfully and professionally wanted to trump each other’s style; communication between the groups was frequent as everyone studied each other’s records and concerts and players were under a lot of pressure to outdo each other due to the limited recording and performing opportunities.  Development of skill and ingenuity was a must, as well as addressing the highly politicised climate.  The optimism of Independence can be heard in these recordings; a common goal between the audience and musicians.

Upon reading the characteristically generous liner notes of this new Analog Africa release, you will be given more hints of the crucial melting pot that allowed this short period to have such an outstanding productivity.  Featuring 44 pages acquired in coordination with the National Library of Luanda and the art magazine “Note E Dia”, Analog Africa head honcho Samy Ben Redjeb has managed to collect newspaper clips, extremely rare pictures of the bands on stage and printed interviews from the 70s. 

The stunning pages of passionate photography and artistic design also include interviews with many of the original artists and their families, biographies of the three labels that made it all possible, and of Luis Montês, who was the pulse of the live music scene in Luanda.

This compilation represents the best of the short lived recording industry in Angola, a brief moment of history between 1969 and 1978, when three recording companies produced approximately 800 limited records, mostly singles. They are rare jewels, each song with a significant story and feel behind it. You will hear exciting music blazed with the anticipation of emancipation, tracks fuelled with a sense of unity, community, importance and immediacy.

This addictive, outlawed music from Angola shakes and grooves with the smoothness of staccato machine gun fire.  Do yourself a favor and submerge yourself  into some of the most the addictive music created by mankind! 

Avante Juventude - Os Anjos

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

Taken from the album Inspiration Information 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!

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Inspiration Information 3

Dewel

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

In the Heart of the Moon

Learn More

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - Kaira, from In the Heart of the Moon (2005)

Wilco - Jesus, etc., from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

Anansy Cissé’s souped-up guitar distortions re-work the West African Desert Blues genre with a new, agitated attitude. Featuring the soku fiddle playing of Zoumana Tereta and accompanied by ngoni, bass and calabash, Cissé’s sound harnesses musical traditions and spits it out anew, taking us into Mali Overdrive.

For further information, please visit www.worldmusic.net/anansycisse

When Cissé’s recording ‘Bala’ landed on our website via World Music Network’s online ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition, we were immediately taken by his gutsy guitar style that plays on tradition by matching it with the direct influence of 1960s and 1970s psychedelic-flavoured rock and roll. 

The story begins in late 2012, when Anansy was forced to dismantle the recording studio he ran in Diré following the invasion of Mali’s northern regions by militant Islamists, many of whom are opposed to secular music-making. His poignant track ‘Gonmi’ calls for peace across Mali and is a reminder of the despair felt by many at the concerning political divisions and connected social reverberations caused by religious tension in the Northern region. Forced to relocate further south, Anansy headed to the beating heart of Mali’s capital city and is now resident blues bad-boy in Bamako.

In Bamako Anansy met Philippe Sanmiguel who is now his percussionist and manager. Anansy soon called on a few more friends to add to the musical pot: esteemed ngoni player Djimé Sissoko laid down some riffs, Abdramane Touré took to the bass and Mahalmadane Traoré found time to slap and smack his calabash. 

Presently Anansy lives in the Faladié district of Bamako and consistently and is steadily working on more material. In the corners of his house, vast towering piles of old-school vinyl peer down on  visiting musicians providing a clue to Anansy’s inspirations: The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd and CSN&Y are all represented. His close appreciation of rock music is heard distinctly via the anthemic guitar riff of the track ‘Fati Ni Koye’. Equal stimulation for his songs, text and rhythm is drawn from traditional Fulani and Songhai music. ‘Sekou Amadou’ pays tribute to the leader and founder of the Fulani Empire of Macina. ‘Horey’ is a takamba song from Gao and Timbuktu. The rhythm is historically linked to the Songhai nobility but electrified and re-energised in Anansy’s version. 

In the often polarised world music community, young African musicians are often either too hastily dismissed as local pop stars who have no international appeal or as authentic saviours in a misplaced quest for authenticity. Now, proudly ramping up the volume and fearlessly taking Malian music into rock overdrive is Anansy Cissé – a pioneer of new music that champions ancient tradition and uncharted modernity at once. 

Anansy Cissé: Fati Ka (taken from the album Mali Overdrive)

Cametá, a historical little Amazonian town on the shores of the river Tocantins, is the birthplace of the scorching music known as “Siriá”; a cross pollination between the music of the inhabitants of the quilombos, a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by escaped slaves of African origins, and the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest. It is a breathing, pulsing, emphatic beat, and the modernised version of this local music, created by Mestre Cupijó, has been igniting street parties and traditional festivals across the state of Pará in Northern Brazil for decades. And at last in 2014, the combustible sound of Siriá will be celebrated internationally as the feverish, tropical sound of the summer!

Foretelling his talent to flow between cultures, Cupijó was named after a local river when he was born in 1936, into a family of musicians. His father, Mestre Vicente Castro, was also known as Mestre Sicudera, the musical director of Centennial Euterpe, one of Brazil ́s oldest bands, founded in 1874.

At 12, Cupijó started to play the clarinet. He also became proficient at the piano, mandolin and guitar, although the instrument that came to personify his sound was the alto saxophone. Waltz, bolero, cha cha cha and an assortment of dance hall music became part of Cupijó's repertoire, but it was Carimbó and Siriá, the music played by the black communities of Pará, that had the strongest impact on the young musician.

To grasp the soul of this music, Cupijó went to its source and lived with the quilombolas (maroon) community of the Amazon. Upon his return, enriched by this life-changing experience, he founded the band "Jazz Orquestra os Azes do Ritmo" with the goal of reinventing Siriá and modernising Samba de Cacete, Banguê and other folkloric music of the state of Pará. Airwaves from the Caribbean and Latin America had also brought the cumbia sound of the mighty Colombian orchestras, Merengue from the Dominican republic and Cuban music to the Amazon, all of which had an impact on the music of Northern Brazil, Mambo especially! Mestre Cupijó took these influences and mixed them in with the ingredients he had studied in the Quilombos. That fusion – as we are witnessing on this record – had explosive effects.

His fresh new sound became the soundtrack to Cametá's legendary Carnival and soon his troupe were invited to other festivals along the river. Transportation to these concerts was via small boats, where three or four musicians would share a vessel with their instruments tucked between their legs. In those days there were no posters or radio adverts to promote the shows in any way, yet Cupijó’s shows became notorious. In an interview one of his band members explains: "Whenever there was a party – on a Saturday for example – and it was known that Mestre Cupijó would play, the news would spread incredibly fast, just by word of mouth. We didn’t understand how that was possible, but it certainly was amazing."

After the initial wave of enthusiasm, the first two LPs were recorded with rudimentary equipment in a dance club in Cametá. However, it was the third attempt, recorded in a studio in Belém, which would trigger a phenomenal success. "Caboclinha Do Igapo" and "Mambo do Martela", included on this record, became instant hits. A year later, "Mingau de Açai", one of Cupijo ́s most popular tunes, took the region by storm. In total six LPs were recorded by Mestre Cupijó.

He then created "Concurso de Musicas Carnavalesco de Compositores Cametaenses”, a contest for carnival music composers. The songs composed expressly for these contests in the 70s are still performed today during carnival season. In addition to evolving the Pará music culture in this way, he also owned a makeshift soundsystem, "Musicolor", to spin the discs of local artists before his own shows to the frenzied crowds. Mestre Cupijó proved himself a philanthropist as well as a conductor for the people’s music, and acted as a provisional lawyer for the city of Cametá, specialising in help for the poor. He also had a short spell in politics and was elected by a vast majority to the station of Municipal Councillor of Cametá.
Master Cupjó, the pillar of Pará's festive culture, and a humble pop icon who was ushered prominently into the country’s history books, passed away on 25 September 2012, at the age of 76.

We at Analog Africa are ferociously proud and honoured to have the chance to present these carefully selected tracks from Mestre Cupijó’s six studio albums. We hope that his music captivates you with the magic and bewilderment that is has us. We recognise his compositions as true anthems of life and vitality, vibrantly encouraging all to drink and dance until sunrise! Let go of your inhibitions and immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Mestre Cupijó........ Segura!!!



Caboclinha Do Igapo - Mestre Cupijó e Seu Ritmo (OUT NOW)

From the upcoming album 'Jaiyede Afro' by Orlando Julius and The Heliocentrics, out September 8th on Strut. 
Pre-order now via iTunes and receive "Buje Buje" instantly: http://geni.us/JaiyedeAfro

Jake Ferguson of The Heliocentrics on "In The Middle:"
"We’ve all been big fans of James Brown since we’ve been involved in music and have played ‘In The Middle’ regularly on our live tours. It felt like a natural fit for the Orlando project, particularly as we have added an Afro swing to the track. We first played the track with Orlando at a London gig last year and he got into it in the studio straight away – his sax solo here was the very first take. James Brown and his band loved Orlando when they saw him play in Ibadan back in the ‘60s and the two of them met up and talked at J.B.’s hotel. So, for lots of reasons, this felt like a natural one to include.”

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Jaiyede Afro

In The Middle

Orlando Julius & The Heliocentrics - "In The Middle"

"No News From Home" by Houndstooth

ARTIST: JOSE PRATES/MIECIO ASKANASY
TITLE: Tam… Tam… Tam…
LABEL: TRUNK (UK)
CAT#: JBH 055CD/LP
RELEASE: January 20, 2015
FORMAT: CD/LP

Trunk Records presents the first reissue of Tam... Tam... Tam...!, an incredibly rare Brazilian LP by José Prates and Miecio Askanasy. In August of 2014, London-based DJ and record collector Gilles Peterson, who had been offered an original copy for $4,700, sent out a request for someone to reissue this extraordinary album. Originally issued in a one-time 1958 pressing as part of Askanasy's 1950s touring Braziliana show, Tam... Tam... Tam...! is a landmark in the development of the Brazilian sound that would explode around the world in the decade to follow. It's stunning both as a historical touchstone and as a standalone musical triumph. The solid blueprint of 1960s Brazilian music runs through it; for example, "Nānā Imborô" clearly prefigures Sérgio Mendes's 1966 hit "Mas Que Nada." The infectious rhythms, melodies, and exotic sounds that fill this album are deep, raw, and totally engaging. And the more one listens to Tam... Tam... Tam...! the more one hears its importance and future influence. This reissue comes at a time when, in a world saturated with information, few important things have escaped attention and reappraisal. Finding anything new and genuinely incredible is a rare feat. This is a prime example of amazing, influential music that until now has remained hidden. In producing this reissue, spurred on by Peterson's request, Trunk Records found that no master recordings could be located. The original 1950s label showed no interest in a reissue, but Ed Motta, the renowned artist, producer, and record collector, agreed to transcribe his original copy on his EMT deck and send the files from Brazil to the UK. The sound was not in the best condition, and the original 1950s vinyl pressing has several musical inconsistencies. Trunk Records painstakingly worked toward a suitable sonic balance, making sure to maintain the bright and driving original sound without cleaning it up so much that the life of the music was diminished. Accordingly, the vinyl edition of reissue was pressed with some very slight surface noise -- any more cleaning would interfere with the true wax sound. The CD edition, however, was pressed with more digital enhancement. Vinyl edition includes original full color LP sleeve. CD edition includes four-page booklet.

Tracks:
01./A1. Imbarabaô (2:50)
02./A2. Imbaê-Sofá (2:18)
03./A3. Nānā Imborô (4:27)
04./A4. Fá-êu-á (2:35)
05./A5. Oniká (2:33)
06./A6. Ogum Olojô (2:33)
07./B1. Maracatú da D Santa (3:31)
08./B2. De Luandaô (2:57)
09./B3. Maracatú Elegante (3:14)
10./B4. Nêga Zefinha (3:54)
11./B5. Tem Brabo no Samba (5:37)

Highlights:
- Trunk Records presents the first reissue of Tam... Tam... Tam...!, an incredibly rare Brazilian LP by José Prates and Miecio Askanasy, originally released in a 1958 one-time pressing as part of Askanasy's touring Braziliana show.
- The album is stunning both as a historical touchstone and as a standalone musical triumph, containing the clear blueprint of the Brazilian sound that would explode around the world in the 1960s.
- This reissue comes after London-based DJ and record collector Gilles Peterson, who had been offered an original copy of Tam... Tam... Tam...! for $4,700, requested that someone reissue it.
- Painstakingly remastered from an original copy to maintain the original sound while cleaning up any deterioration, this reissue is presented as a vinyl edition with slight surface noise, and as a CD edition with more digital remastering.
- Vinyl edition includes original full color LP sleeve.
- CD edition includes four-page booklet.


JOSE PRATES/MIECIO ASKANASY: Nãnã Imborô, candomblé (taken from Tam... Tam... Tam...)

Klyne - 'Water Flow'
Video - smarturl.it/WaterFlowVideo
New EP out now! DL/Stream/12" - because.lnk.to/WaterFlowEP
Debut Album Pre-Order - smarturl.it/KlyneAlbum

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Water Flow

Coulibaly

Amadou & Mariam - "Coulibaly"

Amadou & Mariam- Je Pense A Toi (Henrik Schwarz Remix)

Nomad

11 Tamiditine

Mala

Devendra Banhart: "Your Fine Petting Duck"

Devendra Banhart performs "Mi Negrita," from "Mala," his eighth studio album and his Nonesuch debut, due out March 12, 2013. The album took shape in Los Angeles, where he and longtime cohort Noah Georgeson produced the album together, playing most of the instruments themselves, using borrowed equipment and a recorder they’d found in a pawn shop.

Pre-order "Mala" now at www.nonesuch.com/albums/mala

Devendra Banhart: "Mi Negrita"

http://www.strut-records.com/

As featured on Music For Dancefloors, we present a library gem from one of the heaviest and most sought after of all KPM LPs, Afro Rock, recorded at Morgan Studios by John Cameron and Alan Parker in London in 1973. As well as being a library music veteran (with over a dozen different LPs recorded for KPM and Bruton Music since the '70s), Cameron is a bona fide film composer whose credits include Kes from 1969 and 1973’s A Touch Of Class (starring Glenda Jackson and George Segal) for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

Music For Dancefloors: The KPM Music Library (Deluxe version) is released on April 2nd in three formats: 2CD (original studio recordings and live concert), 2LP featuring the original studio recordings and 2CD insert of the full CD content, and digital (original studio recordings and live concert). The album features the original sleeve notes by Charles Waring (Mojo magazine) alongside extra photos and memorabilia.

This new edition features an exclusive bonus disc, which makes available for the first time the debut gig by the KPM All-Stars, bringing together many of KPM’s greatest composers for a unique night at London’s Jazz Cafe on 27th April 2000.

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John Cameron - Swamp Fever (KPM)

Ethio 1 track 4

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