When my friends and I started to listen to African music early
eighties, this 12″single made an enormous impression on us.
And after 26 years I still like it. If we had a party, it was always
played and we danced like crazy. Earthworks/Roughtrade co-productions
released a bunch of African dance hits on these 12″ singles, look out
for them if you are recordhunting, they all have this nice cover.

tracks;

1 The best ambiance
2 Elisa Kouadio

One of the groups that made a big difference during the 70’s was
Zaïko Langa Langa. It’s main man on this album is Nyoka-Longo.
Rare 1983 release by Fan Club Zaïko from Brazzaville.

tracks;

1 La tout neige
– Nimerita
– Christine
2 Nalali – mpongui
– Paoki
– C’est trop tard Mimi

Also from 1977 on african is this LP by the late and great Franco.
Unlike yesterdays album, this one is in mint condition. No need to
reduce noise, although recorded in mono it sounds just fine.

tracks;

1 Ba beaux freres 1&2
2 Ba pensees 1&2
3 Farita 1&2
4 Tala ye na miso 1&2

The ‘lÁfrique Danse’ series on the african label is of very high quality
if we speak about the music. The soundquality however is not so good.
As I have ascertained before and today experienced oncemore, the dynamics
of these series are very low. When I record them I have to srew up levels
much higher than I normally need to. This way the music reaches the volume
level we wish for but the crackles also sound much louder.

If we forget about crackles we are left with 6 songs which are very enjoyable.
The warm sound of Congo’s 70’s music is overwhelming again, don’t miss
this superb collector. Hope you enjoy.

tracks;

1 Orchestre Kiam – Kamiki 1&2
2 Orchestre Kamavasty – Kiki puelengi 1&2
3 Orchestre Vévé – Mikolo mileki mingi 1&2
4 Orchestre Kamale – Assana muana mawa 1&2
5 Orchestre Kamale – Masudi 1&2
6 Orchestre Lipua-Lipua – Nasepelisa nzoto 1&2

One of my all time heroes in samba is Bezerra da Silva.
Through the use of a popular samba rhythm called ‘pagode’, Bezerra
da Silva’s ‘Violência gera violência’ ( violence generates violence )
expresses demand for political and social justice. In the voice of public
figures such as a police inspector, a government bureaucrat and a garbage
collector, Bezerra captures and translates the popular mood on a variety
of themes: elections, religion and drugdealers are a few of these.
The song ‘Raiva de tudo’ ( rage of everything ): I see human justice/
selling our conscience/ absolving the rich and blaming the poor’ is a good
example of Bezerra da Silva’s peculiar combination of humor and political
protest. ‘Filho da mãe solteira’ ( son of a single mother ) and ‘Candidato
Caó Caó are other interesting songs on this LP which displays Bezerra’s
always great taste in samba. One of his older albums you’ll find here .
In our samba section, below left, we’ve got plenty related material.

tracks;

1 Candidato caó caó
2 Feitiço da tião
3 Vida de operário
4 O juramento jurou
5 Pobre compositor
6 Transação de malandro
7 Violência gera violência
8 Raiva de tudo
9 Samba manifesto
10 Povo da Colina
11 Bom Jesus de Nazareno
12 Filho de mãe solteira

It’s time for some Nigerian music today.
In december last year I already posted an album by African System Orchestra.
You can find it here . This one is some 3 years older,
and brings us 4 songs of sweet Highlife, what a great band, check it.

tracks;

1 Bad friend
2 Bikoko
3 Good night my girl
4 Inyanga no good

It must have been 1997 or 8 when one of my friends gave me this ticket
for my birthday. It was for a night in the Amsterdam theater ‘Carré’.
Performing that evening was the fantastic group, Buena Vista Social Club.
It was also my first encounter with Pio Leiva who was one of the old
Cuban singers in the original set up. Wim Wenders was filming the band
for his movie that evening and we had a sweet time. This is an old LP
by Pio Leiva I found not so long ago. One of our visitors requested
some Cuban folk and I thought this one to be appropriate.

tracks;

1 Oye como suena
2 El pirimpimpin
3 Como mango
4 Te lo juro
5 Pobre Nicolas
6 El Pio mentiroso
7 Mis tres mujeres
8 Chachaguere
9 Anabacoa
10 Dime adios Caramelina
11 Adios Mariquita linda
12 Cariñoso si, mentiroso no

Goodmorning, today I received a load of nasty mails again,
some people on the web think blogging is some kind of competition.
I just want to say, I will not participate in throwing dirt at
each other. Only positivity on this page please. It is only meant to
serve the world and make people happy.

And now about this little album, it’s small but very nice.
Donga was an important figure in Brazillian music. His songs are
played by many even today. This LP contains the great ‘Pelo
telefone’, a song I first knew by the also great Martinho da Vila.
If you listened to this album and like the music, take a look at
this , another fine Donga LP. Hope you like it.

tracks;

1 Vou te abandonar
2 Acorda, Adalgisa
3 Jocosa
4 Isto é bom
5 Pelo telefone
6 Cabide de molambo
7 O vatapá
8 Chuá-chuá
9 Saudosa
10 É batucada

Good morning Groovers, it’s been quite a while since I’ve posted
some Samba. I received mail from a friend. He wondered
why I post so little samba nowadays, and he’s right,
I don’t. The cause of it lies in the fact it’s very difficult
to find a lot of samba here in the Netherlands. As some of you might
know, I do love a good samba from time to time. Today I have an album
by the famous Originais do Samba. Maybe I can still make up to all
who missed it. It’s a very nice album from 1970 on RCA Victor.
I hope you do not have it yet, this one’s for all
you sambalovers out there.

tracks;

1 Tá chegando fevereiro
2 Vestido branco
3 O segundo cara
4 Canta comigo
5 Rio de Janeiro ( um samba só não dá )
6 Perdão com dignidade
7 É de lei
8 Eu queria era ficar sambando
9 Todo morro acordou
10 O bem e o mal
11 Prá ela
12 Sambista

Last night, I had a meeting with my Congolese friends Serge and Joe
in Amsterdam. We had a couple of beers and went watching Youtube
video’s and listening to music by, among others, Djo Nolo, Madilu
System and Lita Bembo & Stuka Boys. I had a good time and when I
came home, I dived into my little phonotheque to look if I have any
of that stuff for you. I found this Franco album, a Belgium release,
on which we see a picture of a Djo performing. I am not sure but
is it Djo Nolo who participates on this LP? Other great artists on
the album are Ntesa Dalienst, Ndombe Opetum and Lutumba Simaro.
Please leave a comment if you can enlighten us on the subject.

We are also preparing for an African dance evening on friday,
the 27th of august in a bar in Hilversum, my hometown.
It will take place during ‘Hilversum on Air’, a weekend with
several live acts and other music related events. Stay tuned for
more info, and when you live in the neighbourhood, consider a visit.
We still have a week or 6.

tracks;

1 Liyanzi ekoti na motema
2 Youyou
3 Na komipesa na nani
4 Kadima