Now pay attention !

I am so very happy to finally have found an original Romanian
pressing of an album, so beautiful, I can cry.
No seriously, Romica Puceanu came to me first time
when I bought the great Suburban_Bucharest.
I was so very impressed by her two songs on that cd, that voice.

Maybe you think; Romanian music, not for me, but don’t mistake here.
Just listen to this heartwarming music and you will understand
why Romica Puceanu had the gypsies weeping all around her.
She started her career singing in bars. At age 14 she was
more or less discovered and guided by the Brothers Gore, with
whom she made several records. On this LP she is backed by
Orchestra Florea Cioaca and on acordeon, Bebe Serban.
I have taken the tracklist from the backsleeve this time
so I can’t go wrong. ( all those symbols )

R.I.P. Alton Ellis, 1938 – 2008

This afternoon I found out that one of my biggest idols has left
this world. He was known as the Godfather of Rocksteady.
Ska develloped through Rocksteady to Reggae and Alton Ellis
was there, inventing it.
This is his finest album to my opinion, it’s produced by
Cocksone Dodd on Studio One. He also recorded a lot of his
music in the Treasure Isle Studio’s. The above story, taken from
the Rough Guide to Reggae, illustrates that fact.
I have added 4 of his other great songs as a bonus.
Alton, you’ll live on in my heart forever.

tracks;

1 Joy in the morning
2 Sunday coming
3 These eyes
4 Hurting me
5 It’s true
6 Alton’s groove
7 What does it take to win your love
8 The picture was you
9 Gonna take a miracle
10 Your heart is gonna pay
11 Wide awake in a dream
12 You make me so very happy
13 Reasons in the sky
14 The winner ( ext. version )

Bonus tracks;

15 Dance crasher
16 Ain’t that loving you
17 Willow tree
18 Cry tough

Hello musiclovers around the globe, I just got back from a
two day record-hunt through Belgium and the Netherlands.
I visited Antwerp, Brussels, Nijmegen and Arnhem, and
found quite some material to spoil you with in the
forthcoming weeks.

I start with an album I was very lucky to find.
Let me explain, my first encounter with Ramito was
when I found this_album at La Caja de Pandora.
I was surprised and exited hearing this delightful style
form Puerto Rico. So when I had a conversation with Mrs. Salsa,
in the Amsterdam Bimhuis later, and heard her speak about Ramito
so passionately, I decided to start a search for his music.
She explained to me a ‘Jibaro’ is a wild dog in Cuba, but in
Puerto Rico it is this fine music.
For two days I saw a lot of LP’s and also bought quite some.
When I visited the very last shop, in Arnhem, they had very
little Worldmusic, I couldn’t believe my eyes when this
treasure of Ramito appeared. It was the rewarding final piece
I brought home from a great trip.

About Ramito, I’ll quote the backsleeve; “Ramito is a true
child of Puerto Rico. Born and raised there, he loves his
homeland and shows his devotion in his singing.
Ramito is a troubadour – as such he sings and improvises
about everything that moves him: Love, patriotism, politics
and the trivia of daily live.”
Our friend Yoyo from Listentoyourears will post some Jibaro
in the near future he promised me. He’s got a great collection
of this nice Puerto Rican music.

tracks;

1 El Jibaro del cuento
2 La historia de un mal padre
3 El deudor de todos
4 En el monte del olvido
5 Apellidos del hombre casado
6 Ramito en Hawaii
7 Soy Boricua
8 Penas que matan
9 El grito del buen Cubano
10 Flores para Hawaii
11 Aires Navideñas
12 Feliz año nuevo

A few weeks ago, I was looking for news in some Amsterdam
recordstores, and found this album by Muddy Ibe.
I couldn’t find out much about Muddy, anybody who can
fill us in on some details ? He’s been called Captain
Muddy Ibe later and is from Nigeria, is all I know.
I blew the recording of this LP two times, but today I
finally made it. Would you think it’s got anything to do
with a spell Muddy put on it ? He’s waving with some powerful
tool there, you never know.

tracks;

1 Ndi aghogho erike
2 Ezi omlime amaka
3 Kwuo ka ira

We’ve heard a lot of African music lately, many Jamaican singers
claim they want to repatriate and go back to Africa, to Ethiopia.
Johnnie Ringo is on another trip, maybe he expected to sell more
albums in the USA, being a cowboy. But reggae aswell as all
other black music, leads us eventually back to Africa.

tracks;

1 Horse man
2 Connection of connection
3 Jah Jah guide over me
4 Gun shot
5 Ringo life story
6 Don’t know much
7 Water tank
8 Morning flight
9 Me no want
10 I can’t stand it

A late night post today, I had this LP piled up for some time.
I think this is the longest name for a band I have ever heard.
Great release of Globestyle, recorded in 1982, the singers we
hear are Sekou Kante and Lanfia Diabate.
This is the legendary band that started both careers of
Mory Kante and Salif Keita.

tracks;

1 Foliba
2 Bedianamogo
3 Tallassa
4 Konowale
5 Maliyo

It was such a day today, I blew two rippings in a row and thought;
‘Okay, let’s wait a couple of hours and start all over’.

Just one post today so I made it with a special album.
This is one of the LP’s that made me fall in love with
African music. It was 1981 when Island Records threw it
in the middle of us. We danced around it like crazy, and
I still do. It is in one word ‘Superb’.
Put it on, volume up, stand in the middle of your room,
now let go…
Sound d’Afrique 2 will follow.

tracks;

1 Mekongo – Me bowa ya ( Cameroun )
2 Eba Aka Jerome – Massoua mo ( Ivory Coast )
3 Kambou Clement – Dounougnan ( Upper Volta )
4 Pablo – Bo mbanda ( Zaire )
5 Etoile de Dakar – Jalo ( Senegal )
6 Menga Mokombi – Moboma ( Congo )

For two decades Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi has been the second biggest
name in Zimbabwean Chimurenga. Little known abroad but big at
home. Just behind Thomas Mapfumo and maybe already next to him
in Zimbabwe. This is one of his two dozen albums, which I found
recently. Listen to Tuku-Music.

tracks;

1 Mukombe
2 Wawona
3 Hamunyare
4 Mondishorei
5 Hubaba
6 Kushaya mwana
7 Hatimbotya
8 Unodada nei ?

In reggae music there is this phenomena; Bands play sets of
numbers which are stored at the recordcompany. A singer comes in,
picks a set he or she likes and creates his own album out of it.
This LP by Lui Lepke is an example of such a creation.
Lui Lepke used the same tracks for this LP as Don Carlos
and Gold on this_one.
Compare those backcovers and rhythms, same line-up, everything.
Still, not a bad word is said here, I love both of them so
the formula works just fine.

Enjoy this.

tracks;

1 Willie Red
2 Sharron
3 Bank clerk
4 Lorna
5 Brooklyn jogging
6 42nd street
7 Jamaica a fi mi country
8 Chicken farm
9 Proud a we

Luambo Makiadi or Franco started out as a guitarplayer back in 1953
at the age of 14. He grew out to be a legend which he remains even
today. Franco died in 1989.
In 1956 he helped found OK Jazz ( OK = Orchestre Kinois,
a Kinois is someone from Kinshasa ). This recording is from the
days ( I quote Rough Guide ) “Franco had an ambivalent relationship
with the state. He was a true patriot, but he also felled
compelled to speak his mind and, while he was an essential
element in Mobutu’s authenticité programme, he was also
reprimanded and jailed more than once and several of his records
were banned.” Track 2 and 3 contain some spoken parts in which
political statements are made. Rare material and very nice.

tracks;

1 Cinq ans Ekoki
2 Salongo alinga mosala
3 Votez vert
4 Epublique du Zaire
5 Tolanda nzela moko
6 Ba depute mbilinga-mbilinga toboyi
7 Belela authenticite na congres ya mpr 1er
8 Belela authenticite na congres ya mpr 2e