It always gives me a thrill to find another LP by
this great artist. Le Poète Simaro ( or Simarro ) was
one of Franco’s most succesful songwriters. This LP
is very short but nice. Vocals by Pépé Kallé, Josky
Kiambukuta and the great Carlito. Hope U enjoy it.

tracks;

1 Kopo epasuki
2 Maya aboyi

Yesterday I came home from a two day recordtrip to Paris.
I use to visit one of my favourite recordshops in the Quartier
Latin. I always meet there with my man Franck who is one
of a kind when it comes to knowledge of worldmusic.
He specially helps me out selecting music from his home-
country Haiti. I don’t listen to Compas very long yet and can
use a little advise. Do you know this Soundway_Release ?
A highly recommended album, with great music from the French Antilles.
The LP I post for you tonight is by Les Loups Noirs, who also
appear on it. Franck says he helped out Soundway Records too in
selecting the tunes for this fine album. I had to promise him to
write in French for this occasion and eventhough it’s been a long
time since I did, I managed to squeeze out a few lines.

Cette semaine j’allais a Paris pour acheter des disques 33. Il y
un ans déja que j’avais été lá. Je toujours vais a la même magasin
dans le Quartier Latin. Je ne veux pas dire leur nom. Aussi toujours
je lá rencontre mon ami Franck qui est un connaisseur de la musique
du monde. Je lui promettais de ecrir en Français, une chose que je
normalement jamais fais. Alors Franck, mon ami, merci beaucoup,
tu m’as aidé enorme, a partir de aujourd’hui, j’ apelle toutes
postes compas, ‘Franck’s Selection’.

Let’s use this good vibe to think of the people of Haiti.

tracks;

1 Rencontre
2 Chaque jour
3 Aye Doudou
4 Lydia
5 Echec
6 Bonsoir ma cherie
7 Demain je t’attends

I just got back from a two day recordsearch and came home
with a pile of music from Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica,
Mali, Guinée, Cabo Verde, Tchad, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Cuba,
Brazil and Colombia. Wow, now I look at it myself, not a bad score.
The journey back took me almost seven hours today while in fact
it’s a 5 hour trip. Some big accident along the way. Tomorrow I’ll
tell you more, for now start listening to this happy music.
Discos Fuentes brings this collector with all kind of cumbia-like
tropical dance music, fantastic stuff you don’t want to miss.
An oldie but goodie so to say, do you know where I went ?
Demain Franck, demain plus.

tracks;

1 Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros – Agua de panela ( mapalé )
2 Carlos Martelo y su Orquesta – Vacilando ( paseaíto )
3 La Sonora Cordobesa – El tapaboca ( paseaíto )
4 Monteria Swing – Juanché ( porro )
5 La Sonora Cienaguera – La jicara ( paseaíto )
6 Juan Piña y su Orquesta – La puyanga ( Puyanga )
7 La Sonora Cordobesa – La sobadera ( Gaita )
8 Carlos Martelo y su Orquesta – El totumo ( porro )
9 Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros – Soy Pelayero ( porro )
10 Monteria Swing – El patoco ( Pupalé )
11 Juan Piña y su Orquesta – Suelta el gallo ( fandango )
12 La Sonora Cienaguera – Martinez Banda ( porro )

The Oriental Brothers International is one of Nigeria’s most
important highlife bands, their popularity spanned some two
decades. On this LP from 1975 leadership is in the hands of
G. Kabaka Opara. The group’s cast changed quite a few times.
I found this funny video to accompany this album’s final track.
Hope U enjoy !

tracks;

1 Oriental’s special
2 Osa enwe akwu
3 Onyeoma nmadu ‘eji egbuya
4 Ihe onye eche
5 Ihe oma adighi onye oso
6 Otu’nwa

From 1979 is this one by the great looking Oliver de Coque.
I love the background vocals on this LP and the stacato guitars
in track #3. It was requested by Alexsam and I was so lucky to
have it. Now everybody’s happy, you, he and me too, enjoy it.

tracks;

1 People’s Club of Nigeria
– Kayi bilibe ndu
2 I salute Africa
3 All fingers are not equal

Lovers of Congolese music, here’s one for you. Johnny Bokelo
goes around quite some time. Somehow his music is good without
exeption, I liked all the albums I heard untill today. This 1981 LP
is not his first, Johnny started out in the sixties with Orchestre
Conga Succes, we saw a couple of songs on one of the l’Afrique
Danse series as Orchestre Conga Succes de Jean Bokelo.
Spread the word, Johnny Bokelo must be heard.

tracks;

1 M’bongo = l’argent
2 Ngai nakoku fa
3 Ngalulawa wa mama
4 Yayo nini yaya

Oliver de Coque was a master in appearing exentric on his covers.
How do you like this 1980 version of his majesty, complete with
feather- duster and crown, shining like a new crowned king. Even
the textual lay-out is totally cool, I just love these covers. And then
the music of course is about his identity among other topics.
Nigerian highlife with lots of splendid guitars, listen to Oliver
de Coque and his Expo 76 Ogene Sound Super of Africa.

tracks;

1 Uwa bu aja
– Ije ewele
– Kano / Gombe special
2 Identity
3 Nwa bu ife ukwu

Did you know Franco had a younger brother who was also lead guitarist ?
Bavon Marie Marie gained quite some popularity in the late sixties with
Leon Bholen and Orchestre Negro Succes. The band was formed by Vicky
Longomba in 1960 who came from Franco’s OK Jazz. After he made up with
Franco and returned to OK jazz, Bavon Marie Marie and Leon Bholen took over.
On this record we hear Bavon Marie Marie as lead guitarist probably for the last
time. He died shortly after it on august 5, 1970 in a tragic car accident.
Bavon Luambo Siongo 1944 – 1970.

tracks;

1 Magie
2 Bila François
3 Nakota zebola
4 Ngai mwana 15 ans
5 Bholen mwana ya mama Helene
6 Mabe ya Mbila
7 Maboke temoin
8 Moyeke ya cherie
9 Maika
10 Savon ya sika astra

On Rogers All Stars this sweet LP by the Super Negro Bantous.
It is very hard to find some decent information on this group, I’ve
been looking around but did not really find any. Their sound is a
bright and strong sparkling Nigerian highlife with sublime guitar
and rhythms that make you wanna move, so give in and let go.
This Lp must be from around 1983 I guess.
So put aside table and chairs,
these are the Super Negro Bantous!

tracks;

1 Marriage promise
2 When I lost my job
3 Trouble and jealousy
4 Bekosse

Good evening, tonight’s LP is one in Franco’s Authenticité series.
Some time ago we had volumes 3 and 5, this is volume 1. It contains
numbers, recorded in 1961, 1962 and 1964 but was released in 1976.
Not the first time that while recording one of Franco’s LP’s, I think,
wow this is the nicest music I ever heard. More than beautyful!

tracks;

1 Liwa ya wech
2 Na likuanga na seli
3 Motema y fa fa
4 Amida muziki ya ok
5 Bomboko Justin
6 Isaac Ombele
7 Florette modele
8 Mpata ezangi mokengeli
9 Ona renseignement na bana ok
10 Ba katanga balingi toyo kana
11 Mboka nini okende
12 Nani ukunsimdila muana