Ramito, El Cantor de la Montaña
Un Aguinaldo Para Tí, Ansonia vol. 8
Flor Morales Ramos was his name, they called him ‘Ramito’.
Ramito was a patriot like no one and wrote lots of songs about
his beloved Puerto Rico. He was the most productive musician,
I just found a dicography with over 150 titles, incredible.
This is an album I found in a recordstore in Paris, I just
got back from a quick trip to France. One of our loyal visitors
invited me for his birthday party and I met some very nice people
there, sorry I left in a rush everybody, that happens.
I could not resist going to that great Paris recordshop,
and want to thank the chief there, let’s call him ‘F’.
Thanks ‘F’ for helping me find this fantastic Jibara
and lots of other fine music.
To be continued.
tracks;
1 A los Borincanos
2 Juana de Arco
3 Triste y solitario
4 La tierra mia
5 Soy un desventurado
6 Dulce patria mia
7 El ultimo adios a mi madre
8 Desde mi tumba
9 San Juan Bautista
10 Amanecer Borincano
11 El conde Olivero
12 Tristeza en navidad
King Sunny Adé and his African Beats
the Royal Sound
Sunny Alade Records 1979
This one by the great King Sunny Adé is from 1979.
Spaced out juju with very original sound.
the Royal Sound !
tracks;
1 Omo araiye ko feni foro
– Okuta ko se pa f’aiye
– Layiwola omodi ji
2 Ariya is unlimited
– Mo ni ore kan
Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & his Inter-Reformers Band -Operation Feed the Nation, Decca West Africa 1976
To support the 1976 Campaign, Operation Feed the Nation, Ebenezer
made this LP. “If Japan, Guyana, Russia, the Philippines, and Ghana
can do it”, Ebenezer said, “Nigeria must not fail.”
These country’s had succes with comparable programs.
Juju as good as ever by the hand of the master, hail
Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & his Inter-Reformers Band.
tracks;
1 Operation feed the nation
2 Edumare a dupe
– Ab anije enia
– Babu lukudi
– Ma ba e lo
– O ta won yo
– Ki oloriburuku enia ma ko ba e
Sam Mangwana, l’Intérnational – Les Chiens Aboient, La Caravane Passe, RAS 1981
This LP by Sam Mangwana is on the Nigerian RAS label, I am
not exactly sure but it seems to be a Nigerian recording.
Either way, it spins just fine. The title of this album
does not come from one of the tracks, does it mean
life goes on?
tracks;
1 Toboyi te
2 Chérie Magy
3 Afrique – Antilles = Un
4 A la Camerounaise
Prince Nico Mbarga and his Rocafil Jazz
Panco Juju System, RAS 1986
I found someone extremely happy with Prince Nico Mbarga last
week, I like happy. Another Prince Nico finds his way to you
for that reason. On this LP the prince is surprising us with
juju, not very common but very welcome it is. The year on this
one must be somewhere early 80’s I guess, tell us if you know.
tracks;
1 My pickin
2 I, dey wonder
3 Panco juju system
4 Green revolution
Martinho da Vila – Rosa do Povo
RCA Victor 1976
![Rosa Do Povo [1976 RCA]A](https://www.globalgroovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/Rosa-Do-Povo-1976-RCAA.jpg)
Martinho da Vila’s sambas belong to the very best ever.
This LP from 1976 confirms that again. His warm voice,
combined with master musical craftsmanship make this LP
another treasure in samba. RCA contributes superb sound,
What can I say more? I know I’m not the first to post it,
just could not resist to rip it again.
tracks;
1 Claustrofobia
2 João e José
3 Não tenha medo, amigo
4 Invenção de Orfeu
5 História da liberdade no Brasil
6 Coisa louca
7 Chorar não cabe agora
8 Quem me dera
9 Piquenique
10 Choro chorão
11 Ai, que saudade que eu tenho
Eric Agyeman – Highlife Safari, Apogee
This LP contains the sweetest highlife from Ghana. Eric Agyeman
is here and I think it’s a late 70’s album, if anyone knows..
The musicians he brought along are not the least, names like
Frimpong and Crentsil are the ones we want to see, great stuff.
tracks;
1 Matutu mirika
2 Abenaa
3 Ao ! Masem yi
4 I don’t care
5 Dee abe beto biara
E.T. Mensah, King of Highlife – is Back Again !!, Afrodisia 1976
E.T. Mensah was born in 1919 in Accra, Ghana as Emmanuel
Tettey Mensah. He was the main performer of early Ghana
highlife and took over leadership of the already famous
‘Tempos’ after the war. He semi retired through the 60’s
but had a kind of come back in the 70’s. He recorded several
albums for Afrodisia producer Faisal Helwani and this is one
of them. Although recorded in his late days, a sweet album.
Many of us know the two CD’s that appeared, ‘All for
You’ and ‘Day by Day’. Absolute recommendable, both of them.
Originated in Ghana, highlife was taken over by Nigerians
after seeing E.T. Mensah perform on one of his many tours.
tracks;
1 Bus collector
2 Ebe tatale
3 E.T. nkebo baaya
4 Yoonaabu
5 Sekondi market
6 Dofo san brafie
7 Dzoyilo
8 All for you
l’Afrique Danse No 10, Dr. Nico & l’Orchestre African Fiesta Sukisa, african 1968, 1969, 1970
In the series l’Afrique danse, this is guitarist Dr. Nico.
A sublime artist who performs on this LP with the Orchestra,
African Fiesta Sukisa. They picked some songs from three
years, 1968,1969 and 1970. Sweet stuff.
tracks;
1 Sadi na boyi masumu
2 Kamunganzi ko
3 Ntumba
4 Mokili ya nzambe
5 Fanta diara
6 Echantillon ya pamba
7 Sizarine
8 Nazali se mobali na yo
9 Tu m’as deçu Chouchou
10 Bolingo ya sens unique
Oliver de Coque & the Expo 76
Ogene Sound Super
Messiah, Olumo 1976
The always exentric Oliver de Coque started out in 1976,
with this LP if I’m correct. He was one of the first to use
Congolese guitarstyle in Nigerian Highlife. I posted a couple
of his albums last year, check the highlife section on this page.
( below on the left ) here‘s one to start with.
Track one starts out a little bumpy, sorry.
tracks;
1 Messiah messiah/Mbanese ayi ekene
2 My cherry
3 Ekeoha fire disaster ( Aba )
4 Kaduna special
Gasper Lawal – Ajomasé, Cap Records 1980
One of our visitors asked me to post some more Gasper Lawal,
I had a 12″ by him some time ago. This is the LP where that
track came from. Gasper Lawal’s music is hardly to compare
with any other type of African music. He used to play with
many European and other musicians and when he came back to
England in 1980 after some time in Nigeria, he made this LP.
Very surprising, check for yourself. To you Mike, cheers.
tracks ;
1 Jekajosé
2 Kita-Kita
3 Eronu
4 Ajomasé
5 Awon-Ojise-Oluwa
6 Oromoro
7 Saikoskro
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa
Ikengas in Search of Peace
RAS 1985
One of my favourite Nigerian groups is this fine band,
Ikenga Super Stars of Africa. Early eighties I bought
one of my first African LP’s by them. This one I found at
that Recordfair in Utrecht last weekend. The cover looks
quite worn out but the vinyl is still in good shape.
Enjoy this rare piece of Nigerian Highlife.
tracks;
1 Anyi anu ukwu mu nka
– Ikengas in search of peace
2 Austerity
3 Okamma na ama
Sir Victor Uwaifo & his Melody Maestroes – Talk of the Town, Ekassa stereo vol. 2, Philips 1973
Victor Uwaifo had quite an impressive career, built his first
guitar age 12, became a professional wrestler, poet, sculptor,
painter. As a musician he was the most amazing figure, check out
this article at With_comb_and_razor.
This one was contributed by one of the French record dealers
I use to meet at the Utrecht Recordfair, thank you Aiden,
on behalf of the Global Groovers community.
tracks;
1 Ekassa 28 Ebibi
2 Ekassa 34 Igiodo giodo
3 Ekassa 31 Isede
4 Ekassa 32 Votumamuoga
5 Ekassa 25 Aiworo
6 Ekassa 36 Ame’sihion-segbe
7 Ekassa 24 Kirikisi
8 Ekassa 26 Akhuankhuan
9 Ekassa 35 Sumwensowa
10 Ekassa 29 Osulelemule
Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and his Inter-Reformers Band – Eyi Yato, Oti 1981
Juju lovers, Pay Attention ! I have heard a couple juju albums
but this is the most Funky Juju I have ever heard.
I now quote the backsleeve notes; “The tracks on this
album are a complete departure from the mainstream of juju format,
although Obey’s style and grace of delivery is very distinct.
Obey has attempted and achieved in this album a very high level
of sophistication through his powerful guitar fireworks, beautiful
lyrics and masterly instrumentation. As Obey himself said on one
of the tracks on the album, “THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT” or to put
it in proper Yoruba language, “EYI YATO”.”
tracks;
1 Ere wa di oloyin momo
– Kosi eni ti o mo ojo ola
– Tepa mose
– Chief George Oyedele
2 Eyi yato
– Elere ni wa
– E je ka jo