Lita Bembo’s Orchestre Stukas always finds a happy
listener. Only last week, one of our loyal visitors told me
how much they had changed his life. Well Matthew, I guess
this is your lucky day, I just found us this killer album
by them at the last big record fair in Utrecht. I think
it is super nice, hardly possible to stay in your chair,
those guitars keep going and going, man I bet
you’re bound to break loose, haha..
I challenge you..

I was playing this lp and studying the sleeve when my eye
fell on the words “photos réalisées au Rex Club”.
Was this really true? I know that place..I’ve been there..
Wow, it must have been in 1982 when I was on a trip to Paris by bus for
the weekend. We were with a large group of volunteers, all workers behind
the bar in ‘de Tagrijn’, a youth-center and stage in my old hometown.
It was on this trip that we accidentally ended up with a little group of four,
we were with two boys and two girls but just collegues and good friends.
Initially we thought we were going to a reggae-club. Some dread in the
subway had pointed us there. We came in a bit early I think, it was still
empty so we took a drink and waited for what became one of the greatest
nights of my life. When people started to fill the place, reality opened up
before us. We were the only white visitors in this wonderful African Club.
I remember like it was yesterday, saturday night at Club Rex, Rue des
Bonnes Nouvelles. A night, complete with Mister and Miss elections,
& dance competition. Now I come to think of it, it must have been just
around the time when Lita Bembo and his buddies were there.
We drank, smoked and danced till closing time, made plenty
of friends, oh my, it was such a wild, funny and happy
experience, I could never forget.. wow & damn..
how time flies, astonishing discovery..
I loved it there. Felt as black
as can be..

tracks;

1 Guelord – 4 saisons
2 Muana pauvre
3 Djodjo
4 Lupiano

Today’s lp comes with a request. I have asked before if there
would be anyone to help us out here. This album by One of
the most respected highlife artists is so crackly, it is a shame.
Can someone run it through a good filter to take away the
noise and then throw it back at us? the album really deserves
it. K. Gyasi’s Noble Kings Band of Ghana is one we do not
encounter on a daily basis. This lp is made with my favourite
Ghanaian guitarplayer, Eric Agyemang and vocalist Paa Thomas
Frempong. It is from 1976, launched just after their European
tour and recorded at the Island Recording Studios, London.
The tour was supposed to last for six weeks but went on for
five months, july to november 1975. They visited all the major
cities in England, Belgium and Germany, no Netherlands
unfortunately, however, in those years I wasn’t aware of
the greatness of this type of music yet. I must say,
the album sounds quite dusty during the first two
or three songs but gets better further on,
b-side same story, I hope you can help.
get it, spread it and more important,
listen and dance away..

tracks;

1 Me dofo san bra
2 Nkrabea aduro
3 Me ne wo bewu
4 Babia me do wo
5 Nsem keka adooso
6 Odor kor
7 Futuo mu nsem wonka
8 Ankonam agyanka
9 Obaatan pa behwe wo mma
10 Abena kwakyewa do

Today’s contribution concerns an album by Guillermo de Jesus Buitrago.
He turned into a historic figure in Colombian ‘parranda’, living from 1920
to 1949 his music is still being played by many. When I first discovered
his work, I guess it must have been in 2003 or 4, it hit me instantly. It
was after I wrote to Discos Fuentes to ask them where to find their cd’s
somewhere here in the Netherlands. They wrote back to me that there
was just one little record shop in Amsterdam that had bought a bunch
in the past. I hurried to the city and found quite some Fuentes stuff there.
It was on the same visit that I found this cd. I didn’t know it yet and on the
way home in my car when I played it first time, I remember it like yesterday.
It struck me like lightning, I wept tears of happiness that day. Since then
I have been searching for his albums and finally found two. Sanjay is the man
that brought them from Cartagena, thank you so much buddy. Discos Fuentes
later sent me the magazine they made about Guillermo Buitrago, you may
find pictures in the file. Big shame Buitrago died at 29 years of age,
he would have made far more fantastic records if he had lived longer.
If you understand Spanish take a look at the video I found about
the last guitar of this historic musician. By the way, if you
think the music sounds a bit dusty, no wonder,
it’s from before 1949..

tracks;

1 Regalito de navidad
2 Palomita mensajera
3 Yo no monto en avion
4 El amor es un collar
5 Las sabanas
6 Luis eduardo
7 Rosa valencia
8 La peste
9 Pacho y abraham
10 Los enanos
11 El brujo de arjona
12 Moralito

Global Samplers are made to help you orientate
and navigate through our older files. This one points
back to the period before mid februari 2012. It contains
strictly African tracks, hope you like..

tracks;

1 Ambassadeur International – Seydou bathily
2 Les Choc Stars – Ponini eza mpasi
3 Sir Victor Uwaifo & his Melody Maestros – Akwete
4 Les Bantous – Banoko ya mokili
5 Asiakwa Brass Band – Wo tese mawu a didi
6 Orchestre Sinza – Wa ba kandi tetoka
7 Orchestre Stukas – Esta bibisha
8 E.T. Mensah and his Tempo’s Band – Tea samba
9 Docteur Nico et l’Orchestre African Fiesta – La palomar
10 Kwamy – African club
11 Empire Bakuba – Sombokila
12 Rock a Mambo – Mi cancion
13 Tabu Ley et l’Afrisa International – On a raconté
14 Celestine Ukwu Philosophers National – Okwukwe na nchekwube

This lp on Decca West Africa is from 1969. It managed to
remain fully intact for 45 years and plays just wonderful.
Trumpeteer E.T. Mensah’s and his Tempos Band played in
various styles, but the traditionals, calypsos and even
soul takes come with highlife toppings. Highlife is his
main thing but E.T. Mensah loved to broaden his horizons.
On this album he gives us some examples of that very
appreciated variety. Get it, spread it
and give it a spin..

tracks;

1 Medzi medzi
2 Abodzin
3 Daavi loloto
4 Save me
5 Bibiara wone bre
6 Mee bei obaaba
7 205
8 Kaa no wa
9 Señorita
10 Gbee bleo
11 Day by day
12 1914

This is the band of Norman Thomas, better known as Lord Flea.
They were very popular playing in Jamaican nightclubs during
the fifties and moved to the United States of America. While
Trinidadian calypso was upcoming Lord Flea was Capitol’s
trump card, he appeared in tv shows and in films. This
lp was made in 1957, only two years later he was victim
of Hodgkin’s disease and died just 25 years old.
I think this is one of the best mento
albums I ever heard, enjoy..

tracks;

1 Shake shake sonora
2 Shi-du-bi-du-bab
3 Bachelor’s wife
4 I can’t cross over
5 Out de fire
6 Mister, give me de rent
7 Monkey
8 Love
9 Calypso be bop
10 Pretty woman
11 Magic composer
12 Naughty little flea

It took a while to finally find another missing album in the
‘African 360.000 series’. This is african 360.031, an lp by
none less than the great Sam Mangwana. It is getting
more and more difficult to find them, but today we’re
lucky. At the record fair in Utrecht last weekend I
finally found it, Sam Mangwana et le Festival des
Maquisards, a wonderful Congolese piece of
musical history. We’re being double lucky
because it is in excellent condition.
While recording I heard it first time
and I knew instantly, this is
going to be one of my
favourites..

tracks;

1 Domingo
2 Yengo
3 Ambi
4 Loposo-losila
5 Objectif 80
6 Banque ya kinshasa
7 La vie
8 Suzanella
9 Mia angola
10 Celina
11 Decca-meuble
12 Atenaco

Orchestre les Djo-Djo led by Lusala Mavungu.
Mavungu is Mavos Meme Mavungu who we know of Orchestre
Micky-Micky for instance. The label speaks of L. Magungu.
Is L. Magungu in fact Lusala Mavungu ? If anyone can
clear up this matter, please do not hesitate to leave
us a message. The lp is in lingala and label states
‘sukus’, certainly no hard soukous but very nice it is.
Get it and spread it like always..cheers..

tracks;

1 Kenge ya libala
2 Nabukodonozor
3 Mata ndioku

Back in 1982 I bought this album for fl.21,95, which was
still in the time we had our old Dutch currency, the guilder.
I found out yesterday that prices for this lp go up as far as
€ 150,-. It seems to be quite rare so I thought I’d post it
for you to listen to without charge. Our guilder was worth
less than half of the euro so it’s worth has increased
substantially. Lacksley Castell died very young at the
age of 24 years. He worked with Hugh Mundell
who helped him and his buddy Junior Reid to
start in the music business. He was a very
talented singer and songwriter,
read more..

tracks;

1 Leaving
2 Morning glory
3 Righteous stand
4 Message to my woman
5 Cold winter night
6 Speak softly
7 Doctor love
8 Bound in bondage
9 Government man

When the weather changes, the music changes too.
Towards the end of the year I always pull things from the
recordshelf I didn’t play for a while. Out came this nice
collection of classic ska songs from 1967 as it appears.
It is the type of record everybody should have,
better snatch it now you’re here..

tracks;

1 The Skatelites – Guns of navarone
2 Rolando and the Soul Brothers – Phoenix city
3 Desmond Dekker – 007 ( shanty town )
4 The Maytals – Broadway jungle
5 Baba Brooks, Roy Richards – Contact
6 Baba Brooks – Guns fever
7 Justin Hinds – Rub up, push up
8 Delroy Wilson – Dancing mood
9 The Gaylads – Stop making love
10 Rita Marley – Pied piper
11 Soul Brothers – Lawless street
12 Sir Lord Comic & his Cowboys – Skaing west
13 Rulers – Copasetic