Highlife comes in various forms and styles, Nigerian or
Ghanaian for instance are quite different. I tend to favour
the last one. This LP by Akwasi Yeboah is a striking
example of a style I adore. Hope you feel the same way.
Strange, label says ‘Menua ne memuna’ and cover ‘Memuna etc.’
Enjoy this rare album on the Famous Ride Away Records.

tracks;

1 Memuna ne memuna
2 Owuo yi nti
3 Aba no saa
4 Abra a mebo yi
5 Asuso atue
6 Eye a ko ayie
7 Papaye asa
8 Obaa yi nti
9 Wo amma a mewu
10 Asamands nye oman

I think we already had over 10 Sam Mangwana LP’s,
type his name in the search-bar and find them instantly.
Today we’ve got us an American release on Star Musique.
It contains a couple of fantastic songs,
like the beautiful ‘Selica’,
listen.

tracks;

1 Est ce que tu moyens ?
2 Auto stop
3 Hondo bolingo
4 Selica

Last weeks post with Monguito contained a song by Laba Sosseh, today
an album by the man’s own hand. Laba Badara Sosseh, 12 March 1943,
Bathurst, Gambia – 21 September 2007, Dakar, Senegal.
The son of a Senegalese father and Gambian mother, Laba was born and
raised in Bathurst (renamed Banjul in 1973), the capital of The Gambia, a
British colony at the time. Regarded as one of the greatest musical
innovators in the Senegambia sub-region, he grew up listening to Cuban
dance music of the ’40s and ’50s. Johnny Pacheco was one of his favourites
and he became known for his perfect imitation of the Dominican bandleader’s
style. The rare French vinyl albums El Sonero de Africa (N’Dardisc) and
El Sonero de Africa Vol. 2 / El Manisero (Disques M.A.G.) compile
Laba’s early and mid-’70s recordings.
( info: Descarga.com )

tracks;

1 El manisero
2 Ojos para banos
3 Los carreteros
4 Senegal an X
5 Seyni kay fonema
6 Ayo nene
7 Aminata
8 Salsa na ma
9 El Canuto

Wanted to post this LP way earlier, however because of
a disturbing series of ticks and tacks straight from the
beginning, I posponed it a couple of times. Today I decided
to post it anyway and fade start past the disturbance. You
must know that we miss a couple of tones consequently.
It’s a shame our Thomas kept his handkerchief wrapped
around his microphone, other than that it sounds cristal clear.
Still, worth a couple of spins, I leave you with this ‘chimurenga’
from Zimbabwe which we didn’t have for quite some time.

tracks;

1 Hwahwa
2 Murambadoro
3 Chitima nditakure
4 Chamunorwa
5 Hurukuro
6 Nyama yekugocha

If you look for female singers in Congolese music you
don’t find a lot. Of course there’s Mbilia Bel, Mpongo Love
and Abeti but male singers form the majority by far. le Grand
Maïtre Franco was not only maïtre playing guitar but also in
finding the ladies. Given this Choc Belgian release, even the
police was needed to control the jealous crowd. Haha, no but
serious, doesn’t Franco look proud on this great cover ?
Sweet stuff, listen..

tracks;

1 Les on dit
2 C’est dur la vie d’une femme celibataire
3 Je vis avec le P.D.G.
4 Flora, une femme difficile

If you’re into dub music, King Tubby’s name alone must
get you excited. He is one of the inventors of the style
and that shows. With artists like Robert Shakespear, Aston
Barret, Earl Smith, Carlton Barret, Augustus Pablo, Richard
( Dirty Harry ) Hall, Bobby Ellis and Vincent Gordon, this LP
contains some of the most historic dub recordings.

tracks;

1 Keep on dubbing
2 Stop them jah
3 Young generation dub
4 Each one dub
5 555 dub street
6 Braces tower dub
7 King Tubby meets rockers uptown
8 Corner crew dub
9 Say so
10 Skanking dub
11 Frozen dub

On ‘Sacodis’ we have this 1980 album. Aboudou Lassissi
presents Charanga para todos, charanga for everybody.
On this volume 1 we hear ‘Monguito’ as lead vocalist,
backed by Adalberto Santiago, José Alberto and Ronnie
Baro. On piano – Alfredito Valdez, bass – Joe Santiago,
trumpet – Hector Zarzuela, sax – Mario Ravira, trombone –
Esteve Torrez, drum – Manny Ramos, conga bongo –
Marcelino Valdez and bass guitar – Edy Guagua.
Strange thing is that album sleeve doesn’t say anything
about lead vocals. I found a site on the web that claims
it is just Monguito. However if I am not so sure, don’t we
hear Laba Sosseh in track 3, what do you think ?

tracks;

1 Son de la loma
2 En Guantanamo
3 En el monte
4 Se muere fermin

Orchestre Kiam stands out for it’s vocal harmonies and
smashing guitar work. Swift light rhythms complete the sound.
I am blown away every time I hear them. Songs are written by
Lele N’sundi, Mboyo Bola, Muzola Ngunga, Bakolo Keta and
Botuli Ilonge. Some of the tracks have a fade out that ends
a bit abrupt, can’t help that. Another Editions
Vévé on ‘african’, hope U like.

tracks;

1 yoyowe
2 Muana Kiam
3 Kunde kunde
4 Baya-baya
5 Nina
6 Lombe

In 1984 Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe was rewarded for the
outstanding achievement with the sales of over 750.000 albums
on Polydor label and in appreciation of his immense contribution
to the progress of Polygram Records Ltd. in Nigeria.
He was the first Nigerian artist to receive at a single time 3 awards,
2 gold discs and one platinum. It was for ‘Agbalu Aka no ani’ and
‘Onu Kwulunjo Okwue Mma’. What they did not know yet then,
is that ‘Osondi Owendi’ would become the most sold out highlife
album ever. At least, that’s what the rumour says. One way or
the other, it sure is a tremendous album, listen and judge yourself.

tracks;

1 Osondo owendi
2 Ndidi kanma
3 Nigeria kanyi jikota

Remember ‘Bon Samaritain’ by Papa Noël, or ‘Maya’ by
le Poete Simarro ? They are just two of the famous songs
sung by this great voice. Carlito also made quite a few with
le Grand Maître Franco and his OK Jazz. This LP gives us
some of his own songs and I’m not quite sure who are the
members of the band that accompany him here. Can you tell
us by clicking on the small picture ? The album was realised
with the help of some friends of the C.L. restaurant in
Brazzaville. Listen to Carlito and his wonderful voice.

tracks;

1 Pangala Kety
2 Bolingo ezui nkorma
3 Gea mwana Gabon
4 Je deviens malheureuse