Let’s forget about the vuvuzela’s and concentrate on music instead of football for now.
I first heard the music of Orquesta Revé through ‘La Explosion del Momento!’.
( small picture )
It was released in 1989 on Peter Gabriel’s Realworld label. Changüi is a form
of ‘Cuban son’, and was played only in the eastern parts of Cuba. I quote the
late Elio Revé, founder of this group and the one who re-invented changüi. “I play
son-changüi: they call me the father of changüi – although changüi has been around
far longer than I have. Changüi is a very old and traditional form…The son left the
eastern provinces and, via Havana, went around the world; but changüi has just
stayed at home untill I took it to town and dressed it up.”
On this LP we don’t hear the distinctive voice of old Elio Revé, his son Elio jr. is
following up his father but I am not sure if he is the one we hear on this album.
It doesn’t give any information on the subject so we have to guess. If you can
shine a light on the matter, please do. One way or another, although this LP has
quite a dark and sad cover, the music is a lot brighter. If anyone knows anything
about it, let us participate in that knowledge, thanks folks, listen.

tracks;

1 Yo soy el changüi
2 Yateras changüi
3 Changüi morena
4 Juaniquita
5 La betea changüi
6 Pulmeron
7 Mi ritmo changüi
8 Conel diablilo
9 Sama
10 Rigodon
11 Changüi esta en la calle
12 Los Reve del changüi lamas

If you are into Zulu Jive, the South African music of the people,
you better don’t miss this one. This is one of their best albums.
The Mahotella Queens are here with their backing group, Makhona
Zonke Band. They are also accompanied by their ‘male groaners’
Robert Mbazo Mkhize, Potatoes Mazambane or Joseph Mthimkhulu.
The Queens are Emily Zwane from Brakpan,
Thandi Radebe from Dube ( Soweto ),
Beatrice Ngcobo from Durban,
Thandi Nkosi from Emdeni ( Soweto )
and Caroline Kapentar from Bloemfontein.
They are considered the best Mgqashiyo entertainers in Southern Africa.
Maybe someone can explain to us why on the cover they speak of five
queens while pictures show only four of them ? Strange.
An early post this saturday, so much football I don’t want to miss,
we, The Netherlands, shall play Japan this afternoon and later we get
Ghana – Australia and Cameroon – Denmark. Great day of sports
in South Africa, let this music make you dance through it.
By the way, just the cover we need today, lots of orange, catch my drift ?

tracks;

1 Zibuyile nonyaka
2 Yadilaka intaba
3 Asambe mntakamama
4 Uthuli lwezichwe
5 Bekumnandi
6 Demazana
7 Ziyatshitshimba izintombi
8 Vuka uzibuke
9 Siqhamuka kwazulu
10 Xola mama
11 Ifa lenkosana
12 Asambeni bafana

Today I saw Mexico play France, wow, quite a match. I also saw
Nigeria play Greece. I am trying to see as many matches as possible,
great tournament. Mexico, Nigeria, today’s post also makes a connection.
The Oriental Brothers International Band, led by F. Dansatch Opara, one of
Nigeria’s absolute greatest highlife bands, are here to add a bit more flavour to
that already boiling vuvuzela atmosphere. Check this 1980 album and play ball.

tracks;

1 Obi nwanne
2 Ebele onye uwa

Some Mexican music for a change. I’m always looking out for
the ranchera stuff with lots of ayayayay. This LP by Los Rivereños
starts quite good although it doesn’t reach the level of Miguel Aceves
Mejia or José Alfredo Jimenez. Still, on a quiet summer evening with
some moonlight and your loved ones…ay ay ay ay…

tracks;

1 Cu-cu-rru-cu-cu paloma
2 Una paloma herida
3 La noche y tu
4 El sauce y la palma
5 Parodia “Y”
6 La que se fue
7 Eternamente
8 Ojitos verdes
9 Dios te bendiga, madre
10 Sueños y esperanzas
11 La ultima lagrima
12 Capricho de amor

After ripping this LP, I went searching for some decent information
and found that Worldservice already posted it last year. I could have
decided not to post it anymore but this happens. Sometimes I find other
blogs posting stuff I already did, no problem. In this particular case I think
the album deserves to get the extra attention, as my collegue already
stated, it’s a classic. So, did you miss it earlier, here’s your chance.
Enjoy Orchestre Micky Micky !

tracks;

1 Koumba
2 Ba Micky-Babimi

With more or less the same group of musicians as last week’s OK Jazz
post, Madilu, Simaro, Josky. But on this 1987 album still with le Grand
Maïtre himself. Great late material by Congo’s biggest, listen..
By the way, did you see Ghana win today ? Happy African feeling..

tracks;

1 Mario III
– Sept ans de mariage
– Iran-Irak
– Merci Bapesa na chien
– In memoriam, Lukusa
2 Mamou II
– Decision echange Maloba
– Bolingo etondi ba souvenirs
– Nganda parlelle ba vanda

From 1979 we have this nice LP by the great Nigerian highlife
master Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe who composed and arranged all
songs. Let the music speak for it’s self.

tracks;

1 Arum achoro nsogbu
– Onye g’epu elo n’uwa?
2 Ugo youths special

Remember ‘The Indestructible Beat of Soweto vol. 1’ ? This is
the second volume and it’s called ‘Thunder before Dawn’. Another dose
of Zulu Jive, played by several groups and just the thing for today. Burn it
on cd and play it everywhere tomorrow, the day the worldcup of football
starts the big tournament in South Africa. Just within a stone’s throw from
Soweto the South African national team plays Mexico to open the games.
I hope it will become a huge international football fiesta, just happy news
and beautiful matches, let’s all go for that ! Happy Games !

tracks;

1 Amaswazi Emvelo and Mahlathini – Utshwala begazati
2 Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo – Thuto ke senotlolo
3 Dilika – Amazimuzimu
4 Abafakasi – Wakwami
5 Johnson Mkhalali – Sunsine boots
6 Jozi – Phumani endlini
7 Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo – Kwa volondiya
8 Makgona Tshole Band – Vula bops
9 Amaswazi Emvelo – Jabula mfana
10 Amaswazi Emvelo and Mahlathini – Siwuhambile umhlaba
11 Mahlathini Nezintombi Zomgqashiyo – Ngasebenza ngedwa
12 Malombo – Motshile

1 Affaire video
2 Tokoma famille
3 Yenga yenga

As we get closer to the worldchampionship of football, we slowly move
southwards in listening to African music. Some Zimbabwean chimurenga
is exactly what we need now. Jonah Moyo and Devera Ngwena, their sharp
guitars and superb singing, oh man, I just love this.

tracks;

1 Wapusa wapusa
2 Mudiwa ndakutadza
3 Zvokuzvarirwa zvakapera
4 Siya mwanangu
5 Pasi papinduka
6 Ndinofa muchokwadi
7 Kuri kwedu
8 Parfunge