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

Do you still have your occasional dance in the livingroom sometimes ?
I have just the thing for a saturdaynight, Cortijo and his Combo are
here to brighten up the sphere. Percussionist and orchestral leader
Cortijo and singer Ismael Rivera are considered best interpreters
of the Plena, Danza and Bomba, three typical Puerto Rican styles.
A great dance album brought to us by Palladium Latin Jazz & Dance
Records. Recordings are from januari 10, 1958, year of release..?

tracks;

1 El negro bembon
2 Alegria y bomba
3 Dejalo que suba
4 Te lo voy a contar
5 El satelite
6 Huy que pote
7 El chivo de la campana
8 Con la punta del pie, Teresa
9 Lo deje llorando
10 A bailar mi bomba
11 Bailala bien
12 Lo tuyo es cronico

I quote ‘World Music, The Rough Guide’ ; “The Congolese music scene really came
alive in 1953 with the inauguration of African Jazz, the first full-time recording and
performing orchestra, led by Joseph ‘Le Grand Kalle’ Kabassele.” The acknowledged
‘father of Congolese Rumba’ started his musical career as a 19 year old in 1949, having
‘an angel’s voice’. Some of the greatest artists made their name in this group, names
like Jean Serge Essous, Nino Malapet but also Nico Kassanda, better known as Docteur
Nico and Pascal Tabu Ley Rochereau.” Enjoy this 1986 compilation on african.

tracks;

1 African mokili mobimba
2 Bacara
3 Africa bola ngombi
4 Bombon sucre
5 Mayele mabe
6 Kayi Kayi
7 Succes African Jazz
8 Naboyi vie ya mbangu
9 Ennemi na ngai ya kala
10 El que siembra su maïz
11 Linda calegnita

Here’s the weekend, it’s fridaynight and what’s cooking ? It’s the natty
superstar to rock it on and make you jump the fence. Pork in the corner,
Sister Pam, Arleen and Physical fittness. What great titles for great songs.
And how about Errol Thompson’s engineering at Joe Gibbs Recording Plant.
I like it a lot, ‘nough respect I and I would say, it’s dancehall time.

tracks;

1 Pork in the corner
2 Sister Pam
3 Jump the fence
4 Rock it on
5 Something on my mind
6 Natty Superstar
7 Physical fitness
8 See a girls face
9 Arleen

The juju-train rolls on and on, with those one track LP sides it’s hard
to detemine where one title goes over into the next. This results in a
two track file where in fact we hear 12 songs. Since I also don’t under-
stand a word of Nigerian, the voices are like instruments to me aswell.
Step on and let the Chief Commander take you on a Yoruba juju ride.

tracks;

1 Fimi lokan bale oluwa
2 Araiye e ma pa kadara mi da
3 Mase ri talent re mole
4 Ko seni to mola
5 Alhaji chief M.K.O. Abiola
6 Akorikoda
7 Epo ila gbara re lowo obe
8 Ise owo mi a to mi je
9 Ada tomu sansan
10 Ogun aiye kan kole ri wa mu
11 E se amin adura
12 Wundia ti ko ba loko

Now this is what I would call Rumba Congolesa. In african’s great series
Les Merveilles du Passé, this beautyful collector with songs from 1963.
It contains three songs from the hand of Essou, who just recently
passed away, RIP. Other songs by Jojo, Papa Noël, Nino Malapet
and Kouka Celestin. If african opens up a box with historic material,
they make sure we’re left with nothing to wish for, sweet selection.

tracks;

1 Tokumisa Congo
2 Ngai Muana ya Adele
3 Nakomi revoquee
4 Cadi-jiji
5 Mobali-Liboso
6 Liteya ya tata
7 Tu silencio
8 Camarade Mabe
9 Bantous de la Capitale
10 Albert Akeyi

When I was a youngster I used to listen to an LP by Van Dyke Parks,
called ‘Discover America’. It opens with ‘Jack Palance’ by Mighty Sparrow,
it was my first encounter with the man eventhough I did not realize who
I was listening to in those days. Slinger Francisco alias Mighty Sparrow
is a local hero in Trinidad, with his 74 years of age he’s still performing.
I saw him last year in Amsterdam’s ‘Paradiso’. It was great to see the
living legend in person eventhough the old pervert embarrassed the joint,
shaking his lower parts the whole evening through. It is inherent to calypso
music to speak words with double meaning, I guess if you sing that kind of
lyrics your whole life it becomes part of you. It was good fun to witness.
Check out this 1966 LP of ‘Birdie’ the Calypso Genius, it
contains his massive hit, ‘Obeah Wedding’.

tracks;

1 Bag ah sugar
2 Shanty Town people
3 Going home tonight
4 The rebel
5 Honesty
6 B G Plantain
7 Obeah wedding
8 Papa Jack
9 Sir Garfield sobers
10 Bikini girl