Ebenezer is back here with an oldie, from 1969 this is ‘Ebenezer
Obey in London’. On this LP the numbers are devided as to European
standards. It’s been released in Lagos Nigeria by Decca West Africa.

tracks;

1 Egba
2 Ijesha
3 Ibadan
4 Iba foluwa/Ajokadabi ile
5 Ijebu
6 Ondo/Ogbomosho
7 Ori mi ko ni buru
8 Ore se rere
9 Omoba sijuade/Moti wa e

Somewhere probably late 60’s, Esso made theirselves this
funny collector. They found Young Killer to make ‘Tiger in
your tank’ and collected a few big names to complete the set.
Mighty Sparrow and the Merrymen could also use a buck or two,
so they joined in. On track 4 we hear a steelband play ska,
that was the first time for me. The Don Drummond tribute
scores too, I am a big Don Drummond fan, legendary trombone.
All together we’ve got us a funny gem with a nice cover and
a few great tracks.

tracks;

1 Young Killer – Tiger in your tank
2 Carlos Malcolm Orchestra – Tribute to Don Drummond
3 The Merrymen – Never on a sunday
4 Westside Symphony Orchestra – Jamaica ska
5 Clarence Curvan Orchestra – Mama dis is mas
6 The Mighty Sparrow – She’s been gone too long
7 André Tanker Flamingoes – Linstead market
8 The Mighty Dougla – Leave me

This is the first album with Fuji music on this page.
Fuji is a style from Yoruba-land, sometimes described as
Juju music without guitars. Originally, Fuji ( called after
Mount Fuji in Japan ) is based on muslim ‘were’, the singing
alarm clock songs, performed for early breakfast and prayers
during Ramadan. Sikiru Ayinde, better known by his fans as
Barrister, is the leading Yoruba fuji singer. Fuji is in
fact a quite complex style, drawing on Yoruba percussion
roots, while adding a muslim vocal feel. This LP has great
music but an awful cover to my opinion, ( apart from his
sunglasses ) don’t look too much but just listen
to ‘Barrister’.

By the way, as usual in this type of music, all songs are
melted together as one, I did not devide them.

tracks;

1 Fuji Garbage
– Lau erebe
– Four jolly friends
2 O dowo agbagba
– Psychology
– Won oma doyika ni
– Awa lolorun fun
– Hawaiian system
– Otunba wahab oshinubi

It was in 1997, when ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ launched their
historic first cd with Ry Cooder, that I learned about Pio Leiva.
He was one of the singers, that worked with Compay Segundo
since the 50’s. Leiva was one of the main performers of the
Montuno genre, they called him ‘el Montunero de Cuba’.
He wrote the number ‘Francisco Guayabal’ that became a hit
via Beny Moré and played with Bebo Valdes and Noro Moralez.
I was one of the lucky visitors of the Amsterdam Carré Theater
when Wim Wenders made his movie of the Buena Vista Social Club,
an unforgettable evening.
This is an album on his own name and it’s a great one.
Listen to Pio Leiva !

tracks;

1 Mi chiquita
2 Bajo un palmar
3 Mireya
4 La juma de ayer
5 No te preocupes
6 Pescadores de Camaron
7 La noche buena
8 Un jardinero de amor
9 Torcuata
10 Que me digan feo
11 Cangrejada
12 Los golpes de caridad

73 year old ‘Mighty Sparrow’ played at the Amsterdam Paradiso
tonight, and I went to see him with a friend. Our legend played
with a band from Surinam and I must say, he can still sing
with strong voice, I didn’t expect. At some points the band
didn’t quite know how to play what Slinger Francisco ( his
real name ) wanted to hear but in general they did their
medly’s not too bad. The old Sparrow is still a lady killer,
from the moment he got on stage he was flirting with some of
the women in front. When he got carried away, wiggeling his
hips, he forgot his lines and just mumbled; ” banana nana
Banana nana.” In despite of his being a dirty old man, he
is still a living legend, and it was great to see him.
This is an album of 40 years ago, Sparrow must have been 33.
Hope you like it, enjoy Mighty Sparrow’s Calypso Carnival.

tracks;

1 Mr. Walker
2 Wood in the fire
3 Carnival in ’68
4 Duncan
5 Jook for Jook
6 Jane
7 One hand man
8 Macco man
9 Crazy John
10 Calypso Boogaloo

December 10th already, this year runs to it’s end. It’s getting
colder outside but inside we are nice and warm. Especially when
we listen to tropical musicstyles like ‘Compas’. “Coupé Cloué
was the nickname of professional footballplayer Jean Gesner
Henri ( 1925 – 1998 ) and became the name of his compas-direct
dance orchestra.” ( Rough Guide )

tracks;

1 l’International / Colé colé
2 Kiliboi
3 Louloune
4 Imploration

Oliver de Coque was a prolific guitarist who popularised the
‘Ogene’ dance, an inspiring style of Nigerian High Life.
Oliver Sunday Akanite was born in 1947 and started his music
career at the age of 11. He played on the Prince Nico Mbarga’s
evergreen album “Sweet Mother” and recorded himself more than 70
albums that have next to great music, the funniest picture
covers around. King Chief Oliver de Coque died on june 20, 2008
in a hospital in Gbagada, Lagos, after struck by heart failure.
May he rest in peace. On this album ‘de Coque’ really makes true
his great name, on ‘Baby don’t cry’ he seems to be calling chickens
with his guitar. For the occasion Oliver put on his most
special dress. Don’t you just love that tigerprint ?

tracks;

1 Ife chi kwulu geme ( Sound Ogene )
–Onye zogbulu nwambe ?
2 Baby don’t cry
3 Go call police

These guys don’t like short names, ‘the Fantastic Pambou Tchicaya
Tchico & his Waka Waka Band of Nigeria’, quite a mouthful.
On the other hand, in this case I think they can afford it.
What a fantastic album this is indeed, to my opinion the
best Tchico on this page untill now.
” aon aon aon ”

tracks;

1 Mamy Rosa
2 Agatha – Agathy
3 Josintha, a Nigerian girl
4 Business before pleasure

When it comes to handling smooth ballads, Lord Creator always
was a class of his own. In the 60’s he recorded Calypso
and also Ska, but his style was quite different from what
others were doing those days. Lord Creator was born Kentrick
Patrick in San Fernando, Trinidad, but spent a lot of years in
Jamaica. “When UB40 honoured the quality of his ‘Kingston Town’,
and included it on their ‘Labour of Love’ cover version album,
Creator was able to buy a house in Jamaica from the Royalties.”
( Rough Guide )

tracks;

1 Jamaica farewell
2 Big bamboo
3 Archie
4 Bad lucky
5 Blowing in the wind
6 Don’t go away
7 End of the world
8 Independent Jamaica
9 Sweet Jamaica
10 Island woman
11 Yellow bird
12 The queen’s canary
13 Ma and pa
14 John B.

Sampling the albums from between 10/19 and 11/5,
this is volume 16.

tracks;

1 Pamelo Mounk’a – Ce n’est pas ma secretaire
2 The Upsetters – Underground
3 Alfredo Gutierrez y su Conjunto – Ojos verdes
4 Thomas Mapfumo – Tozvireva kupiko
5 Super Etoile 2 de Dakar – Ndeetel weer wi
6 Super Etoile de Dakar – Alboury
7 Youssou N’dour et le Super Etoile – Gainde
8 Vongo Aye – Bolingo mobesu
9 Monguito – Chimbombo
10 The Upsetters – Dyon anaswa
11 Melcochita – Son de los viejitos
12 Rochereau Tabu Ley – Nin’zi
13 Rochereau Tabu Ley – Leki ya mongali… tosuki wapi
14 Theo Blaise Kounkou – Cherie Sylla
15 Miguel Quintana – El plato roto