PANAMA! 2 Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk on the Isthmus 1967-77
Soundway unleash the hottest Tropical sounds from Latin America’s musical melting pot!

Beto's Panama!2 DJ Mix!

Roberto Gyemant is Soundway's man behind both the 'Panama!' albums and the Colombia album, 'The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes'. We have posted posted his latest 40 minute DJ mix on the Soundway site. Featuring rare cuts from all these albums as well as previously unheard song this mix is a must for anyone who loves their tropical sounds. The whole mix can be streamed and linked to from the Soundway website or alternatively we can send you the mix to host.

Soundway records presents Panama!2, “Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical & Calypso Funk on the Isthmus, 1967-77” - showcasing the unique tropical music created in Panama during the fertile decades of the 1960s and ‘70s, whilst producing one of the sure-fire summer soundtracks of the year! Below is the video trailer for the album.

New Soundway Website

Soundway have luanched their new website www.soundwayrecords.com. The new site provides a one stop shop for all Soundway releases as well exclusive mixes from the likes of Miles Cleret and Beto, interviews with Soundway artists and news about forthcoming Soundway events.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics Interview

Source : Youtube.com/strutrecords

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Check out more of my post on parisdjs.com

Chico Mann : Analog Drift
Gal Costa : 1969 (dustygroove)
Guinée 70 : The Discothèque Years (syllart)
Aqua Nebula Oscillator : Under the Moon Of (pan european)
Juan Y Su Combo : Masters of Chicha Volume 1 (barbès Records)
El Guincho : Alegranza (xl - beggars) yeah yeah !
Daniela Und Ann : Samba-Soul-Beat in Black & White (sonorama)
Binario : Binario (far out)

And Analog Africa Samy Ben Redjeb mix [mp3] for his new compilation Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Volume One "The Vodoun Effect" 1973-1975 - Funk & Sato from Benin's Obscure Labels

My gratitude to Tom Griswold, from San Diego, California, author of the Loaded To The Gills logo.

For more details email me

Saturday, August 16, 2008

More Afro Funk

The Funkees : Breakthrough
From Deep Covers 2 : Mas Profundo : Cover Songs From All Around The World (Soul-sides.com, 2008)



Question Mark : Freaking Out
From Nigeria Rock Special : Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk in 1970s Nigeria (Soundway, 2008)



Amadou Balake : Fanta
From Senor Eclectico : Burkinabe Dance Music Of The 70s (Oriki, 2008)


Mor Thiam : Ayo Ayo Nene
Spiritual Jazz - Esoteric, Modal & Deep Jazz From The Underground 1968 to 1977 (Jazzman, 2008)



Very busy holidays this summer. Sorry for the lack of post.

Oliver Wang aka Dj O-dub just send me a copy of his killing compilation Deep Covers 2 : Mas Profundo. I play Atomic Rooster cover by The Funkees yesterday on my radio show. Highly recommanded comp if you dig comp such as Nigeria Rock Special, Sitar Beat, Panama... Check out groovecollector.com to get your own Slipping Into Darkness / Breakthrough 7inch.

Remember, last year, this mix for Touch Of Soul, I have selected the tune "Super bar konon mousso" by Amadou Balake from Rare Afro & Caribbean Funk. Greg Villanova, Oriki music boss label I interviewed last month, selected the same tune on his recent release. Killing afro-funk tunes on Senor Eclectico such as "Aminata du thé", "Doro Magni", "Ligda Remba" or "Fanta". As I met Miles Cleret on June, I can specify he really likes this new Oriki release. In my opinion, Amadou Balake and Moussa Doumbia releases on Oriki are simply highly recommanded.

At last, back in Senegal with Mor Thiam. This tune is extracted from the album Mor Thiam Presents Dini Safarrar (Drums Of Fire). More out this link for more details about Mor Thiam. Peter from Art Yard was engaged by Jazzman to restore the whole tracks. On Spiritual Jazz compilation there's also the tune "Neveen"by Salah Ragah died last month. R.I.P.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Natural Yogurt Band

The Natural Yogurt Band : Voodoo, The Woods and Thougths
See also Away from Melancholy (Jazzman, 2008)

Voodoo by this very very obscure 60s band has certainly influenced Heliocentrics...

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

New addition

As Likembe said Africolombia blog which author is Fabian Altahona Romero promise a lot of plenty of wall-scorchers !

Check out this tags :

> Ghana
> Fruko Y Sus Tesos
> Nigeria
> Osibisa
> Sir Victor Uwaifo
> Wganda Kenya

Saturday, June 21, 2008

L'Epopée de la Musique Africaine : Rythmes d'Afrique Atlantique

L'Epopée de la Musique Africaine : Rythmes d'Afrique Atlantique |Hors Collection, 2008]
Auteur : Florent Mazzoleni

Il est difficile de parler d'une musique africaine au sens large. En effet, jusqu'au milieu du XXe siècle, la musique a toujours été le reflet de la diversité des ethnies de ce continent immense. Au début des années 1960, la proclamation des indépendances et l'urbanisation annoncent une ère nouvelle, celle de sociétés en pleine mutation qui veulent rompre définitivement avec le colonialisme en adoptant des modes de vie modernes. La généralisation d'instruments amplifiés et des cuivres, tout comme la naissance de maisons de disques et de producteurs locaux sont les premiers grands signes de cette évolution , tant sur la forme que sur le fond. Des rythmes nouveaux voient le jour, influencés par la musique cubaine, le folklore, la pop, la soul, le rock ou le funk.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

THIS WEEK AT CAFE BONNIE [PARIS] (6/20)

After Miles Cleret from Soundway Records we proudly receive Samy Ben Redjeb from Analog Africa. African Scream Contest : Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds from Benin & Togo 70s compilation will be release on 27th of june in France on Socadisc and Stones Throw / Dustygroove in the USA. Check out more info with the post wrote by myself on february here.

Café Bonnie

Karl Hector & The Malcouns + The Heliocentrics

Karl Hector & The Malcouns : Koloko Pt 1 and Toure Samar

From Sahara Swing (Stones Throw, 2008)

It is now been a long time ago that Eothen Alapatt didn't release rare 70s funk on Now Again. Since their recent deal with Jazzman and Quantic. We were waiting for some new kind of project. And... a whole new thing back with The Heliocentrics probably. Impossible to not mention James Pants for his french rooted disco punk with Welcome. Now Again digs now it roots on the Ethio Jazz and Afro Funk music. Confirmation comes out with Karl Hector & The Malcouns and African Scream Contest. Swing Sahara's Karl Hector & The Malcouns album sounds like Daktaris meets Breakestra meets Budos Band meets Heliocentrics. In my mind Karl Hector sounds like Heliocentrics for the Mulatu Astatke or Sun Ra influences. Heliocentric is also an album of Sun Ra. But there's more UK 70s progressive on Heliocentrics and US 70s funk on Swing Sahara. The originality is due to deutsch producor Jan Whitefield.

Karl Hector is special guest In Da Mix this mounth on Soulstrut.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

loadedtothegillsblog.muxtape.com

James Pants > We're Through
Seun Kuti > Think Africa
The Heliocentrics > Joypride
The Sahara Allstars Of Jos > Take Your Soul
Tidiani Koné & Orchestre Poly-Rythmo > Djanfa Magni
Bentho Gustave Titiou & L'International Poly-Rythmo - Lyame Dji Ki Bi Ni

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Soul Messengers + Pharaohs

The Soul Messengers : Equilibrium and Heaven Of Heavens
From Soul Messages From Dimona (Numero, 2008)

The Pharaohs : African Roots
From In The Basement (Luv N' Haight, 1996)

There’s nowaday prolifics, qualties and genuine releases of compilation that digs 70s funk from all around the planet. Often it’s engaged series and proposed 70s funk from singular countries. Singular because never 70s Benin and Togo afrofunk was released. And it’s also the case for Soul Messages From Dimona. Personnally I was waiting for a Black Hebrew compilation since I’ve been introduced to it two years ago. Bywayof made it again ! Tracks posted by DZ appears on this new Numero Group compilation Soul Messages From Dimona and focus in fact on The Soul Messengers. From Numero Group series, best regionalistic 70s funk ever release are this one and Cult Cargo : Grand Bahama Goombay… I believe.

Before touring in Liberia and Israel, members of The Soul Messengers was settled in Chicago. Black Hebrew community from Chicago shared Marcus Garvey’s vision and black nationalism ideas. Chicago’s black art movement was synonymous of Soul Jams and Social Justice. Boscoe cover art album take the colours of black nationalist flag. Check out this article for more details about these Chicago scene. Yehudah was guitarist for the afro-centric band The Pharaohs. He’s credited on both Awakening and In The Basement albums. “In 1971, the group recorded Awakening for the Scarab label, with Yehudah taking lead guitar duties for most of the set and lead vocals on “Tracks Of Tears” and “Freedom Road”, their only single”. Then Soul Messengers set down to Israel in 1972.

Equilibrium and Heaven Of Heavens tunes sound more like the instrumental Africadelic Manu Dibango album than Chicago music scene. Even if Equilibrium goes to blues jam with a cover of I’m A Man Chicago Transit Authority version. West Africa is linked with Chicago.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Miles Cleret (Soundway) drops in at Lille

This week we receive a very special guest Dj Miles Cleret.

Miles Cleret from Soundway is known today for his comp' about 70s Nigeria. This could be an incredible set blowing our minds with very cool Nigerian crate diggin' around midnight. Miles opened my ears to psych-out-afro-funk. Last year with the Colombia compilation, helped by Beto (author of liner notes), ML released an album hailed and played in the worldwide. Nigeria Special series has confirmed his knowledge and "savoir-faire" in tropicalista underground and 70s music.

Hope you'll enjoy his dj set tomorrow in Lille.

Pedro Gnonnas Et Ses Panchos : Okpo Videa Bassouo
Bentho Gustave Titi : Lyame Dji Ki Bi Ni

Also appears on Kon & Amir Off Track Vol.2 : Queen (BBE, 2008)

Sunday, April 06, 2008

PSYCH-OUT TALES & FUNKY FRESH

Mutantes : Deixe Entrar Um Pouco D’Agua No Quintet / Os Brazoes : Feitiço
From Tudo Foi Feito Pelo Sol (Warner Chappell, 1974)
From Os Brazoes (Som Livre, 1969)
Also available on Andy Votel’s Brazilika (aka “Subtropical Sunstroke Psych-out” Volume 1) (Far Out, 2008)

The Latinaires : Society
From Like It Is (Cotique, 1970)
Also available on Fania Dj Series : DJ Format (Fania, 2007)

The Dells : I Don't Know What To Do With Myself
From Sing Dionne Warwick's Greatest Hits (Cadet, 1972)

Sidan : Ar Goll
From Welsh Rare Beat 2 (Finders Keepers, 2007)


Today what I bring you could be considered as the best Brazilian comp’ ever. I’ve been informed by that project last year by Thomas, former of Far Out, who is actually the author of Waxfruit. Votel is the third guest for Far Out Brazilika project after Kenny Dope and 4Hero. Every guest get his own sensibilities. Anybody who is familiar with Brazilian comp’ could recognize on this one Azymuth – Periscopio and Tim Maia – E Necesserio (already include on Brazilian Beat Brooklyn). Check out more info here.

Andy Votel (Finders Keepers) doesn’t loose his habits. Specialized in freak and obscure music from all over the planet, FK digs "regional music". Recent Welsh Rare Beat give an idea of their catalog. Sidran is maybe the first garage funk Welsh band in the early 70s. Great job such as the last One Nation Under A Grave, this one Subtropical Sunstroke Psych-out is crazy and totally tropicalista. By reading this, if you have a copy of Soul Jazz Records Presents Tropicália: A Brazilian Revolution in Sound i'm interesting to know whose of these both comp' you prefer ?

The Latinaires was a multi-racial band. Social and political lyrics from ‘Society’ recalls me the tune ‘Together’ performed by Ray Barretto. It’s groovey. On that same compilation there is also the greats Flash &The Dynamics. Before I get that copy I program the tune ‘Chango’ from this band on my radio show. I say it to Dj Format and reply me “yeah its great eh?!”.

Necessarily The Dells with this incredible album reissued by Dustygroove. Incredible featurings and in particular with this track ‘I Don't Know What To Do With Myself’ which include member of The Pharaohs. Cool project with Charles Stepney, Phil Upchurch… !

TIME TO PAYBACK

It’s now became annoying, bloody boring and revolting to listen to this pessimistics of old cornies that deafen our ears with their own fear. But I’m not sharing their view. I mean, the problem of old cornies only concern old cornies. In fact, this old guys could be of service to us by give up their jobs. See, read, everyday, all our leaders are in situation to be retired. Their speech only interests the old guys. It’s not the concern of the young generation. The old corny hope a depression, I hope a long dog-days for all of them. Let us our hand safe and you go away now !

Another afro-beat in view before the next first Seun Kuti album. Second Mombasa reissue is right on what you have already listen with Boscoe and the Pharaohs. It’s jazzy prog afro and funk. Recorded in Berlin near 1976 with Lou Blackburn. The jazz musician founded Mombasa in 1973. Extracted from this album “African Hustle” is a classic afro-beat tune. But this album is less known. “Yenyeni” give you the concept of the other tunes more afro jazzy. Loud drum and bass with syncoped rhythms.