AFRICAN SCREAM CONTEST + NIGERIA SPECIAL

El Rego Et Ses Commandos : Se Na Min
From African Scream Contest (Analog Africa, 2008)

Dan Satch & His Atomic 8 Dance Band Of Aba : Alabeke
From Nigeria Special: 1970-1976 Vol. 1 (Soundway, 2008)



Sorry for the lack of post, I had to finish a memoir for the end of February.


After both reissues of the sound of Zimbabwean township 70s music scene with The Green Arrows and Hallelujah Chicken Run Band at the time led by Thomas Mapfumo, I was curious of what the new Analog Africa serie could sounds like. Especially since they open an incredible blog.

It's the surprise that came out firstly. Because their third reissue focuses on Benin and Togo and not yet on Zimbabwe. And also 'cause that new compilation called "African Scream Contest" allow to Analog Africa to place them in the court of the great afro-beat compilation ever release. Words weigh.

Their first post seemed to mark these new direction. ASC comes complete the TP Orchestre Soundway release and the rare digs on Beninese and Togolese afro-beat come stir up our interest on a very obscure scene. We all usually use to digs some Nigerian and Ghanean afro-beat.

Except the comp' Kings Of Benin Urban Groove T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo we actually have a few documentation on Benin Afro-beat and surely less on Togo Afro-beat. Therefore Benin and Togo are neighbouring countries with Ghana and Nigeria. And with his Nigeria Special series Miles Cleret show us that we have again many thing to learn about the Nigerian scene after the Biafran war. So we can thank Analog Africa and Miles Cleret for what they do for us. Maybe they'll suggere us a sort of crazy catalog of West African Funk as Love Peace and Poetry Series, Numero Group Series, or as Buda Musique do with the Ethiopiques Series in the late 90s ?

On African Scream Contest, listeners could easily associate some tunes they already heard on Kings Of Benin Urban Groove, Booniay and Danque such as the tune Chieddatby Jedba (Djanfa Magni) on ASC and Bright Engleberts featured tune on both Afrodisiac comp. But there, you'll listen an exception even if some tunes recalls you other great stuff - standard - that every afro-beat amateur already known. ASC suggere "Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds". It's crazy, nasty, deep, raw and psyched-out. That the specifity of ASC, crazy afro-funk and psychedelic digs.

El Rego et Ses Commandos was one the first band to catch the growing interest that students had with the James Brown style... The rest is in the excellent liner notes. Nothing to add, just remember that video.




*** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE *** UPDATE ***

Thanks all those who email me for this :

http://www.nigeriaspecial.info/
http://www.youtube.com/MONCADAS plus his dope Beware mix on Voodoo Funk

Beyond Iron Curtain

Sarolta Zalatnay: Hadd Mondjam El and Ne Hidd El
From Sarolta Zalatnay (Finders Keepers, 2007)

Digging the blog, you know my interest to heavy funk. Four years ago I discovered these Hungarian female musician on both excellent site. And I get a copy of her album reissued by Finders Keepers. Excellent job guys! People around me are surprised to listen this rock. It sounds like if Funkadelic, The Meters or Jimi Hendrix were playing behind the former Iron Curtain. Except her musician career, in the 70s Zalatnay was also an actress and work with the Hungarian New Wave director Marta Meszaros. Andy Votel assure.

"The radical film "Szep Lanyok", translated as "Don't Cry Little Girls" featured some great scenes of early Hungarian psych rock music penned by Metro band member Karoly Freinreisz who by now readily providing music and words for Zalatany as well as developping his own new progressive rock group."

African Voodoo

Manu Dibango: Afro-Soul and Wa-Wa
From Africadelic (?, 1976)

In 2003, Africadelic was a "best of Manu Dibango". Recently re-edited in France by Hi&Fly Records (same french label for this post), Africadelic is a reedition of Manu Dibango original album. Above all, an obscure album. Between Soul Makossa and Obossa, the saxophonist produced Africadelic and African Voodoo. Whose album your can hear an extract on Paris Djs site. But it is the first version. The other version said that Africadelic was released in 1976 probably during his recording at Decca for Manu 76 and Super Kumba.

Liner notes of album I bought focuses on the first version. "A few years later, after the breakthrough of Soul Makossa all over the world, and under pressure from fans spellbound by the Afro-Soul-Thing, everyone agreed that it was not only obvious, but necessary to release Africadelic nationwide. So, it was through a misunderstanding, and thanx to the record company Mondiophone, that Manu Dibango's Africadelic became available in most good record shops in 1972".

Heavy Heavy Heavy!

Buddy Miles Express: Train
From Expressway To Your Skull (Mercury, 1968)

Funkadelic: I Bet You
From Funkadelic (Westbound, 1970)

At the beginning, I was thinking to post something about "You're the One (That I Adore)" performed by Buddy Miles Express. Because the tune remind me another track of Sly Stone "Time". First minutes sung in "You're The One" seems to be near of "Time / Needs another minute, at least / Take your time / But you've got a limit". By moment I wonder if Buddy Miles haven't get influenced Sly Stone during this year. Maybe "You're the One (That I Adore)" have influenced "You're The One" performed in 1970 by the Little Sisters in the Stone Flower Production. I guess Buddy Miles on the drums completly stoned in the sleeve of Riot but he's still not credited.

Expressway To Your Skull is the first album of Buddy Miles Express, second is Electric Church and the third We've Go To Live Together is right a remaining of "Everybody People" that the Band of Gypsys played during the Live in January 1970. I believe it was in 1968 that Buddy Miles Express, Cream and Jimi Hendrix Experience were touring in concert in the worldwilde.

Heavy drums in "Train" is an equivalent sound drums played by Ramon Tiki Fulwood. Surely Expressway To Your Skull's album, as well as Band Of Gypsys's project were highly recommended by George Clinton when he turned into the first Funkadelic album. After the death of Jimi Hendrix, he asked Eddie Hazel to find an equivalent guitar form. And the sleeve in the direct influenced of The Chambers Brothers's New Generation album. Or "vice-versa". A sort of generation of mandala sleeves. By the way, get the heavy drums in mind sounded with psychedelic fuzz.

re-fresh

The Soul Lifters: Hot, Funky, and Sweaty
From 7"
also available on the comp. Hot, Funky and Sweaty (Soul Patrol, 1999)

Chicago: Introduction
From Chicago Transit Authority (Rhino, 1969)

+ Sly and the Family Stone: M'Lady
From Live at the Fillmore East (Epic, 1968)

New reedtion of Fresh, Stand and others album (+ bonus tracks) will be released soon in 2007. The album Fresh has already been released in two different versions and some fans think that the new release of Fresh could be the third... My favourite version is the second. "Epic/Legacy will on March 20 unveil remastered editions of Sly & the Family Stone's first seven studio albums, each with several bonus tracks and new liner notes. Not included in this batch are group leader Sly Stone's 1975 solo album High on You or the Family Stone's final studio set, 1979's Back on the Right Track." from Billboard.com

Two compilations propose the track "Hot, Funky, and Sweaty" by The Soul Lifters. The first I buy is The World's Rarest Funk 45s releases on Quantic and the other is Hot, Funky and Sweaty on Soul Patrol. There's an other covered version of this tune, see also the other compilation Hot, Sweaty and Funky release on Hard Soul Records in 2005. Sorry for the lack of information about The Soul Lifters, I forgot The World's Rarest Funk 45s, which is more detailed, in a radio station based in Paris where actually I do a training course... (That's why I alert you for some "Interruption").

If you're a big fan of Sly Stone, this tune could not be a surprise for you. Myself I've been very very surprised when I listened the track 'Mama Lolo" by The Entertainers here (check out, Brent recently update it!). As Robert said in the comment: "The Entertainer’s 45 is exactly the same as “Introduction” on the Chicago Transit Authority album". Chicago was a band musicaly familiar/similar to Electric Flag, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Buddy Miles Express, Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield. Anyway, before the debut of Chicago, before the recordings of Stand and Electric Ladyland, and while Buddy Miles Express was recording the excellent album Expressway to Your Skull, Sly and The Family Stone was opening the show at the Live at The Fillmore East in 1968, Jimi Hendrix played next.

Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road

Bappi Lahiri & Salma Agha: Come Closer
From Indiavision (Buda Musique, 2005)

Vern Blair Debate: Ooh Ah Ee
From The World's Rarest Funk 45s (Quantic, 2006)

Robert Wyatt: Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road
From Rock Bottom (Hannibal, 1974)

Mulatu Astatqe: Netsanet
From Ethiopiques Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969-1974 (Buda Musique, 1998)

Nothing really coherent between these Bollywood Disco, Deep Funk, Prog-Rock and Ethiopian Groove tunes. No have the time to post something as usual. I only hope you'll enjoy the psychedelic sound. Ten years ago, a cousin offered me Rock Bottom and wow! still today I don't really hate listen it again and again. It is the second Robert Wyatt album solo. Maybe his greatest one for the former drummer of Soft Machine...