Les Fo'Plafonds, one of the goofiest acts you've ever seen, especially check out their cover of "Misirlou"
But wait, maybe this is even weirder!
Balkan Taksim with "Ludiko"
R.I.P.
Djodjo Ikomo, singer of Tabu National, orchestre Veve, Bana Moja, Bana Ngenge, TpoK Jazz and Empire Bakuba. He was 73 (Via Frank Wouters). See below for musical tribute
Hermeto Pascoal, Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, he was 89
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Wetbacks without permits all the new music below plus treats .
Tribute to Djodjo: the late Djo Djo Ikomo with orchestre Vévé, Bana Ngenge, Bana Modja, orchestre Lokito
Cheikh Lô is now one of the elder statesmen of Senegalese music. He grew up in Burkina Faso where he made his debut with Volta Jazz, backing the singer Tidiane Coulibaly on drums and backing vocals. He saw the rise and fall of salsa and mbalax yet his music retains elements of both in a sweet blend. Growing up he listened to Rochereau and Bembeya Jazz records that his elder brother had. His new album was recorded in Senegal and for the occasion a group of Czech musicians he had met on tour flew in to jam; I think that's them on "Ndiguel Dieufe." There are a dozen brief songs going from lyrical to rocking with a variety of atmospheres, as if he was moving from room to room. "Bamba moofi djouli guedy" reprises "Bamba guedj," one of his devotional songs. His spiritual Baye Fall identity is crucial to his image, as he comes across as humble and modest, yet he is massively talented, playing guitar and singing, and he also takes an astonishing turn on the timbales. While that is an unusual instrument in Africa, it had its place in the Afro-Cuban bands that were big in his childhood, and there is a strong Afro-Cuban feeling to the opener "Baba Moussa BP120." It's a tribute to Baba Moussa which he wrote in 1976 in homage to a policeman who kept order in Bobo Dioulasso when he was growing up. The other songs favor the talking drum, played by Souleymane Seck. Other traditional instrumentalists include Abdoulaye Cissokho on kora and Vieux Keita on balafon, and Lô himself on congas, trap drums and timbales. Another oldster, Vieux Mac Faye, plays guitar, and Thierno Koita (ex-Le Sahel, Baobab) is featured on sax. Four pianists are listed and six bass players. Though Lô's voice is fragile (at times I am reminded of late Gregory Isaacs), the recording is engineered around it, so you sense the discrete placement of the balafon, percussion and sax on reverb in numbers like "Carte d'Identité." He tries on a bit of English, but mainly sings in French (& is that Japanese on "Ndeketeyoo"?). A full-on reggae number "African development" is a call to Africans for self-determination and their leaders to shed their inferiority complex. It is followed by a deconstructed reggae beat on "Ndeketeyoo." The back beat is on congas. This is Lô's first album in a decade and is wonderfully crafted.
Radio Tarifa's fifth album comes after a two decade hiatus. Back in 1985 a trio met in Madrid and had a great idea: imagine a radio drifting between signals in the South of Spain, picking up Andalusian and Arabic music. Two of the trio were into performing medieval Spanish music which already had that fusion in its bones; the arrival of Benjamin Escoriza from Granada brought it into the 20th century with rock guitars and studio effects. They were nominated for a Latin grammy for Fiebre and toured the world to great acclaim. Benjamin's poetry brought it to life vividly, but sadly he died 20 years ago and the group disbanded. Now they have reformed and even have an unfinished piece by Escoriza to kick it off beautifully, making a continuity to their earlier sound. It's folkloric and medieval with major flamenco and arab flute elements, just like the earlier discs. I'm not big on medieval music but "Quel sol che raggia" reminded me of the Coventry carol "Lullay lullay." I guess it's the flatted harmonies. Faín Dueñas is the leader, playing guitar, bass, percussion, organ, guimbri, handclaps and even koto. Vincent Molino adds the woodwinds: ney, arghoul, bawu, cromorne, oboe and keyboards. Guests bring violins, accordion, cello, bass. I think I hear harp on "Sakura," a Japanese folk song, though it's not credited, so maybe that's Dueñas on the koto, playing with his thumbs instead of plectrums* (*I know the plural is plectra, but since we say stadiums and not stadia, I will assume it's Anglicized). Escoriza had one of those great deadpan flamenco voices and they capture that again, especially with the guest vocalist Jose González on "Sabah" and Javier Castrillón on "Soleà del desamor," which also features a really plankety banjo. Welcome back!
BAILADOR EN LA ESQUINA
SALSA DURA FROM THE DISCOS FUENTES VAULTS (1974-1985) (Vampisoul VAMPI 332)
Vampisoul, the top Spanish label, has found more great material from Discos Fuentes' vaults. Colombia was one of the hotbeds of salsa in the 70s and 80s and in addition to many great bands turning out album after album there was no shortage of 45s, sometimes one-shots from bands who got a hit on the radio, or in jukeboxes. And as you know, sometimes hit 45s never make it to album compilations. Either the band is saving it for a later, greatest hits compilation or they have too much good material in hand, and assume the fans have the 45 too. Mexican DJs particularly coveted these gems and dropped them into their sets, helping spread the gospel of cumbia, salsa and son montuno throughout the Caribbean. Cali street life is the center of attention for groups like the Latin Brothers or Fruko y sus Tesos, and the title cut leads us off into those wild picturesque streets. It's Super Combo "Los Famosos," who, despite their name, are pretty obscure today. La Protesta de Colombia is another forgotten band but from their ranks came young Joe Arroyo. "Hecho y derecho (fact and rights)" is also a protest song, we imagine. But the aim here is to get you moving, not marching against perceived wrongs. With all that marching we'd be too tired to dance. "Sal y agua" by Sonora Guantanamera, in addition to a driving cowbell, thundering horns and punchy piano, has a singer highly reminiscent of Celia Cruz. Some bona fide big names appear to pack side B: The Latin Brothers, Piper Díaz and Fruko. The recording is crystal clear: piano rocking out in the left channel with timbales and other percussion in the right, while the horns get you right in the face.
ALHAJI K. FRIMPONG & HIS CUBANO FIESTAS
BLACK AND BLUE ALBUMS (Soundway SNDWCD180)
Singer/songwriter Alhaji K. Frimpong (1939-2005) was one of the stalwarts of the Ghanaian highlife scene with his first two albums. The band's name, Cubano Fiestas, in no way reflects their sound! His Blue album from 1976 is a masterpiece of the genre, the uncredited sax is top notch, as are the rest of the band. Anthony and Isaac Yeboah sing chorus. A year later he issued the so-called Black album; the sound has undergone a slight change with the introduction of a synthesizer, which is so dominant that it ruins it. It's a shame, after the perfection of the Blue album. Pianos wont keep their tune in the tropical atmosphere, but there were plenty of good solid state organs such as the compact Farfisa that is heard here with restraint. This pair of albums is being made available on vinyl once again (formerly on Secret Stash, before that on Continental Records, 2011), and you can buy all of the tracks from both albums as a download, which is how I have it. Decades ago you could find albums like this on CD in African markets in most big Western cities. You couldn't tell real releases from bootlegs because usually they had a cheaply printed color cover and no liner notes. However, the crucial information can be found on Discogs which lists the personnel, including Kofi Abrokwah on alto sax, Slim Manu on bass, Yaw Asante on drums, Dan Asare on percussion, Jacob Osae on lead guitar, Sammy Cropper on rhythm (yes, that moniker is a nod to Steve Cropper of the MGs), George Amissa on sax, Arthur Kennedy on trumpet, and Frimpong himself as singer. Backing vocals are again by Anthony and Isaac Yeboah. No one admits to touching the synthesizer. Some of the musicians were also in Starlite Band, Vis-a-Vis and later backed Alex Konadu. So this pair of classic albums last appeared on CD (issued by Regency Music in 1997) with the title "Kyenkyen Bi Adi Manu" which is the lead-off song. My version has overdubbed wanky synth which ruins it, so it is truly refreshing to hear it again as it was meant to sound, with the "organic" instruments, but to my ears there is no redeeming the Black album with the synth destroying every cut. The Blue album (Ofo Bros 1976) had 8 tracks and the Black album, which followed a year later, four tracks: all 12 are included here by Soundway.
Year to date, in review
(click on maps at the top of the page to get to continent of choice)
September 2025
Mahotella Queens' latest is filed in South Africa, part 2
Ahmed Mukhtar and Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde's Al-hambra can be found in Old World misc
Alick Nkhata's Radio Lusaka is heard in Zambia
Nadir Ben is filed in Algeria
Los Estrellas del Caribe &
Grupo Son San are found in Colombia part 3
July 2025
Edna Martinez is filed in world miscellany, though her music is from Colombia Music for a Revolution is definitely from Guinea
Gasper Nali and his babatoni can be found in Malawi
Haris Pilton and Balkan Voodoo Orchestra is in the Balkan and Gypsy section
Petit Goro's Dogon Blues went to Mali, part six!
June 2025
Ammar 808's latest Club Tounsi is filed in Arabia part 3 African Jazz invites OK Jazz can be found in Congo Classics part 2
Serbians Sekoyva are filed in Balkan & Gypsy beats
Tigray Tears' album is filed in Ethiopia
The Groove Africa compilation from Putumayo is filed in Africa misc
May 2025
Zulu Guitar Blues is filed in South Africa, part 2
Kwashibu Area Band are filed in Ghana part 2
Youssou's Eclairer le Monde is in Senegal part 4
Les Abranis can be read about in Algeria
Salif Keita's latest is in Mali part 6
Fanfare Ciocarlia is filed under Gypsy Brass
Ozan Baysal, from Turkey, is filed under Old World misc
April 2025
Tsapiky! is music from Madagascar
Orquesta Akokán's latest is filed in Cuba part 4
Trio da Kali is filed in Mali part 6
Mike Guagenti is filed in Salsa
March 2025
The latest from Baianasystem can be found in Brasil part 3 Sweet Rebels: The Golden Age of Algerian Pop-Rai is filed in Algeria Damily & Toliara Tsapiky Band are filed in Madagascar
Two new anthologies of Gnonnas Pedro are in Benin
Muslim Shaggan can be read about in India & Pakistan II
The Original Sound of Mali vol II is filed in Mali part 6
February 2025
Novalima's latest can be read about in Peru part 2
Aboubacar Traoré & Balima is filed in Burkina Faso
Tumblack are from the Caribbean
Brooklyn Sounds are filed under Salsa
...
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BACK IN PRINT (Second edition, November 2012)
A DISCOGRAPHY OF DOCTEUR NICO
By Alastair Johnston
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