Grafonola

JILALA - Jilala ( Rogue Frequency Recordings ) Until Now, Jilala has been a much sought-after phantom in relation to their better-known musical and spiritual contemporaries, The Master Musicians of Jajouka. Culled from three and a half hours of 1965 recordings by writers/artists/poets Brion Gysin and Paul Bowles, the first batch of Jilala recordings were released on a 1965 LP that was scarce even upon its initial release. The second batch of Recordings, which this LP has drawn from, came in the form of a CD by Baraka Foundation in 1998, which is also now long out of print. In the original liner notes Ira Cohen provides a breakdown of the Jilala ensemble: "The instruments used are the shebaba, a long transversal cane flute, which leads the way; the bendir, a handheld drum resembling a tambourine without cymbals; and the karkabat which is a double castanet made of metal. On this record, there are usually three flutes, six drums, and one pair of castanets." In conjunction with t...

George Mukabi - Furaha Wenye Gita ( Mississippi Records) George Mukabi is a mythic figure across East Africa, known for his incredible fingerstyle guitar and hard living. Mukabi invented a solo technique in which melody, rhythm and bass lines all merged in two hands on one guitar. Combined with his gentle raspy voice, wood and glass percussion, and the harmonies of his companion Jack Malenya, he created a sweet and thriving “omutibo” music that belied his tough reputation and untimely death. An imposing man who was both respected and feared, he sang of the tumults of marriage, morality and life in Kenya on the cusp of independence. He sold hundreds of thousands of records in East and Central Africa before his murder in 1963, leaving behind just a few dozen beautiful songs and a complicated legacy. This is the first comprehensive release of his music outside of East Africa. We traveled to Kenya to meet Mukabi’s surviving son Johnstone, as well as a generation of the artists he inspire...

VARIOUS - Ethiopiques Box 7" Vol 2 ( Record Store Day 2018) (Heavenly Sweetness) Following the success of the first volume which sold out in 2017 , Heavenly Sweetness decided with Francis Falceto to give a follow up - in the form of this box set of Ethiopian singles. It's a tribute of sorts to the music producer Ali Tango, who produced most of these EPs across 6 X 7". Falceto plunged into his impressive collection of records and there are great names of the golden age of Ethiopian music such as Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemayehu Eshete, Ali Mohamed Birra, alongside less known artists to be rediscovered such as Muluquen Melesse, Alayew Mesfin and Seyoum Gebreyes. Including original artwork and labels, plus a poster and six stickers of all the covers. Limited edition, 2000 copies. ETHIOPIQUES BOX 7" VOLUME 2 by Various Artists

ABU OBAIDA HASSAN   - Abu Obaida Hassan & His Tambour: The Shaigiya Sound Of Sudan ( Ostinato Records ) What was always certain is Abu Obaida Hassan’s mercurial talent. His command of a modified tambour, backed by a chorus and two drummers, unleashed swirling melodies alongside complex Nubian rhythms and hypnotic Sudanese call and response. His bands roster constantly changed, but he remained at the helm, playing for sold out shows in cities across the country and capturing the dancefloors and youth of 1970s and ‘80s Sudan. This is a rich, raw example of the human experience with sound from northern Sudan, an ancient part of the world, and the birt hplace of civilization. Music like this isn't mastered overnight.  Abu Obaida comes from the Shaigiya people, whose culture is spread around the ancient city of Merowe, home of traditional Nubian culture, where pyramids older than those in Egypt still stand. They trace their entire lineage to one man, Shaig, who migrated ...

ANTONIO SANCHEZ - Buli Povo ( Analog Africa Germany ) While Analog Africa always outdo themselves with their inconceivable form and approach to reissuing rare tropical music, this Record Store Day sees them providing us with some seriously special moves from the inimitable islands of Cape Verde. It was their Space Echo compilation, released a few years ago, that put the African archipelago back on the map, and we haven't stopped dancing since. Through a seductive blend of synths, drums, and unforgettable chanting, the style of Fukuna is on our hearts wherever we go. Antonio Sanchez, a leading figure in the golden era of the Cape Verde sound (70s-80s), release Buli Povo to limited international acclaim; the original is a rare find, and so it makes total sense to have it pressed up once again. But, act fast, because these WILL fly! Totally killer stuff. Buli Povo ! (Limited Edition) by António Sanches

Shimshon Miel -  Amsterdam To Nueiba (Fortuna Records) Tel-Aviv's Fortuna Records are doing their nation proud by releasing an impressive volume of native music, both old and new, that is sounding perfectly relevant in this day and age. More than anything, it's just great music that most of us haven't heard yet. For instance, their previous effort - a timely reissue of Tsvia Abarbanel's Eastern Soul - was an invaluable snapshot of Israeli femininity across the ages, while this reincarnation of Shimson Miel's acid-rock output from 2007 is a clear nod to the man's visionary style, more than a decade ago. "Amsterdam Experience" is the stand-out track, a bundle of loose, percussive waves that verge on the electronic while still sounding organic and improvisational. Much the same, "Nueiba Nueiba" is a delightful slice of deep-minded exotica, and Kalbata's edit of "Amsterdam Experience" provides a more wholesome slew of beats to t...

GUELEWAR - Touki Ba Banjul: Acid Trip From Banjul To Dakar ( Kindred Spirits Holland ) Comentários: ouki Ba Banjul is a compilation of the Gambian psych sensation Guelewar who played a major part in the development of the Afro Manding sound. From 1979-1982 the band released four albums, featuring some of Gambia's best funk tunes. This official first time ever reissue features the highlights of their career. Before Guelewar, Laaye N’Gorn, the lead singer of the band, was already one of Gambia’s most celebrated artists. He was the centre figure in The Supreme Eagles, with whom he played as the main act in one of Gambia’s succesful clubs ‘The Bambo No.1 Night Club’. In return for the succes the clubmanager offered them instruments, after which they renamed their band to the Super Alligators. Due to the mixture of western influences such as soul and funk with traditional and regional rhythms like boogaraboo and sawrouba, The Super Alligators had a unique sound. The result of this ble...