Category Archives: Afrobeat
IMARHAN TIMBUKTU-AKAL WARLED.
IMARHAN TIMBUKTU-AKAL WARLED. Over the last ten years, Imarhan Timbuktu have been providing the soundtrack at dance clubs and private parties in Northern Mali. Imarhan Timbuktu have starred at the famous Festival au Desert. Gradually, word began to spread about Imarhan Timbuktu. Recently, Imarhan Timbuktu’s music has been heard further afield. This includes in Europe …
MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA.
MUYEI POWER-SIERRA LEONE IN 1970s USA. In the early seventies, Muyei Power had established a reputation as one of Sierra Leone’s top dance bands. Along with Afro Nation, Sabaoh 75 and Super Combo, Muyei Power provided the soundtrack to daily life in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. Their music was a fusion of the music that …
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-INNER FIRE.
THE SOULJAZZ ORCHESTRA-INNER FIRE. Back in 2012, The Souljazz Orchestra celebrated their tenth anniversary with the release of their fifth album Solidarity. Less than two later, The Souljazz Orchestra will release their sixth album inner Fire on 24th February 2014. Just like their previous albums, Inner Fire is a compelling fusion of musical influences and …
BODDHI SATVA FEATURING GAME WALLA-APAGA O FOGO.
BODDHI SATVA FEATURING GAME WALLA-APAGA O FOGO. It was back in early in 2012 during a tour of Angola, that Boddhi Satva first came across Game Walla. Djeff Afrozilla, a producer friend of Boddhi’s, recommended that he have a listen to Game Walla. Boddhi wasn’t disappointed. Far from it. Game Walla is one of the …
AFRO-BEAT AIRWAYS-WEST AFRICAN SHOCK WAVES 1972-1978.
AFRO-BEAT AIRWAYS-WEST AFRICAN SHOCK WAVES 1972-1978. Without doubt, one of the best compilations of 2013 was Analog Africa’s Afrobeat Airways Return Flight To Ghana 1974-1983. It was the perfect introduction to Ghanaian music and featured thirteen slices of Afrobeat and highlife. This was music that’s irresistible. Uplifting, joyous, spiritual and infectiously catchy, it’s also funky, …
BLO-CHAPTER ONE.
BLO-CHAPTER ONE. The first thing that strikes you about BLO’s Chapter One, the latest vinyl rerelease from Mr. Bongo Records, is the cover. Naive, psychedelic, lysergic and surreal, it’s a min-masterpiece. It’s up there with some of the best album covers in music history. So good is the album cover, that I’m sure many people …
PETER KING-MILIKI SOUND.
PETER KING-MILIKI SOUND. It’s almost ironic that Peter King, one of Nigeria’s best musicians, is better known in Europe and America than in his home country. Peter King’s is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most talented musicians. His name is synonymous with his Miliki Sound, a captivating fusion of African musical genres and influences. …
EBO TAYLOR-CONFLICT.
EBO TAYLOR-CONFLICT. When the history of Ghanian music is written, one man will loom large, Ebo Taylor. He is a colossus of Ghanian music. Ebo is best described as an innovator who went on to influence further generations of Ghanian musicians. Nearly forty years later, Ebo’s influence is still being felt not just in Ghanian …
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 1.
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 1. On the last day of the year, I always publish my list of the best albums I’ve reviewed during 2013. This year, I’ve expanded it to my top thirty albums. That’s a reflection of the quality of music released during 2013. What follows is an eclectic selection of …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST REISSUES OF 2013 PART 5.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST REISSUES OF 2013 PART 5. OMAR SOULEYMAN-WENU WENU. Prolific. That’s a good way to describe Omar Souleyman. After all, how many artists have released over 550 albums? However, not all that glitters is gold. Many of these albums Omar has released are recordings of him singing at weddings. They’re sold …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 1.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST COMPILATIONS OF 2013-PART 1. Considering how many compilations have been released during 2013, picking the fifty best compilations wasn’t easy. After all, I’ve listened to hundreds of compilations. They’ve come from the four corners of the globe, featuring every musical genre known to man. This includes everything from Acid House, …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 1.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 1. With 2013 drawing to a close, and a new musical year beckoning, it’s time to look back at the best music released during the year. Over the next few days, I’ll look back at the best compilation, reissues and new releases. Before that, I’ll pick …
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 3.
THE A-Z OF THE BEST BOX SETS OF 2013-PART 3. PHILLY REGROOVED: THE TOM MOULTON REMIXES-SPECIAL VINYL EDITION. Just over three years ago, in August 2010, Harmless Records released the first instalment in the Philly ReGrooved compilation series. Featuring twelve remixes of tracks from the Philly Grooved back-catalogue Philly ReGrooved: The Tom Moulton Remixes was …
ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2.
ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2. Following three aggravated uprisings in 1961, the Angolan authorities were forced to act. There was no denying it, Angola was in crisis. The country could implode. Something had to be done. The status quo wasn’t an option. What followed was a double edged sword of repression and reform. For the first time, …
PHAROAH SANDERS-ELEVATION.
PHAROAH SANDERS-ELEVATION. Having released his debut album Pharoah’s First in 1964, Pharoah Sanders went on to release over thirty albums. As if this isn’t impressive enough, he’s accompanied jazz legends John and Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner and Don Cherry. Pharoah’s other collaborations have included working with such luminaries as Terry Callier, Sun Ra and Ornette …
WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 5:WHO IS WILLIAM ONYEABOR?
WORLD PSYCHEDELIC CLASSICS 5:WHO IS WILLIAM ONYEABOR? To celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary, Lauka Bop will release World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who is William Onyeabor. As rhetorical questions go, it’s one of the best. No-one can say with any certainty who William Onyeabor is. Much of his life is shrouded in mystery. There’s a reason for …
AFROBEAT AIRWAYS 2-RETURN FLIGHT TO GHANA 1974-1983.
AFROBEAT AIRWAYS 2-RETURN FLIGHT TO GHANA 1974-1983. For anyone who loves African music, Analog Africa’s releases are essential listening. Their compilations are among the best compilations of African music available. The reason for this is simple, Analog Africa dig deeper than other reissue labels. They’ve been doing since 2005, when Samy Ben Rebjed founded Analog …
BLO-CHAPTER ONE.
BLO-CHAPTER ONE. The first thing that strikes you about BLO’s Chapter One, the latest rerelease from Mr. Bongo Records, is the cover. Naive, psychedelic, lysergic and surreal, it’s a min-masterpiece. It’s up there with some of the best album covers in music history. So good is the album cover, that I’m sure many people will …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 