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Sahib's Jazz Party
In a time before jazz music went free and ‘avant-garde’ there were a couple of inspired souls who put an emphasize on extended jams and improvised yet melodic parts based on a rather repetitive rhythm background. The result in turning away from the rather artistic and complicated bebop was the modal jazz that came up in the second half of the 1950s and lasted as the leading style until the mid to late 60s when bands either became free avant garde or discovered rock music to boost up their sound.…
Sondi
First time reissued on CD outside of Asia! Sondi Sodsai represented Thailand in the Miss Universe 1959 beauty pageant. She went by the alias "Sondi Sodsai" in her acting career because her last name "was too difficult for foreigners to pronounce“. The same year her sole album "Sondi" was released on Liberty Records in the USA. The fact that it was produced by the star of the Exotica scene; Martin Denny, led (and still leads) to a huge interest in this record. Lot's of new songs where written for…
Rains In The Tropics
Gene Rains is a hot tip within the tiki scene. His works are not as known as those of Martin Denny or Les Baxters, but musically they play in the same league. Rains colourful compositions write their own story. Once the record starts playing, you'll be taken on a orchestral journey through polynesian isles, treasures in the jungle, old stone gods and also take a short side trip with songs like "Chines Nights" or "Bangkok Cock Fight".
Un Beau Monstre
Greek born composer and conductor George Garaventz really complies with any expectations on his 1970 album for the French movie "Un beau monstre“ (A beautiful monster). This is a rather atmospheric and moody effort and except for the opening tunes of both sides this is entirely instrumental despite a few wordless female choirs adding an even deeper atmosphere to the compositions. The luscious arrangements and insistent melodies truly drag one into a colourful world of their own. Pop, psychedelic…
Dharmatma
You know it's Bollywood time again when you find classic Hindustani music, tinges of fuzz guitar and acid pop plus and a dance orchestra mixed for an album with epic anthems captivating and accessible at once. The musicians play with passion and the singers really chant their souls out to summon Krishna or just rave about tragically broken relationships and other problems of all day's life. This album really paints majestic pictures into your mind and lets you become part of a colorful mo…
Som Definitivo
An incredible album – one in which the Brazilian female harmony quartet meets up with their male counterparts, the Tamba Trio! The gals have most of the vocals on this set, but backings are in the sublimely modern mode that the Tamba combo was using at the time, set to arrangements by Luiz Eca, the group's pianist – and soaring with a great blend of jazz and bossa elements! The whole thing's a landmark in the Brazilian scene of the time – with edges that are dark and sweet at the same time – and…
Pacific Ocean
Early Dawn present a reissue of Pacific Ocean's self-titled album, originally released in 1968. It's a wonder they weren't touring the whole world and playing on huge stages in front of thousands of fans. This 1968 album smashes in like a hot stone with that soulful drive otherwise only Steve Marriott and Humble Pie could provide. A definite recommendation for fans of good old hard classic rock.
Shin Chugoku
A duo by Osamu Kitajima and Fumio Miyashita, formed at the end of 1971 when Osamu Kitajima returned from his trip to United Kingdom where he got influenced by exploding psychedelic rock scene that was happening at the time. After recording his debut under moniker of “Justin Heathcliff”, he got together with Fumio Miyashita of Far East Family Band and Far Out. Together they worked on an amazing psychedelic / progressive rock album, with a foly, yet pastoral, mellow approach.
Electronic, Absolutely
Remastered from two private tapes (1990 "Absolutely Electronic" and 1992 "Memories From Times To Come") that Michel Nolet - the one man band - used to share in the 90's with other music collectors and hometapers from Canada, England and Germany only.
Banko Woman
For over forty years, the Apostles of Aba have stood as the jewel in the crown of the music scene in Eastern Nigeria. Since their formation in 1973, the band has turned out memorable performances in a variety of styles including rock, soul, funk, pop and reggae. Even today, the Apostles continue to thrill audiences in their hometown of Aba with dazzling shows. Cultures of Soul is proud to present one of the Apostles’ more obscure—yet relentlessly funky recordings: Banko Woman, originally release…
Sweeter Than Honey
Pat Thomas and Ebo Taylor are the Jagger and Richards of Nigerian Highlife. Drawn together by a mutual love of the genre – and an equally intense desire to stop it becoming moribund and bereft of ideas – Ghana’s two most progressive musicians added a western twist to this traditional form of African music and gave it relevance again. It was by no means a continuous process. Pat Thomas and Ebo Taylor first came together in 1966. Over the decades they’d venture off to play in different bands and e…
Metalik Funk Band
The Mighty Flames were a crack bunch of Cameroonian musicians, drawn to Nigeria by the heavy funk sounds booming across the border like musical moths. For a short time in the late sentries they ‘owned’ Port Harcourt, destroying dancefloors with an incendiary sound that burned so heavily that it was phosphorescent. Metalik Funk Band is the band at their most deadly. Willy ‘Pazz’ Nfor is on bass, Nfrackie ‘Jazz’ Song on synth, Didi Lead on lead guitar, Emma ‘Wah Wah’ Baloka on rhythm and Stormy ‘B…
Rock Town Express
There was a time in the 1970s when the best band in the Nigeria was actually from Cameroon. Rock Town Express, formed out of the ashes of Wrinkar Experience by Yaoundé boys Edjo'o Jacques Racine and Ginger Forcha, hit it hard, hit it loud and hit it funky. Racine and Forcha had been recruited from Cameroon by Dan Ian and after only six months, left them stranded in Nigeria's troubled east. Their first album as Rock Town Express was released on Ginger Baker's ARC label in 1974. This, their second…
We Can Get It On
By the mid 1970’s in Nigeria, the Biafran War was a distant memory and the music scene in the eastern city of Aba was booming again. Bands like The Funkees, The Wings and The Apostles grabbed the headlines, but the more interesting stuff was coming from smaller groups like the Friimen. The Friimen, or the Friimen Muzik Company to use their official name, were influenced as much by pre-Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees as Jimi Hendrix and James Brown. In Beni Tudumey they had the best keyboardist in …
Coming Home
In 1977 Jake Sollo returned to Nigeria to record his first solo album, Coming Home. His long-term band, The Funkees, had imploded in London. And his big break with the Afro super band, Osibisa, was cut short when he went on strike with Kiki Gyan and promptly got sacked. Rather than sit at a bar and feel sorry for himself, Jake returned to Nigeria and got his mates together – including the aforementioned Mr. Gyan – and headed into the EMI studios in Lagos. The result was Coming Home, a triumphant…
My Good Friends
Set up by producer Ben Okonkwo in 1973, the BEN label, and its offshoot Clover Sounds, broke some of the biggest bands outside of Lagos. The Apostles, Akwassa, The Doves, Mary Afi Usuah and Aktion all got their start in the cramped studio in the commercial heart of Aba. The least known – and arguably one of the best bands on the label – was The Visitors. For a short, sweet time between 1975 and 1978, The Visitors were creating the most righteous sounds in the East. We’re talking deep afro-funk w…
In The Groove
First official reissue ever! Nigeria had an utterly strong popular music scene in the 1970s, “Afro Beat” and “Afro Funk” were the hottest musical creations of the day and garage rock oriented bands like Ofege or funky monsters Akwassa were at the forefront of the movement. I deliberately call it their second album despite three albums that were released under the monicker Heads Funk Band with exactly the same line up as Akwassa from 1975 to 1978. However, the main difference between “In the groo…
Girls For Sale
Before he was Nigeria's self-proclaimed Mr Lover Boy, Felix Lebarty was an upcoming musician in the country's Edo-Delta region. His big brother, Aigbe, was a legendary Highlife bandleader, but Felix paid his dues playing guitar with Thony Shorby Nwenyi and the Collection of Stars, along with fellow 'star' Mighty Flames bassist, Willy Nfor. Perversely, Girls For Sale was released after Lover Boy, the slick disco album that cemented his place in Nigerian music history. It is a collection of tracks…
Devil Woman
The eastern Nigerian city of Calabar in Cross River State was colloquially known as Canaan City – a place of lush landscapes, alluring women and delicious cooking. When the Biafra War ended it became a land of milk and honey for bands as well, with jumping venues like the Taj Mahal and Luna Nite Club and a label called Clover, set up local entrepreneur Ben Okonkwo, releasing albums by bands like The Doves, The Visitors, Aktion and The Apostles. The youngest band on the Clover roster was Mansion,…
Live In Europe - Fonk Afrika
OFO The Rock Company (originally known as OFO The Back Company) were Nigeria’s first acid-rock band. Blending Hendrix and Deep Purple with shamanism and a pro-black philosophy, they cut their teeth at Fela Kuti’s Afrika Shrine, developing a fearsome live reputation that intimidated every other band in Lagos. No one wanted to follow the guys from OFO, not even Fela himself. Lead by the charismatic Larry Ifedioranma, OFO The Rock Company considered themselves a musical cult. Their live shows were …