Jazz /
Africadelic
Diggers Factory present a reissue of Manu Dibango's Africadelic, originally released in 1972. The strange and majestic musical beast that is Africadelic was Dibango's follow-up to Soul Makossa (1972), but it was initially released on Louis Delacour's library music label, Mondiaphone, before Soul Makossa became an international phenomenon.
As a Mondiaphone release, it was aimed at television and film producers seeking atmospheric background music, so the original titles are simply "Theme No 1," "…
Ubok Aka Inua
*In process of stocking* Originally released in 1976, Ubok Aka Inua is the fifth album by legendary Nigerian saxophonist and band leader, Etubom Rex Williams. The album features Psychedelic Shoes and One Woman Is Enough Trouble, both heard on countless funk and soul compilations. The album was restored from the original tapes by Noah Mintz and artwork restored and recreated by Steve Lewin.
"Etubom Rex Williams occupies the genuine space of legend of Nigerian Highlife. His incredible professional…
Drive Unlimited
We Are Busy Bodies presents Drive Unlimited. A gem by South African group The Drive, founded in 1971 by Adolphus "Bunny" Luthuli and Henry Sithole.
Remastered reissue by We Are Busy Bodies. Art restoration by Steve Lewin.
Live!
* 50th-anniversary reissue, 2LP on red vinyl * Originally recorded in 1971 at Abbey Road studios in just a few hours, 'Live!' is a collaboration between good friends former Cream drummer Ginger Baker and Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and Afrobeat pioneer Fela Ransome-Kuti and his band The Africa 70. Featuring a live audience of 150 people who crammed into the studio with them, this is not only a piece of history with some of the most accomplished musicianship you'll ever hear, it's also a real…
Confusion
* 2022 Small Repress * Over a decade a half after his death, vindication has come to Fela Kuti, Africa’s musical genius. AfroBeat, his gift to the world, is now an international staple on his own uncompromising terms, social content intact. Throughout his life, Fela contended that AfroBeat was a modern form of danceable, African classical music with an urgent message for the planet’s denizens. Created out of a cross-breeding of Funk, Jazz, Salsa and Calypso with Juju, Highlife and African percus…
Afro-Jazz-Folk Collection Vol.1
* 2021 Stock * The Super Biton has existed since the 60s, like Ségou, its orchestra, the Super Biton has always remained behind what was done in Bamako and in the big cities of Africa. The Ségou orchestra developed and incorporated amplified instruments that mingle with brass, in particular electric guitars, symbols of modernity at the time. It opens up to Cuban music, and congas and bongos complement the sound of the orchestra.
The group drew a unique sound from it, a perfect balance between t…
Vol. I - Katakata
* 2021 Stock * Amazing Afro-beat album from a Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s disciple. A sublime spiritual & political session recorded at Phonogram studio (Lagos, Nigeria) in 1979, on a 16 tracks. After the critically acclaimed second album we're very proud to present the first and really hard to find vinyl reissue of Kingsley Bucknor. Also know as "King Bucknor" the famous Nigerian producer, arranger and singer delivered two brilliant, hypnotic and long traditional afro-beat tracks .All the ingredient…
Fela's London Scene
* 50th anniversary edition of 1971's London Scene, pressed on limited edition white, red, blue splatter vinyl. Complete with a collector's gold OBI strip *Fela Kuti (1938-1997) was a Nigerian musician, producer, arranger, political radical and outlaw, and the originator of Afrobeat. A titanic musical and sociopolitical voice, Fela’s legacy spans decades and genres, touching on jazz, pop, funk, hip-hop, rock and beyond. After graduating from Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban Conservatoi…
V.I.P. (Vagabonds In Power) Vol. 1 Live In Berlin
* 2021 Repress * Knitting Factory Records reissue Fela Kuti’s ‘Army Arrangement’ on vinyl, previously only available as part of the Box Set series. ‘Army Arrangement’ is about Nigeria’s attempt at ‘democracy’ in 1979 after more than a decade of military rule.Bill Laswell’s mix of Army Arrangement for the Celluloid label was an act of gross cultural-arrogance. With Fela in jail on trumped up currency-smuggling charges when the time came to make the final mix, the label approached Dennis Bovell. B…
Army Arrangement
Knitting Factory Records reissue Fela Kuti’s ‘Army Arrangement’ on vinyl, previously only available as part of the Box Set series. ‘Army Arrangement’ is about Nigeria’s attempt at ‘democracy’ in 1979 after more than a decade of military rule.Bill Laswell’s mix of Army Arrangement for the Celluloid label was an act of gross cultural-arrogance. With Fela in jail on trumped up currency-smuggling charges when the time came to make the final mix, the label approached Dennis Bovell. But Bovell was una…
Grill
Grill by Gbubemi Amas is as smooth as the red cardigan artfully slung around his shoulders on the cover. Whether he is running through the scales on a cover version of ‘Fire and Rain’, or trying on his calypso highlife moves on ‘Ereyon’, you know Amas is a man with a smooth line for every occasion. He is also a man with impeccable enunciation. Listen to ‘Slow Down’. It features one of the most cultured sound checks you will ever hear in your life – “Willy, keep the bass a little bit tighter”. Th…
Vol. 4 – Yehouessi Leopold Batteur
Acid Jazz Records continue their exclusive licensing agreement with Albarika Store, the legendary record label that defined the sound of Benin and influenced the entire region of West Africa and beyond. Albarika Store is home to many rare recordings, from more traditional folkloric and Sato styles, to the funk, blues and psych inspired workouts of the All Mighty Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou, as they referred to themselves. Many of the original records are sought after by DJs and collectors a…
Le Sato
Acid Jazz Records continue their exclusive licensing agreement with Albarika Store, the legendary record label that defined the sound of Benin and influenced the entire region of West Africa and beyond. Recorded and issued in 1974, Le Sato is one of the earliest releases on the Albarika label and it is also one of the deepest. Sato is the term for the traditional rhythms that soundtrack Vodun (Voodoo) rituals and ceremonies in Benin. Performance of Sato is reserved for these sacred rites, which …
Let's Go
** Limited LP sealed w/hype sticker ** Afro7 Records presents Let's Go by The Scorpios. Everyone’s favourite Sudanese collective from London is back with another full album! Traditional meets today and everything in-between - future classic!
Assagai
** 2021 Stock ** Assagai's debut for Philips' progressive subsidiary Vertigo was realized in 1971 to quiet applause. Critics soon became favorable as Afro-rock gained a foothold as the "next big thing" and it wasn't long before they would make their (only) appearance on Top of the Pops. Their journey in London's predominantly progressive underground music scene was brief, but also established a further chapter in the annals of Afro-rock alongside Black Velvet, Osibisa, Thor's Anvil, Uhuru and Th…
Fela's First - The Complete Melodisc Session
** In process of Stocking ** The tape of the very first Fela Ransome Kuti recording session has languished in a series of dusty cupboards and damp basements for 60 years. It’s a miracle that it has survived in such fine condition. The original Melodisc single, comprising side A of this release, was for long thought lost until a copy of the session acetate turned up and was reissued as part of the superb Soundway compilation Highlife on the Move (2014). However the two tracks on side B of this al…
No Discrimination
Comet Records presents the Tony Allen & Afrika 70 reissue series with the classic late seventies first four solo albums of Tony Allen remastered and restored: Jealousy, Progress, No Accomodation for Lagos & No Discrimination, all coming in an heavy Deluxe Tip-On Jacket.
Tony's solo album, No Discrimination, marks an important turning point in Tony Allen's musical life. Tony had recently left Fela Kuti's band, which was clearly an emotional yet necessary change as Allen sings of love and brotherh…
No Accomodation for Lagos
Comet Records presents the Tony Allen & Afrika 70 reissue series with the classic late seventies first four solo albums of Tony Allen remastered and restored: Jealousy, Progress, No Accomodation for Lagos & No Discrimination, all coming in an heavy Deluxe Tip-On Jacket.
1978's No Accommodation for Lagos, Tony Allen's third solo album, is an effortless Afrobeat masterpiece. The Afrika 70 band floats through two of Tony's heaviest and most churning compositions. With this album, we start to hear T…
Something for Someone
Fantastic new compilation of the Kenyan Afro-Rock group Black Savage, 9 tracks taken from one extremely rare LP and two singles 1975-78. The Black Savage band came out of the Duke of York school in Nairobi, the group had prominent members like renowned world musician Job Seda (Ayub Ogada) they released one album on EMI East Africa in 1975 and three others singles, two in 76 and 78, and one in the early 80s. This LP (CD inside the jacket) is a compilation with half of the album and two of the sin…
Under the Sun
Second album by Greece's premiere Afro-jazz band. An Odyssey of sound through West African percussion, jazz, Greek melodies and a tinge of funk. Greece is maybe not the first country that comes to mind when you think of Afrojazz. Afrodyssey Orchestra unexpectedly hit the scene some time ago after we released In the Land of Aou Tila, their debut album — while that first album was going to the hands of the few lucky ones who managed to discover the band back then, Afrodyssey Orchestra were already…