Roots Rocking Zimbabe surveys 70s sound of Harare Townships

Analog Africa's Roots Rocking Zimbabwe uncovers some rippin' vinyl gems from the active Harare scene of the late 70s.    

This just in from Analog Africa...

In 1972 black people rarely featured in the country’s white-owned official newspapers, unless, perhaps, they were a dead “terrorist”. However, Dr Footswitch’s performance prompted The Rhodesia Herald to print the picture of their guitar player, Manu Kambani, on the front page along with the screaming sentence “Jimi Hendrix is dead but Manu is alive”. With his ability to mimic the mesmerising antics of Jimi Hendrix Manu had impressed everybody and the editor of the paper couldn’t resist printing the story. Heavy criticism from conservative whites followed, accusing the Herald of “lowering the standards.” But the coverage turned Manu into an emblematic figure in Harare, one of Salisbury’s oldest townships, and would influence many youngsters to form their own musical groups. Those bands began fusing Rock music, Congolese Rumba, South African Mbaqanga, soul and traditional beats into an underground music movement that would shape the future of Zimbabwean sound and challenge the colonial establishment.

All the commotion started drawing interest from South Africa’s industry players and a good number of Rhodesian bands – including The Great Sounds, MD Rhythm Success, Afrique 73, The Hitch-Hikers, The Impossibles and the O.K Success – had managed to get one-off recording deals with Gallo Record on the strength of their live performances. But for some reason the South African giant didn’t totally capitalise on
the momentum and that vacuum was filled in 1974 by the Teal Record Company who had decided to beef up their Rhodesian subsidiary. Crispen Matema, a prolific drummer with a love for traditional music, was hired to oversee the program.

It took some digging to compile Roots Rocking Zimbabwe

Driving across the country in his Peugeot 504, Matema scouted undiscovered talent, organized live music contests, and booked a small studio in downtown Salisbury. Within a year, he had recorded fantastic bands such The Baked Beans, Blacks Unlimited, New Tutenkhamen, The Acid Band, Echoes Ltd, Gypsy Caravan and many others. To release this flood of music, Teal launched several new imprints, including Afro Soul, Afro Pop, and Shungu.

Not to be outdone, Gallo Records finally sent the legendary sax jive producer West Nkosi to Rhodesia to scout for emerging talent. A chance recommendation led him to the Jamaica Inn Hotel, where he encountered The Green Arrows led by the carismatic Zexie Manatsa. By Christmas 1974, their single ‘Chipo Chiroorwa’ had sold over 25,000 copies, making them the first Rhodesian band to earn a gold disc. In November 1975 Nkosi arranged for another session for The Green Arrows at the Film Project Studios to record the fuzz-drenched ‘Towering Inferno’, a tribute to Paul Newman and the crystalline guitar instrumental ‘No Delay’, a homage to Steve McQueen.

In 1976 the liberation war is raging when Teal began immortalising Thomas Mapfumo on 1/4inch tape. Thomas had just joined forces with the Black Unlimited and The Acid Band and had started modernising traditional songs to great effect. That revolutionary style deeply rooted in Shona culture known as Chimurenga unified all generations under the banner of the liberation struggle.

Zexie Manatsa and Thomas Mapfumo massive popularity attracted the attention of the PATU (Police Anti-Terrorist Unit) who didn't like the massive crowds these artists were attracting. As a result Both Manatsa and Mapfumo were arrested and imprisoned.

Despite the arrests and the increasing scrutiny from the Rhodesian authorities, the music refused to be silenced. If anything, the repression only strengthened the resolve of Zimbabwean artists such as the enigmatic Tineyi Chikupo, who continued to compose songs that carried the hopes and struggles of the people. By the time Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, the musicians who had risked everything to give their people a voice emerged as national heroes.

The 25 songs presented on Roots Rocking Zimbabwe (out May 2) project showcase the birth of the modern music industry in Zimbabwe and the explosion of creativity bands of the 1970s and 80s delivered is endlessly rewarding. It was a time of wild experimentation before established genres had crystallised. Rock, rumba, soul and traditional grooves all collide beautifully in this collection, which also includes never-before-released tracks by Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi and many other Zimbabwean artists! 

Get a copy of Analog Africa's Roots Rocking Zimbabwe: The Modern Sound Of Harare Townships, 1975-1980 compilation via Bandcamp right here. Have a listen to a few tracks below. 

 

New collection of Gnonnas Pedro's 70s recordings due in February

Analog Africa's new Gnonnas Pedro comp Roi De L'Agbadja Moderne covers his Dadjes Band's peak years 1974-1983.

Here's the scoop from Analog Africa...

Gnonnas Pedro’s “Mo Ngbadun Re” - a song written to pay tribute to Nigerian and Beninese musicians - would change the trajectory of Analog Africa, forever.

And while the Nigerian artists were more or less familiar to Samy Ben Redjeb (the label founder), when Gnonnas began singing about ‘Picoby’, ‘Renova’, ‘Annasoua Jazz’, ‘Super Borgou’, ‘Super Star’, ‘El Rego’, ‘Black Santiago’ and other bands from Benin that he’d never heard of, he was driven to find out more. 

The conclusion of this musical experience was that if a star like Gnonnas Pedro sang about these bands it could only mean that he knew something that we didn’t. Could it be that the Benin Republic had more to offer than its size suggested? There was only one way to find out. Samy arrived in Cotonou in August of 2005 and that´s how a Gnonnas Pedro song brought Analog Africa to Benin, and the rest is history.

While 4 songs by this magnificent artiste were included in the compilation Legends of Benin from 2009, this time Analog Africa has the huge honour to present a full and deserved project about Gnonnas Pedro, the king of Modern Agbadja. Very early in his career our friend had landed his first hit with a song called ‘Dadje Von O Von Non’. It was an Agbadja, an ancestral rhythm played during burial ceremonies in Le Mono, the region where Gnonnas Pedro’s family came from. Gnonnas adapted, modernised and coined it ‘Agbadja Modern’ and that's how he became known and beloved as ‘Roi de l’Agbadja Moderne’.

Almost a decade later, in the mid-70s, Gnonnas secured a deal with African Songs Ltd and later with Take Your Choice (TYC), two labels out of Nigeria. At that period Gnonnas had been recording and performing for a decade, and while a few of the original band members had left, the majority of the musicians had stayed with him. The relatively consistent membership of ‘Les Dadjes’ meant that they had developed into a well-oiled groove machine by the time the ‘Nigerian years’ began. 

The various masterpieces the band recorded between 1975 and 1980 in Lagos catapulted Gnonnas Pedro to superstardom back home in Benin, but also made him a name in other West African countries, where his songs were regularly broadcast on the national airwaves. Sometimes called ‘The Band That Speaks All African Languages’ for their ability to perform songs in numerous languages ‘Les Dadjes’ also spoke all kinds of rhythms, with a special emphasis on Cuban and Benin rhythms.

Around 1980, Gnonnas fulfilled the lifelong dream of starting his own label and one of the first albums on the newly founded Gnoinsopé label included the track ‘Yiri Yiri Boum,’ which took Benin by storm and cemented Gnonnas as one of the country’s most important artists.

The double-LP ‘Roi De L'Agbadja Moderne 1974-1983’ out February 7th via Analog Africa comes as a gatefold with a full-color 8-page booklet including photos. Featuring 16 of Gnonnas’ finest songs that resonated across the African continent, the unique blend of Agbadja, Cuban son, jerk, highlife, and other African rhythms sung in Fon, Mina, Yoruba, French, English, and even Spanish offers a truly unique musical journey. Check out a few tracks below. Pre-order a copy via Bandcamp right here. 

Super Disco Pirata digs into Mexico City's mobile soundsystem scene

The golden age of Mexico City's sonideros is explored on Analog Africa's Super Disco Pirata 2LP set out November 15.  

Here's the scoop from Analog Africa's Samy Ben Redjeb...

I am facing a dilemma: how does the founder of an independent music label justify creating a project highlighting, even praising piracy, the very plague that has brought many labels to the brink of bankruptcy? 

I first became aware of “pirata” LPs in 2020 while hunting for records in Mexico City: their weird-looking DIY covers – and the edited, tweaked, EQ-manipulated and pitched-down music they contained – got me hooked. There was no denying it: the more I became immersed in the world of these illicit productions the more I became intrigued; and before long it became crystal clear that I would one day release my own compilation compiled out of pirated compilations. But beyond my own fascination with that parallel world, it was undeniable that the “pirata” movement had played a significant role in shaping the musical scene of Mexico. So how did it all start? 

During the 1980s, a group of music dealers and record collectors from Mexico City joined forces to create a series of illegally manufactured vinyl records containing rare and highly-sought hits from Perú, Ecuador, Colombia and beyond. At the time, Mexico City’s dance-party scene was ruled by the sonideros, a highly developed network of mobile soundsystem operators. The popularity of the sonideros led to a growing demand for tropical music, as their fan base became increasingly hungry for the “exclusive” hits associated with particular sonidos. Additionally record dealers were getting frustrated with the music industry constantly “feeding” them streams of mediocre records and from this frustration came the idea of compiling and manufacturing LPs on which every song was a hit: “no matter where the needle dropped, it had to be a song capable of igniting the party.” 

These bootleg compilations – known as “pirata” – were pressed during graveyard shift on recycled vinyl in editions of no more than 500; they were cheaply produced and sold just as cheaply to people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford them. They were played extensively in every corner of Mexico’s heavily-populated barrios where, in addition to educating the ears of the youngsters, they also promoted some of the best tropical music recorded in Latin America. 

According to various first-hand accounts these “piratas” began to appear mysteriously in the early 1980s at various market stalls in Tepito, Mexico City’s infamous barrio, a place where one can attend daytime Salsa parties, get any drug imaginable, buy any kind of weapon and, of course, purchase pirated music in all formats. It seems that the manufacturers of pirata LPs worked on the principle that “what happens in Tepito stays in Tepito” and getting information about their bootlegging operations was difficult, not to mention dangerous. My partner in crime – Carlos “Tropicaza” Icaza, who had agreed to write the notes to this project – was quick to point out that: “We won’t be able to disclose any names. We’ll have to be careful how we tell the story!” 

At first the pirata LPs came in a simple generic covers, had made-up company names such as Discos Music-Hall, Carioca, Garden, or Miami, and contained popular street-dance songs in nearly every tropical genre. As these unlikely compilations became successful and new ones started being produced at a rate of one per month, the pirates began designing and printing interesting looking covers which often featured the logos of some of the most popular sonidos such as Rolas, Pancho, La Changa, Arco-Iris, Casablanca. The pioneer of this design style was Jaime Ruelas, who had started out as a DJ for the legendary mobile discoteque Polymarchs before using his illustration skills to design their flyers, posters and logos. Taking direct inspiration from science fiction movies and heavy metal covers, the graphics he created became a key element of sonidero culture. 

The anonymous manufacturers may not have realized it at the time but, in daring to create pirata LPs, they were helping to consolidate and expand a love for tropical music and dance among the population of Mexico City and beyond. The records themselves are a key element of the sonidero culture that was recently declared as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico City for the impact that it has had on multiple generations who identified with the communal experience of the street party, and for whom music and dance became an essential part of daily life. 

This double-LP contains 23 tropical floor-fillers sourced from the finest and strangest pirata LPs produced during the golden age of Mexico City’s mobile soundsystems. It also includes a large booklet containing extensive notes and photos and It is dedicated to all the sonideros for their ground-breaking roles as ambassadors of tropical music within Mexican society. Super Disco Pirata is out November 15 – pre-order it via Bandcamp right here. 

Super Disco Pirata: De Depito Para El Mundo 1965-1980 

1. Lucho Burbano - Afro Oriental 05:39

2. Cumbia Machuca - Cumbia De Los Bee Gees

3. Lucho Gavilanes - El Tequilazo/Canelazo

4. Carlos Haayen Y Su Piano Candeloso - Palenque

5. Enrique Lynch - La Quinta Sinfonia de Beethoven

6. Los Pakines - Venus

7. La Protesta de Colombia - Lamento de Cumbia

8. Sonora Tropical - Ritmo de Cumbia

9. Eduardo Zurita - La 3a De Los Toquecitos

10. Leon Cardona y Los Internacionales - La Noche

11. El Combo Cienaguero - El Compae Nuñez

12. Gabriel Meza Y Su Organo Chévere - La Luna Y El Pescador

13. Los Destellos - Tanto Tienes, Tanto Vales

14. Los Diablos Rojos - A Bailar El Son Satanico

15. Anibal Angel - Cumbia Tropical

16. Camacho y Cano - Hagan Rueda

17. Orquesta "Rafalo" - Eso Es Con Vela

18. Alex Acosta Y Su Orquesta - Cumbia Del Amor

19. Ramon Ropain - Malinga 

20. Afrosound - Platico Chino

21. Los Destellos - La China María

22. Los Orientales de Paramonga - Te Gusta Como Azucar

23. Francisco Zapata - Cumbia Candelosa

Analog Africa digs deep in Kinshasa & Brazzaville for Congo Funk!

The highly-anticipated 14-track Congo Funk! compilation is due from Analog Africa on April 5th – read all about it! 

Here's the scoop from Analog Africa...

The making of Congo Funk!, our long-awaited journey to the musical heart of the African continent, took the Analog Africa Team on two journeys to Kinshasa and one to Brazzaville. Selected meticulously from around 2000 songs and boiled down to 14, this compilation aims to showcase the many facets of the funky, hypnotic and schizophrenic tunes emanating from the two Congolese capitals nestled on the banks of the Congo River. 

On its south shore, the city of Kinshasa – capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo, the country formerly known as Zaïre – is often seen as Africa’s musical Mecca, the city that spawned such immortal bands as African Jazz, O.K. Jazz and African Fiesta, and the place to which aspiring musicians from throughout the continent would go to make a name for themselves. 

But the city of Brazzaville on the north shore of the river – capital of the Congo Republic – played an equally important role in spreading Congolese sounds continentally. In addition to producing legendary bands such as Les Bantous de la Capital, it was the powerful transmitters of Radio Brazzaville that allowed the unmistakable groove of Congolese Rumba to be heard as far away as Nairobi, Yaoundé, Luanda and Lusaka thus turning the electric guitar into the continent’s most important instrument! 

Although the musical landscape of these cities had been defined by a core group of bands in the late 1950s, the modernization of Congolese music has been steadily evolving until the events surrounding the Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman boxing match marked a turning point. The promoter of that event known as “Rumble In The Jungle” was none other than the notorious Don King who needed 10 million dollars to get Ali and Foreman into a boxing ring. The only candidate willing to put this kind of cash on the table was Mobutu Sese Seko, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Mobutu - the megalomaniac dictator - had a soft spot for music so it doesn’t come as a surprise that he agreed to a three-day live music festival being organized prior to the “Rumble.” Zaïre 74 - as the festival was dubbed - was meant to hype the boxing match and many stars were invited. 

Although a myriad of artists turned up for the occasion, it was the performance of James Brown on Zairian soil that caused havoc among the younger generation, inspiring hundreds of would-be musicians to take up electric guitars with reverb cranked to the max in search of a new sound in which hyperactive Rumba was blended with elements of psych and funk. While the results were very different from the popular music of the three Musketeers - as Tabu Ley, Franco and Verckys were known - they weren’t a complete break with tradition. 

These new sounds emerged at a time when the Congolese record industry – previously dominated by European major labels – was experiencing a period of decline due to rising production costs and needed a radical change. The void was filled by dozens of entrepreneurs willing to take chances on smaller scale releases. It was the beginning of a golden age for Congolese independent record labels, and the best of them – Cover N°1, Mondenge, Editions Moninga, Super Contact – preserved the work of some of the region’s finest artists, while launching a generation of younger musicians into the spotlight. 

The movement was greatly helped by legendary radio shows but it was the dynamic productions of Télé-Zaïre that set the dynamite on fire. Legend has it that TV shows were so huge that president Mobutu himself ordered RTV du Zaïre to put on daily concerts since it halted criminal activities for the duration of the evening. 

Congo Funk! is the story of these sounds and labels, but most of all it is the story of two cities, separated by water but united by an indestructible groove. The fourteen songs on this double LP showcase the many facets of the Congolese capitals, and highlight the bands and artists, famous and obscure, who pushed Rumba to new heights and ultimately influenced the musical landscape of the entire continent and beyond. 

Pre-order Congo Funk! via Bandcamp right here. 

Listen to "Sungu Lubuka" by Petelo Vicka et son Nzazi and "Mfuur Ma" by Groupe Minzoto Ya Zaïre following the tracklisting and two promo clips below. 

Congo Funk! Sound Madness From The Shores Of The Mighty Congo River (1969-1982) 

1. Petelo Vicka et Son Nzazi - Sungu Lubuka 

2. Groupe Minzoto Ya Zaïre - Mfuur Ma 

3. M.B.T's - M.B.T's Sound 

4. Abeti et les Redoutables - Musique Tshiluba 

5. Trio Bydoli - Lalia

6. Tabu Ley et L'Orchestre Afrisa - Adeito

7. Les Bantous De La Capitale - Ngantsie Soul

8. Les Frères Soki et L'Orchestre Bella-Bella - Nganga

9. Orchestre Celi Bitshou - Tembe Na Tembe Ya Nini

10. Lolo et L'Orchestre O.K. Jazz - Lolo Soulfire

11. Zaiko Langa Langa - Femme Ne Pleure Pas

12. Orchestre O.K. Jazz - Kiwita Kumunani

13. G.O. Malebo - Fiancée Laya

14. Orchestre National Du Congo - Ah! Congo

Analog Africa releases Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu, 1972-1991 on Dec 13

The ever-intrepid Samy Ben Redjeb has dug up a fantastic selection of rare dancefloor gems from Mogadishu. 

After being blown away by a few tunes – probably just as you will be after listening to this - Samy Ben Redjeb travelled to the infamous capital city of Somalia in November of 2016, making Analog Africa the first music label to set foot in Mogadishu.

On his arrival in Somalia Samy began rifling through piles of cassettes and listening to reel-to-reel tapes in the dusty archives of Radio Mogadishu, looking for music that "swam against the current".

The stars were aligned: an uncovered and unmarked pile of discarded recordings was discovered in a cluttered corner of the building. Colonel Abshir - the senior employee and protector of Radio Mogadishu's archives - clarified that the pile consisted mostly of music nobody had manage to identify, or music he described as being "mainly instrumental and strange music". At the words "strange music" Samy was hooked, the return flight to Tunisia was cancelled.

The pile turned out to be a cornucopia of different sounds: radio jingles, background music, interludes for radio programmes, television shows and theatre plays. There were also a good number of disco tunes, some had been stripped of their lyrics, the interesting parts had been recorded multiple times then cut, taped together and spliced into a long groovy instrumental loop. Over the next three weeks, often in watermelon, grapefruit juice and shisha-fuelled night-time sessions behind the fortified walls of Radio Mogadishu, Samy and the archive staff put together "Mogadisco: Dancing Mogadishu, 1974–1991".



Like everywhere in Africa during the 1970s, both men and women sported huge afros, bell-bottom trousers and platform shoes. James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations' funk were the talk of the town.

In 1977, Iftin Band were invited to perform at the Festac festival in Lagos where they represented Somalia at the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture. Not only did they come back with an award but they also returned with Afrobeat. While Fela Kuti's 'Shakara' had taken over the continent and was spreading like wildfire throughout Latin America, it was the track 'Lady' that would become the hit in Mogadishu.

At the same time Bob Marley was busy kick-starting reggae-mania in Somalia, which became such a phenomenon that even the police and military bands began playing it. Some say that it was adopted so quickly because of the strong similarities with the traditional beat from the western region of Somalia, called Dhaanto.

But then suddenly the trousers got tighter as the disco tsunami hit the country. Michael Jackson appeared with a new sound that would revolutionise Somalia's live music scene. You couldn't walk the streets of Mogadishu without seeing kids trying to moonwalk.

"Somalia had several nightclubs and although most use DJs to play records, some hotels like Jubba, Al-Uruba and Al Jazeera showcased live bands such as Iftin and Shareero" - so ran a quote from a 1981 article about the explosion of Mogadishu's live music scene. The venues mentioned in that article were the luxury hotels that had been built to cover the growing demands of the tourist industry. The state-of-the-art hotel Al-Uruba, with its oriental ornaments and white plastered walls, was a wonder of modern architecture. All of Mogadishu's top bands performed there at some point or another, and many of the songs presented in this compilation were created in such venues.

Mogadisco was not Analog Africa's easiest project. Tracking down the musicians - often in exile in the diaspora - to interview them and gather anecdotes of golden-era Mogadishu has been an undertaking that took three years. Tales of Dur-Dur Band's kidnapping, movie soundtracks recorded in the basements of hotels, musicians getting electrocuted on stage, others jumping from one band to another under dramatic circumstances, and soul singers competing against each other, are all stories included in the massive booklet that accompanies the compilation - adorned with no less then 50 pictures from the '70s and '80s.

As Colonel Abshir Hashi Ali, chief don at the Radio Mogadishu archive - someone who once wrestled a bomber wielding an unpinned hand-grenade to the floor - put it: "I have dedicated my life to this place. I'm doing this so it can get to the next generation; so that the culture, the heritage and the songs of Somalia don't disappear."

Analog Africa launches Dur-Dur Band retrospective with 3LP set

The 3 LP set of the first two albums (with bonus tracks) by Somalia's Dur-Dur Band is just the beginning. 

Here's the scoop from Analog Africa
When Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb arrived in Mogadishu in November of 2016, he was informed by his host that he would have to be accompanied at all times by an armed escort while in the country. The next morning, a neighbour and former security guard put on a military uniform, borrowed an AK-47 from somewhere and escorted him to Via Roma, an historical street in the heart of Hamar-Weyne, the city's oldest district. Although previous Analog Africa releases have demonstrated a willingness to go more than the extra air-mile to track down the stories behind the music, the trip to Mogadishu was a musical journey of a different kind. It was the culmination of an odyssey that had started many years earlier.

In 2007 John Beadle, a Milwaukee-based musicologist and owner of the much loved Likembe blog, uploaded a cassette he had been handed twenty years earlier by a Somalian student. The post was titled 'Mystery Somali Funk' and it was, in Samy's own words, "some of the deepest funk ever recorded". The cassette seemed to credit these dense, sonorous tunes to the legendary Iftin Band. But initial contact with Iftin's lead singer suggested that the 'mystery funk' may have actually been the work of their chief rival, Dur-Dur, a young band from the 80s.

Back then, Mogadishu had been a very different place.
On the bustling Via Roma, people from all corners of society would gather at the Bar Novecento and Cafe Cappucino, watch movies at the famous Supercinema, and eat at the numerous pasta hang-outs or the traditional restaurants that served Bariis Maraq, a somali Beef Stew mixed with delicious spiced rice. The same street was also home to Iftinphone and Shankarphone, two of the city's best known music shop. Located opposite each other, they were the centre of Somalia's burgeoning cassette distribution network. Both shops, run by members of the legendary Iftin Band, would become first-hand witnesses to the meteoric rise of Dur-Dur, a rise that climaxed in April of 1987 with the release of Volume 2, their second album.

The first single 'Diinleya' had taken Somalian airwaves by storm in a way rarely seen before or since. The next single, 'Dab', had an even greater impact, and the two hits had turned them into the hottest band in town. In addition to their main gig as house band at the legendary Jubba Hotel, Dur-Dur had also been asked to perform the music for the play "Jascyl Laba Ruux Mid Ha Too Rido" (May one of us fall in love) at Mogadishu's national theatre. The play was so successful that the management had been forced to extend the run by a month, throwing the theatre's already packed schedule into complete disarray; and each night, as soon as the play had finished, Dur-Dur had to pack their instruments into a Volkswagen T1 tour bus that would shuttle them across town in time for their hotel performance.

The secrets to Dur-Dur's rapid success is inextricably linked to the vision of Isse Dahir, founder and keyboard player of the band. Isse's plan was to locate some of the most forward-thinking musicians of Mogadishu's buzzing scene and lure them into Dur-Dur. Ujeeri, the band's mercurial bass player was recruited from Somali Jazz and drummer extraordinaire Handal previously played in Bakaka Band. These two formed the backbone of Dur-Dur and would become one of Somalia's most extraordinary rhythm sections.

Isse also added his two younger brothers to the line-up: Abukar Dahir Qassin was brought in to play lead guitar, and Ahmed Dahir Qassin was hired as a permanent sound engineer, a first in Somalia and one of the reasons that Dur-Dur became known as the best-sounding band in the country.

On their first two albums, Volume 1 and Volume 2, three different singers traded lead-vocal duties back and forth. Shimaali, formerly of Bakaka Band, handled the Daantho songs, a Somalian rhythm from the northern part of the country that bears a striking resemblance to reggae; Sahra Dawo, a young female singer, had been recruited from Somalia's national orchestra, the Waaberi Band. Their third singer, the legendary Baastow, whose nickname came from the italian word 'pasta' due to the spaghetti-like shape of his body, had also been a vocalist with the Waaberi Band, and had been brought into Dur-Dur due to his deep knowledge of traditional Somali music, particularly Saar, a type of music intended to summon the spirits during religious rituals. These traditional elements of Dur-Dur's repertoire sometimes put them at odds with the manager of the Jubba Hotel who once told Baastow "I am not going to risk having Italian tourists possessed by Somali spirits. Stick to disco and reggae".

Yet from the very beginning, Dur-Dur's doctrine was the fusion of traditional Somali music with whatever rhythms would make people dance: Funk, Reggae, Soul, Disco and New Wave were mixed effortlessly with Banaadiri beats, Daantho and spiritual Saar music. The concoction was explosive and when they stormed the Mogadishu music scene in 1986 with their very first hit single, 'Yabaal', featuring vocals from Sahra Dawo, it was clear that a new meteorite had crash-landed in Somalia. As Abdulahi Ahmed, author of Somali Folk Dances explains: "Yabaal is a traditional song, but the way it was played and recorded was like nothing else we had heard before, it was new to us". 'Yabaal' was the symbolic starting point of this project. Listen to Yabaal below.

It initially seemed that Dur-Dur's music had only been preserved as a series of murky tape dubs and YouTube videos, but after Samy arrived in Mogadishu he eventually got to the heart of Mogadishu's tape-copying network – an analogue forerunner of the internet file-sharing that helped to keep the flame of this music alive through the darkest days of Somalia's civil strife – and ended up finding some of the band's fabled master tapes, long thought to have disappeared.

This triple LP / double CD reissue of the band's first two albums – the first installment in a three-part series dedicated to Dur-Dur Band – represents the first fruit of Analog Africa's long labours to bring this extraordinary music to the wider world. Remastered from the best available audio sources, these songs have never sounded better. Some thirty years after they first made such a splash in the Mogadishu scene, they have been freed from the wobble and tape-hiss of second and third generation cassette dubs, to reveal a glorious mix of polychromatic organs, nightclub-ready rhythms and hauntingly soulful vocals.

In addition to two previously unreleased tracks, the music is accompanied by extensive liner notes, featuring interviews with original band members, documenting a forgotten chapter of Somalia's cultural history. Before the upheaval in the 1990s that turned Somalia into a war-zone, Mogadishu, the white pearl of the Indian Ocean, had been one of the jewels of eastern Africa, a modern paradise of culture and commerce. In the music of the Dur-Dur band – now widely available outside of Somalia – we can still catch a fleeting glimpse of that golden age.



Dur-Dur of Somalia, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
A1. Ohiyee 5:57 A2 Yabaal 5:56 / A3. Heelo 8:58 /
B1. Hiyeeley 4:00 / B2. Aw Baahilowlow 6:17 / B3. Doon Baa Maraysoo 7:27 /
C1. Intro Vol.2 1:05 / C2. Jaceyl Mirahiis 5:20 / C3. Dab 7:46 / C4. Saafiyeey Makaa Saraayeey 2:50
D1. Jaajumoow Jees 5:43 / D2. Diinleeya 5:43 / D3. Caashaqa Maxaa ii Baray 5:10 /
E1. Keene Gardaran 4:00 / E2. Jubba Aaka 7:35 / E3. Aduun Hawli Kama Dhamaato 8:40 /
F1. Salkudhigey (Previously Unreleased) 6:40 / F2. Haddi Aanan Gacaloy (Previously Unreleased) 8:50

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley's 80s electro funk and disco recirculated

The 1989 joint "Burkina Faso" is the highlight of Analog Africa's limited 4-track EP of Ambolley's overlooked material.

Analog Africa readies African Scream Contest 2 for June 1 release

Check out "A Min We Vo Nou We" by Herman Laléyé's Les Sympathics, a highlight of African Scream Contest 2.

One For The Weekend: Melody Aces

Here's Ignace D'Souza's classic "Asaw Fofor" which will appear on Analog Africa's African Scream Contest 2.

Whaddya mean you don't know Vincent Ahehehinnou

Analog Africa is reissuing Vincent Ahehehinnou's sought-after 1978 solo debut Best Woman on April 20. 

In early 1978, Vincent Ahehehinnou left the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou without explanation. He had been one of their principal vocalist since 1968 and had helped transform them from a hard-charging nightclub band into a musical powerhouse and Africa-wide sensation. By the end of 1977, after an explosive performance at the pan-African arts and culture festival (Festac77) in Lagos, the band had reached the very pinnacle of their success.

For nearly forty years, the reasons behind Vincent's sudden departure have remained a mystery. Until now. In an interview included with Analog Africa's new reissue of Best Woman – Vincent's first post-Poly-Rythmo album, which has been out-of-print for close to four decades and nearly impossible to find outside West Africa – the great singer finally breaks his silence. He didn't leave... he was pushed.

Poly-Rythmo were already popular in their native Benin but, in the aftermath of Festac '77, the band were poised for break-out success throughout Africa. One of the people who stood to benefit most was the band's manager Adissa Seidou, whose label Albarika Store had released most of the band's recordings. However Adissa's vision for Poly-Rythmo didn't always line up with that of the musicians and, more often than not, it was Vincent who spoke up for the band.

The two men grew increasingly estranged until one day – at the funeral for Adissa's father no less – Adissa gave Vincent an ultimatum of sorts. In Vincent's own words: ‘I asked him if there is a way we could sort out our differences to which he replied that the only solution was for me to leave the band, adding, "If not I will kill you"'.

And so Vincent found himself forced out of the band he had helped build. He tried his hand at various business ventures, but soon realised that the pull of music was too strong. On a business trip to Nigeria, Vincent met with Ignace de Souza of Benin's Black Santiago band, who agreed to arrange Vincent's songs, assemble musicians, and book a session at the legendary Decca Studios in Lagos.

With everything in place Vincent returned to Cotonou, gathered together all the money he had saved over the years and set out again for Lagos. But the simple bus journey to Nigeria turned into a nightmarish odyssey of military corruption ... and had it not been for the random kindness of an unknown woman on the bus, this album – along with Vincent's subsequent solo career – might never have existed. Vincent tells the full story in the liner notes to this LP.

But Vincent did make it to Lagos and the sessions went ahead. The nine-piece band, handpicked by de Souza, learned the songs and set them to tape in the span of only a week ... but the results are as timeless and essential as anything to emerge from West Africa in the late 1970s.

Vincent's afrobeat credentials are in full evidence on opening track ‘Best Woman' (English) whose driving beat, focussed horns and intricate vocal melody recall the raucous intensity of Poly-Rythmo. But the deep funk of the title track turns out to be only a warm-up for album-highlight ‘Maimouna Cherie' (French), a moving expression of love and longing which kicks off with a hi-hat and wah-wah guitar workout but shifts gears mid-way into a more concentrated and contemplative groove.

The funk and afrobeat gems on Best Woman are balanced by songs that draw upon Sato, one of the many Vodoun rhythms of Vincent's native Benin. Side one concludes with "Vi Deka" (Mina), an epic slow-burner propelled by some of the record's most soulful vocals, while album closer "Wa Do Verite Ton Noumi" (Fon) all but dares you not to lose yourself in its sublime hypnotic trance.

Best Woman was released on Nigeria's Hasbunalau Records in 1978, and original pressings are now highly-prized collector's items. With this reissue on Analog Africa's Dance Edition imprint – newly mastered by Nick Robbins, cut by to vinyl by Frank Merritt at the Carvery, and approved by Vincent himself – Best Woman makes a welcome and long-overdue return to turntables around the world. You can pre-order a vinyl or digital copy directly from Analog Africa right here after checking the two bangin' tracks below.

Verckys' 70s Congolese funk & psych gets deluxe reissue treatment from Analog Africa

Congo's turbulent and exhilarating '70s: Nightclubs and dance floors were packed to the brim in the capital, Kinshasa. Exuberant crowds, still giddy from independence a decade prior, grooved to the sounds of the country`s classics. In fact the whole continent was submerged into the Congolese Rumba craze. Encouraged by the fantastic productions of the Ngoma label, vibrant radio waves had been spreading the Congo sound from Leopoldville all over the continent, becoming the countries' No.1 export. The unexpected success nurtured an incredible wealth of talented musicians. One of them was Verckys, who, at age 18, became a member of the country´s most dominant and influential band: Franco´s OK Jazz.

This "relationship" however was short-lived as Verckys, aka Georges Mateta Kiamuangana, now a versatile and potent multi instrumentalist, had plans of his own - the formation of Orchestre Vévé in 1968, with the aim of reinventing and modernising the Congolese sound. Blending the ever influential prowess of James Brown with Congolese Merengue, Rumba and Soukous, Verckys stripped away the conventional approach that O.K. Jazz had pioneered, allowing his saxophone-laced melodies to dominate.

Around 1970 a new important area began with the foundation of the label "les Editions Vévé" on which Verckys would release his own productions. A studio was built and Verckys started recording young urban artists, with guitar-driven Cavacha sounds; Les Freres Soki, Bella Bella, Orchestre Kiam and many more shot to stardom overnight, making Verckys a very wealthy man.

But that wasn't enough for an ambitious man with a vision. He built a sprawling entertainment complex called Vévé Centre, and dispatched a team to learn the intricacies of record pressing to set up the first pressing plant in the country. This was followed by the construction of the Congo's most modern recording studio in Kinshasa, in which he recorded the legendary Tabu Lay Rochereau.

Orchestre Vévé's popularity poured across borders and in 1974 the band travelled to Kenya for a 2 month tour. "Bassala Hot", "Cheka Sana" and "Talali Talala" were some of the tracks recorded in Nairobi for the Kenyan market, songs which are now available to the ears of the world for the very first time.

Compiled over the course of many years, Analog Africa offers a rare glimpse of the Congo's grooviest era with  with this 11-track Verckys et l´Orchestre Vévé CD and double LP release accompanied by in-depth liner notes and vintage photographs. Note: the digital version on bandcamp  comes with 3 exclusive bonus tracks.

One For The Weekend: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo

Out on April 30 from Analog Africa!

Analog Africa dips into Colombian melting pot with pounding new comp

The Colombian Melting Pot: Diablos Del Ritmo 1960-1985
1. Wasamaye – Rock Group
2. Shallcarri – Grupo Abharca
3. Amampondo – Miriam Makenwa
4. Cumbia San Pablera – Grupo Son San
5. El Caterete – Wganda Kenya
6. Eco es Estéreo – La Sonora Dinamita
7. Pájaro Madrugador – Alfredo Gutierrez y sus Estrellas
8. Lumbalú – Calixto Ochoa y Los Papaupas
9. Itácole – Son Palenque
10. Quiero a mi gente – Abelardo Carbonó


Listen to Lucas Silva discussing The Colombia Melting Pot compilation on this Spanish language podcast and check out a couple of tracks below:

Lumbalú by Calixto Ochoa y Los Papaupas
  

Schallcarri by Grupo Abharca
 

Busca la Careta - Andrés Landero
  


Bajo El Trupillo Guajiro by Sexteto Manaure
  

Yet more 70s Togolese insanity uncovered

If you thought the African Scream Contest collection of funky psych badness was a non-stop blast which would be tough to top, Analog Africa mainman Samy Ben Redjeb has returned from another exploratory trip to Togo and Ghana with a worthy follow-up. Due out August 3, Analog Africa 8's lengthy title – Afro-Beat Airways West African Shockwaves: Ghana & Togo 1972-1979 –should give you an idea of what sort of scorch the 15-track CD (or 2 LP) scene overview has in store.

But our man Samy is a much more conscientious historian than your average jet-setting digger out to make a quick buck. So unlike some reissue hobbyists who offset their vacation costs by simply ripping some scratchy vinyl they've copped for pennies from some dude who was going to use it to heat his family's mud hut, Redjeb goes the extra kilometers to track down the master tapes, sleeve art, photos along with the musicians involved, producers, engineers, etc. to tell the story behind the amazing music in the well-illustrated 44-page booklet accompanying this super-dope set. 

Here's how it all came together according to Redjeb:

"Somehow this project started at Frankfurt airport when I accidently checked in the bag which contained my passport. The flight to Angola (via Addis Ababa) was delayed and the plane's belly emptied in an attempt to find my luggage. Unfortunately, this was never found. As a consequence, I had to cancel my trip. I was at the Ethiopian Airlines offices the next morning (where this episode had become legend) trying to rebook my flight to Luanda, but everything was fully booked for weeks. I was told that if I wished I could selected another destination. The choices? Kinshasa, Yaoundé, Lagos and Accra. I selected the last, because my connections in Ghana had found some serious stocks of vinyl records, and I thought it might be the occasion to check them out.


"A few days later I'm in Ghana, and as on all my previous trips to Accra the first person I paid a visit to was producer Dick Essilfie-Bonzie, who I simply call Mr Essiebons, after his legendary label, Essiebons Records. Everything happens for a reason because the disappointment of missing my flight to Angola was soon replaced by excitement. Mr Essiebons explained that after more than a decade of being out of business he had decided "to give it another shot" and thus digitised all his master tapes for future releases. He then showed me the result – a box containing approximately 80 CDs, each with a track listing,– a total of 800 songs. I was allowed to take the "surprise" box to my hotel room and started listening. I had no idea what to expect, but I was in for a treat. Previously unreleased material by Apagya Show Band and Orchestre Abass were the first few amazing tracks that I discovered and that's when I decided to start working on this compilation.


"The whole selection of songs was completed about a year later and now that I knew which tracks were going to be included, I decided to dedicate some time to find the artists for interviews and research. December 2008 and May of 2010 were solely dedicated to that process, as I flew to West Africa to meet Rob, Ebo Taylor, Nana Ampadu (founder of the mighty African Brothers Band), Issac Yeboah (lead singer of Vis-a-Vis, one of Ghana's most impressive bands), Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (the personification of Ghanaian Afro-funk), saxophonist Ray Allen, Chester Adams (lead singer of the Uppers International) and few others. I did extensive interviews with all of them and managed to collect amazing pictures to document the liner notes that accompany the music.


"While some light has been cast on the Ghanaian music scene of the 1970's, Togolese music is relatively obscure and badly documented. However, we are working on this! In fact, we've already made a start, with our previous Analog Africa compilation "African Scream Contest" which showcased 3 Togolese artists. Afro-Beat Airways presents two more – Orchestre Abass and Cos-Ber-Zam. While the first band developed into one of the country's best, to such an extent that none other than Fela Kuti once offered them a contract to play at his Afro-Spot night club (which later became The Shrine), the second artist was a one-hit wonder. "Né Noya" was a monster hit in Togo but it is to date the only release by this obscure artist. The reason why I decided to include these Togolese tracks on this compilation is that they were all recorded in Ghana and thus they worked well in the mix."

Afro-Beat Airways West African Shockwaves: Ghana & Togo 1972-1979
01.  Uppers International Dankasa
02.  Apagya Show Band Ma Nserew Me
03.  K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas Me Yee Owu Den
04.  Marijata Break Through
05.  African Brothers Band Ngyegye No So
06.  Orchestre Abass Awula Bo Fee Ene
07.  Ebo Taylor & The Sweet Beans Odofo Nyi Akyiri Biara
08.  Pagadeja Custom Band Okpe See
09.  De Frank Professionals Afe Ato Yen Bio
10.  3rd Generation Band Obiye Saa Wui
11.  Apagya Show Band Mumunde
12.  Rob More
13.  Cos-Ber-Zam Ne Noya
14.  Uppers International Neriba Lanchina
15.  Ebo Taylor & The Pelicans Come Along


Me Yee Owu Den by K. Frimpong



Afe Ato Yen Bio by De Frank Professionals

Ebo Taylor Returns

When the Ghanian guitar great Ebo Taylor recently took a trip from West Africa to Germany to record a new album for Analog Africa in Berlin backed by the members of The Poets Of Rhythm, Kabu Kabu and Afrobeat Academy, he had a brief stopover in Paris where he played his first-ever European concert at La Bellevilloise.

To mark the historic event, deep-digging DJ Loik of the Paris DJs Crew put together the stellar Afrofunk Atomic podcast mix with some super dope vintage Ebo Taylor album tracks and ultra-rare singles sides cut by his pals in Orchestra Poly Rythmo, El Rego Et Ses Commando, Black Santiagos and K. Frimpong. It serves as a brilliant introduction to the modern highlife innovator who initially rose to fame as the six-string slinger with The Stargazers and Broadway Dance Band before going on to a solo career while moonlighting at the Essiebons label as an A&R man and in-house arranger. Check Loik's awesome Afrofunk Atomic mix here.

Afrofunk Atomic 

01. Ebo Taylor - Atwer Abroba
(from 'Twer Nyame' album, 1977 / Philips) GHANA

02. Ebo Taylor Junior and Wuta Wazutu - Mondo Soul Funky 
(from 'Gotta Take It Cool' album, 1978 / Polydor) GHANA

03. Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou - E Wa Dagbee
(from 'E Wa Dagbee' 7 inch, early 70s / Albarika Store) BENIN

04. D'Almeida Blucky Et Les Black Santiago - Les Nanes
(from 'Entente Africaine' 7 inch, 19?? / L.A. Aux Ecoutes) BENIN

05. T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou Benin and Yehouessi Leopold - Aiha Ni Kpe We
(from 'Volume 4' album, 1978 / Albarika Store) BENIN

06. El Rego Et Ses Commando - Djobime
(from 'Djobime' 7 inch, 19?? / African Songs) BENIN

07. Joe King Kologbo - Another Man's Thing
(from 'Another Man's Thing' 7 inch, 1973 / Decca Afrodisia) NIGERIA

08. K.Frimpong and His Cubano Fiestas - Kyenkyen Adi M'awu
(from 'K.Frimpong and His Cubano Fiestas' album, 1976 / Ofo Bros) GHANA

While we're on the topic of Afrofunk podcasts,  there's a great new mix put together by the aforementioned Analog Africa label for The Wire. But why bother shelling for some overpriced UK magazine when you can download the excellent Analog Africa Selection, Volume 2 for free right here.

Links
Paris DJs http://www.parisdjs.com
DJ Loik http://www.myspace.com/loikdury
Analog Africa http://analogafrica.blogspot.com

West African Soundclash

Just when you thought the battle for West African archival comp supremacy was winding down, the two major combatants, Soundway and Analog Africa, have resumed one-upping each other with a renewed vigor. Soundway supremo Miles Cleret was forced to step up his research/repackage game after his own TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo collection The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80 was totally obliterated by a much more deeply dug Poly-Rythmo set called Vodoun Effect. Thoroughly researched and beautifully annotated by Analog Africa founder Samy Ben Redjeb, Vodoun Effect – focusing on the group's psychedelicized groove-heavy recordings for small labels (1972-75) – was amazingly enough, merely Volume One of a series.

Following four years of research which had our man Redjeb turning over rocks across Benin, Togo and Niger to amass and license the required Orchestra Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou materials: 120 master tapes, 20 hours of interviews with band members, 100 photographs and a few hundred pieces of extremely rare vinyl, the follow-up collection has just appeared and it's another revelation. Of the 500 or so songs that Redjeb reviewed, only 14 tracks Poly-Rythmo recorded for Benin's Albarika Store label between 1969 and 79 made the grade for Volume Two: Echos Hypnotiques. Each joint is a killer and taken together, the compilation (CD and 2LP) well demonstrates the group's creativity and versatility as they effortless shift from hard-pounding Afro-beat through transfixing sato and sakpata jams that come with the freaky fuzzy atmosphere of an afterhours party. Check out the Analog Africa link below to hear the pumping Mi Ve Wa Se, the swinging boogaloo-variant Zizi as well as the propulsive head-nodder Malin Kpon O which initially inspired Redjeb's obsessive search for more of Poly-Rythmo's lost treasures.

Echos Hypnotiques track listing:

01. Se Ba Ho
02. Mi Ve Wa Se
03. Azoo De Ma Gnin Kpevi
04. Noude Ma Gnin Tche De Me
05. Ahouli Vou Yelli
06. Gan Tche Kpo
07. Malin Kpon O
08. Mede Ma gnin Messe
09. Agnon De Kpe
010. Ma Tafou Gnin O
011. Zizi
012. Ma Dou Sou Nou Mio
014. Houe Djein Nada
015. Minkou E So Non Moin

Link:

myspace.com/analogafrica


Over in England, Cleret wasn't sitting idle while Redjeb was assembling Echos Hypnotiques. Oh no, he was dreaming up a magnum opus of his own. Returning to the more familiar ground of Ghana, he decided to similarly build on past successes. Creating a worthy addition to Soundway's landmark Ghana Soundz product line which established the label's reissue rep wouldn't be easy but after 10 years of running around the cities of Accra, Tema, Cape Coast, Takoradi and Kumasi, you know that Cleret had to have at least a few badass burners stashed away. Evidently, he did.

The fantastic Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues book-bound 2 CD set contains 33 crazy corkers drawn from obscure single B-sides and album tracks by a wide assortment of kick-ass groups along with a 44-page colour booklet rammed tight with insane sleeve images, artist photos and track-by-track annotation.

Believe it or not, the simultaneously released vinyl configuration is even better! You know how the CD version of an archival release always has a few additional songs you only find out about after you've bought the vinyl? Well, the Ghana Special five LP set comes with four extra tracks – two numbers that appeared as a bonus on the Ghana Soundz CD and two otherwise unavailable killers including Joe Mensah's monumental Cry Laughter which clocks in at nearly 18 minutes and takes up the whole second side of the fifth LP! If you shop around, you should be able to find the Ghana Special LP box in Toronto for under $50 Canadian. To put that deal into proper perspective, 50 bucks is about half of what you'd need to pay a European dealer for a rinked original copy of any one single used for the set.

Ghana Special track listing:
CD 1
01. The Mercury Dance Band - Kai Wawa
02. T. O. Jazz - Owuo Adaadaa Me
03. Christy Azuma & Uppers International - Din Ya Sugri
04. The Barbecues - Aaya Lolo
05. Asaase Ase - Ohiani Sua Efir
06. St. Peter & The Holymen - Bofoo Beye Abowa Den
07. City Boys Band - Nya Asem Hwe
08. Hedzoleh Soundz - Edinya Benya
09. The Cutlass Dance Band - HweHwe Mu Yi Mpena
10. Dr. K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings - Sei Nazo
11. Kyeremateng Atwede & The Kyeremateng Stars - I Go Die For You
12. Vis a Vis - Obi Agye Me Dofo
13. Ebo Taylor - Twer Nyame (excerpt)
14. The Big Beats - Mi Nsumõõ Bo Dõnn
15. Pa Steele's African Brothers - Odo Mmera
16. The Ogyatanaa Show Band - You Monopolise Me
CD 2
01. The African Brothers International Band - Wompe Masem
02. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley & His Creations - Akoko Ba
03. The Sweet Talks - Akampanye
04. Houghas Sorowonko - Enuanom Adofo
05. Oscar Sulley's Nzele Soundz - Bukom
06. Bokoor Band - You Can Go
07. K. Frimpong & His Cubanos Fiestas - Kyenkyen Bi Adi M'Awu
08. Basa Basa Soundz feat. Fela Anikulapo Kuti - Dr. Solutsu
09. Pagadeja - Tamale
10. Hedzolleh Soundz - Omusus Da Fe M'musu
11. The Uhuru Dance Band - Yahyia Mu
12. Dr. K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings - Noble Kings (Yako Aba)
13. The Wellis Band - Bindiga
14. Boombaya - Boombaya
15. Sawaaba Soundz - Owuo
16. The Cutlass Dance Band - Them Go Talk Of You
17. Honny & The Bees Band - Sisi Mbon

5LPs
A1. The Mercury Dance Band - Kai Wawa
A2. T. O. Jazz - Owuo Adaadaa Me
A3. Christy Azuma & Uppers International - Din Ya Sugri
A4. Asaase Ase - Ohiani Sua Efir
B1. The Cutlass Dance Band - HweHwe Mu Yi Mpena
B2. Dr. K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings - Sei Nazo
B3. Hedzoleh Soundz - Edinya Benya
B4. City Boys Band - Nya Asem Hwe
B5. St. Peter & The Holymen - Bofoo Beye Abowa Den
C1. Vis a Vis - Obi Agye Me Dofo
C2. The Big Beats - Mi Nsum
C3. The Barbecues - Aaya Lolo
D1. Kyeremateng Atwede & The Kyeremateng Stars - I Go Die For You
D2. Ebo Taylor - Twer Nyame (excerpt)
D3. Pa Steeles African Brothers - Odo Mmera
D4. The Ogyatanaa Show Band - You Monopolise Me
E1. The African Brothers International Band - Wompe Masem
E2. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley & His Creations - Akoko Ba
E3. The Sweet Talks - Akampanye
E4. Houghas Sorowonko - Enuanom Adofo
F1. Oscar Sulley's Nzele Soundz - Bukom
F2. Bokoor Band - You Can Go
F3. K. Frimpong & His Cubanos Fiestas - Kyenkyen Bi Adi MAwu
F4. Basa Basa Soundz feat. Fela Anikulapo Kuti - Dr. Solutsu
G1. Hedzolleh Soundz - Omusus Da Fe M'musu
G2. Boombaya - Boombaya
G3. Dr. K. Gyasi & His Noble Kings - Noble Kings (Yako Aba)
G4. The Wellis Band - Bindiga
H1. Pagadeja - Tamale
H2. The Uhuru Dance Band - Yahyia Mu
H3. The Cutlass Dance Band - Them Go Talk Of You
H4. Honny & The Bees Band - Sisi Mbon
I1. Sawaaba Soundz - Owuo
I2. Honny & The Bees Band - Psychedelic Woman
I3. The Black Star Sound - Nite Safari
I4. T.O. Jazz - Osaman Ba
J1.  Joe Mensah - Cry Laughter

Link:
soundwayrecords.com