Review: Miami's legendary TK Disco label has swung open the doors to its vital back catalogue and allowed some of the most golden gems to be reissued here. These are two stone-cold breakbeat classics and b-boy delights that come kissed by the sun and ready to get your party started. 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat' opens up with plenty of joyous vocals and loose percussion over fresh and funky breaks. On the flip of this 45rpm is 'Do The Handbone', a hard-hitting and raw cut with big vocals and plenty of lively trumpet action. Both are surefire winners.
Review: Those good folks at Burning Sole dip into their funk treasure chest once more here and share a raw, densely packed new sound from The King Rooster. This firmly red 45 kicks off with 'Bush Drop' which pairs deriving, shrill Hammond organ stabs with sleazy guitar licks and drums that feel James out live and in the moment. 'Dirty Cop' has squealing leads that very much bring the feel of a 60s spy chase thriller with more vivacious drums and even some police sirens to add to the dramatic and evocative effect.
Review: Seun Kuti has released his highly anticipated album Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) via Record Kicks to great excitement. This album, executive produced by Lenny Kravitz and featuring Fela Kuti's original engineer Sodi Marciszewer, marks a significant milestone in Kuti's career. Following his Grammy-nominated album Black Times, this release showcases his evolution as both an artist and activist. The album features six powerful tracks, each embodying themes of resistance, resilience, and revolution. The track 'Dey,' featuring Damian Marley, emphasises self-empowerment, while 'Emi Aluta' pays homage to revolutionaries, featuring the innovative Sampa The Great. 'T.O.P.' critiques societal values, promoting empathy and a connection to nature. 'Love and Revolution' highlights Kuti's belief in love as a catalyst for change. Kuti expressed gratitude for Kravitz's brotherly support and Sodi's guidance during the production process. He continues to uphold the legacy of his father, Fela Kuti, using his music to inspire social change. This album promises to redefine contemporary Afrobeat while staying true to its roots. Fans can expect an album that entertains, inspires and ignites activism.
Review: Occasionally a single comes along that shows off a contemporary group's samplework. 'Hustler's Convention' from Dynamite Cuts is one. This new 7" recalls funk supergroup Lightnin Rod's album of the same name - originally released in 1973, it is renowned for being one of the major influences on hip-hop, bringing a sociopolitical commentary to black music at the time. Here the original track 'Sport', named after one of the album's protagonist hustlers, is blended with the B-side 'Four Bitches Is What I Got', which builds a smoke-filled narrative story involving poker tables and underworld czars around the funk backing.
Review: While Last Poets are rightly regarded as the 'godfathers of rap', others would insist that Hustlers Convention - a 1973 solo album from member Jalal Nuriddin under the Lightnin' Rod alias - had more influence on the birth of hip-hop. In part, that's down to the funk backing he received on the album from his chosen backing bands, which included the mighty Kool & The Gang. Here, Dynamite Cuts prove the point by offering two killer cuts from the set on 7" for the very first time. A-side 'Sport' is a Blaxploitation style delight - all ear-catching horn motifs, shuffling funk breaks, weighty bass, wah-wah guitar and languid spoken word vocals - while 'Four Bitches Is What I Got' sees our hero make merry over a more stripped-back take on the same backing track.
Review: Medellin-based American Bosq - a renowned musical fusionist with a passion for all things tropical - has been working with Benin-based Nigerian guitarist/vocalist Kaleta on and off for 12 years, with the pair delivering a series of sensational singles. No Be Today is the duo's first collaborative full length, with previous singles being joined by previously unheard cuts across two slabs of wax. As you'd expect given their previous work, much of the music joins the dots between various Afro-Latin styles and similarly vintage Black American dance music genres such as disco, funk and soul. It's an effervescent and effortlessly brilliant set all told, with highlights including pitched-down Afro-funk number 'Ose', glorious Afro-disco number 'Sonayon', Afrobeat update 'Ipade' and scorching Latin dancefloor workout 'Miselou'.
Review: Aderemi Kabaka's Roots Funkadelia is a magical bit of rather overlooked but classic Kabaka all the way from 1976. It was recorded at Island Studios London then mixed in L.A. during a golden period for the Motown studios. That quality shines through on the record, not least thanks to the appearance throughout of the 'mean machine' which was an alias of legendary Motown artists The Commodores' brass section. An original of this will cost you well over 500 quid so do not sleep on this quality reissue from BBE as it is a brilliant bit of Afro-funk for those who know.
Review: Almost entirely ignored at the time of its original release, Nigerian drumming maestro Remi Kabaka's legendary original LP Son Of Africa has gone down in legend as the defining solo statement of an incendiary drummer, whose contributions to music across the jazz and rock spectrums is credited and felt strongly to this day. A founding member of Afro-jazz band Osibisa, Kabaka is credited for his work with many a Rolling Stone and Beatle, but it's his solo work on this Afro-funk rare gem that really gets the least easy to please among us going. An Afrofuturist statement to the core, its jubilant vocal chants and defiant trumpet lines are but mere pepperings over the boxy, banging body that is Kabaka's live Afrobeat quads.
Review: Is there a more genuinely eclectic producer than Kalbata operating right now? We certainly can't think of one. Over the last decade and a half he's turned his hand to everything from dub, techno, dubstep and electro to Balearic beats, downtempo grooves and inspired musical fusions that simply cannot be categorized. His latest excursion - made in cahoots with five-piece Israeli band Tigris -falls into the latter category, offering up a brilliant blend of African and Caribbean rhythms, Turkish psych-funk organ solos, off-kilter electronics, wavy ambient chords and glistening guitars. It's hard to accurately describe but brilliantly produced and hugely entertaining. Don't sleep on this one!
Review: Headed up by Benin-born Kaleta - a guitarist who has previously worked with Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade and Lauryn Hill - Super Yamba Band is a New York collective whose decidedly psychedelic fusions of Afrobeat, Highlife and Afro-funk have been getting rave reviews. "Medaho" is their debut album and it more than lives up to the hype. With Kaleta's variously fuzzy, sun-kissed and flash-fried licks to the fore, the band trips its way through nine mostly dancefloor-friendly workouts that wrap heavy funk instrumentation, rousing horns and Afrobeat style organ riffs around polyrhythmic drums that recall the distinctive swing of Tony Allen. It's a stylistic blend that guarantees results, as the sheer volume of highlights triumphantly proves.
Review: Karate Boogaloo are pioneers of Melbourne's cinematic instrumental soul scene, with roots deeply entrenched in the city's DIY soul movement, the quartet's musical journey from high school pals to seasoned collaborators evident in their cohesive sound. Following their acclaimed release Carn The Boogers, Hold Your Horses offers a distinct blend of instrumental funk that we find irresistible. Recorded live with a strict no overdubs policy, the album captures the band's raw energy and tight-knit chemistry. Each track seamlessly flows into the next, blending tension, melody, and funk. Bassist Henry Jenkins, the mastermind behind the band's sound, leads the recording and mixing process, ensuring a consistent sonic aesthetic across the College Of Knowledge catalogue. The collaborative songwriting approach allows the band to expand upon their strengths as musicians and friends. Stylistically, Hold Your Horses draws inspiration from deep funk, European film music and instrumental soul, showcasing a restrained yet dynamic instrumental palette.
Review: Japanese artist Kimiko Kasai is a revered vocalist who worked in the world of jazz throughout the eighties. Her unique style made her an in-demand collaborator who worked with the likes of Mal Waldron, Gil Evans and Herbie Hancock. She released a total of 23 albums on majors including EMI which is where, in 1987, she dropped this full-length of electro-pop Japanese works. Perigo A Noite features a collection of songs all written by the lady herself and many of them have an adult and exotic style that blends pop, funk and soul with her signature jazz.
Review: The legendary Kashmere High School Brass Band from Houston, Texas always deliver an incredible jazz-funk storm and in this rare groove masterpiece, they have rarely sounded better. Known as the world's best student band, their astonishing groove defies what you would think a bunch of high school musicians would be capable of. Originally released in 1974, this sixth album features original compositions by their teacher, Conrad Johnson, and includes all four titles from their catalogue, complete with a fine jacket design and exceptional sound quality. The tunes come thick and fast and include 'Kashmere' with its killer breakbeats, 'Head Wiggle' a fast-paced bass-driven funk, 'Do You Dig It Man?' big band funk at its best and 'Thunder Soul' which is percussive jazz funk brilliance.
Review: Yet another school band record, turned rare funk and/or "Northern soul" gem, sends the heads haywire. Kashmere Stage Band were the highly obscure and yet low-key rated "elite performing unit" of Kashmere High School, a notable public high school in Houston, Texas. With a rotating lineup that kept the band alive in the pivotal, almost two-decade period of 1960 through to 1978, this colliery crack team was led by the celebrated Conrad O. Johnson, a towering figure in the annals of Southern American music education. A former Count Basie and Erskine Hawkins collaborator, Johnson saw to it that no band member would loosen their grip on the groove; neither adolescence nor pubescence are excuses for relinquishing the rightful vibe of soul and funk, that of serious bombast. The record staggeringly crosses into jazz at points, as with 'Lockwood Drive' (clock the notably sampleable, watertight drum break at the midpoint). And legend has it that the Kashmere band went on to tour the world; the bar really was this yea in the 70s. What did the state of Texas get right back then?
Review: High school band directors used to press up their bands' performances to vinyl, & none made as much sweet noise as this "Texas Thunder Soul." Deluxe gatefold package as well as some previously unreleased live music, plus a bonus documentary.
Review: KSB stands for Kashmere Stage Band group that was initially founded by Conrad O. Johnson. He was at the heart of the group which is surely one of the most accomplished student outfits of all time. They hailed from the eponymous Kashmere High School in Houston, Texas, and were active in the 1960s on until the late 1970s. They related a number of albums which only get got pressed up a maximum of 1000 times so have become cult favs and hard to find treasures. P-VINE however changes all that with a series of limited reissues of their most renowned albums, including this one, Out Of Gas But Still Burning, as well as some others which have never actually been on wax before.
Review: Kashmere Stage Band was formed in the 1960s and was made up of students from Kashmere High School and group leader Conrad O. Johnson. Bumper-To-Bumper Soul is their second album, and it was recorded between 1969 and 1970. The record, which like all their others was only pressed in small quantities and sold locally in Houston, Texas, so is hard to find but much in demand, is an extension of the high school group's debut album, but with a high percentage of groovy jazz funk, covering well-known songs in their now fast funk style.
Review: Kashmere Stage Band - formed back in Houston, Texas, by a music teacher by the name of Conrad O Johnson - is one of those outfits that have got plenty of cult status. He hooked up with some of Kashmere High School's most elite musicians to form this superb funk collective. They were busy locally with gigs but also went on to tour internationally and record several albums. They were only ever distributed locally though and pressed up in small quantities so are almost impossible to find. P-VINE is correcting that with a special series of mixed edition reissues and Thunder Soul is one of those. It's an album that captures the group's signature sound with funky drums and fresh licks aplenty.
Review: High school band Kashmere Stage Band was formed in Texas by students from Kashmere High School's elite music division under the guidance of leader Conrad O. Johnson. They recorded plenty of albums but they only got sold locally and made in small numbers so now P-VIBE is embarking on a much-needed reissue run. Zero Point came in 1972, right in the middle of the band's activities which ran from the early 60s to the late 70s. It's a funky jazz fusion workout with great echoed vocals and fuzz-tone guitar.
Review: Self-released in 1969, Our Thing was the debut album from the Houston-based Kashmere Stage Band, a now legendary funk, soul and jazz ensemble formed at Kashmere High School under the guidance of musical director Conrad O. Johnson. The student band released several cult albums on Kram Records before disbanding in 1978. They became known for their raw funk sound and a distinctive Blacksploitation vibe and their energy and style were truly unique. This black vinyl LP reissue comes with a Japanese obi-strip and is a great way to celebrate the legacy of a group that left a lasting mark on the funk scene.
Review: Late, great Japanese guitarist Ryo Kawasaki is behind this classic bit of jazz-funk fusion from 1976. It was recorded originally in New York and now gets a reissue form the hard working Mr Bongo crew. It is a record that has picked dup cult status over the years for those looking for samples and has been pillaged by everyone from Diamond D, Puff Daddy, and Kool G Rap. Playing on the sessions were drummer Jimmy Young as well as rhythm guitarist Hugh McCracken and bassist Stu Woods who all help bring every track to life.
Review: The good folk at Mr Bongo are reissuing Herman Kelly's seminal 1978 album that birthed the iconic breakbeat classic 'Dance To The Drummer's Beat.' This Miami-based disco-funk project headed up by the drummer and producer features Latin, funk and percussive grooves that have gone on to influence generations of hip-hop and dance music producers. It is thought to have been sampled over 125 times by legends like DJ Shadow, N.W.A. and Run-D.M.C. after initially gaining fame via Ultimate Breaks & Beats in 1986. This reissue presents the sought-after 4:12 Alston Records version and it is as infectious and irresistible as ever.
Review: The first release from the all new Epsilon label is Loving Cup, an album from Keys & Friends that features eight of their incredible and previously unreleased soul songs from the mid-70s. These have all been sourced directly from a master tape that was unearthed in the CEO and Founder of Music Of The Sea Inc, Eddie Caldwell's vault. The group was assembled by the famously talented Southside Chicago songwriter William A. Keyes and some included here were tracks first penned for artists like Sly Johnson, Little Johnny Taylor, and Joyce Faison. Now available on vinyl for the first time, these high-quality recordings capture the essence of 70s soul and disco with some upbeat delights next to rueful downbeat beauties.
Review: Vibraphonist Khan Jamal has made many fine albums over the years, though few are quite as revered within the jazz scene as Infinity, a self-released set from 1984 that has been near impossible to find for years. While Jamal's fluid and attractive vibraphone playing is given an airing throughout the album, it never dominates the sound space, with the storied members of his backing sextet - including scene legends Byard Lancaster (alto sax, flute) and drummer Sunny Murray - all being given a chance to shine. Musically, it sits somewhere between spiritual jazz, jazz-funk and Latin jazz, with hectic dancefloor numbers (see the superb 'The Angry Young Man') being joined by a wealth of deeper, more laidback compositions.
Review: Dick Khoza's Chapita is a South African jazz masterpiece laced with funk and seeped in Afrobeat. As stage manager of Soweto's legendary Pelican Club, Khoza played a key role in cultivating Johannesburg's soul, funk and jazz scene. Inspired by the Afrocentric rock juggernaut Osibisa, he assembled his Pelican Club compatriots for the 1976 session that yielded this landmark nugget of African vinyl history. Mastered from the As-Shams/The Sun label's archival tapes, Tooth Factory present a 2021 edition of this rare classic.
Black Market/Running The Dara Down (part 2) (10:02)
Sightseeing (7:45)
Cocktail/Walk Tall/Agharta (10:34)
Dream Clock (6:28)
Abstraction (3:08)
Can It Be Done (4:26)
Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz (5:19)
Fast City (6:39)
Domino Theory (7:45)
Face On The Barroom Floor (3:59)
Review: Luniwaz LIVE is the sound of Scott Kinsey paying tribute to Joe Zawinul and Weather Report, not by basic imitation, but through fearless reinvention. The album was recorded live in Prague and brings Zawinul's spirit to life with raw energy and deep improvisation alongside Kinsey's seasoned rhythm section. As part of that, Hadrien Feraud and Gergo Borlai join forces with rising saxophonist Patrick Bartley Jr to blend jazz mastery with modern flair alongside guest appearances from Pedro Martins, Meredith Salimbeni and Bobby Thomas Jr, who further elevate the sound. Far from an exercise in nostalgia, this is a great reimagining of a jazz legacy.
Johnny April - "She Had A Pikanese" (feat Mat Matthews Quartet) (2:13)
Lu Elliott - "Common Sense" (2:24)
Lloyd Fatman - "No Big Thing" (part 1 & 2) (4:25)
Billy J - "Teacher Teach Me" (3:01)
Wayne Johnson & The Bridage - "Scram Gravy Ain't Wavy" (2:04)
4 Dimensions - "Hipper Snapper" (2:43)
The Villagers - "Funky Broadway" (3:56)
The Rippers - "Honesty" (3:28)
Exceptional Citizens Band - "Proud Mary" (5:38)
Gus Brendel - "Sax On The Rocks" (2:22)
The Hornets - "Seven Days To Tahiti" (2:40)
Bret Breitinger - "Jive Samba" (4:59)
Downtown Trio - "Summertime" (6:21)
ONYX - "Break It Loose" (part 1) (3:16)
The Shake & Bake Band - "Shake And Bake" (part 1 & 2) (6:41)
Lou Jackson - "Outside Looking In" (3:05)
Energy Crisis - "Tough Times Blues" (2:37)
Soul Unlimited - "Do It" (3:02)
Soul Unlimited - "Darkside Of Town" (2:43)
Review: Movements Vol.12 fills a bag of rare rhythm & blues, mod-jazz, and mid '70s funk. Launching on a note of obscure rhythm and blues from the 60s, most of the tracks heard thence were sifted from "hopelessly obscure" 7" singles; hopelessly obscure, that is, until now, when many a ravenous compilation curator seek to restore their honour. With most of the tracks doused in vocal reverb, and coming filled with oodles of commonsensical wisdom and everyday tootling advice, we segue from deepfunk to big band to mood jazz and then back to funk, the most impressive in the lattermost category having got to be the 4 Dimensions' 'Hipper Snapper' and Gus Brendel's 'Sax On The Rocks'; the instrumental side of the record is especially great.
Review: The classic 1991 debut album from Zev Love X Subroc and Onyx a seamless blend of funny skits and uniformly slick breaks laced with biting wit. Now available as a limited DJ friendly special 2xLP edition with full colour pic sleeve shrink wrapped and with original centre label artwork.
Review: Originally self-produced and released in the mid-70s by members of Kitakyushu City University's Knights, a light music club, Knights Company was a rare two-disc set that came as an LP and EP and was sold in very limited quantities. Virtually unknown even among collectors, this album combines the high-energy soul influence of James Brown with a bluesy, melodic West Coast and AOR sound. Decades later, its appeal is undiminished as it captures the youthful spirit and talent of northern Kyushu's finest. This masterpiece has been revived as a compilation with high-quality remastering by 8ronix and a striking new design that makes it collectible all over again.
Review: Izumi Kobayashi's Coconuts High is a vibrant testament to her evolution as an artist. Reissued on vinyl, this album showcases Izumi's mastery in blending funk, Latin, and tropical influences into a cohesive and electrifying album. This piece features heavy hitters like Pecker, Freddie Washington, and the legendary Tower of Power horns, along with contributions from The Waters and guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka. Tracks like 'Palm St.' and 'Small Dynamite' pulsate with energy, while 'Lazy Love,' a reggae-infused reinterpretation of 'Crazy Love,' highlights her innovative spirit. Recorded in Los Angeles with a top-notch roster of musicians, Coconuts High encapsulates the essence of summer with its infectious grooves and tropical vibes. Each of the eight tracks is meticulously crafted, reflecting Izumi's growth as both a singer and composer. This reissue invites a new generation of listeners to fall in love with the sun-soaked rhythms and catchy melodies that make Coconuts High a timeless gem in Japanese funk and soul music.
Review: Japanese keyboard player, singer-songwriter, music producer Mimi Izumi Kobayashi was born in Funabashi and went on to become a cult artist who released six albums, all of them in the eighties. Tropicana came in 1983 and is maybe the best known of lot and it now gets reissued on limited vinyl via Universal. It's a bright and vibrant blend of city pop, soul, disco and tropical sounds with nostalgic 80s drum sounds, hook vocals in English and Japanese and plenty of camp and catchy grooves. A real exotic wonder.
Review: Choice Cuts 1978-1983 gathers eight tracks from four of Mimi's early albums-Sea Flight (1978), Coconuts High (1981), Nuts Nuts Nuts (1982), and Tropicana (1983). Opening with a funky, syncopated take on Sergio Mendes' 'Mas Que Nada' and the crisp techno-pop of 'Coffee Rumba,' all of which mean the compilation showcases Mimi's eclectic style. It also features the synth jam 'Quiet Explosion' and the piano samba 'Espresso.' Two standout tracks from Coconuts High-the sultry 'Crazy Love' and the lively 'Palm Sr'-highlight her playful Latin-tinged jazz fusion. Released on Takanaka's Kitty Records, this collection reveals Mimi's vibrant and innovative artistry.
Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It) (4:01)
Get Down On It (3:32)
Let's Go Dancin' (Oh La, La, La) (3:58)
Straight Ahead (3:30)
Joanna (3:58)
Fresh (3:52)
Cherish (3:58)
Emergency (4:03)
Victory (3:52)
Peacemaker (4:02)
Rags To Riches (3:47)
Celebremos (5:17)
Review: From their early jazz roots to their pop picking party time peak via their late 70s dabbles with disco, Kool & The Gang have dominated airwaves and dancefloors en mass for over 50 years, and this is one of most comprehensive collections of their work ever curated. Obviously all the big hits are present and correct but it's the lesser spotted (but still just as floor poking) jams that really make this collection shine; the hip wriggling "Slick Superchick", the swooning mournful chord changes of "Too Hot" and the sleaziest bassline they ever laid down in the form of "Higher Plane" are but three stone cold killing examples. Good times...
Review: Helsinki funk legends Kuja Orchestra return with a fresh lineup and a brilliant blend of Latin, soul, blues, disco-funk, African, and Oriental influences. Their new album Seasons in Rhythm, part of Jazzaggression's library series, was recorded over two years at Studio Pelto and showcases core members guitarist Timo Hatva and bassist Aku Helin alongside new recruits keyboardist Miska Puusa and drummer Tony Pelkonen. Session musicians include Joose Kyyro on sax and flute, Heikki Tuhkanen on trombone, and Toimi Tytti on vocals. This eclectic mix of funky Latin, Afrobeat and cosmic grooves comes on nice heavy 180g vinyl.
Ronnie Keaton & Ocean Liners - "Going Down For The Last Time" (part 1)
Chosen Few - "Wondering"
King Sporty - "Thinking Of You"
King Sporty - "I'm In A Dancing Mood"
Ernest Ranglin - "In The Rain"
Ocean Liners - "Self Destruct"
King Sporty - "Don't Kill The Goose"
King Sporty - "Dance To The Music" (part 1)
King Sporty - "The More Things Change" (instrumental)
Band Ocean Liners - "Foxy Funk"
Chosen Few - "Funky Butter"
Timmy Thomas - "Africano"
King Sporty & The Root Rockers - "Fire Keep On Burning"
Phillip & Lloyd - "Keep On Moving"
Noel Williams - "Shoot It From The Hip"
King Sporty & The Root Rockers - "Summer Time"
Bobbie Houston - "I Want To Make It With You"
Della Humphrey - "Dreamland"
King Sporty - "Groovin' Out On Life"
King Sporty - "Driftaway"
King Sporty - "Concrete Jungle"
Review: Daisuke Kuroda has ben DJing since 1990 when the rare groove movement in his native Japan was in full flow. He slowly evolved into the funk world and is now regarded as one of deep funks finest ever DJs over in the Far East. He started Japan's leading deep funk club event series SEARCHING and runs his own Wah Wah party each month, amongst several other things. He heads up a 45 reissue label founded at the beginning of 2015 so is the perfect man to be asked to curate From Kingston To Miami: King Sporty Works 1971-1983, a collection of deep cut funk sounds that span the world from the 70s to the 80s.
Review: Nigerian Afrobeat composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Fela Kuti has a vast catalogue that dates back over half a century. Roforofo Fight is one of the many standouts and it was recorded in Lagos in 1972 on the Jofabro label with the legendary Tony Allen on drums as well as Christopher Uwaifor on tenor, Lekan Animashaun on baritone and many other key players alongside the main man. The lyrics convey Fela's frustration at intolerant and violent behaviour as told through the story of a street fight.
Review: Rather bizarrely, Fela's London Scene was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1971, but didn't get a UK release until the mid 1990s. This is the first time it has appeared on wax since. While the legendary Afrobeat pioneer and his equally revered backing band, Africa '70, may have been in unusual surroundings, the music showcased on the album was pure Nigerian Afrobeat gold. With Fela in fine form on the mic, and Africa '70 providing typically punchy, horn-heavy backing, tracks such as "E Gbe Mi O", "Buy Africa", and "Fight To The Finish" are every bit as good as anything they recorded in their Lagos studio. "Who're You", with its' changes of intensity and gentle progressions, is particularly good.
Review: There are a bunch of reissues of classic Fela Kuti albums dropping right now which is always going to be good news for collectors and Afrobeat lovers a like. As was often the case with his music, this album Kalakuta Show from 1976 was a way of him taking revenge on the military regime that attacked and brutalized him two years prior when the police mounted a large scale raid on Kalakuta Republic incoming Fela's own heavily guarded compound. They were the second raids in eight months and left Fela with scalp wounds and a broken arm, and us with this most remarkable musical retort.
Review: Why Black Man Dey Suffer was a major turning point early in Fela Kuti's career. On his first tour of the US the Afrobeat pioneer was turned to a more political, critical mindset thanks to the guidance of Black-rights activist Sandra Izsadore. When he returned home, he took aim at the injustice and inequality he saw throughout post-colonial Africa, and wrote and recorded this mightily potent album as a result. In some ways it's more measured than he would grow to become, but the power of the music is undeniable. Recorded in 1970, when Tony Allen was still being joined by unlikely collaborator Ginger Baker on the drums, this is a landmark part of a true musical legend, now repressed on translucent yellow vinyl courtesy of Knitting Factory.
Review: 'Afrodisiac' was the renowned Afrobeat pioneer and infamous polygamist Fela Kuti's sexual mating call in album form. At the very prime of his career - which saw to the man marrying and sheltering over ten wives (while also engaging in anti-colonial political activism) - the album came about as a defining statement of Kuti's practice. Its best known song, 'Jeun Ko Ku', is listed by its Pidgin title 'Chop and Quench' on this 50th Anniversary edition. It's a satire about gluttony - "eat and die" in Standard English.
Review: Destination Nigeria, 1975, Fela and Africa 70 are indelibly locked into a hugely prolific groove with well over 10 albums behind them. Then they release this, an LP comprised solely of two wondrously extended work outs from the troupe. "Expensive Shit" famously tells the tale of Fela's brush with the jaded law while "Water No Get Enemy" speaks - or rather sings - for itself. One of Fela's many notable and hugely influential releases; your collection isn't complete without it.
Review: Regarded by many as Fela and The Africa 70's zenith, Confusion is 26 minutes of total Afrofunk immersion delivered over two sides. Gradually building - thanks largely to Tony Allen's dynamic drum work that's as delicate as it is powerful, Fela's dreamy, almost jazz-like keys and a rigid, spine-like rhythm guitar - the groove and narrative is developed with a natural sense of well-instrumented drama. A genuine classic, if your collection isn't blessed with this now is most certainly the time.
Review: Fela Kuti's Alagbon Close, released in 1974, stands as one of his most powerful Afrobeat statements, criticising police brutality in Nigeria. The title track was inspired by two raids on Fela's home, where police searched for marijuana. After swallowing a planted joint, Fela was detained at Alagbon Close, the headquarters of Nigeria's Criminal Investigation Department, for three days while police waited for evidence. His cellmates, in what became known as the Kalakuta Republic, helped Fela escape prosecution. Fela's lyrics denounce the arrogance of the police, declaring that wearing a uniform doesn't place one above the law. The album also marked the beginning of his collaboration with artist Ghariokwu Lemi, whose iconic cover art became synonymous with Afrobeat. Recorded at the A.R.C. Studios, the album is fueled by tight polyrhythms and fiery organ and horn sections, with Fela's sharp political commentary at the forefront. On Side-2, 'I No Get Eye For Back', offers a more groove-driven, mostly instrumental track, showing the collective talents of Africa 70. Together, these tracks solidify Alagbon Close as a timeless work of rebellion and musical innovation.
Review: Originally released in 1972, Shakara is a shining example of Fela Kuti & The Africa 70 in full flight. Made up of two 13-minute long pieces, the definitive Afrobeat sound is laid out in undulating, impossibly funky form. Tony Allen holds it down on the drums and the brass section from Tony Njoku, Igo Chico, Lekan Animashaun and Kuti himself punches out with urgency. This 50th anniversary release does things a little differently by inviting the excellent Ezra Collective to deliver their own versions of each track, each getting their side to lay down expansive reflections on the trailblazing groundwork laid by Kuti and his bandmates half a century ago.
Review: Fela Kuti lives on! This is the 10th Anniversary reissue of the classic tribute album Red Hot & Fela, pressed on opaque banana yellow and opaque red vinyl, with proceeds benefiting the Red Hot organization. Since his death in 1997 from complications related to AIDS, Fela Kuti has grown from a West African household name and musician's musician in Europe and the Americas, to a worldwide musical icon. This album hears thirteen collaborative supergroups - made up of stars including Childish Gambino, Kronos Quartet, Spoek Mathambo, Sinkane, Tune-Yards and Baloji & L'orchestre De La Katuba - pay tribute to the Nigerian musician and activist, taking after him in style and cover. Successful, they translate the Afrobeatific sound of Kuti, Africa 70 and Egypt 80 towards an electrified present and future.
Review: Seun Kuti is set to release his highly anticipated album Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) with Executive produced by Lenny Kravitz and Fela Kuti's original engineer Sodi Marciszewer, promises to redefine contemporary afrobeat while honoring its roots. The album features six powerful tracks, including collaborations with Damian Marley on 'Dey' and Sampa The Great on 'Emi Aluta.' Each song embodies themes of resistance, resilience, and revolution, addressing societal issues and personal struggles. Seun Kuti describes the project as special, highlighting the support and guidance from Kravitz and Sodi. This album not only showcases Seun's growth as an artist but also his unwavering commitment to social change and empowerment. Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head) is poised to entertain, inspire and ignite a spirit of activism and liberation.
Review: Texan funk-dub stalwarts Khruangbin set aside their own inward-looking solo projects for another collaborative endeavour. Following their first collab with Leon Bridges, they've now covered the work of 'African rock royalty' Ali Farka Toure, alongside his son, Vieux. Toure is a much-celebrated Malian musician whose 'desert blues' evoked a similarly African, primordial version of Khruangbin's Western cosmic folk. While their music came up in completely different times, the throughlines between the Khru' and Toure's musics are far from tenuous; together, the band and Vieux Toure paint a diasporic picture of a legend's music and life, musically documenting the influence his music has had on subsequent generations.
Review: Unlike previous instalments in the 180g label's Wamono series, this isn't a compilation in the strictest sense of the term, but rather a retrospective. It showcases a range of killer jazz-funk and rare groove tunes recorded at Nippon Columbia studios in the mid 1970s by arranger Kiyoshi Yamaya, koto legend Toshiko Yonekawa and shakahuchi master Kifu Mitsuhashi. Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from the mellow, slow-burn lusciousness of 'Nanbu Ushioi-Uta' and the up-beat, guitar solo-laden brilliance of 'Hohai-Bushi', to the all-time Japanese jazz-funk classic that is 'Saitaro-Bushi' and the solo-laden brilliance of 'Asadoya Yunti', whose dazzling Fender Rhodes solos are reminiscent of the early '70s work of the late, great Billy Preston.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.