Following this former post, I would like to share with you “Muwaso Mwa Longe“, an uplifting instant feel-good frantic Afro Disco Soul Funk track with Makossa flavors, taken from one of the 1st albums recorded by the mythical Cameroonian band “Les Black Styl” the mythical Cameroonian band “Les Black Styl”.
This band, originally from the city of Douala, included the finest musicians of that era such as Toto Guillaume, Emile Kangue, Guy Lobe & Mouelle Jean and was leaded by the legendary composer & musician Nkotti François.
This post is dedicated to Nkotti François, my Cameroonian father who sadly passed away on August 2021. Miss you so much Baba, you’re always on my mind !
Nkotti François & Les Black Styl – Muwaso Mwa Longe (Cameroun, 1970s, Editions Retro 2000)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Sexual Healing”, an instant feel-good catchy Island Soca Disco Soul track with Calypso flavors, cover of the Marvin Gaye’s timeless classic reinterpreted in 1983 in a fresh Caribbean way by the band “The Equitables” from St Vincent & The Grenadines (Bahamas) and leaded by the Vincentian composer & musician Frankie McIntosh.
This album, that features great musicians as Charmaine Yates & Cauldric Forbes, was released on the mythical label Straker’s Records, one of the most prolific Caribbean labels of the 70s & the 80s, founded by Granville Straker and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York – Enjoy !
The Equitables – Sexual Healing (St. Vincent & The Grenadines, 1983, Straker’s Records)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Africa Land Of Soul“, an instant catchy Afro Disco Funk Soul track, taken from the only album from the Togolese composer & musician Gregoire Lawani, recorded in 1977 in Paris and composed and produced by the mythical legendary French composer Andre Charles “Slim” Pezin.
One of my personal favorite of the genre with flavors that always reminds me the international hit “Soul Makossa” by the Cameroonian King Emmanuel N’Djoké “Manu” Dibango, and always perfect to rock a dance floor – Enjoy !
Gregoire Lawani – African Land Of Soul (Togo, 1977, BBZ Productions)
Following this former article, I wanted to share with you for today “Réveil Creole“, a sweet Cosmic Synth Balearic Soul Sega track, recorded in 1978 by the duet of composers & musicians 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢 & 𝐃𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐤𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐯𝐨 from 𝐑𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 under the name “Groupe Dago” (their only recording under that name), and out on the legendary local record label “𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥” – Enjoy !
Groupe Dago – Réveil Creole (La Reunion, 1978, Disques Royal)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Fly No More“, an obscure but catchy Afro Boogie Disco Synth track, taken from the only album recorded in 1980s by the Nigerian musicians Vincent Toko and Justin Naoussi, and produced by Jake Sollo, mythical figure of the Nigerian musical scene from the 70s to the 90s, and that includes many legendary figures from this era such as :
For today, I wanted to share with you “Ndolo“, a stormer Afro Disco Synth Soul Makossa track, taken from an album recorded at studio Synthésis in Paris (France) & self-released by the mythical Cameroonian composer & musician Bill Loko, with the help of another great Cameroonian figure, the legendary composer & arranger Dhin Ndjocke-Ebongue, better known as “Michot Dinh” (on music, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar & percussion).
This album also features great Paris-living musicians of that era, such as : Joseph “Jo” Dikongue Jr., Mony Dhin, Sissy Dipoko, Brigitte Sarrus, Christine Poussy & Claude Vamur for the drums.
Instant dance floor anthem here, hope you’ll like it !
Bill Loko – Ndolo (Cameroun, 1981, Bill Loko Self-Released)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Madjoumbé“, an uplifting Tropical Cadence Biguine Jazz Soul track from the French West Indies with Latin flavors, recorded in 1975 by the legendary band Malavoi, initially from the city of Fort-de-France (Martinique) but that will later includes musicians from Guadeloupe.
Still active today, the band is known for its strings sections (violin & cello), & was founded at the end of the 60s by Jean-Paul Soïme, Emmanuel “Mano” Cesaire, Christian de Negri, Denis Dantin & Marcel Rémion.
This LP features :
Jean-Marc Albicy (Bass Guitar) ;
André Saint-Prix (Congas) ;
Paul Rosine (Electric Piano : Fender Rhodes) ;
Bib Monville (Saxophone) ;
Paul Petit-Frere (Trombone, Trumpet) ;
Christian De Négri (Violin) ;
Maurice Marie-Louise, Raphaël Rimbaud (Vocals) ;
The group was called “Malavoi” in reference to a variety of sugar cane and a street in the island of Goree (Senegal) from where African former slaves were sent to Americas at the time.
Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art – Enjoy !
For today, I wanted to share with you “Sexy Lady“, an astonishing Caribbean Boogie Disco Funk Soca track with catchy synth & horn parts, taken from the now ultra hard to find first recording (1980 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) of the composer & musician Gerard “PJ” Browne from St Kitts & Nevis islands (in the Caribbean Sea), member of the band G.I.’s Brass International.
This album, out at the time on very small promotional quantities, features :
Gerard “PJ” Browne ;
Lenford Hamilton ;
Kenrick Williams ;
Kenrick Georges ;
and musicians of the GI’s Brass International band.
Instant tropical club anthem that will rock any dance floor, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !
Gerard “PJ” Browne & G.I.’s Brass International – Sexy Lady (St Kitts & Nevis, 1980, PJAY Records)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Nadim (Je Regrette)“, an instant catchy Disco Soul Synth track from Maghreb, taken from the 2nd album recorded in 1978 in Paris by the musician (saxophone player) & composer Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja.
Abdelkader “Freh” Khodja was born in Sidi-Bel-Abbes (Algeria), on the 1st of January 1949.
At the age of fifteen, he began musical studies, entered the Conservatory, where he opted for the saxophone. Two years later, he began playing at open air dances, banquets, etc.
In March 1968, he travelled to France, and worked in different jobs to earn his living, including grill man in a restaurant. Then, he joined his brothers in Lyon, where he became a semi-professional performer at the city’s Winter Palace, and met his first band with whom he played Soul music.
Back in Paris, he and his group gradually appeared as stars at the “Bus Palladium” concert hall. After several tours in clubs, Freh abandoned Soul music for varieties, and left France for the United States, to Greenwich Village, to play in one of the most sumptuous establishments in the region. It was there that, by chance, improvising on his guitar & backed by his musicians, he sang for the first time in Arabic, which was instantly a big success.
Thus, was born an idyll : merging Arabic and pop influences in his music.
From that moment on, he made a point of honor to defend during all his musical career the promotion and acknowledgement of Arabic language in Western pop songs.
(Yes, this album features the legendary Cameroonian keyboardist Eko Roosevelt, whom we reissued a few years earlier a vinyl compilation on Nubiphone, one of the record labels I run !)
One of my personal favorite track in the genre, that always set the dance floor on fire when I play it during my DJ sets – Enjoy !
Following this previous article, I wanted to share with you “Wonka Ma Wo Nte“, an instant catchy 80s percussive Afro Electro Soul Funk Highlife track with great synths & drum machines, recorded in the UK in the second half of the 80s by the legendary Ghanaian band “African Brothers International” leaded by the mythical guitarist Patrick Kwame “Nana” Ampadu, composer of more than 800 songs – Enjoy !
Nana Ampadu’s African Brothers Band International – Wonka Ma Wo Nte (Ghana, 1989, African Brothers Band International)
