AFRO-FUNK / AFROBEAT Archives - Guerssen Records

Jealousy

GuerssenAdmin — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Comet Records presents the Tony Allen & Africa 70 reissue series with the classic late seventies first four solo albums of Tony Allen remastered and restored: Jealousy, Progress, No Accomodation for Lagos & No Discrimination, all coming in an heavy Deluxe Tip-On Jacket.
Recorded with Afrika 70 at the height of their power as Fela Kuti’s band, these are seminal recordings in the pantheon of Afrobeat history. Once again, Comet Records has the opportunity to shine a light on the sheer musicality and originality of the humble drumming giant. Tony Allen’s passing in April 2020 sent a shockwave across the world, as fans and collaborators from Lagos to Brooklyn and everywhere in between mourned the loss of a generous and powerful being, the kind of being we thought would live forever. Thankfully, we have the gift of Tony’s timeless music, starting with these four special solo albums, through which his musical voice guides our dancing feet and full hearts forever.
Produced by Fela Kuti in 1975, Tony Allen’s first solo album with Afrika 70, Jealousy, is like the man himself: light on its feet yet deeply settled, spacious yet bursting with magical talent. On the title track “Jealousy” Tony is joyously in his element, conducting one of the mightiest bands in the world – he is the head chef, and the band is cooking. The second track, “Hustler” features one of the most iconic solos in drumming history, a rare glimpse into Tony’s gift of musical phrasing – it is possibly the best example of Tony’s ability to literally speak through his beloved drumset.
Tony Allen possessed magic within him, which he spent his entire life sharing with us through his drumming hands, tapping feet and generous heart. That magic is ever-present and strong on these formative solo albums – they are must-haves for Afrobeat fans across the globe.

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Made In Nigeria

GuerssenAdmin — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 23:00:00 +0000

The second album by Kio Amachree in Afro Boogie Funk style recorded in Lagos Nigerian in early 80s.
Limited Edition.
TRACKLIST:
A1. In The Deep End A2. Promises Of Love B1. Made In Nigeria B2. Truly B3. Any Dummy Can Play.

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Africa

GuerssenAdmin — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 23:00:00 +0000

Amanaz were serious, and they made a serious stab at an album. They titled their album Africa, according to original band member Keith Kabwe, “because of how it was shared and how its inhabitants were butchered and enslaved, its resources stolen… all the atrocities slave drivers committed. ” Thus, their “Kale,” a blues sung in Nyanja, that traced the continent’s arc from slavery to Zambia’s independence closes the album.
Kabwe and rhythm guitarist John Kanyepa have a winsome softness to their vocals, which sit politely aside the feral growl of drummer Watson Baldwin Lungu, bassist Jerry Mausala and bandleader/lead guitarist Isaac Mpofu. Africa’s vibe ranges from anxious (“Amanaz”) to escapist (“Easy Street”) to straight-up pissed-off. On the “History of Man,” his voice whiskey-burned, his distorted guitar buzzing like swarming hornets, Mpofu indicts his species.
There’s a darkness to Africa not found on any other Zamrock records, and a melancholy drifts throughout, specifically on Mpofu’s more restrained “Khala My Friend,” which stands as an effective, bleak situation for the Zambian everyman, the average citizen of a struggling, new nation, who might have had relatives in conflict-torn countries on the horizon, who mighthave been struggling to find his next meal, who might have seen a bleaker future than his president promised.
Then there’s the clear Velvet Underground-influence on the nostalgic “Sunday Morning,” which, as Kabwe recalls, was the first song written for the album, back in 1968, when Velvet Undergound and Nico was a new release – and the underground funk of “Making The Scene.” The album also tackles traditional Zambian music and early-’60s rock – punctuated, of course byKanyepa’s wah-wah and Mpofu’s fuzz guitars. But every time Amanaz get too deep, too violent, they come back with an accessible song and woo their listener back to the groove. “Green Apple” is a civil song, featuring Kanyepa’s sighing guitar.

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Tattletale b/w Tattletale PT. 2

GuerssenAdmin — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Composed by the prolific keyboardist/producer Victor Axelrod aka Ticklah, “Tattletale” has been a sinister, funky flute-driven live staple for Antibalas for many years, drawing from musical inspirations of Ethiopian funk and jazz masters Mulatu Astatqe, Wallias Band and Mahmoud Ahmed of the the mid-1970s.

After years of performing it to audiences across the globe, the band recorded “Tattletale” at the Daptone House of Soul during the album sessions for their self-titled 2012 LP. Since then, like a trove of military secrets, the song has sat marinating in the Daptone archives, waiting for just the right time to expose the dark, sinister side of Antibalas.”

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Assagai

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 23:00:00 +0000

South-african jazz-rock worshippers alert ! Assagai was an Afro-rock band, active in the early 1970s in London, whose relatively short career produced two albums recorded in 1971. It has been described as “the second best-known African group of the late 60s/early 70s in Britain” after Osibisa. The original band consisted of five members, three from South Africa and two from Nigeria: drummer Louis Moholo, trumpeter/flautist Mongezi Feza, alto saxophonist Dudu Pukwana, tenor saxophonist Bizo Mngqikana, and guitarist/bassist Fred Coker.
Assagai’s self-titled debut album was released in 1971 on Vertigo; among the African musicians who played with the group on the recording was Terri Quaye. Previously, in the 1960s Pukwana, Feza and Moholo had been members of the jazz band The Blue Notes alongside Chris McGregor.

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The Soul Of “Ali” Ben Djamballa (Clear Blue)

GuerssenAdmin — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Alberto Baldan Bembo (1938-2017), also known as “Ali” Ben Djamballa, Bedan, Blue Marvin or Shorty Baldan, was a multi-instrumentalist (vibraphonist, organist and pianist). Since 1959 he has been part of the group I Menestrelli del Jazz and in 1963 he joined Bruno De Filippi’s group. Appreciated as a sideman, he was for several years pianist and organist in the group that accompanied the Italian singer Mina.
He has also spent much of his career as a composer of film soundtracks and published several albums through our label, among which we must remember the soundtrack of “Codice d’amore orientale”, released by SAAR/Joker in 1974, which will soon be re-released on vinyl as a limited edition by our label.
The Soul Of “Ali” Ben Djamballa (Alberto Baldan’s 1974 album) is a highly sought after LP by record collectors around the world. Following the creation of the Afro-flavored funk of this period, represented by Fela Kuti (Nigeria) and Osibisa (Ghana), the album features European Library Music grooves, including “Blue Jeans”, “Black Coffee”, “Take Six” and “Niger”. The record contains a number of solid breaks, noteworthy sampling material and a good dose of rare and funky grooves.

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Sensible (CD)

GuerssenAdmin — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 23:00:00 +0000

A great mix of Zouk, Afro-Funk and Boogie from the Ivory Coast, 1983. Cool synths, electric guitar, afro-caribbean rhythms…Four long tracks, including the massive afro-disco-boogie “Africa Mawa” plus two cool afro/Zouk tracks and a deep ballad with psych guitar.

Featuring Congolese musician Denis Bibi Den’s Thsibayi and his band The Best, “Sensible” was recorded at Abidjan, Ivory Coast, after Denis Tshibayi was requested to play live there. M. Sacko helped with the production / edition and the album was originally released first as a tiny private pressing in the Ivory Coast and later in France. During that time, Denis Thsibayi also recorded for Earthworks/Rough Trade and in the following decades he has recorded with Adrian Sherwood (On-U Sound Records), Alpha Blondy, etc.

Includes booklet with liner notes.

Tracklist: 1. Africa Mawa – 2. Djwa Yango – 3. Sensible – 4. L’Amour

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Legend Of Funaná

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 22:00:00 +0000

In 1997, a quiet, unassuming man of 59 years old named Victor Tavares (better know as Bitori) walks into a studio for the very first time to record a masterpiece which many Cabo Verdean consider to be the best Funaná album ever made. Bitori’s musical adventure had begun long before this point. It was 1954 when he embarked on a journey across the seas to the island of Sao Tomé Principe. The young man’s hope was to return to Cabo Verde with an accordion. Following two years of hard labour Bitori had succeeded in saving enough money to acquire what was to become his most valued possession, his cherished instrument. The two month journey back to Santiago, his island of birth, proved time enough to master it. Self taught, Bitori developed his own style, an infectious blaze, that quickly caught the attention of the older generation. Before long Bitori was being asked to share his musical talents, igniting the local festivities around Praia with his music. But not everybody welcomed the rural accordion based sound. Perceived as a symbol of the struggle for Cape Verdean independence and frowned upon as music of uneducated peasants, Funaná was prohibited by the Portuguese colonial rulers. Performing it in public or in urban centres had serious consequences, often jail time and torture awaited musicians that were “caught in the act”. In light of such persecution the genre of Funaná began to slowly disappear. In 1975 Cabo Verde achieved independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Along with Cabo Verde’s independence came a lifting of the ban placed on Funaná. The musical repercussions in Cabo Verde were plenty and many upcoming artists embraced Funaná, translating and adapting its musical form in new ways. It was not to be until the mid 90’s, however, that Funaná in its traditional form was actually recorded. It was a young singer from Tarafal, Chando Graciosa, who was to play a key role in this event. Upon hearing Bitori, Graciosa immediately felt drawn to Bitori-s unique playing style, a raw and passionate sound accompanied by honest lyrics that reflected the harsh reality of the Cabo Verdean working class. He eagerly approached Bitori suggesting they joinforces and travel overseas with the objective of taking Funaná beyond its rural roots. The two of them, with others in tow,achieved their goal and travelled to Europe, introducing a receptive European audience to the vibrant energy of Funaná. Eventually Bitori returned to his beloved Cabo Verde. Graciosa opted to settle in Rotterdam in order to pursue his career. He vowed, however, to bring Bitori across to Holland at a later date to record an album. In 1997 the time was ripe to immortalise the sound Bitori had shaped over a time span of fourdecades. Built around a formidable rhythm section, formed of drummer Grace Evora and bass player Danilo Tavares, “Bitori Nha Bibinha” was recorded. The recording catapulted Chando Graciosa to stardom, making him Cabo Verde’s No.1 interpreter of Funaná. The success in Cabo Verde was phenomenal and Funaná rapidly gained the recognition it deserved, especially in urban dance clubs. Bitori’s songs quickly became standards classics known and loved throughout the country. The musical success, however, was solely limited to the Cabo Verdean islands until now!

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Love Is Fair

GuerssenAdmin — Sun, 22 May 2022 22:00:00 +0000

Nigerian classic Black Children Sledge Funk Group 1976’s debut album full of positive vibrations and feel-good grooves! A sunny blend of Reggae and Afro-Funk with a lot of percussions, psychedelic and rhythmic guitar and organ. In the mid-seventies in Nigeria everybody loved them; they were a symbol and pride of Africa.
Michael Hammedatha Moore sang and played congas and percussion. Daniel Carlos Yakubu played guitar. Jerry Freeman Nwokolo was on keyboards. Ricky Hardnar on bass and And Benson Teteh played the drums. Everyone in the band changed their last name to Black.
Repressed for the first time. Limited Edition.

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Black Children

GuerssenAdmin — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:00:00 +0000

A little masterpiece of soul afrofunk with carpets of dreamy keyboards on their swirlingly seductive sound and their really cool voices. The second album of BLACK CHILDREN SLEDGE FUNK BAND released in 1978 is a delight. Repressed for the first time.

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