Lobo y Melon

(RCA CAMDEN 102-23106).

Here's a Mexican band created in the late 50s and composed by the drummer Carlos Daniel Navarro Pulido (Lobo) and the singer Luis Angel Silva Nava (Melon). Their first LP (early 60s) is representative of the various caribbean influences in during the 60s (cuban orchestras, US latin jazz, african drums... ), as many musicians from the region were playing in Acapulco or Mexico.

Also, this track dedicated to Africa praising Chango and other voodoo divinities can be a bit surprising from a country were few african diaspora lives; it just  shows how much this african influence was in the luggages of musicians travelling within the Caribbean. 

Lobo y Melon - Africa:

Lobo y Melon - Campesino: 

Very good information on Lobo y Melon here.

Afroperuvian instruments and rhythms

A special post to discover various instruments and rhythms from the afroperuvian musical environment. Afro culture in Peru is direct consequence to slavery of various african ethnic groups brought until 1850. A kind of "identidad costena" (coastal identity) has been developed by the black people and afrodescendientes on the pacific coast, culturally totally different from interior's andean mountains (in some aspects, this regional specificity that can remind La Cuesta in Colombia).

A variety of rhythms and dances appeared (from lando to festejo), based on diverse percussions, voices, hand claps. One characteristic instrument is the cajon, an open wood case (the musician plays sat on it). It is used in Peru since the 19th century and has been more recently associated with flamenco-jazz.

A general particularity is the introduction of guitar (which makes a significant difference with afrocolombian early musical expressions), and which allows huge melodic possibilities.

Cajon (open wood case):

Cajita (small wood box with a stick, and a lid to modulate the sound opening and closing the box):

Quijada (inferior jaw from a cow or horse, the sound coming from the teeth vibrations):

Guiro (calabash with parallel grooves):

Carrasca (quijada used with a stick):

Guitarra (guitar):

Palmas (hand claps):

Tablitas (kind of castanets):

Manolo Guardia - Negro en sol menor (1960s)

(Fermata 3F0128).

Candomble beleives and culture, originated from african voduns and musically based on drums, are widespread in Brazil, but also traveled south down to Uruguay, where exist also expressions of this religion.

Successful meeting of jazz and candomble rhythms is not so common, so I hope you enjoy this track from Manolo Guardia, uruguayan pianist both interested in jazz and tango, and who experimented unique afrolatinjazz fusion during the 60s.

Manolo Guardia y - Negro en Sol Menor:

Ahmadou Kourouma - Les Soleils des Independances (1970)

A special post for this record, taking part of a valuable RFI collection about black literature. Ivorian writer Ahmadou Kourouma (+2003) explains his approach and background, particularly on one of his  most famous novel published in 1968: The Suns of Independences, which corresponds to this confused post-colonial period where many changes took place but also many disillusions appeared.

Things are always more complex when seen from inside: as colonial administration was not respecting african social ranks inherited from Malinké traditions, the independence brings new stakes and orientations for the self determined populations. Adapt colonial organization to Africa? go back to Malinké secular tradition (and hierarchy)? Find new ways?

Anyway,  additionally to an unique style (irony, images, rhythm) this book i highly recommended to perceive some early  (but still actual) african problematics, and the interview (in french) on the LP, is a nice explicative bonus .

A

B

Fatai Ayilara and his group (apala music)

Let's have a deep travel into nigerian roots music with this Apala song: yoruba rooted rhythms with superb talking drums and hypnotic voices. I guess this can lead to transe if played all night long...

Fatai Ayilara and his group - Ebo Re Siwa:

Goombay! - Brown Skin Gal

(DECCA ED 2500).

Many orchestras in the Caribbean where initially playing in fancy hotels, and this so called "Authentic Calypso Beat of the Bahamas" is played by Beacham Coakley's Emerald Beach Hotel Orchestra (the singer is Vincent Martin). Goombay corresponds to the name of a bahamian goatskin-headed drum (different from the jamaican squared drum gumbe), but also corresponds to the style of this music which can be considered as a kind of calypso using this specific drum.

The following track "Brown skin gal" is very close to "Matilda",  a 30s calypso (later becoming a famous classic after Harry Belafonte's version).

Goombay - Brown Skin Gal:

OK Jazz - Brigitta Mwasi Ya Makwela (1964)

(Surboum African Jazz OK 42)

Here's an early OK Jazz 7". Always nice...

OK Jazz - Brigitta Mwasi Ya Makwela:

Muzzicaltrips in Congo mix here:

Saka Acquaye and his African Ensemble from Ghana

(Explorer Series H-72026).

Saka Acquaye (+2007) was an artist from Ghana who had opportunity to travel to the U.S. during the 40s and 50s, and thus contributed to the modernization process of west african music during the 60s.

The liner notes insist on how modern was this music at the time:

"(...) The new african nations have taken their place among self-governing peoples; that great cultural changes are occurring in these new nations is not surprising. In the "new" music coming out of Africa, the rich spontaneity and color of african life are magnified a hundred times. American have a vested interest in this movement, for their own music - jazz, popular, dance and religious - have drawn heavily upon african sources. Actually the new african music is based solidly on traditional african musical expression, adapting elements from the music of the colonial powers which have governed these people. (...) Saka Acquaye and his African Ensemble furnish a striking example of present-day interaction between cultures. American jazz and popular music have now returned to Africa and are influencing the music that gave birth to them."

The great cover art from Elaine Gongora illustrates this message of modernity co-existing with secular traditions.

Concerning the following track, it has been composed to contrast the music from the Pygmies and from the Watusi (derived from Tutsi, supposed to be the tallest people in Africa).

Saka Acquaye and his african ensemble from Ghana - Congo beat:


Saka Acquai: drums, flute and tenor sax
Garvine Masseaux: vibes and drums
George Brooks: double bass
Edward Cooper: trumpet and mellophone
Wilfred Letman: trumpet
Charles Earland: tenor sax
Walter Miller: guitar
Robert Crowder, Joseph Acquai, Benny Parkes, Sunny Morgan: drums

Pico Culture #02 - MIX /// Terapia Africana Mix (a selection of pico african hits)

From the 70s, while the soundsystem culture was developing, more and more african records arrived on the coast due to increasing commercial exchanges between international harbors.

Some african songs became hits, african styles being surnamed: nova for highlife tracks, rastrillo for kenyan tracks... It was such a big success for the youth of Cartagena and Baranquilla that even each popular song received his own surname. Also several tracks have been bootlegged in terapia/champeta  compilations (which leads to find improbable records including a pure benga followed by an awful 80s techno), and not always credited the original artist/title, but just the local surname known by everybody.

That's the reason of this special selection, composed only of african tracks (Liberia, Angola, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Zaire). These tunes are popular in Baranquilla's southern barrios, as long as you speak about: la botellita, el serrucho, la guitarrita, la mecedora, la munequita, el rastrillo, el beto, los palitos, la pipona,  el ejen, el akien, la llorona...

What is particularly appreciated is when the song enters in a specific rhythm, where remains guitar and a streamlined drums giving a kind of gliding atmosphere (this is called "el repique", and many african records lovers in Colombia are crazy about it).

Terapia Africana Mix (70min):


to be followed there: Pico Culture #03
previous post: Pico Culture #01

Lyrichord label discography

Here's the releases list y of Ethnies Series from this label focussed on world and classical music.