Orchestre Les Génis de Cotonou (1974)

New band of Benin on Oro: "Les Génis de Cotonou". I had never heard of them and it is a very good surprise. Singer Lay José sings two great titles: The soul and djerk "E Non Ve Nou Kinto" and pachanga "Se Na Se Do". Have pleasure. 

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Nouvel orchestre sur Oro: "Les Génis de Cotonou". Je n'avais jamais entendu parler d'eux et c'est une bonne surprise. Le chanteur Lay José chante deux superbes titres: Le djerk "E Nou Ve Nou Kinto" et le pachanga "Se Na Se Do".  Bonne écoute.

Orchestre LES VOLCANS (1974)

For fans of Volcans' series, here is their first recording, composed by the unmistakable Joseph Atchade and dung by Paul Alapini. The record's label says: "Made in Dahomey" meaning that it was recorded (in mono) before 1975. The song "Sabira" is a slow meanwhile "Agba N' Agba" is a  beninese well known folkloric tune.

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Pour les fans de la série des Volcans, voici leur premier enregistrement composé par l'incontournable Joseph Atchadé et chanté par Paul Alapini. Ce disque, enregistré en mono, indique "Made in Dahomey" ce qui signifie qu'il a été édité avant 1975. Le morceau "Sabira" est un slow et "Agba N'Agba est morceau très connu dans le folklore Béninois.

Traore Seydou Michel & LES VAUDOU DU FLAMBOYANT (Burkina-Faso/1974)

In 1966, in Bobo Dioulasso, Voltaïque city, rose for the first time on stage, a 14 years old boy, performing beautifully, in english, rhythm & blues songs. He was Seydou Traore Richard.

In 1974, he recorded his first record which serves as soundtrack for a movie he is main actor, "The Road of Reconciliation". On this recording, the backing band is the famous orchestra "Les Vaudou du Flamboyant".

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En 1966, à Bobo Dioulasso, ville Voltaïque, montait pour la première fois sur scène, un jeune de 14 ans, interprétant merveilleusement, en anglais, des chansons de Rhythm & Blues. C'était Traore Seydou Richard.

En 1974, il enregistre son premier disque, qui sert de bande-son pour un film dont il est l'acteur principal, "Le Chemin de la Réconciliation". Sur cet enregistrement, il est accompagné d'un fameux groupe: l'orchestre Les Vaudou du Flamboyant.

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Polaroid of Poly-Rythmo (1974)

Nous sommes des Global Groovers attendant des jours noirs, scrutant la guillotine. En attendant voici un vieux Polaroïd de Poly-Rythmo comme une copie de l'année 1972, au Dahomey.

Ce vinyl a été édité par le label "Echos Sonores du Dahomey" et produit par Madame Grataissy. Le célèbre Joseph Aménoudji dit "Vicky" compose et chante. L'enregistrement  contient sur la face A, un morceau sato typique du Poly-Rythmo et sur la face B, un morceau cavacha, intitulé "La Vérité Entière". Un titre qui parle...

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We are Global Groovers waiting for dark days, pending the guillotine. Meanwhile, here is an old Polaroid of Poly-Rythmo as  a copy of Dahomey's musical environment during 1972.

This vinyl record was edited on label "Echos Sonores du Dahomey" and produced by Miss Grataissy. Joseph Aménoudji called "Vicky" composed and sung. Side 1 contains a typical Poly-Rythmic sato rhythm and side 2, a cavacha entitled "La Vérité Vraie" (The Whole Truth). A title that speaks...

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo & Vincent Ahehehinnou (1974)

This N°224 record on the label Albarika Store is a jewel. Composed and sung by Vincent Ahehehinnou, the title "Cherie Oyo" deserves a better rhythm description as Bossa Nova which is written on the record label. The song "Nan Man Nan" is as ambitious as the first, a traditional and "folkloric" modernized rhythm. Vinent has a voice as warm and captivating as that of Eskill Lohento.

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Ce disque N°224 sur le label Albarika Store est un bijoux. Composé et chanté par Vincent Ahehehinnou, le titre "Cherie Oyo" mérite un meilleur qualificatif rythmique que "Bossa Nova" qui figure sur le label du disque. Le titre "Nan Man Nan" est aussi ambitieux que le premier, un ryhtme traditionnel et "folklorique" modernisé. Vincent a une voix aussi chaude et envoutante que celle d'Eskill Lohento.

Danialou Sagbohan & Les Astronautes (1975)

I am very happy to share this fabulous and rare record from Danialou Sagbohan that I already presented on radio at the Mumbo Jumbo cession. You can listen here.

The band "Les Astronautes" was one of firt El Rego's band. El Rego created by the more "Los Commandos", but "Les Astronautes" persisted and recorded with other singers as Danialou Sagbohan. I must say that this record is prodigious, the genius of Sagbohan is concentrated.

First, the title "Missi Me" is a delicious afro-cuban rhythm. The brass and guitar solo caress sweet Sagbohan's voice. The other song "Mina Gan" is a piece of art, between voodoo rhythm, jazz and funk. Sagbohan is known to have recorded the first "Sato" rhythm. The name "Sato" created by Clement Melome from Poly-Rythmo is actually the common name for all different modernized and voodoo rhythms. Indeed "Sato" is not voodoo, it's a rhythm played by royal orphans inside Kingdoms of Dahomey. The rhythm is no longer played and became more popular. Clement Melome and Poly-Rythmo used this "Sato" term footprint so as not to offend the sensitive soul of Voodoo. 

Like I said, Sagbohan is the first to have played and recorded "Sato" rhythm, in 1973, with Black Santiago band and Ignace de Souza. The title was "Zangbeto" (Voodoo night watchmen) and you can here "them" here. "Mina Gan" is taken from a traditional rhythm of Goun people called Kaka and which Sagbohan transfigured into jazz. A song that I particularly love.

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Je suis très content de partager ce disque très rare de Danialou Sagbohan que j'ai présenté lors de l'émission radio Mumbo Jambo et que vous pouvez écouter ici. L'orchestre "Les Astronautes" était l'un des premiers orchestres d'El rego. El Rego crée par la suite "Los Commandos", mais "Les Astronautes" perdurent et enregistrent avec d'autres chanteur tel que Sagbohan. Et je dois dire que ce 45 tours est prodigieux, tout le génie de Danialou y est concentré.

Tout d'abord, le titre "Missi Mè" est rythme afro-cubain délicieux. Les cuivres et la guitare solo caressent la voix sucrée de Sagbohan. L'autre titre "Mina Gan" est un morceau d'anthologie, entre rythme traditionnel, jazz et funk. Sagbohan est connu pour avoir enregistré le premier morceau dit "Sato". Ce nom "Sato" crée par Clément Mélomé du Poly-Rythmo est en fait en nom commun pour désigner les tous différents rythmes vaudous modernisés. A vrai dire le rythme Sato n'est pas Vaudou, c'est un rythme royal anciennement joué par les orphelins des royaumes du Bénin. Ce rythme n'étant plus joué, il est devenu populaire. Clément Mélomé et le Poly-Rythmo ont empreinté ce terme Sato afin de ne pas choquer les âme sensibles du vaudou.

Comme je disais Sagbohan est le premier à avoir joué des rythmes "Sato", en 1973, avec l'orchestre Black Santiago et le titre "Zangbeto" (Gardien de nuit vaudou) et que vous pouvez entendre ici. "Mina Gan" est un rythme traditionnel de l'Ethnie Goun appelé Kaka et que Sagbohan transfigure en Jazz. Un morceau que j'adore...

Continental Revolution (Kenya, 1974)

This is a 45 rpm, released in 1974, by an unknown band for me. No much informations except that the Sulwe label used to produce famous Kenyan bands. Continental Revolution  seems to be led by George Ojijo, the composers, Ezra Kiche and Alex Odhiambo.

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Voici un  45 tours, produit en 1974 , par un orchestre inconnu pour moi. Pas beaucoup d'informations si ce n'est que le label Sulwe a produit les meilleurs orchetsres Kenyans. Continental Revolution semble est dirigé par George Ojijo, et ces deux titres composés par Ezra Kiche et Alex Odhiambo.

Ethiopia 1974: Menelik Wossenachew, Mahmoud Ahmed, Getatchew Kassa.

Jam Magica is again making us travel to the East. In the first Ethiopian post, we had only one side of both Mahmoud Ahmed and Getatchew Kassa. Today we can apreciate the all EP's. We have also another gift, Menelik Wossenachew, a huge artist in Ethiopia.

Menelik Wossenachew (AE 810)

This is the side 1 of first Mahmoud Ahmed's record (MA 001).

Mahmoud Ahmed

"Yealem Baytewar"

And also the side 1 of Gebtachew Kassa edited on Philips' label.

Getatchew Kassa

"Gofere Hugnilign"

Ethiopia, 1974: Mahmoud Ahmed, Bahta G.Hiwot, Getatchew Kassa.

Oro is not used to Ethiopian music, but thanks to Jam Magica, again, let's begin with the great middle 1970s period and four rare records. Thank's a lot Jam...

Born in Addis Ababa, Mahmoud shined shoes in that city before becoming a handyman at the Arizona Club, where he first sang professionally in the early 1960s. He sang for the Imperial Body Guard Band until 1974's revolution, and recorded with other bands for the Amha and Kaifa record labels throughout the 1970s.

Mahmoud Ahmed (MA 001) side 2

Since the late 1990s he has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in Europe and the Americas since Buda Musique launched the Ethiopiques series on compact disc. Let's discover those first own productions, accompagnied by Dahlac Band, from this incredible voice, mounted by gods.

Mahmoud Ahmed (MA 002)

Bahta Gebre Hiwot began his musical career as a member of the house band at the Ras Hotel in Addis Ababa. Hiwot played with this band for many years but he managed to record several solo singles, including the charming "Tessassategn Eko", which was arranged by master Mulatu Astatke.

Bahta Gebre Hiwot (AE 690)

Getatchew Kassa is known for composing the most revolutionary pieces, among all, his reinterpretations of the revered traditional "Tezeta", in both slow and fast versions.

For more infos check out the great Ethiopian music discographie on Funkidelity's blog.

Getatchew Kassa (PH 249)

Amadou Balake & Les 5 Consuls (1974)

Dear listeners, I am sorry to share a record in a very bad Shape but I think that all the recordings from Amadou Ballake diserve to be hear...

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Mes amis, je suis désolé de partager un disque de très mauvaise Qualité mais je pense que tout enregistrement d' Amadou Ballaké mérite d'être entendu...

Balla & Ses Balladins (Guinea/1974)

Balla et ses Balladins (also known as Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée) were a dance-music orchestra formed in Conakry in 1962 following the break-up of the Syli Orchestre National, Guinea's first state-sponsored group.

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Also called the Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée, after the "bar dancing" music venue in Conakry that still exists today, the group made a number of recordings for the state-owned Syliphone label and become one of the first modern dance musical groups in Guinea to use traditional musical instruments and fuse together traditional Guinean folk music with more modern influences.

Orchestre Black Santiago & Digbé Tapé (1974)

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Yedenou Adjahoui (1974)