Sunny Black's Band AKA Poly-Rythmo (1966)

I really like to thank Reservatory, from Lucky Psychic Hut blog, for this great great contribution. This is my fourth post about Sunny Black's Band which became, in 1968, Poly-Rythmo. I invite you to discover the others EPs from Clément Mélomé's band here, here and here. The rhythm is always the same during this period, bolero mixed with traditional Beninese rhythms.

oro

Je voudrais vraiment remercier Reservatory, du blog Lucky Psychic Hut, pour sa contribution et pour ce nouvel opus du groupe Sunny Black's Band qui deviendra Poly-Rythmo en 1968. Je vous invite à découvrir les autres 45 tours du groupe de ce groupe fondé par Clément Mélomé ici, ici et ici.

Initiation Into Voodoo Music: Ifa (1985)

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe (1972)

Depuis très longtemps je voulais partager les remèdes du plus grand docteur musical, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. On dit qu'il a composé plus de 500 titres, je pense donc que vous n'avez pas fini d'entendre parler du Doc sur Oro. Des extraits de l'album ont été postés sur le génial blog Likembe il y a 3 ans. Je propose l'album en entier dont voici les titres sous forme de medley:

[A] Egbunam / Ezi Oyi / Matador Special  / Ozo Emezina

[B] Ezi Ogelidi  / Obi Enwe Igodi  / Okalianjo

For a very long time I wanted to share the remedies of the greatest doctor of music,Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe. They say he has composed over 500 songs, so I think you will herad more about Osadebe on Oro. Excerpts from the album wereposted on the awesome blog Likembe blog 3 years ago. Today, I propose the whole album. For those who don't know the doctor yet, here is a biography take from the Biochem Nagoya blog.

"Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe is one of the few bandleaders from the 1960s' "Golden Age" of Nigerian danceband highlife still active on the music scene. He was born in March 1936 in Atani, near the Igbo trading city of Onitsha. According to the liner notes by Chuzzy Udenwa of the compilation CD, "Sound Time," Osadebe's musical apprenticeship began with E.C. Arinze's Empire Rhythm Orchestra in the 1950's, and he soon made a mark with his first record, "Adamma," in 1958. Another source (Yahoo! Music Australia & NZ) claims that Osadebe got his start with Stephen Ameche's band in 1958 and that his first recording was "Lagos Life Na So So Enjoyment" with trumpeter Zeal Onyiya's band in 1959.

Regardless of the exact date of his musical debut, Osadebe's career dates to the 1950's there are many 45s, EP's, etc. releeased prior to 1972 which are not listed here. One or two LPs issued after 1972 may also not be listed. Nonetheless, this is the most complete discography of Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe currently available. Occasionally LPs do not have a formal "title". In such cases they are identified by the lead track on side 1. "Philips" & "Polydor" refer to the Nigerian affiliates of those labels. -- John Beadle.

Addition: Stephen Osita Osadebe passed away in US at the age of 73 on the 11th of May, 2007. According to Benson Idonije's obituary article in the Guardian Newspaper, 

"Osadebe succeeded in breaking away from the conventional big band format established by the pioneers of the music, a format that favoured melodic progressions that were in the common meter, church hymnal tradition. He succeeded in completely transforming highlife into the call-and-response pattern of African music.

Osadebe was only a singer who also played claves, but his role manifested itself in all the areas of highlife, composing, arranging and providing band leadership. He began his career from Empire Hotel, Idioro, Lagos, a club owned by Chief Kanu; which provided employment and residency for almost all the early highlife musicians. Osadebe was a sideman with Stephen Amechi and his Rhythm Skies."

He describes the points of his music as

"Two personalities were greatly respected and sought-after during those highlife days - the vocalist and the guitar player. The guitarist provided palm wine chords which held the orchestra together and also indulged in interminably long guitar solos that kept dancers on the floor for long periods of time. The vocalist projected the entire band and remained the main focus. Osadebe was one of the leading singers on the scene - along with Joe Mensah, Tunde Osofisan, Godwin Omabuwa. But the edge Osadebe had over all of them was that he was a prolific composer; and for this reason, he was in great demand."

His carrier shifted from the Empre Hotel to Central Hotel. "He moved from Empire Hotel under the leadership of Stephen Amechi to Central Hotel, Yaba. Even though he was not the leader of the band there was a special arrangement between him and Chief Osuala, the proprietor of the club to concede this position to trumpet player. Eric Onugha, a much older musician who could read music. Osadebe did all the singing and composing."

Idonije continues: "The situation which however elevated Osadebe musically in terms of giving him the confidence that he needed as a musician was his collaboration with trumpet player Zeal Onyiia of Vic Yem Ofum fame.

Zeal was one of the pioneers of highlife who had fruitful stints with Bobby Benson and even E.T. Mensal and his Tempos Band. He also co-led the Rhythm Aces with Spike Ayanko upon leaving the Tempos Band. Besides, Zeal was the strongest trumpeter in West Africa. Playing with zeal was an eye opener and a landmark in Osadebe's musical career. He learnt all about the essence of melodic progressions, poise, dynamics and big band arrangement technique - qualities, which manifested themselves in the band's hit single oyin lotan, which was composed and vocally projected by Osadebe himself."

He broke away from being a sideman and went his separate way around 1964 with the release of One pound, no balance, which was a big hit. Quite significant in his career, this song dictated for him the way in which his music should go."

Super Afro Party: Vendredi 21 Janvier 2011 (Nantes)

Super Afro Party

Afrolatin – Heavy Soukous – Spicy Afro Rythms

Mix vinyl-percu au son des orchestres urbains 70's de l'Afrique de l'ouest et outre-atlantique

En plein cœur de l'hiver, voici une nouvelle édition pour un plongeon rétro dans l'ambiance moite des maquis et des clubs de Dakar à Abidjan, de Porto-Novo à Kinshasa.

Ne cherchez plus, aucun vaccin n'existe pour se prémunir de cette contagion dansante, entrainant tremblements syncopés, palpitations, et la liste des symptômes est longue … alors un seul remède face aux rythmes incendiaires et mélodies écorcheuses : se laisser emporter dans ce va et vient !

Dj Balafon & ses Bougarabous (Nantes)

Amoureux des orchestres africains, dj Balafon est accompagné par deux amis percussionnistes, Sebah et Pape M'Baye pour une sauce rythmique live épicée, et de Hawa (danseuse) pour ambiancer la piste.

http://www.myspace.com/djbalafon

La fièvre tropicale de Greg de Villanova (Oriki Music - Paris)
Les sélections musicales métissées de Greg de Villanova, spécialement conçues pour la piste de danse, font feu de tout bois et mêlent les rythmes tropicaux et festifs d’Amérique latine, des Caraïbes et d’Afrique. Sensualité, originalité et éclectisme pour une fusion parfaite entre highlife ghanéen, salsa portoricaine, soukous congolais et compas haïtien.

http://www.myspace.com/orikimusic

Nicolas «Oro» Moncadas (Paris)

Documentariste et collectionneur de musique béninoise.

http://orogod.blogspot.com/

Greg de l'Odyssée de Shakti (JetFm 91.2 - Nantes)

Alors tenez-vous prêts, l'Afrique vous appelle … saurez-vous relever le défi ?

Toe Niongui feat. Ignace de Souza & Edouard Ouedraogo (Burkina-Faso)

Thank you to DJ Balafon for this rare and excellent mandingo record. It was edited by an Ivory-Coast label during the seventies, I suppose, and recorded in Benin at Satel studios. The arrangements are signed by the great guitarist, Edouard Ouedraogo, and his orchestra Yamb Yele, but we can also hear Ignace de Souza on trumpet. This gives a cocktail of North-South peacfull music that should be heard in Ivory-Coast. I have absolutely no informations about Toe Niongui, called "People's child", do you ?

oro

Merci à DJ Balafon pour cet album mandingue, rare et excellent. Cet album, édité par un label Ivoirien, a été enregistré au Bénin dans les studios Satel. Aucune idée de l'année, je dirais milieu des années 70. Les arragements sont signés par le grand guitariste Edouard Ouedraogo et son orchestre Yamb Yele et l'on retrouve aussi Ignace de Souza à la trompette. Cela donne un cocktail musical Nord-Sud pacifique qui devrait être entendu en Côte d'Ivoire... Je n'ai aucune information sur Toe Niongui, dit "l'enfant su peuple", et vous ?

Assa Cica (1982)

This album from Assa Cica is the latest that I know. If you don't already know him, I invite you to visit these link. His best album, also one of the best Poly-Rythmo's album, can be found on this page. On this album, edited by Libert label, the style is already part of the 80's disco influenses, but Assa Cica adopt a slower pace.

oro

Cet album d'Assa Cica est le dernier que je connaisse. Si vous ne connaissez pas déja ce chanteur je vous invite à consulter ces liens. Son meilleur album, parmi aussi un des meilleurs de poly-Rythmo, peut être trouvé sur cette page. Sur cet album édité par Libert, le style est déjà ancré dans les années 80 et ses influenses disco. Mais Assa Cica adopte un rythme plus lent et des slows charmants.

T.P. Poly-Rythmo: "Ehouzou Dandan"

Here is a rare EP from Poly-Rythmo, recorded before the 1975's revolucion. "Ehouzou Dandan" is very nice soukous tune on both sides (the B-side is mostly instrumental). It is a composition from Clément Mélomé, the "chef d'orchestre".

oro

Voici un rare 45 tours des Poly-Rythmo, enregistré avant la révolution de 1975. "Ehouzou Dandan" est un superbe morceau soukous sur deux faces (la Face B est plutôt instrumentale). C'est une composition de Clément Mélomé, le leader.

Guelewars Band of Banjul: "Tasito" (Gambia, 1980)

I post today a gift from Jammagica blog, the second album from the Guelewars from Gambia. A band which plays afro-fusion, jazz, pysch, funk and mandingo music cocktail sprinkled with senegalese sabar and tama percussions. The singer and composer is Moussa N'Gom and his music is really singular. I also love the psychedelic cover.

oro

Je poste aujourd'hui un cadeau du blog Jammagica, le second album des Guelewars de Gambie, un orchestre au puissant cocktail Afro-fusion, psuch, funk, jazz, mandingue arrosé de percussions sénégalaises tama et sabar. Le chanteur et compositeur est Moussa N'Gom et sa musique est vraiment singulière. J'aime aussi la pochette complètement psychée.

Ebo Taylor & Kwabena Afadzie: Gapohones Various Bands

This is a very nice album recorded in 1977 on Gapohone label. Ebo Taylor was musical director on this label and produced many artists like Kwabena Afadzie who composed the fabulous and deep "Wongyae Me Mu". I would love to know more about these "Gapophone various bands", if someone knows...

Voici un excellent album enregistré en 1977 sur le label Gapophone. Ebo Taylor était directeur musical du label et a produit de nombreux artistes tel que Kwabena Afadzie qui a composé le profond  et lour morceau "Wongyae Me Mu". J'aimerai beaucoup en savoir plus sur ces "Variés Orchestres Gapophone", si quelqu'un sait