Last night I was at the Barbican to see Orchestre Baobab. Once they got into their groove a couple of songs in they were excellent, but if it hadn't been for the bass player and rhythm guitarist keeping things going it might have been a bit of shambles as the rest of the gang ambled around at the beginning of each number while mulling over whether to sing, bang something or disappear all together. This peaked during the encore when the designated drummer decided to abandon his post and wander off stage to take a call on his mobile. The rest of them just kept things bubbling until he came back.
Support was from Belgium-based Congolese rapper Baloji and his band. He caused a bit of excitement late last year with his album "Kinshasa Succursale", on which he goes back to the Congo and hooks up with the likes of Zaiko Langa Langa and Konono No 1. The mix of rap and more local sounds works pretty well on the whole but it is hardly new, as the next two selections from "The Rough Guide to African Rap" demonstrate. K-Melia are also from the Congo, Mabulu from Mozambique.
That compilation also features African rap pioneers Positive Black Soul from Senegal. In 2010 one of their former members, Didier Awadi, released "President's d'Afrique", an album about many of the leading figures from the African independence movement. He pulled in some great guest musicians from all over the continent and, with all due respect, it knocks Baloji into a cocked hat. Today's selection features a sample of Thomas Sankara, former President of Burkina Faso, and the vocals of fellow Senegalese Noumoucounda Cissoko.
"Congo Eza Ya Biso (Le Secours Populaire)" - Baloji
"Na N'Ko" - K-Melia
"Karimbo" - Mabulu
"Oser Inventer L'Avenir" - Awadi
We finish with the Baobab boys from ten years ago. A disappointing lack of ambling in this clip.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Sunday, 29 January 2012
And What Do You Know?
In a desperate attempt to pad out the 27 Leggies Sunday Supplement, we rang up a few celebrities and asked them the question "What do you know?" Here are the answers - some amusing, some enlightening and some sad.
If Barbara George is reading this up in Soul Heaven - Barbara, you're wrong.
"I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" - Barbara George
"I Know My Train's A Comin'" - 17 Pygmies
"I Know Where You're Coming From" - Sam Dees
"I Know What I'm Looking For Now" - Tift Merritt
"I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" - Bull Moose Jackson
"Joy (I Know It)" - Odyssey
Tift may not yet have tracked down what she is looking for, but at least she knows what it is. So she is at least one step ahead of The Chimes (yes, I know it is a U2 song but I am allergic to B*n* and this version is miles better anyway).
If Barbara George is reading this up in Soul Heaven - Barbara, you're wrong.
"I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)" - Barbara George
"I Know My Train's A Comin'" - 17 Pygmies
"I Know Where You're Coming From" - Sam Dees
"I Know What I'm Looking For Now" - Tift Merritt
"I Know Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" - Bull Moose Jackson
"Joy (I Know It)" - Odyssey
Tift may not yet have tracked down what she is looking for, but at least she knows what it is. So she is at least one step ahead of The Chimes (yes, I know it is a U2 song but I am allergic to B*n* and this version is miles better anyway).
Friday, 27 January 2012
King Joe Is Back
As promised last time out, to set you up perfectly for the weekend, here are some brand new sounds from Joe Shirimani. As regular readers will know, Joe is a bit of a hero of mine. Despite the healthy competition for the title, I consider him still to be the main man on the Tsonga/Shangaan scene.
2011 was a bit of a come-back year for Joe, after taking some time off from music to train as a sangoma (a traditional healer). And he came back with a vengeance. Early in the year he released “Joe Shirimani na Bangoni Bandawu”, which I have not yet heard in full but a copy of which is waiting for me in Cape Town and I'll pick it up at Easter. The album was a smash and won best Xitsonga disco album of the year at the MLFM awards. Putting his producer hat on he launched the career of his latest protege, Benny Mayengani, who won best male vocalist at the same awards thanks to his hit single "Tiba Ben", which we have featured here before.
Fuelled by the enthusiastic response Joe got back in the studio with his younger brother Prince Rhangani (whose own solo album is also waiting for us in Cape Town), Benny and various other guests to produce the album "Banana", which was presented to an expectant and grateful public in November, credited to Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda. It is, as you would expect, a bit of a corker. Joe has incorporated some elements of the Shangaan electro sound that is proving so popular with the hipsters in Brooklyn and Brussels but without moving away from his own signature sound. Here the two opening tracks.
Many thanks to Bram (aka DJ LeBlanc) for fixing me up with this album. I owe you one.
"Hi Nghenile" - Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda
"Banana" - Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda (featuring Rose Chabala)
We've shown this clip of Joe many times but, until some new clips are available on YouTube, we'll have to keep showing it. Which is hardly a hardship.
2011 was a bit of a come-back year for Joe, after taking some time off from music to train as a sangoma (a traditional healer). And he came back with a vengeance. Early in the year he released “Joe Shirimani na Bangoni Bandawu”, which I have not yet heard in full but a copy of which is waiting for me in Cape Town and I'll pick it up at Easter. The album was a smash and won best Xitsonga disco album of the year at the MLFM awards. Putting his producer hat on he launched the career of his latest protege, Benny Mayengani, who won best male vocalist at the same awards thanks to his hit single "Tiba Ben", which we have featured here before.
Fuelled by the enthusiastic response Joe got back in the studio with his younger brother Prince Rhangani (whose own solo album is also waiting for us in Cape Town), Benny and various other guests to produce the album "Banana", which was presented to an expectant and grateful public in November, credited to Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda. It is, as you would expect, a bit of a corker. Joe has incorporated some elements of the Shangaan electro sound that is proving so popular with the hipsters in Brooklyn and Brussels but without moving away from his own signature sound. Here the two opening tracks.
Many thanks to Bram (aka DJ LeBlanc) for fixing me up with this album. I owe you one.
"Hi Nghenile" - Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda
"Banana" - Joe Shirimani na Vana Va Ndonda (featuring Rose Chabala)
We've shown this clip of Joe many times but, until some new clips are available on YouTube, we'll have to keep showing it. Which is hardly a hardship.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Get Ready For Freddie
Attention all you Tsonga Disco fans out there. Make sure to tune in later in the week when we will be sharing some brand new tracks by the Shangaan Svengali himself, Mr Joe Shirimani. To warm you up for that, here is some top quality 1990s South African pop from Freddie Gwala.
Freddie is a bit of a Svengali figure himself. He started out as songwriter, co-producer and founder member of the band Pure Gold, who were big in the 1980s. He went solo in the early 1990s and had a massive hit with 'Amadamara' which we have featured here before. This was followed by a string of successful singles and albums, and his solo career continues to this day.
Ten years or so back he discovered the band Platform 1 and again took up production and songwriting duties to guide them to success. He has also written songs for the likes of Brenda Fassie. Somewhere along the way he found time in his busy schedule to serve eight years in jail for car theft. And he has recently taken Zimbabwean dance troupe Amavithikazi under his wing in an attempt to work his magic with them.
I have his first five solo albums in my collection. Here is one song from each of them, including his touching tribute to Ms Diana Ross. Whether Diana has returned the compliment and recorded a track called 'Freddie Gwala' is not known.
"Iyajikajika" (from "Amadamara") - Freddie Gwala
"Shikisha" (from "Amadamara 2: Shikisha Mahala") - Freddie Gwala
"Diana Ross" (from "Amadamara 3: Disco Mshini") - Freddie Gwala
"Amaphalazo" (from "Amadamara 4: Gumba Faya") - Freddie Gwala
"Usisi Rose" (from "Amadamara 5: Ngiboshiwe") - Freddie Gwala
I thought about having a Diana Ross clip here. But then I thought, no, let's have something decent instead.
Freddie is a bit of a Svengali figure himself. He started out as songwriter, co-producer and founder member of the band Pure Gold, who were big in the 1980s. He went solo in the early 1990s and had a massive hit with 'Amadamara' which we have featured here before. This was followed by a string of successful singles and albums, and his solo career continues to this day.
Ten years or so back he discovered the band Platform 1 and again took up production and songwriting duties to guide them to success. He has also written songs for the likes of Brenda Fassie. Somewhere along the way he found time in his busy schedule to serve eight years in jail for car theft. And he has recently taken Zimbabwean dance troupe Amavithikazi under his wing in an attempt to work his magic with them.
I have his first five solo albums in my collection. Here is one song from each of them, including his touching tribute to Ms Diana Ross. Whether Diana has returned the compliment and recorded a track called 'Freddie Gwala' is not known.
"Iyajikajika" (from "Amadamara") - Freddie Gwala
"Shikisha" (from "Amadamara 2: Shikisha Mahala") - Freddie Gwala
"Diana Ross" (from "Amadamara 3: Disco Mshini") - Freddie Gwala
"Amaphalazo" (from "Amadamara 4: Gumba Faya") - Freddie Gwala
"Usisi Rose" (from "Amadamara 5: Ngiboshiwe") - Freddie Gwala
I thought about having a Diana Ross clip here. But then I thought, no, let's have something decent instead.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
ReviewShine Round-Up
It is time for our monthly round-up of records received via ReviewShine. And we start with a sort of low-key version of a super-group. Freedy Johnston, Jon Dee Graham and Susan Cowsill are all artists I have admired for many years. I have been lucky enough to see a couple of them live, Jon Dee here in London and Susan in Raleigh NC on the same evening that I had a peculiar encounter with a lady fishmonger and ate hush puppies for the first and only time. Now the three of them have got together under the name of The Hobart Brothers With Lil' Sis Hobart and produced an album called "At Least We Have Each Other", due out on 6 March on Freedom Records.
As you would expect with the pedigree of the people involved, it is a strong record, with songs apparently inspired by their early days when they each had to take menial jobs in restaurants to make ends meet. Many of the songs sound like the solo work of whichever the lead artist is - that is not intended as a criticism, just an observation - but I think my favourite tracks are those that blend their different styles to come up with something slightly different, like today's selection. As a bonus I have added one each from their solo work so you can make your own judgement about how well they have blended.
"I Never Knew" - The Hobart Brothers With Lil' Sis Hobart
"Kings" - Jon Dee Graham
"Nanny's Song" - Susan Cowsill
"The Lucky One" - Freedy Johnston
Dear Sister are a trio from Toronto, who released their eponymous album which came out last month. Bri Salmena and Raven Shields are the singers and principal songwriters, while Aaron Comeau arranges most of the songs. The sound could loosely be described as a mix of Gillian Welch style Americana and the 1970s Laurel Canyon school. It is worth checking out for the harmonies alone, although there is a lot more to it than that. My personal favourites include "Hallelujah" (not that one), recorded live at Levon Helm's place in Woodstock, and this next one.
"Sailor's Daughter" - Dear Sister
I can tell you nothing at all about Railroad Fever other than that they are a four-piece band from Philadelphia whose debut album, "Things You Lost", was issued earlier this month. The first time I listened to the album it sounded pleasant but slightly washed over me. Then this track popped up on my iPod shuffle and I was stopped dead in my tracks, since when I have had another listen. The album is definitely a grower.
"Saint Dorothy's Shame" - Railroad Fever
We finish with a bit of an oddity. In 2008 Brian Francis Slattery released a novel going under the snappy title of "Liberation: Being the Adventures of the Slick Six After the Collapse of the United States of America". According to the blurb it was "a surreal road trip of a novel". Now Brian has got together with some of his mates, who he has called the Slick Six Five, and put extracts from the novel to music.
The resulting album is called "Pictures of a Liberation", and came out ten days ago on Venture Joint Records. The lyrics are mainly spoken, but occasionally sung, and set to all sorts of musical styles - mostly rock or country but venturing into funk and Afropop as well. What you make of it will largely depend on what you make of Brian's voice and whether the words engage you. To be honest it doesn't always work for me, and the words and music don't always fit together. But when they do they really bring the scene to life, none more so that on this track which I find utterly entrancing.
"We Left; You Should Too" - Brian Francis Slattery & The Slick Six Five
We end where we began, with Susan Cowsill, who first entered the music business as the youngest member of The Cowsills, the family ensemble that were the real-life predecessors of the Partridge Family. You can just about make her out in this very poor quality clip of them doing one of their biggest hits in 1969 - that's her singing "and spaghetti" at 2:08.
As you would expect with the pedigree of the people involved, it is a strong record, with songs apparently inspired by their early days when they each had to take menial jobs in restaurants to make ends meet. Many of the songs sound like the solo work of whichever the lead artist is - that is not intended as a criticism, just an observation - but I think my favourite tracks are those that blend their different styles to come up with something slightly different, like today's selection. As a bonus I have added one each from their solo work so you can make your own judgement about how well they have blended.
"I Never Knew" - The Hobart Brothers With Lil' Sis Hobart
"Kings" - Jon Dee Graham
"Nanny's Song" - Susan Cowsill
"The Lucky One" - Freedy Johnston
Dear Sister are a trio from Toronto, who released their eponymous album which came out last month. Bri Salmena and Raven Shields are the singers and principal songwriters, while Aaron Comeau arranges most of the songs. The sound could loosely be described as a mix of Gillian Welch style Americana and the 1970s Laurel Canyon school. It is worth checking out for the harmonies alone, although there is a lot more to it than that. My personal favourites include "Hallelujah" (not that one), recorded live at Levon Helm's place in Woodstock, and this next one.
"Sailor's Daughter" - Dear Sister
I can tell you nothing at all about Railroad Fever other than that they are a four-piece band from Philadelphia whose debut album, "Things You Lost", was issued earlier this month. The first time I listened to the album it sounded pleasant but slightly washed over me. Then this track popped up on my iPod shuffle and I was stopped dead in my tracks, since when I have had another listen. The album is definitely a grower.
"Saint Dorothy's Shame" - Railroad Fever
We finish with a bit of an oddity. In 2008 Brian Francis Slattery released a novel going under the snappy title of "Liberation: Being the Adventures of the Slick Six After the Collapse of the United States of America". According to the blurb it was "a surreal road trip of a novel". Now Brian has got together with some of his mates, who he has called the Slick Six Five, and put extracts from the novel to music.
The resulting album is called "Pictures of a Liberation", and came out ten days ago on Venture Joint Records. The lyrics are mainly spoken, but occasionally sung, and set to all sorts of musical styles - mostly rock or country but venturing into funk and Afropop as well. What you make of it will largely depend on what you make of Brian's voice and whether the words engage you. To be honest it doesn't always work for me, and the words and music don't always fit together. But when they do they really bring the scene to life, none more so that on this track which I find utterly entrancing.
"We Left; You Should Too" - Brian Francis Slattery & The Slick Six Five
We end where we began, with Susan Cowsill, who first entered the music business as the youngest member of The Cowsills, the family ensemble that were the real-life predecessors of the Partridge Family. You can just about make her out in this very poor quality clip of them doing one of their biggest hits in 1969 - that's her singing "and spaghetti" at 2:08.
Friday, 20 January 2012
He's Got To Be-ee-ee-ee-ee...
Last time out we treated you to Barry White's bizarre reggae version of 'Volare'. Have a listen to this. Is it just me but do the first twenty seconds lead you to think you are about to get a bizarre reggae version of 'Quando Quando Quando'. Fortunately it soon settles down into a decent Congolese rumba, but it is a scary moment.
"C'Est Mon Mari" - Carlyto Lassa
We will stick with the reggae a little longer. Over the last few days I have been listening obsessively to 'Hand Cart Bwoy' by the modestly named Perfect. Here it is with another one of his tunes, on which he is assisted by one Jeffrey Star. "Star" I like - it's aspirational like "Perfect" - but I do think the effect is diminished when used after "Jeffrey".
"Hand Cart Bwoy" - Perfect
"Ready When You Are" - Perfect (featuring Jeffrey Star)
We finish up with a short tribute to the mighty Etta James, who sadly died today.
"Watch Dog" - Etta James
And at the risk of overdoing the 'Hand Cart Bwoy' thing, here's the video. All together now: "Down the market me juggle pak choi...".
"C'Est Mon Mari" - Carlyto Lassa
We will stick with the reggae a little longer. Over the last few days I have been listening obsessively to 'Hand Cart Bwoy' by the modestly named Perfect. Here it is with another one of his tunes, on which he is assisted by one Jeffrey Star. "Star" I like - it's aspirational like "Perfect" - but I do think the effect is diminished when used after "Jeffrey".
"Hand Cart Bwoy" - Perfect
"Ready When You Are" - Perfect (featuring Jeffrey Star)
We finish up with a short tribute to the mighty Etta James, who sadly died today.
"Watch Dog" - Etta James
And at the risk of overdoing the 'Hand Cart Bwoy' thing, here's the video. All together now: "Down the market me juggle pak choi...".
Monday, 16 January 2012
Reggae Country
We like a bit of reggae here in the East End. I should qualify that by saying that we like a bit of reggae as long as it is UB40 or it was a hit in the 1960s or 1970s. You can't go into a pub on a Saturday night round here without hearing 'Kingston Town' or 'Everything I Own'.
So it came as no surprise when I was in Roman Road market recently (or "dahn the Roman" as we call call it) to find a dodgy geezer selling bootleg reggae CDs for £2 a pop. I picked up a handful of them, including a compilation called "Reggae's Gone Country" which came out last year.
Most of it is pretty tame stuff to be honest and there are a few duff choices - does the world really need a reggae version of 'Wolverton Mountain'? But on the plus side it does include covers of three of my all time favourite songs in any genre: 'He Stopped Loving Her Today', 'El Paso' and 'He'll Have To Go'. They are all decent enough, though none come close to the majesty of the originals, with Luciano's tribute to Jim Reeves probably the pick of the bunch. So that is what you are getting.
Of course there is nothing new about reggae artists covering country songs. Take for example Toots & The Maytals' stomping version of 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', which is infinitely preferable to the original. And the influence goes both ways. Toots popped up a few years' back on Willie Nelson's "Countryman" album, on which Willie reinterpreted his back catalogue in a rub-a-dub style-e - and produced one of the best records he has made in ages as a result.
Today's final selection has nothing to do with country music but I felt compelled to share it with you. Let me put three propositions to you:
"He'll Have To Go" - Luciano
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" - Toots & The Maytals
"Something To Think About" - Willie Nelson
"Volare" - Barry White
It would be kinder really to remember Barry doing what he did better than anyone.
So it came as no surprise when I was in Roman Road market recently (or "dahn the Roman" as we call call it) to find a dodgy geezer selling bootleg reggae CDs for £2 a pop. I picked up a handful of them, including a compilation called "Reggae's Gone Country" which came out last year.
Most of it is pretty tame stuff to be honest and there are a few duff choices - does the world really need a reggae version of 'Wolverton Mountain'? But on the plus side it does include covers of three of my all time favourite songs in any genre: 'He Stopped Loving Her Today', 'El Paso' and 'He'll Have To Go'. They are all decent enough, though none come close to the majesty of the originals, with Luciano's tribute to Jim Reeves probably the pick of the bunch. So that is what you are getting.
Of course there is nothing new about reggae artists covering country songs. Take for example Toots & The Maytals' stomping version of 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', which is infinitely preferable to the original. And the influence goes both ways. Toots popped up a few years' back on Willie Nelson's "Countryman" album, on which Willie reinterpreted his back catalogue in a rub-a-dub style-e - and produced one of the best records he has made in ages as a result.
Today's final selection has nothing to do with country music but I felt compelled to share it with you. Let me put three propositions to you:
- There is a reggae version of 'Volare'
- Barry White has done a version of 'Volare'
- Barry White has made a reggae record
"He'll Have To Go" - Luciano
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" - Toots & The Maytals
"Something To Think About" - Willie Nelson
"Volare" - Barry White
It would be kinder really to remember Barry doing what he did better than anyone.
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