Sep 15, 2010

Sampler: Club Africa Vol. 1 - Hard African Funk, Afro-Jazz, & Original Afro-Beat

Information and Reviews

One of a handful of Afro beat/Afro jazz compilations put out by British promoter and DJ Ross Dewbury, Club Africa features an infectious blend of '70s cuts informed by Fela's groundbreaking Afro roots and jazz blend. High profile moments come courtesy of Mandingo, Peter King, and Miriam Makeba, revealing the collection's cross-cultural bent in the process. In fact, a good amount here is global, coming from the likes of Columbia's Wganda Kenya, the New York-African group Buari (featuring jazz drummer Bernard Purdie), and the U.S. session band behind Chakachas' funk hit "Jungle Fever." And, yes, there is plenty of Africa here too, not only in all the music of course, but more directly in the Fela-meets-Sunny Ade side "Jungle Funk" by Nigeria's Nkengas and the Afro-Cuban cut "Kenia" by Kenya's Mombasa. The grooves are incredible throughout, making it easy to believe, as Dewbury purports in the liner notes, that this music is "the flavor of '99 with cutting edge DJs." Save for the Gaytones' lifeless rendition of the Manu Dibango hit "Soul Makossa" and the Ashantis' Afro-Allman Brothers jam "Everybody's Groove," it's not hard to see why the hipsters of Dance Nation are getting down to cuts like these.»

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The best of american funk music mixed with the phrasing and tempos of traditional african music and you have got an amazing album. for lovers of world music and beat junkies alike. There are some familiar names like Miriam Makeba, Oneness of Juju and The Daktaris, along with more obscure acts and tracks. The whole thing's compiled by Russ Dewbury, so you know it's gotta be good. Pop this in your hi-fi and dig the heaviest grit to come out of the dark continent.

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This is a truly groovy CD. Imagine all the best Funk horn riffs, layered and looped in a hypnotic dance mix that gets inside your soul. The energy of this CD could power a small nation. It's quite hard-edged, so don't expect easy listening, but do expect to be off your chair grooving. Best played EXTREMELY LOUD.

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This compilation is a fine introduction to the funk movement that swept West Africa in the 1970s. Raw, gutsy dance music with those unmistakable funky backbeats, this stuff makes you move! The guitar playing, horns and keyboards are sometimes rough, but that's part of the sound and the bass and drums crank out those rhythms that started in the tribelands and can now be found as the base of today's R&B and hip hop. Be sure to get Volume 2 also, which is even better than this one!

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Tracklist

1.: River Luv Lite - Oneness Of Juju
2.: Shakalaode - Kenya, Wganda
3.: Eltsuhg Ibal Lasiti - Daktaris
4.: Karam Bani - Buari
5.: Rhythm On Rhythm - Sookie
6.: Cheetah - Mandingo
7.: Soul Makossa - Gaytones
8.: Kenia - Mombassa
9.: Silver Black Summer Day - Living Funk
10.: Ritual - Gomez, Nico Afro-Percussion Inc.
11.: Jungle Funk - Nkengas
12.: Afro Funk - King, Peter
13.: Everybody's Groove - Ashantis
14.: Samba - Makeba, Miriam

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