Africa Rocks
Recently I heard about the new Luaka Bop record, World Psychedelic Classics 3: Love's A Real Thing. The Funky Fuzzy Sounds of West Africa. Last night I stopped by Grimey's - the best record store in Nashville - and it was booming on the box. It reminded me a disk I've had on my list for a couple of years but never saw it, Ghana Soundz, Afro-Beat, Funk & Fusion in 70s Ghana, while wandering around listening to Love's a Real Thing I saw it.
I long time ago I heard the mythology (?) that there was a musical circle between James Brown and Fela Kuti. Fela heard JB getting funky, he took that home to Nigeria, and JB heard what he was doing and JB went deep funk...compare "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" from 65 to "Lickin' Stick" in 68 (when Fela was starting to hit worldwide). I already knew how funky Juju and Highlife was but then I heard Antibalas were basically a Fela clone and thought, Damn!
Next came City of God, the Brazilian film that took place in the 70s and I started to realize that funk was more worldwide than I thought. After some internet research I bought Nigeria 70 - The Definitive Story of 1970s Funky Lagos and Afro-Rock, which helped confirm my suspicions that Africa was as fuzzed out, psychedelic and as funky as anywhere.
Ghana Soundz solidifies that even more. Buy a copy and put on "Make It Slow, Make It Fast" by Rob.
All you can do at that point is "jump back and kiss yourself" cause it's too good to do anything else.
Of couse, if you know something along these lines that I should check out let me know.
I long time ago I heard the mythology (?) that there was a musical circle between James Brown and Fela Kuti. Fela heard JB getting funky, he took that home to Nigeria, and JB heard what he was doing and JB went deep funk...compare "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" from 65 to "Lickin' Stick" in 68 (when Fela was starting to hit worldwide). I already knew how funky Juju and Highlife was but then I heard Antibalas were basically a Fela clone and thought, Damn!
Next came City of God, the Brazilian film that took place in the 70s and I started to realize that funk was more worldwide than I thought. After some internet research I bought Nigeria 70 - The Definitive Story of 1970s Funky Lagos and Afro-Rock, which helped confirm my suspicions that Africa was as fuzzed out, psychedelic and as funky as anywhere.
Ghana Soundz solidifies that even more. Buy a copy and put on "Make It Slow, Make It Fast" by Rob.
All you can do at that point is "jump back and kiss yourself" cause it's too good to do anything else.
Of couse, if you know something along these lines that I should check out let me know.
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