France

1977, Paris France. Two brothers freshly arrived from Casamance, the Senegalese ‘Florida’, are living the tough immigrant experience.Their plan: becoming pop stars. A challenge so ambitious it sounds like science fiction at the time: Bob Marley, Fela Kuti and a handful of others artists have started making waves in the Western World , but the rise of the Pan-African sound is still at an early stage. The Touré brothers have formed a band, written some songs, and start frequently playing their music live, to great effect, at an underground theatre called the Dunois in the 13th Parisian district. The hype starts spreading.Overcoming the odds, their parents' ban on playing music ("a satanic activity"), the death of their brother and mentor Amadou and a stint in a Mauritanian prison, they will ultimately reach stardom a few years later under the name Touré Kunda (The Elephant Family). A legendary 40-year career will follow: 16 albums released, millions of records sold, numerous world tours, awards and collabs with the likes of Manu Dibango, Talking Heads, Carlos Santana, Bill Laswell, Alpha Blondy, Bernie Worrel …Released in 1979, self-financed by loans from friends and allies, Mandinka Dong is the genesis of Touré Kunda, the cornerstone of the band’s unique sound, at the crossroads of Disco, Funk, Pop, Reggae, Portuguese, Guinean, Cuban, Zairean, Mandinke and Soninke music. Limited to 700 copies and very difficult to find in decent condition, the original pressing faded into oblivion for decades. A low-resolution digital version of the album started circulating in recent years, not doing justice to the rich analog sound of the recording.It is an honour for Secousse and Hot Mule Records to present a complete reissue of Mandinka Dong. Faithfully restored and remastered, it will be available in both digital and physical formats (in gatefold vinyl illustrated with photos from the artists’ archives and liner notes by Frank Tenaille, the band’s official biographer).

For its 3rd releases, Nubiphone is proud to present you a compilation of the best early 7inch releases of the mythical Cameroonian band Los Camaroes.10 raw tracks taken from various singles from 1968 to 1975, that present the musical diversity played by those seven young people: Bikutsi, Afro-Funk, Jerk, , Soukous, Rumba & Blues music. The band led by the charismatic lead vocal Messi Martin that managed to modernized Cameroonian music.Deluxe edition that includes an 8-pages booklet, with exclusive pictures, biography in both English and French languages, and a HQ digital download card.

Guadeloupean pianist Jonathon Jurion explores the legacy of American saxophonist Marion Brown, a cult figure whose time in Paris left an indelible mark on the French Jazz scene. The session blends traditional Ka drums and the exceptional double bass of Michel Alibo with Jonathan’s piano to bring a percussive Caribbean reading of Brown’s diverse repertoire.

Elder statesman of Malian music Cheick Tidiane Seck sends an Afro Jazz prayer to his friend and colleague Randy Weston over a double LP, propelling his Pan-African vision into the future over a sea of soulful piano and complex percussion. Cheikh envisaged the session as a kind of musical banquet, inviting guests including Manu Dibango and Abd Al Malik to the table to pay tribute to Randy Weston’s composi- tions, blending disparate musical traditions and experiences into a collective eulogy.

Pursuing their explorations of international Funk and Disco music, Favorite Recordings and Patchworks present us Voilaaa.Following a first 2 tracks single acclaimed this summer and clearly revealing the Afro-Disco inspiration of this new experience, here comes Voilaaa’s first album, titled On te l’avait dit. After his projects such as The Dynamics, Mr President, Mr Day, Patchworks Galactic Project, or Taggy Matcher, the insatiable French producer therefore returns to his first love and specialty, Disco music, staring this time at the African and Caribbean influences. The 10 tracks of the album are instantly up to expectations, chaining hit after hit tirelessly, and offering brilliant collaborations with Sir Jean, Pat Kalla, Renaud Bilombo, or label mates Hawa and Fouley Badiaga.

The turntable’s tonearm waves and indicates the West direction, as if it wanted to tear and take off for Brazil? It’s alright; it's just playing Nação África, new single by Camarão Orkestra, the most Brazilian of Parisian bands.Sinewy bass and battery pulsating, it’s stitched to the dancefloor that "Nação África" spreads its groove. And it's with a variety of keyboards and synthesizers that the tight production maintains a level of constant motion, surrounded by the burning riffs of the brass section and Amanda Roldand's refreshing vocals.Anywhere close to a good record, you’d usually find Patchworks hanging around. He satiates here his compulsive remix addiction, first by loosening the pressure of the bass, giving us more fresh air, and covering the mix with airy synth patches. Then with a dub version where he puts vocals and instruments inside echo chambers and effects corridors of different scales. The bass becomes rubbery, the beat is robotized and, slowly, an electro vibes seizes the title.Nação África announces the return of Camarão Orkestra in the crates, just an appetizer before a new album… Or two…