Afro

A couple of years back, Rafael Top Secret - a selector known for digging deep for inspiration - delivered a tidy re-edit of "Sekele I Like It", a previously little-known Afro-boogie cut by French artist Robert "Bobby" Helms. Copies of the 1980 album it came from, Lay Down, Girl, now go for serious money, prompting this licensed reissue. Helms' brilliant, horn-totin' original is accompanied by another cut from that album, "Feet On The Ground" - a straight-up disco affair - and two new flipside remixes. Baptman and Betino's "Philly Vibe" mix of "Sekele I Like" is a largely instrumental interpretation that includes some killer electric piano solos, with Vas Moody's "Feet On The Ground" remix taking that track in a tightly-wound dub disco direction.

28 page booklet featuring in-depth interviews with musicians and producers plus previously unpublished photos from the archive of photographer Bill Akwa Bétotè as well as interviews with producers Cyriaque Bassoka and Rigo Makengo, musicians Michel Alibo, Denis Hekimian & John Johngos and Studio Caroline owner Jacky Reggan.

Strut continue their essential work with the “Godfather Of Ethio Jazz”, Mulatu Astatke, with the frst offcial reissues of his early classics ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2 from 1966, recorded as The Ethiopian Quintet. Arriving after Astatke’s life-changing years studying at Berklee College in Boston, the albums were the frst experiments in his pioneering sound, fusing Ethiopian cultural music with Afro Latin and jazz forms. “I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music,” he explains. “I travelled to Cuba and listened to their musicians, the tempo, rhythm and feeling was very similar to different African forms. In the mid-‘60s, I formed a band called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York comprising Ethiopian, Latin and Afro-american musicians - the band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston who later played with Yambu and Felix Torres who played with La Sonora Poncena.” Supported by Worthy Records’ Gil Snapper who offered to record the quintet,Astatke began to experiment during two separate sessions: “We created a different feel and different arrangements. On the frst recording, I played an adaptation of an ancient Ethiopian warrior song, ‘I Faram Gami I Faram’ - the lyrics were translated so that the singer could sing it in Spanish. Some compositions were important steps for me: ‘Mascaram Setaba’ (‘Summer Is Coming’) ‘Shagu’ and ‘Almaz’. With the second album, a personal favourite is ‘Girl From Addis Ababa’ which worked very nicely as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&B rhythms.”Astatke would start to perfect his Ethio jazz sound on his later album for Worthy in 1972, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ (STRUT129) but the two volumes of ‘Afro Latin Soul’ stand as important recordings documenting his early career. “It was a very interesting time to be in New York during the mid-‘60s. I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and we each tried to play our part in putting Africa on the map of contemporary jazz.” ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2 come in their full original artwork and are painstakingly remastered by The Carvery. All formats feature personal liner notes by Mulatu Astatke.- First official reissue of landmark Mulatu Astatke albums from 1966- Early Ethio jazz / Afro Latin experiments from the early days of Astatke’s career- Fully remastered by The Carvery- Package includes new liner notes by Mulatu Astatke- Essential addition to Strut’s Mulatu Astatke official reissue series

Strut continue their essential work with the “Godfather Of Ethio Jazz”, Mulatu Astatke, with the frst offcial reissues of his early classics ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2 from 1966, recorded as The Ethiopian Quintet. Arriving after Astatke’s life-changing years studying at Berklee College in Boston, the albums were the frst experiments in his pioneering sound, fusing Ethiopian cultural music with Afro Latin and jazz forms. “I have always felt a deep connection between Latin and African music,” he explains. “I travelled to Cuba and listened to their musicians, the tempo, rhythm and feeling was very similar to different African forms. In the mid-‘60s, I formed a band called The Ethiopian Quintet in New York comprising Ethiopian, Latin and Afro-american musicians - the band included trumpeter and pianist Rudy Houston who later played with Yambu and Felix Torres who played with La Sonora Poncena.” Supported by Worthy Records’ Gil Snapper who offered to record the quintet,Astatke began to experiment during two separate sessions: “We created a different feel and different arrangements. On the frst recording, I played an adaptation of an ancient Ethiopian warrior song, ‘I Faram Gami I Faram’ - the lyrics were translated so that the singer could sing it in Spanish. Some compositions were important steps for me: ‘Mascaram Setaba’ (‘Summer Is Coming’) ‘Shagu’ and ‘Almaz’. With the second album, a personal favourite is ‘Girl From Addis Ababa’ which worked very nicely as a fusion of Ethiopian modes and R&B rhythms.”Astatke would start to perfect his Ethio jazz sound on his later album for Worthy in 1972, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ (STRUT129) but the two volumes of ‘Afro Latin Soul’ stand as important recordings documenting his early career. “It was a very interesting time to be in New York during the mid-‘60s. I was there at the same time as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and Fela Kuti and we each tried to play our part in putting Africa on the map of contemporary jazz.” ‘Afro Latin Soul’ Volumes 1 and 2 come in their full original artwork and are painstakingly remastered by The Carvery. All formats feature personal liner notes by Mulatu Astatke.- First official reissue of landmark Mulatu Astatke albums from 1966- Early Ethio jazz / Afro Latin experiments from the early days of Astatke’s career- Fully remastered by The Carvery- Package includes new liner notes by Mulatu Astatke- Essential addition to Strut’s Mulatu Astatke official reissue seriesSINGLE LP WITH 12” INSERT SHEET