Afro

Le nouvel album de l'avant-gardiste, percussionniste, chanteur, auteur, compositeur et trompettiste. Edmony Krater. Il est une référence de la musique antillaise. Discret et néanmoins actif c’est en 2015 qu’il s’est à nouveau retrouvé dans la lumière, depuis la réédition de Ti Jan Pou Velo, son album enregistré en 1988 avec son groupe Zepiss. Un disque devenu rare et possédé seulement par quelques collectionneurs avisés. Après An Ka Sonjé (2018), il revient avec J’ai Traversé La Mer.

‘To Know Without Knowing’, Mulatu Astatke and Black Jesus Experience’s 2019 album is their second together. A grooving transcontinental gem, recorded in Melbourne, Australia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Filled with the warmth of the mentorship and friendship of their creative partnership honed over a decade of performing together in Africa, Australia and UK/Europe. Mulatu Astatke is the Father of Ethio-Jazz and one of Africa's most influential and enduring musical figures. Black Jesus Experience is a community of artists, centred around a twelve piece global-funk-machine born of Australia's vibrant multiculturalism. Mulatu and Black Jesus Experience met in Addis Ababa in 2009, embarking on both a musical relationship and a friendship that has led Mulatu Astake to describe Black Jesus Experience as, "My favourite backing band" and, “...they’re family.” Mulatu's great contribution to music has been to to combine Jazz and funk grooves with Ethiopia's distinctive pentatonic scales. His musical genius is the sensuality and sophistication with which Mulatu contrasts these minimalist scales with richly chromatic harmony. But Mulatu’s equally great contribution has been to share both his enduringly unique modernity and Ethiopia’s timelessly spiritual music with the world. Black Jesus Experience treasure the special relationship of generosity, mentorship and collaboration they have been privileged to share with this master musician. ‘To Know Without Knowing’ is the product of this gift. Mulatu Astatke – To Know Without Knowing

Reissue fully licensed by Alhaji Kwame Frimpong Family.A classic and essential Hi-Life & Afro Funk album from one of the greatest Ghanaian singer and composer, reissued for the first time! The legendary K Fimpong's fantastic rare album was recorded in 1978 at Ghana Films Studio in Accra.K. Frimpong was born on July 22nd, 1939 at Ofoase in the Ashanti - Akim district and entered right into music after elementary school by joining Star de Republic and later Oko's Band after which he left to K. Gyasy's band where he worked for more than 6 years. As a prolific songwriter and singer, here's the reissue of his amazing album, a modern fusion of Hi- life and Soul. The excellent background is given by the famous Vis à Vis band, composed with the help of the great Collins Obiba Marfo.Originally produced on Ofo Bros the label of the Ofori brothers in Kumasi, this four songs recording is a blend of dancable and spiritual Soul and straight Hi-life. A must have vinyl of percussive Afro Funk for all the music connoisseurs, K. Frimpong backed by Vis à Vis LP is a true masterpiece, so hard to find and reaching crazy skills for a decent copy affordable.Remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Pressed on Replika format.

Possibly the best thing a compilation can do is open the door to a world of music that aside from being unknown to you, is high grade in quality, diverse and open to interpretation in as much as you are left with some if not many questions... particularly when the selected tracks are all from the same record label... When did they start..? Why did they start? Who was behind it? Where did the artists come from? What was their inspiration? These are only a few... by the time you get to the end of the eight tracks included on Jicco Funk Volume One... there may be more...Some background or at least as much as we know: in the early 1970s thru to the 90s, Onitcha was one of Nigeria' most important cities sat on the banks of the river Niger about half way between Benin City and Enugu. Aside from the commerce Onitcha was also an important centre for music production, live music thrived and in turn the city had a nightlife which embraced music... it’s where labels like Tabansi and many other smaller companies had their headquarters. Its where in the late 60’s, the label Jicco was established , an enterprise which would commercialize Kenyan and Congolese music in Nigeria.By the mid to late 70’s Jicco opened itself to new projects, launching a number of sub-labels, from Vox Africa to Guy , more specialized in Highlife , Native and Soukous Music to Jicco Funk which was producing small local groups playing Reggae , Rock and Funk.Dig This Way realised they had found something special after discovering the first few releases on Jicco Funk... its less about a particular style of music and more about a raw emotive production quality that runs through each of the records... there is a mood and feel to the delivery that expresses a consciousness that’s rooted in a deep soul... the origins of which with hindsight would be near impossible to determine... its known that many of the records were produced at the same studio... there are a number of musicians who appear on more than one records... other than a few basic facts... to know the true ingredients which made the blend special... I guess you just had to have been there...Following an extended period collecting music from the label including a number of months in Nigeria trying to trace family and friends of former band members including the Jicco family... Dig This Way decided to produce a compilation highlighting some of the near unknown music released by Jicco Funk... on the first volume in the series the focus is Reggae and Funk, particularly the intersection where the two genres converge as a hybrid production that at times is neither one nor the other... being more often and not... greater than the sum of the parts... hype..? We don't think so... intreguided..?

Strut present the second volume in a series of compilations taken from the archives of Disques Debs International, the longest-running and most prolific label of the French Caribbean. Set up by the late Henri Debs in the late ‘50s, the label has continued for over 50 years, releasing hundreds of records and playing a pivotal role in bringing the creole music of Guadeloupe and Martinique to a wider international audience. Volume 2 of the series focuses on the label’s ‘70s output and the development of the unique Cadence sound, pulling disparate influences into a Pan-Caribbean blend of rhythms, styles and languages that dominated the dancehalls, clubs and concerts of the decade. Based in a small but state-of-the-art studio on the first floor of Henri Debs’ Club 97-1, just outside Pointe-à-Pitre in the town of Gosier, the label hosted sessions from the cream of local and regional talent, hothousing ideas into over 100 LP and 45 releases over the decade that reflected an increasingly confident creole identity. Groups like Les Vikings, Super Combo and Typical Combo along with a host of lesser-known bands were in fierce but friendly competition in the bals, dances and concerts in Guadeloupe, across the region and into Metropolitan France. Haitian Compas, Congolese influences from le Ry-Co Jazz, cadence-lypso and reggae from Dominica and a heavy dose of jazz and Puerto Rican salsa were thrown into the mix alongside local biguine, quadrille and gwo ka to power an unrivalled recorded output. Compiled by Hugo Mendez (Sofrito) and Emile Omar (Roseaux), ‘Cadence Revolution’ is released in conjunction with Henri Debs et Fils and Air Caraibes. The package features previously unseen photos from the Debs archive with both formats featuring extensive liner notes and an interview with singer and trombonist Christian Zora (Les Maxel’s, Energy).- 2LP IN SINGLE SLEEVE WITH 4PP 12” BOOKLET- First in-depth compilation of Cadence music, an overlooked chapter in Caribbean musical history.- Second instalment in Strut’s exclusive series from the Disques Debs International vaults- Majority of tracks unreissued since their original release- Includes unseen photos, extensive liner notes and interviews