A quick post for those in need of a bit of easter worshipping.
"This first recording of USS-Sound is brought to you for your Pleasure and your Salutation in Jesus-Christ our Lord and Saviour.
Whoever shall have this record shall pass moments of Happiness listening to it", comments a very stern looking reverend Zinsou on the back of the sleeve.
He at least had the good Sense to let himself be accompanied by Les Black Santiago.
USS Sound USS001
"Darling, if you don't know how to twist, don't feel ashamed. I will explain it to you. This is the moment to start". These lyrics, in french (!!), are on this EP with the surprising title of "Nigeria's Greatest". The artists performing this song with the exciting title of "Cherie Si Tu Ne Sais Pas Twister" are none other than Air Congo Orchestra City Five from Leopoldville, Congo. And if this is the first time you have heard of this ensemble: you're not the only one!
Fortunately, the other three tracks are by Nigerian artists, but - perhaps disappointingly - I have posted these before; all three are on the collection "Nigeria's Request Programme" (also on Philips West African Records).
But there is more 'new' material on this second EP, also released by Philips. And again the title, "Top Hits from Nigeria Vol. 2"* may lead to some confusion, as there is another 'foreign' band on this selection: Negro Jazz Brazzaville.
They appear to be accompanied by George Arakpo and His Congo Bell (who are likewise complete strangers to me). This Negro Jazz sings in what is suppose to be spanish, borrowing some lyrics from Dewayon's Conga Jazz ("Eh non non non Mamie"). The result can be described as quite invigorating.
Again, the three remaining tracks are by Nigerian artists. The first is a highlife tune by one of the pillars of Nigerian highlife, Roy Chicago and his Rhythm Dandies, who will the subject of future posts (plural). Then there is a very enjoyable ibo highlife track by another Great, Rex Lawson and his Mayor's Dance Band. Note, by the way, that his nickname on this EP is not "Cardinal", but "Pastor". And finally, there is more twisting, with a second twist (after his "Suzzy Twist" on "Nigeria's Greatest") by King Kennytone and his Western Toppers.
With all this twisting going on, and assuming that all tracks are from roughly the same period, I think it is safe to date these recordings in the first half of the 1960s. The fact that EP's too are a phenomenon from this period, and "Leopoldville" (renamed "Kinshasa" in 1966) in the name of Air Congo City Five seem to confirm this estimate.
If anyone has any more information about the two orchestras from the two Congos, please let us know.
There is of course only one real Balaké, and that's Amadou Traoré dit Balaké.
To my surprise I have not seen a posting of perhaps his most 'appealing' album: "Amadou Balaké à New York" from 1979. And by "appealing" I mean to western audiences. This album has it all: a good variety of styles, covers of famous songs, a dose of humour, a splashing of dramatics.
It starts with a brilliant follow-up to Balaké's very succesful "Whisky Magnin". This time the topic is not drink but drugs. "Yamba" translates as "happiness", but in this case it is the nickname for "ndaay" (or "daaj") or marijuana. "I can't eat without yamba, I can no longer sleep without yamba, I can no longer work without yamba, I can't talk without yamba". Despite the wordplay with yamba/happiness the tone is more serious than in "Whisky Magnin". Balaké mocks and attacks the young and strong "capable of achieving things for the progress of Africa" for their dependency of the drug.
The second track, "They Loule", has some remarkable similarities with the track "4V" by Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux (posted here and here), which was also recorded in Abidjan, but a year earlier. My guess is that both songs have the same source.
The greatest mystery in the third track, "Ligida Ranba", is in the title (which may suggest that we are dealing with a version of the B-side of CVD 46). Marketing-wise I can't see the purpose of trying to hide that this is a version of the Cuban classic "El Manisero". But one can rely on Balaké to give even this ultimate example of world music his own authentic Balaké flavouring.
The B-side of the album opens with a dramatic 'slow' "Yele". Inimitably Balaké, shouting, almost roaring, with his ever-present sense for the anecdotal detail.
This is followed by a track in which I suppose you will have some problems recognising the Horoya Band's hit (from Discothèque 74 - SLP 48) "Sasilon". Nevertheless it is a - admittedly cleverly disguised - version, covered in a thick and creamy Balaké sauce (or maybe I should write "salsa").
The last track, "Awa Yiriga", seems to be a reference to songs of the (at that moment not too distant) past. Songs like the ones on the "Taximen" and "Super Bara Kono Mousso" albums of just a year before. Personally I find this my least favourite track, as the arrangment just does not seem to fit with the song.
As an extra special treat I have a track recorded in 1994 in Ouagadougou, of a performance of Amadou Balaké in the local Harlem Bar. It is only one song, and he had worked a lot that day and had - as he claims - "a handicapped voice", but still his singing in this song "Maderi" is fantastic. I am not sure what the joke of the announcer about Balaké spending twenty years in Mecca is about; for some reason, just by looking at him, I can't see Balaké as a devout muslim......
The recording and the wonderful photo were made by Rob Lokin.
EDIT: April 3, 2010: As Aduna (see comments) correctly points out, the titles of two tracks appear to have been switched. The version of "El Manisero" is called "Awa Yiriga", and the last track should be "Ligida Ranba" (and it still doesn't sound like "Ligida Remba" from CVD 46...).
I have trying very hard to get an accurate dating for this lp by Les Bantous. This dating may be of interest for historians for two reasons. I have been assured that this is the first record by a Congolese (and in this case of the Brazzaville side of the river) artist released in stereo. And secondly, it appears to be one of the first uses of the word "soukous" in combination with Congolese music.
I estimate this record to be from either 1964 or 1965. It was recorded in Paris, with the aid of Gilles Sala, who has played a crucial role in the development and popularity of African and particularly Congolese music. It remains a mystery to me that so little can be found about this man and his part in the 'rise' of African music. His name keeps popping up, whether in the context of African Jazz (someone even told me that he was instrumental in linking Roger Izeidi, and through Izeidi not only African Jazz but also OK Jazz, with Fonior) or Ry-Co Jazz, or G.G. Vikey, or Malian stars like Fanta Damba and Sory Bamba.
In this case I strongly suspect that he may be responsible for the name "Soukous", which was a label of the French record company Vogue. So it may well be that Gilles Sala was the 'inventor' of soukous music (there you go: I've said it*).
Let's get back to the dating. Jean-Serge Essous was still in charge. He gradually got involved with other matters (Ry-Co Jazz, African Team) in and from 1965. In 1966 Bantous played at the Premier Festival Mondial des Arts Negres in Dakar, and remained in West-Africa for a while before returning to Paris. There are only a limited number of musicians on this album, all from the 'old', early sixties Bantous. So this suggests it was a one-off trip to Paris with just a small team.
And there is - as always - the evidence of the music. And don't be fooled by the clear, stereo, sound. There are two songs labelled "twist". This strongly suggests a date in the early to mid-sixties. The 'cha cha' and "guapacha" even would point to an even earlier dating.
One thing is obvious, though. This is a very remarkable album, with some great songs, featuring superb artists like Essous and Papa Noel (who are both on the cover). I particularly like Papa Noel's "Paris-Brazza" and Essous' instrumental "Souvenir de Paris".
My only regret is that there is only a disappointing 25 minutes on this album....
In the spring of 1973 Salif Keita left the Rail Band to join Les Ambassadeurs du Motel. About the move he states (in Florent Mazzoleni's "Salif Keita - La voix du Mandingue): "With the Rail Band I learned nothing, we only played what we heard. Les Ambassadeurs were more experienced: we weren't playing modernised folklore. Les Elephants Noirs* were intellectuals. Arriving at the group I signed an apprenticeship contract to study music. We really played all kinds of music. We were like a real family, I really felt more at ease with Les Ambassadeurs. We rehearsed and studied the songs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and played them the same evening."
So Les Ambassadeurs were sophisticated and 'hip', while the Rail Band were a bunch of folk music amateurs. Leader of the hip team was Guinean guitarist Manfila Kanté, who had joined the orchestra a year before Salif, coming from Ivory Coast. He succeeded Malian sax player Moussa 'Vieux' Sissoko as chef d'orchestre. Among the other team members were Tagus Traoré (trumpet) from Guinea and singer Ousmane Dia, a Senegalese who had played with the legendary Star Band. But the majority came from Mali, with organist Idrissa Sumaoro (who will the subject of a future post), rhythm guitarist Amadou Bagayoko (of Amadou & Mariam fame), multi-instrumentalist (flute, balafon, violin) Keletigui Diabaté and singer Beidy Sacko.
I am sure I have not mentioned all of the members. In fact, I would like to use this occasion to ask for your help in identifying the members on the photo which was used for both albums released on the Sonafric label in 1977. I realise that not all members of Les Ambassadeurs are in the photo, but I think it would be a good start to at least identify those that are. Starting at the top row: Idrissa Sumaoro. Then, standing, from left to right: Keletigui Diabaté, ?, Ousmane Dia, ?, Sekou Diabaté?(bass player) and Manfila Kanté. Sitting or crouching: Vieux Sissoko, Amadou Bagayoko, Salif Keita, ?.
Any suggestion or corrections are welcomed.
The two albums released in 1977 were the last of Les Ambassadeurs before they went 'international', i.e. moved from Bamako to Abidjan. In the move they lost one of the key members which is still present in the line-up for this album: organist Idrissa Sumaoro. In the second volume, which I am sharing with you in this post, he is present as an organist in five of the seven tracks, and as a singer in the two tracks composed by Manfila Kanté. Although I am sure many will qualify these tracks as "funky", but in fact both these tracks are somewhat jazzy interpretations of rhythms borrowed from Malian hunters music.
Another remarkable presence in this album is Ousmane Dia. On this volume he 'only' has two tracks (on Volume One he had three), and they may not be as dramatic as the over-the-top "Super Pitié" of Volume One, but they are certainly more Senegalese.
But to me, the tracks that make this album into a classic are the three tracks by Salif Keita. The first, "N'na", is a cover of a song made famous by one of Keita's musical heroes, Sory Kandia Kouyaté. Originally a song from the repertoire (like many of the Guinean classics) of Les Ballets Africains, Les Ambassadeurs manage to retain the solemn tone of the original, while adding some typical Ambassadeurs colouring to it.
The 'killers' of this album are "Nagana" and "Djoula". Salif is at his best in these tracks which lean heavily on Malian traditional (or 'folkloric') music.
In this video recorded by Malian television the Malian line-up is still complete. I am not sure if this means that the recordings were made before their move to Abidjan. This song would suggest the recordings were from a date later than 1978, as it is a cover of "Que Será Lo Que Pelean", a hit from 1978 by Ismael Miranda and the orchestra of Larry Harlow. I assume the lead singer in this song is Beidy Sacko, supported by Ousmane Dia (on the right) and presumably Sambou Diakité on the left.
* one of the Ivorian predecessors of Les Ambassadeurs
"Darling, if you don't know how to twist, don't feel ashamed. I will explain it to you. This is the moment to start". These lyrics, in french (!!), are on this EP with the surprising title of "Nigeria's Greatest". The artists performing this song with the exciting title of "Cherie Si Tu Ne Sais Pas Twister" are none other than Air Congo Orchestra City Five from Leopoldville, Congo. And if this is the first time you have heard of this ensemble: you're not the only one!
They appear to be accompanied by George Arakpo and His Congo Bell (who are likewise complete strangers to me). This Negro Jazz sings in what is suppose to be spanish, borrowing some lyrics from Dewayon's Conga Jazz ("Eh non non non Mamie"). The result can be described as quite invigorating.
There is of course only one real Balaké, and that's Amadou Traoré dit Balaké. 
The B-side of the album opens with a dramatic 'slow' "Yele". Inimitably Balaké, shouting, almost roaring, with his ever-present sense for the anecdotal detail. 
I have trying very hard to get an accurate dating for this lp by Les Bantous. This dating may be of interest for historians for two reasons. I have been assured that this is the first record by a Congolese (and in this case of the Brazzaville side of the river) artist released in stereo. And secondly, it appears to be one of the first uses of the word "soukous" in combination with Congolese music.
In the spring of 1973 Salif Keita left the Rail Band to join Les Ambassadeurs du Motel. About the move he states (in Florent Mazzoleni's "Salif Keita - La voix du Mandingue): "With the Rail Band I learned nothing, we only played what we heard. Les Ambassadeurs were more experienced: we weren't playing modernised folklore. Les Elephants Noirs* were intellectuals. Arriving at the group I signed an apprenticeship contract to study music. We really played all kinds of music. We were like a real family, I really felt more at ease with Les Ambassadeurs. We rehearsed and studied the songs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and played them the same evening." 