Playlist "Psyche van het Folk, Radio Centraal, Antwerpen, Belgium : In search for the "black Spirit" in beat with African elements, African Progressive Rock, Fusion with World instruments. Part 1. BEAT AND AFRICAN SPIRIT : * Columbia The Shangaans : Jungle Drums (SA,1965)****° South African beat group that made a very good compilation and combination of beat related music with South African themes and additional African instruments. Highly original. An album not so difficult to find. The achievements on this album however come from various other sources too, which I did not hear yet. Later these were widely covered and made even more popular. Some of these tunes made it to new "traditionals". The story behind is a story on its own. Tr.A1, "Taboo" 4 min Tr.A3, "Afrikaan beat" 4 min Tune known by Kaemfert Orchestra, an original entertaining composer with his orchestra who succeeded to create tunes that were heard in every shop / bazar ; but they came originally from an African composer who never got a penny for his tunes that got almost synonym for the South African people. It was also used for the series of "Captain Zeppos". I don't recall the earlier tune, and I don't know if it's "better" or not. About Bert's version the following webpage : http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Pines/5766/Afrbea2.htm Tr.A5, "Shokiaan" (Msarurgwa) 4 min Tr.A6, "The Lion sleeps tonight (Wimoweh)" 4 min Known by the earlier versions like by The Tokens (1961), and before that The Weavers had a Top 15 hit with it in 1952. It was originally written by Solomon Linda. Linda recorded the tune in 1939 with his group the Evening Birds. He would have been very rich if he had received all royalties on the song. Pete Seeger took care he received at least some of his royalties. Later adapted by Kingston Trio. Full story at http://www.3rdearmusic.com/forum/mbube2.html Tr.B2, "A Swinging Safari" (Kaemfert) (fragment) 3 min Tr.B4, "Inhlazane" 4 min Tr.B6, "Voodoo Drums" 4 min Wonderful voodoo drums rhythm with extra effects, noises. Shangaans info : http://www.new.co.za/~currin/shangaans_index.htm (part of http://www.new.co.za/~currin/forgotten_artists.html) Other progressive rock groups from South Africa : http://lovelamp.com.ne.kr/2001/south_africa1.htm & http://lovelamp.com.ne.kr/2001/south_africa2.htm & http://lovelamp.com.ne.kr/1001/south_africa1.htm & http://lovelamp.com.ne.kr/1001/south_africa2.htm I don't know other South African releases with some African spirit. In somewhat UK folk style I also possess Wildebeest and Flibberdigibbet, a folk Mellow Candle off-shout. There are of course no African influences in it. 2. AFRICAN PROGRESSIVE MUSIC. One of the only countries that explored progressive music in a small miner area was Zambia. Many fuzz guitar boxes were imported there. The music is often primitively recorded, and the singing, often in English, is drenched by an African language accent. *Private reissue Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family : My Ancestors (ZAMB,197?)**° Tr.A5, "Coffin maker" 4 min 1420->end Tr.A1, "My Ancestors" 4 min Tr.A2, "Trouble Makers" 4 min 16 Tr.B2, "I've been losing" 650-1020, 4 min Sadly primitively recorded, especially the voice, a bit garage like. Original, with great fuzz guitars ; instrumentally very strong. Hardrock garage progressive. More info on Zambian rock'n roll (including notes about the later "Zamrock" - which is then a more exotic dance form style and not progressive rock) : http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/zambia/music.html More info on Ngozi : http://www.mondomusic.co.zm/zlegends/pngozi.htm The only label I know specialised mostly in the newer style "Zamrock" published at their first compilation album only one older track in the rock'n roll style, by Paul Ngozi : http://www.mondomusic.co.zm/ * Zamupa Prod. The Blackfoot : the footsteps (ZAMB,197?)**° Tr.A1, "The Footsteps" 3 min Tr.A5, "Mwe Bafyashi" 1255-1630, 4 min Tr.B1, "Jefferson" 4 min 15 Tr.B3, "Lonely Highway" 710-1024, 3 min African rock. Mostly sung in English. With psych organ, electric bass, el. guitars, drums, vocals. Difficult to find similar African primitive and psychedelic rock. I heard of another album in this style, Blo : vol. 1, Nigeria. Style : progressive / psych (hard)rock. It was reissued. I ordered it for future airplay. 3. "ALL WORLD" FUSION WITH "AFRICAN SPIRIT" * Soul Note Tony Scott : African Bird (come back ! mother Africa) (US,1984)**° Tr.1, "African Bird (suite)" fragment 10 min Clarinettist know for his various travels, especially in Africa to learn the black spirit / tunes. This album was dedicated to Charlie Parker). * Impulse ! Pharoah Sanders : Tauhid (US?,1967)****° Tr.1, "Upper Egypt & Lower Egypt" start->651,1430-end 10 min From the moment of his second album (-this one-) pharaoh starts a very original "all world" style adapting different elements of deeper spirituality, all world music instruments, free jazz elements. It was the beginning of a black spiritual movement in jazz. Not only Pharoah Sanders (who learned some of his techniques with John Coltrane, who also experienced a short similar movement) looked for black roots, like in Egypt (Egypt had a long period of black pharao's by the way), also Sun Ra was very much seeking for a more "cosmic" awareness, and bond beyond the earthly spiritual boundaries. * Impulse Pharoah Sanders : Jewels of Thought (US,1969)***** Tr.1, "Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum Allah" 1-15 min 14 min One of my favourite Sanders albums, and one of my favourite tracks. With beautiful free ethnic like singing of Leon Thomas. With the use of also African instruments, mixed with a smoothly jazzy rhythm and on the right moment of relaxed deep meditative tension an emotional outburst of the sax. Beautiful ! * A&M Rec. Don Cherry : Brown Rice (US,1976)****° Tr.1, "Brown Rice" 1-515 min 5 min One of my favourite Cherry's albums. All World jazz with eastern and African influences. Trumpeter Don Cherry's participants not only used African instruments, but also Indian elements. This album made me appreciate the trumpet for the first time. * Ikef Rec. Brother Ah : Move ever onward (US,1975)***** Tr.1, "Nature's Children" 6 min -a track with spiritual talk and sitar,..- Tr.3, "Enthusiasm" 5 min -a ethno psych folk track : psych acoustic guitars with complex hand percussion instruments.- 16 Tr.5, "Transcendental March (creation song)" 5 min Unique off-shout album from the Sun Ra member Brother Ah. It's his most "all world" spiritual jazz album. With lots of varied elements. Another work I heard from around the same period was more free in style. I'm not sure if he developed into more new Age / or free structured styles or not. * Westbound Rec. Funkadelic : Free Your mind and your ass will follow (US,1970)****°? Tr.1, "Free Your mind and your ass will follow" 10 min The first track is the best black psychedelic funk, and one of the tracks that defined an aspects of the black soul / spirit combined designed for both a black and western world. "White" or "Western" spirit creates ideas first, and then see if these are practical or have descent results or not, while the "black spirit" mostly first creates results which might lead or create good ideas. The few psychedelic Funkadelic tracks are a perfect combination of both world in experiencing. It frees the mind with an idea, embodied by the musical spirit and rhythms. This is the meaning of the title which can only fully understand from this "black" starting point to understand it correctly in all its perspective. * Westbound Rec. Funkadelic : Maggot Brain (US,1971)****° ? Tr.7, "Wars of Armageddon" 10 min The second track of this calibre. 4. outro. * Atlantic Rec. Dr.John, the Night Tripper : Gris-Gris (US,1968)***** Tr.1, "Gris-Gris Gumba Ya Ya" fragmant 3 min Tr.5, "Croker Courtbullion" 6 min One of the most original records I know in style and inspiration. Inspired by fantasies on the voodoo cults. Perfect album in soul, spirit, music, inspiration, rhythmic skills,. Very different from Dr.John's other work. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another radioshow about Afro-rock / fusion / funk /.. will follow soon. with : * Funk / Fusion in Ghana : http://members.lycos.co.uk/dubcitizen/ghana.html * Funk in Nigeria : http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/world/reviews/var_nigeria70.shtml#review music fragment : OFO THE BLACK COMPANY "Allah Wakbarr" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/ofoallah.rm * Afrika Underground : Jabula * Blo : vol 1 from Nigeria : http://www.grooveattack.com/news/news_detail.php3?genre=Brasil%2FLatin%2FWorld&id=112 Chosen music fragments (there are various differences in the tracks) : "Miss Sagit" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/blomiss.rm "Number one" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/blonumber.rm * Ethiopia grooves, singers some chosen music fragments : ALEMAYE HUQUTECHGN : "Qotchegn Messassate" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/alemayehuqotchegn.rm MULUQEN MELLESSE & DAHLAK BAND "Djemeregne" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/muluqendjemeregne.rm ASSELEFETCH ASHINE & GETENESH KEBRET & ARMY BAND "Metche New" http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/asselefetchmetchenew.rm AHMED, MAHMOUD "Tezeta" : http://www.aquariusrecords.org/audio/ahmedtezeta.rm Info : www.budamusique.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- African music can be bought in Antwerpen at Bam Bam, Nationalestraat info.bambam@pandora.be ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other playlists : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/2003.html General index page : www.radiocentraal.be/psychevanhetfolk Detailed index page : http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/index.html Receive weekly this playlist before the radioshow with new reviews and additional comments : ontvang wekelijks playlist vòòr de radio-uitzending : Subscribe: psychevanhetfolk-subscribe@yahoogroups.com