{"title":"African","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"vusi-mahlasela-face-to-face","title":"Vusi Mahlasela 'Face To Face'","description":"\u003cp\u003eLP, CD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eStrut revives a lost recording from the archives in January with a 2002 collaboration between acclaimed South African folk singer Vusi Mahlasela, singer songwriter Norman Zulu and Swedish jazz \/ soul collective Jive Connection.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe links between South Africa and Sweden have long been strong with Sweden one of the most supportive European nations in the struggle against apartheid; the government helped to fund the ANC for decades and Mandela visited the country on one of his first European stops following his release from prison in 1990.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSotho folk singer Vusi Mahlasela, dubbed “The Voice” Of South Africa, performed at Mandela’s inauguration in 1994 and has enjoyed his own long relationship with Sweden, regularly embarking on cultural exchanges and forging a strong bond with the Jive Connection band, featuring guitarist \/ bassist Stefan Bergman and Little Dragon drummer Erik Bodin within its line-up.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAlthough touring regularly, the collaboration has rarely been documented beyond a lone studio album in 1994. This “lost” recording, discovered in the archives of producer Torsten Larsson, also features songwriter \/ vocalist Norman Zulu and showcases their natural musical chemistry together. Vusi’s songs have\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etraditionally addressed the struggle for freedom and the need for reconciliation and, here, his lyrics are as powerful as ever, ranging from parables (‘Prodigal Son’) to an unflinching lament on child abuse (‘Faceless People’). Jive Connection vary the soundtrack, bringing in hints of reggae, jazz and post-punk alongside traditional township arrangements.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFace To Face is mastered by The Carvery. Artwork features unseen photos from the album sessions along with full lyrics. Produced in association with Torsten Larsson.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ereleases January 27, 2023\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2023, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44196665983298,"sku":"STRUT211LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44368689955138,"sku":"STRUT211CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1229377087_10.jpg?v=1673525718"},{"product_id":"miriam-makeba-keep-me-in-mind-remastered","title":"Miriam Makeba 'Keep Me In Mind (Remastered)'","description":"\u003cem\u003e“Any other singer can sing a love song and the audience will think about lovers lost and found. 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In Conakry, Makeba met Stokely Carmichael, President of civil rights organisation the SNCC and they would later marry. “With the Vietnam War, the student protests and the riots in the ghettos, everyone is scared,” Makeba said. “Everyone is afraid that there will be a great black uprising.” Makeba’s concerts were widely cancelled and both her and Carmichael were followed relentlessly by the FBI.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReprise also terminated her contract but brought in producer Lewis Merenstein for her final recording for the label, best known for his work with Van Morrison on ‘Astral Weeks’. Merenstein suggested two Van songs for Makeba to cover, ‘Brand New Day’ from the ‘Moondance’ sessions and ‘I Shall Sing’ and further songs were added to reflect both the political climate and Makeba’s own memories including Stephen Stills’ ‘For What It’s Worth’ and Lennon \u0026amp; McCartney’s wistful ‘In My Life’. New compositions by Makeba and her daughter Bongi included ‘Lumumba’, a personal tribute to Congolese independence leader, Patrice Lumumba. Reflective of the times, the album is infused with a palpable despair but, as in all of her music, a quiet determination still shines through.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis new reissue of ‘Keep Me In Mind’ is presented in its original artwork and features rare photos and new extensive liner notes by Francis Gooding of The Wire. 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The album was gradually recorded over a period of four years with Sorie on the road in Belgium, Spain and Canary Islands with the main production collaboration between Boima in Los Angeles and Will in London. The result is a varied and colourful set of tracks infusing Boima and Will’s wide-ranging dancefloor influences. Infectious first single ‘She Doesn’t Love You’ features guest vocalist Mariama Jalloh speaking home truths about rejection while future 4\/4 dancefloor anthem ‘It’s God’s World..’ features a mighty bassline from prolific L.A. musician \/ producer Sweatson Klank. ‘The Sweetness Is Gone’ ramps up the dub and sound system energy while ‘How Will It Be For Me In This World’ sparkles on a bed of electronic textures and kondi lines.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44196666245442,"sku":"STRUT232LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44196666278210,"sku":"STRUT232CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1211057990_10.jpg?v=1671713901"},{"product_id":"electric-jalaba-el-hal-the-feeling","title":"Electric Jalaba 'El Hal \/ The Feeling'","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eElectric Jalaba comprises six accomplished musicians with an empathy that feels telepathic and a groove that immerses. In Arabic, the mother tongue of Moroccan-born singer and guimbri player Simo Lagnawi, a leading practitioner of Gnawa music in Britain, they call this indefinable quality, “El Hal” – “The feeling”. “It’s the feeling that comes when we’re playing and totally forgetting where we are,” says producer and bassist Olly Keen. “The feeling of being grabbed by the music and lost in the groove.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEl Hal is a multi-faceted work that finds the band tighter than ever, deploying a vast cache of influences across nine tracks improvised and developed in their south London studio then deftly produced by Keen. Some tracks pay homage to the origins of Gnawa music, whose repertoire of Arabic-language praise songs contains remnants of West African dialects – Bambara from Mali, Fulani and Hausa from the Sahel region – that point to a centuries-old migration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe trance-inducing effect of Gnawa was what hit us first. 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After playing Fela’s Shrine, Fela recommended them to Hugh Masekela as an ideal backing band and Hedzoleh joined Masekela on a US tour in December 1973. Sharing the same management company, Charisma, Asante first met Plunky and Oneness Of Juju during an East coast tour with Masekela, starting a relationship with the band that has endured until today.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRecorded at Arrest Studios in Washington D.C. in October 1977 and featuring musicians from Oneness alongside Gil Scott Heron cohort Brian Jackson on piano, Drum Message represents an important milestone for Asante: “This album really came from my heart. I wanted to project the African spirit in the music and come out with some unique African jazz. To be able to record it on Black Fire was extra special.” The album also involved some serious physical graft: “The studio was up on the 14th Floor and the elevator was often broken down. I showed up with a van full of African drums and Jimmy Gray from Black Fire and myself had to carry them all the way up there, each day!”\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe resultant album was well worth the sweat. ‘Adowa’ adds jazz arrangements to a traditional Asante rhythm and Oneness classic ‘Follow Me’ is skilfully re-worked (“I used the bass drum in place of the bass guitar so it was all based on rhythms.”). New versions of Asante dancefloor favourite ‘Sabi’ sit alongside the mellow groove of ‘Asante Sana’ (“I wanted something cool like reggae or highlife on that track, a similar vibe. 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As a solo artist, she broke through in early 2020, performing her single ‘Alma Seca’ in series 3 of blockbuster series Killing Eve.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOriginally from DR Congo and brought up in Buenos Aires, Juanita’s upbringing involved many different musical influences, not least her uncle, Congolese rumba giant Franco Luambo Makiadi. “In Argentina, I listened to a wide range of styles from African-American artists to Dominican stars like Juan Luis Guerra, the Congolese greats like my uncle and Papa Wemba and various artists from Argentina including Mercedes Sosa. Some of my main inspirations were (and still are) international Afro-Cuban artists like Celia Cruz and La Lupe.” Moving to the UK aged 14, she joined Afro-Peruvian band Malambo and immersed herself in London’s own sounds, from Soul to Jazz to Funk.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWith her new album Mabanzo (meaning ‘Thoughts’), Juanita brings together her many and varied musical influences into play and pulls no lyrical punches. Killer dancefloor single ‘Nalingi Mobali Te’ is pure contemporary Congolese guitar gold, ‘Mboka Moka’ channels ‘80s boogie and Quincy horn stylings on an anthem for personal struggle and ‘Baño de Oro’ brings a heavy Afro-Cuban workout. Elsewhere, the epic ballad ‘Sueños de Libertad’ is an impassioned call for freedom and the lilting ‘For All It’s Worth’ champions love over materialism. 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Some of the best musicians in Egypt of that time were members – Zaki Osman (trumpet), Saied Salama (tenor sax), Khamis El-Kholy (piano) and Ala Mostafa (piano).\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn these recordings The Band consists of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass, drums and percussion and various other oriental instruments. The opening concert of The Cairo Jazz Band was in Ewart Memorial Hall at The American University 23\/02\/1969 followed by many other concerts in various prestigious places such as the Old Opera House, The University of Alexandria and appearances on Egyptian TV Jazz Club Weekly.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSalah Ragab studied jazz theory and improvisation with the jazz musician and composer from Kansas City, USA, Osman Kareem, with whom he formed the first Jazz Quintet in Cairo in 1963 recording with the Radio Service of Cairo. 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The group played stadiums and festivals and were soon signed to Gallo.\u003cbr\u003eRecording at a studio in Pretoria, the trio debuted with the album ‘Malompo Jazz’ in 1966, showcasing the simple, spacious beauty of\u003cbr\u003ethe Malombo sound and Abbey Cindi’s compositions, with Mahotella Queens’ Hilda Tloubatla on guest vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe partner follow-up album ‘Malombo Jazz Makers Vol. 2’ was recorded a year later, continuing the earthy flow of Malombo’s music.\u003cbr\u003eThe two albums have since been recognised as unique landmarks of South African jazz through popular tracks like ‘Sibathathu’,\u003cbr\u003e‘Jikeleza’ and ‘Emakhaya’. 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With its roots in slavery and colonialism rumba was dominating the music scene in Congo while the philosophy of Balka Sound was to find its inspiration directly in local country life, to associate the modern and the traditional and to revive folk traditions that were dying. Founder member Henri Nsika Nkaya explains, “it was intended to be an update, a unification and an internationalisation of Congolese cultures.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1979, during a festival organised by the Centre Culturel Français, the band won a recording deal to release their first album: Le 1er son du Balka, Lusialala et ses amis, recorded in just one take. Their success led to a second LP, Tu Kine Balka, recorded in Kinshasa in 1982. A third album in 1984, Afro Musik Creation, featured a more modern studio production sound. Their songs drew from traditional folk tales and parables, life lessons and the damage caused by rural exodus to the cities. By 1985, Balka Sound were working full-time with residencies at Chez Tantine Clara in Brazzaville, a well-known tourist venue, and the Frantel Cosmos Hotel.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1991, political tensions were rising in the country; civil disobedience and threats of a military coup were followed by a civil war from 1993 to 1994. The band eventually regrouped and were invited to perform in 1996 at the Palais des Congrès for the Fête National. 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Fusing traditional and improvised rhythms with jazz, Malombo became renowned as one of the first South African bands to fully connect jazz with the African traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite his undoubted genius, Tabane became erratic on tour and Bahula brought in another Mamelodi-based talent, guitarist Lucas “Lucky” Ranku, renaming the band Malombo Jazz Makers. The group played stadiums and festivals and were soon signed to Gallo.\u003cbr\u003eRecording at a studio in Pretoria, the trio debuted with the album ‘Malompo Jazz’ in 1966, showcasing the simple, spacious beauty of the Malombo sound and Abbey Cindi’s compositions, with Mahotella Queens’ Hilda Tloubatla on guest vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe partner follow-up album ‘Malombo Jazz Makers Vol. 2’ was recorded a year later, continuing the earthy flow of Malombo’s music. The two albums have since been recognised as unique landmarks of South African jazz through popular tracks like ‘Sibathathu’, ‘Jikeleza’ and ‘Emakhaya’. Alongside full original artwork, the albums feature a new interview with Julian Bahula.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44196668637506,"sku":"STRUT314LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/Malombo_Jazz_1_Vinyl_Sleeve_1400x1400_d21eef38-d2e8-40b6-997b-9bf3ea354138.jpg?v=1680690689"},{"product_id":"mulatu-astatke-new-york-addis-london-the-story-of-ethio-jazz-1965-1975","title":"Mulatu Astatke 'New York - Addis - London The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975'","description":"\u003cp\u003eVibraphone and keyboard player, master arranger and bandleader, Mulatu Astatke is one of the all-time greats of Ethiopian music and the creator of his own original music form, Ethio jazz. Through the acclaimed Ethiopiques album series and through featuring on the soundtrack to the Jim Jarmusch film Broken Flowers, his music has belatedly reached a global audience and a new, younger generation of fans. In November of last year, he recorded an inspired new album with London psych jazz band The Heliocentrics for Strut’s ‘Inspiration Information’ studio collaboration series. Now, Strut are proud to present, for the first time anywhere, the definitive Mulatu career retrospective covering his landmark ‘60s and ‘70s recordings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMulatu is a true pioneer of African music. He was the first Ethiopian musician of his generation to travel extensively and to record abroad – he studied in the UK in Wales and at Trinity College Of Music in London, cutting his teeth on the buoyant London jazz scene of the early ‘60s. He became the first African student to attend Harvard and he lived and recorded in New York, developing a unique sound that fused Western jazz with traditional Ethiopian melodies. As Mulatu says, “it took a long time to get the balance, to let the colours and the feelings of the Ethiopian modes shine through.”\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eReturning to ‘Swinging Addis’ during the late ’60s, he became a pivotal figure, arranging for many of the country’s top vocalists and developing rich, dense textures in his own music during the final years of Selassie’s reign and the mid-‘70s rule of the Derg Communist military junta.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTracing the progression of his Ethio jazz experiments with full access to all of the labels for whom he recorded, Mulatu Astatke: New York-Addis-London is the essential Mulatu. Covering his first recordings in the UK during 1965, his groundbreaking fusions for the small Worthy label in New York and his key ‘70s recordings back in Addis on Amha, Phillips and Axum, the album features comprehensive sleeve notes by Miles Cleret, boss of the excellent Soundway Records imprint, and rare, previously unseen photos from Mulatu’s personal archive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423115243842,"sku":"STRUT051LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423115112770,"sku":"STRUT051CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a4252531042_10.jpg?v=1677159109"},{"product_id":"mulatu-astatke-mulatu-steps-ahead","title":"Mulatu Astatke 'Mulatu Steps Ahead'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe veteran Ethiopian bandleader works with Heliocentrics and Boston's Either\/Orchestra to craft a loose and improvisational winner.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(Pitchfork)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423114948930,"sku":"STRUT056LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423115178306,"sku":"STRUT056CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1512451638_10.jpg?v=1685616132"},{"product_id":"various-artists-next-stop-soweto-vol-1-township-sounds-from-the-golden-age-of-mbaqangwa","title":"Various Artists 'Next Stop ... 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Artists include Mahotella Queens, Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje and Lucky Strike Sisters.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased February 21, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2010, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423115309378,"sku":"STRUT054LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423115342146,"sku":"STRUT054CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2530923202_10.jpg?v=1677768752"},{"product_id":"various-artists-afro-rock-vol-1","title":"Various Artists 'Afro-Rock Volume 1'","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfro Rock Vol. 1’ is one of the most important compilations of heavy original ‘70s Afro funk and soul to be released in recent years. Originally surfacing on Duncan Brooker’s indie Kona label in early 2001, the album single-handedly kick-started the thirst among jazz, funk and soul fans and ‘diggers’ to rediscover lost music from Africa made during the ‘60s and ‘70s from a time when many countries were gaining independence and celebrating a Pan-African identity within their music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423115768130,"sku":"STRUT059LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3707931929_10.jpg?v=1677685177"},{"product_id":"various-artists-next-stop-soweto-vol-2-soultown-r-b-funk-psych-sounds-from-the-townships-1969-1976","title":"Various Artists 'Next Stop ... Soweto Volume 2: Soultown. R\u0026B, Funk \u0026 Psych Sounds from the Townships 1969-1976'","description":"\u003cp\u003eCD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1751225888\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nextstopsoweto.bandcamp.com\/album\/next-stop-soweto-vol-2-soultown-r-b-funk-psych-sounds-from-the-townships-1969-1976\"\u003eNext Stop ... Soweto Vol. 2: Soultown. R\u0026amp;B, Funk \u0026amp; Psych Sounds from the Townships 1969-1976 by Next Stop Soweto\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eThe second episode in Strut’s groundbreaking South African series explores ‘Soultown’ as 1970s small organ combos forged their own mod soul and township artists embraced funk fusions. All tracks previously unissued outside of South Africa.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased May 11, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2010, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423115866434,"sku":"STRUT057CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1663153490_10.jpg?v=1677769022"},{"product_id":"sofrito-sofrito-tropical-discotheque","title":"Various Artists 'Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque'","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=3262573598\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sofritosound.bandcamp.com\/album\/sofrito-tropical-discotheque\"\u003eSofrito: Tropical Discotheque by Various Artists\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereleased January 25, 2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2011, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423115964738,"sku":"STRUT070LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3911887718_10.jpg?v=1677598293"},{"product_id":"ebo-taylor-life-stories","title":"Ebo Taylor 'Life Stories'","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe definitive compilation of Ebo Taylor's seminal 1970s recordings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ea thrilling, relentlessly upbeat ride through some of the finest highlife and Afrobeat ever made\" \u003cstrong\u003e(\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOkayplayer)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis compilation revisits this heyday of Taylor's work, focusing on his solo albums and some of his lesser known side projects including the dynamite Apagya Show Band and short-lived Taylor-led combos Assase Ase, Super Sounds Namba and The Pelikans. The selection also touches on his writing and production work for C.K. Mann and a collaboration recording with fellow member of early ‘70s nightclub band Blue Monks, Pat Thomas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423116357954,"sku":"STRUT072LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"2CD","offer_id":44423116259650,"sku":"STRUT072CD","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2016993828_10.jpg?v=1676988907"},{"product_id":"ebo-taylor-love-death","title":"Ebo Taylor 'Love \u0026 Death'","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first internationally released solo album by the Ghanaian Afrobeat legend, ‘Love And Death’ reprises some of Taylor’s ‘70s classics alongside some great new compositions, all backed by Berlin collective Afrobeat Academy. Tracks include ‘Mizin’ and ‘Love And Death’.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe material is fresh, but it has a thick, vintage sound that ties back to Taylor's old work nicely\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(Pitchfork)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423116325186,"sku":"STRUT073LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423116423490,"sku":"STRUT073CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3138453638_10.jpg?v=1676989202"},{"product_id":"orchestre-poly-rythmo-cotonou-club","title":"Orchestre Poly-Rythmo 'Cotonou Club'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA new recording from Benin’s all-time great big band. Retaining their celebrated ‘vodou-funk’ sound, Poly Rythmo reprise original hits like ‘Holonon’ and ‘Gbeti Madjro’ along new compositions on a brand new analogue recording. Guests include Angelique Kidjo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423116390722,"sku":"STRUT077CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1551998341_10.jpg?v=1677162024"},{"product_id":"various-artists-nigeria-70-sweet-times-afro-funk-highlife-juju-from-1970s-lagos","title":"Various Artists 'Nigeria 70 - Sweet Times: Afro-Funk, Highlife \u0026 Juju from 1970s Lagos'","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP, CD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=3998467177\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nigeria70.bandcamp.com\/album\/nigeria-70-sweet-times-afro-funk-highlife-juju-from-1970s-lagos\"\u003eNigeria 70 - Sweet Times: Afro-Funk, Highlife \u0026amp; Juju from 1970s Lagos by Nigeria 70\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eBack in 2001, the first edition of NIGERIA 70 on Strut broke the mould for African compilations, a 3CD powerhouse featuring a wide spectrum of musical styles from across the 1970s and an audio documentary tracing the music’s history. For 2007, Strut delve deeper into the Lagos underground for NIGERIA 70: LAGOS JUMP, another essential box of West African dynamite with the emphasis firmly on the dancefloor. From the heavy jazz of Peter King to Bola Johnson’s scratchy Afro funk and the rolling grooves of juju legend Sir Shina Peters, the album captures a rich and unique era in West African music.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased January 1, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2011, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423116292418,"sku":"STRUT079LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3673720099_10.jpg?v=1677769905"},{"product_id":"various-artists-sofrito-international-soundclash","title":"Various Artists 'Sofrito: International Soundclash'","description":"\u003cp\u003eCD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=613587818\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/sofritosound.bandcamp.com\/album\/sofrito-international-soundclash\"\u003eSofrito: International Soundclash by Various Artists\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eThe second dynamite compilation from the Sofrito sound system team of Hugo Mendez and Frankie Francis pulls together a wide spectrum of original tropical dancefloor gems from French Caribbean rarities to cumbia and soca disco. Includes Concept Neuf’s ‘The Path’, later sampled by Ninetoes for their club hit ‘Finder’.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased January 1, 2012\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2012, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423116915010,"sku":"STRUT097CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3614371111_10.jpg?v=1677772104"},{"product_id":"ebo-taylor-appia-kwa-bridge","title":"Ebo Taylor 'Appia Kwa Bridge'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e‘Appia Kwa Bridge’ is a strident new recording from the Ghanaian highlife guitar legend. Featuring six new compositions, his sound is more dense and tightly locked than ever with Berlin-based musicians Afrobeat Academy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e“I wanted to go back to a highlife feeling with this album,”\u003c\/em\u003e explains Ebo Taylor. \u003cem\u003e“The songs are very personal and it is an important part of my music to keep alive many traditional Fante songs, war chants and children’s rhymes.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album covers a variety of themes dear to Taylor. The title track references a small bridge in Ebo’s hometown of Saltpond on the Cape Coast: “\u003cem\u003eit is a tiny bridge but a place known in the town where people meet, where lovers get together.\u003c\/em\u003e” The firing, rousing ‘Ayesama’, first demo-ed during the ‘Love And Death’ sessions, is a Fante war cry, a taunt – “what’s your mother’s name?”; ‘Nsu Na Kwan’, based on a Fante proverb, asks “Which is older – the river or the old road” with the sub-text to respect your elders and the brilliant ‘Abonsam’ carries the message that Abonsam (The Devil) is responsible for\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eevil in the world and that we should follow the Christian message.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eElsewhere, the album features a new version of highlife anthem, ‘Yaa Amponsah’, first recorded during the ‘20s by Jacob Sam’s Sam’s Trio before becoming a popular standard in Ghana, and a cover of an original track from Taylor’s time with Apagya Show Band during the ’70s, ‘Serwa Brakatu’, re-titled here as ‘Kruman Dey’. The closer, the acoustic ‘Barrima’, is a poignant tribute to Taylor’s first wife and one true love who sadly passed away during Summer 2011. “\u003cem\u003eEbo wrote the song following her passing and recorded this in one take during our last day in the studio,\u003c\/em\u003e” reflects bandleader Ben Abarbanel-Wolff. “\u003cem\u003eHe was very emotional.\u003c\/em\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album was recorded at \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eJochen Stroh's analogue Lovelite Studios in Berlin, and features a number of special guests within the credits including incomparable drummer Tony Allen, original Africa 70 guitarist Oghene Kologbo and conga maestro Addo Nettey a.k.a. Pax Nicholas. Representing the younger players, keyboard genius Kwame Yeboah, son of Ghanaian legend S.K. Yeboah, makes full use of Lovelite’s famed collection of Farfisa and Wurlitzer organs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423117013314,"sku":"STRUT089CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a0694021390_10.jpg?v=1676988738"},{"product_id":"orlando-julius-with-the-heliocentrics-jaiyede-afro","title":"Orlando Julius with The Heliocentrics 'Jaiyede Afro'","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan mce-data-marked=\"1\"\u003eA modern day Afrobeat classic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis new collaboration with London's Heliocentrics admirably recreates a smokey 70s atmosphere.\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(The Wire)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAided and abetted by some magnificent backing by the Helios, using the requisite analog set up, the album has the verve and feel of a classic West African long-player\"\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e(Record Collector)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt his club residency in Ibadan, Orlando Julius was one of the very first to begin fusing US R\u0026amp;B with traditional highlife during the mid-‘60s with his Modern Aces band. His ‘Super Afro Soul’ album from ’66 set the blueprint for a whole generation of Afrobeat and Afro funk stars and, in an illustrious career, Julius met and played with Louis Armstrong, The Crusaders, Hugh Masekela and Lamont Dozier among others, famously co-composing the classic ‘Going Back To My Roots’ in 1979 whilst based in the USA.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor ‘Jaiyede Afro’, Julius takes us back to his own roots, revisiting several compositions from his early years which have never previously been recorded. The title track recalls his experiences as a boy: “My mother would go to group meetings with other women. They would sing together and play drums, I would play along with them and we would sing this song together.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInfectious chant ‘Omo Oba Blues’ is a traditional song sung at Julius’ school which he re-arranged in 1965 for his Modern Aces\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eband. The epic Afrobeat jam ‘Be Counted’ stems from his years in the USA: \"This was written around 1976 while I was living on the Westcoast. I did start recording it for the ‘Sisi Sade’ album around 1985 but it was never finished.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther tracks include ‘Buje Buje’ and ‘Aseni’, both re-worked arrangements from his rare ‘Orlando Julius and The Afro Sounders’ album from 1973.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded at the Heliocentrics’ fully analogue HQ in North London, the band follow their memorable collaborations with Mulatu Astatke and Lloyd Miller by taking Orlando’s sound into new, progressive directions, retaining the raw grit of his early work and adding psychedelic touches and adventurous new arrangements. They also contribute live favourite, the James Brown cover ‘In The Middle’ and a series of memorable shorter interludes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ereleased January 1, 2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e2014, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP transparent","offer_id":44423117734210,"sku":"STRUT112LPC","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423117570370,"sku":"STRUT112LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423117668674,"sku":"STRUT112CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1071353005_10.jpg?v=1677162432"},{"product_id":"pat-thomas-kwashibu-area-band-pat-thomas-kwashibu-area-band","title":"Pat Thomas \u0026 Kwashibu Area Band 'Pat Thomas \u0026 Kwashibu Area Band'","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe brand new studio album by one of Ghana’s all-time great vocalists, “The Golden Voice Of Africa”, Pat Thomas, in conjunction with the Kwashibu Area Band led by multi-instumentalist Kwame Yeboah (Cat Stevens, Patrice) and saxophonist Ben Abarbanel-Wolff (Ebo Taylor, Poets of Rhythm).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHailing from Kumasi, Thomas had lived with highlife legend King Onyina from a young age before working with Ebo Taylor in two of Ghana’s great 1960s highlife big bands, Broadway Dance Band and Stargazers. They would collaborate regularly, Pat contributing vocals to Ebo’s solo albums and Ebo arranging horns for Pat’s songs. Both would become a mainstay of the ‘70s and ‘80s Ghanaian highlife, afrobeat and afro-pop scenes, hitting big with the Ghana Cocoa Board-sponsored Sweet Beans band. Fela Kuti’s bandleader, drummer Tony Allen, would record a session with Sweet Beans in Kumasi in 1975 (as yet unreleased). “Highlife was our music,” Pat remembers. “People like Ebo and I modernised it, made it more relevant to our day. We took the Kwa music of Kumasi and other local styles and added Western elements.” With his distinctive flowing vocal style, sung in Fanti and Ashanti Twi dialect, Pat became established as one of Ghana’s biggest\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emusical draws.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring the ‘80s, Pat continued to stay close to highlife and, by the middle of the decade, had become the biggest star in the emerging “burger highlife” scene involving recordings produced in Berlin and Hamburg and exported to Ghana. Together with guitarist George Darko, his output added to the rich mix of cultures making the global reach of highlife possible.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded in Accra and mixed at Lovelite Studios’ analogue HQ in Berlin, Thomas’ new album marks over 50 years making music and reunites him with old friends: Ebo Taylor provides horn arrangements, Tony Allen contributes drums to several tracks, Osei Tutu (Hedzolleh Sounds) plays a memorable trumpet solo and prolific 1970s bassist Ralph Karikari (The Noble Kings) also features. Younger generation stars appearing include bassist Emmanuel Ofori, percussionist “Sunday” Owusu and Pat Thomas’ daughter Nanaaya, an acclaimed vocalist in her own right.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album features new full band arrangements of original ‘80s Thomas classics ‘Gyae Su’, ‘Odoo Adada’ and ‘Mewo Akoma’. Abarbanel-Wolff explains: “By the mid-1980s, Ghanaian music had started to use digital production and the heyday of the “golden era” was over. With this album, we wanted to continue the tradition of the late ‘70s sound and bring the roots back.” Kwame Yeboah continues, “We had to create our own buzz, keep the sound totally real - there are no digital, machine or sampled sounds here.” - New compositions also feature, including the superb, yearning ‘Me Ho Asem’ and the infectious afrobeat jam, ‘Odoo Be Ba’.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423118324034,"sku":"STRUT126LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423118389570,"sku":"STRUT126CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1447397734_10.jpg?v=1677244871"},{"product_id":"various-artists-spirit-of-malombo-malombo-jazz-makers-jabula-and-jazz-afrika-1966-1984","title":"Various Artists - Spirit Of Malombo - Malombo Jazz Makers, Jabula And Jazz Afrika 1966-1984","description":"\u003cp\u003e2CD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eFollowing the label’s acclaimed ‘Next Stop Soweto’ compilation series, Strut returns to the rich music heritage of South Africa for another landmark compilation celebrating the influential and heavily political music of drummer Julian Bahula since the mid-‘60s with the Malombo Jazz Makers, Jabula and Jazz Afrika bands.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBahula’s first group was the Malombo Jazzmen, led by guitarist Philip Tabane with flautist Abbey Cindi and they broke the mould, introducing indigenous malombo drums alongside guitar and flute to create a strong new cultural jazz fusion. In 1964, the group took the Castle Lager jazz festival by storm, South Africa’s biggest annual jazz event.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWithin a year, Bahula and Cindi had parted company with Tabane, and guitarist Lucky Ranku had come on board to form the Malombo Jazz Makers. By the end of the 1960s, they had established themselves as South Africa’s foremost afro-centric jazz group. In 1971, they made a clandestine tour of South Africa with Steve Biko and TECON (Theatre Council of Natal) Players, using music and theatre to promote black awareness and identity as part of Biko’s Black Consciousness message.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAs the pressure of apartheid started to bear down on\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethem, Julian Bahula escaped to political exile in the UK. He settled in London in February 1973 following a tour with white afro-rock band Hawk. Joined by Lucky Ranku shortly afterwards, Bahula formed a new afro super-group, Jabula, through which malombo music was transformed into a vehicle that could take a powerful political message from South Africa to audiences in Europe and across the world.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe band worked closely and selflessly with the exiled ANC, the Anti-Apartheid Movement and other anti-apartheid organisations to help spread political awareness. Bahula and his wife Liza also started London’s first regular night to promote live African music at London’s 100 Club during the ‘80s. In ’83, they set up the first concert in the UK to raise awareness for Nelson Mandela, ‘African Sounds’, an event that helped to kick- start the international pressure that would lead to Mandela’s release in 1990. The Specials’ Jerry Dammers was there and was inspired by Jabula’s track ‘Mandela’ to write the huge hit for The Special AKA, ‘Nelson Mandela’.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e‘Spirit Of Malombo’ documents Bahula’s incredible musical journey from 1966 to 1984 for the first time. Package includes rare photos, poster artwork and memorabilia with extensive sleeve notes from author Francis Gooding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased October 20, 2014\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-mce-fragment=\"1\" class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2014, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2CD","offer_id":44423118487874,"sku":"STRUT119CD","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2737919876_10.jpg?v=1677772570"},{"product_id":"various-artists-next-stop-soweto-4-zulu-rock-afro-disco-mbaqanga-1975-1985","title":"Various Artists 'Next Stop Soweto 4: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco \u0026 Mbaqanga 1975-1985'","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP, CD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=654001052\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nextstopsoweto.bandcamp.com\/album\/next-stop-soweto-4-zulu-rock-afro-disco-mbaqanga-1975-1985\"\u003eNext Stop Soweto 4: Zulu Rock, Afro-Disco \u0026amp; Mbaqanga 1975-1985 by Next Stop Soweto\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eStrut continue their acclaimed ’Next Stop Soweto’ series as they return to the rich archives of South African music to spotlight the fertile era of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Tightly controlled by oppressive Apartheid laws, South Africa’s music scene had nevertheless progressed into myriad new directions, embracing funk, soul, rock and disco.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe era marked a crossroads for the country’s black musicians. While domestic stars of mbaqanga like Mahotella Queens had temporarily disbanded during the onslaught of disco, younger artists like T.Y. Boys and Elias Maluleke embraced and progressed the style in new ways, adding punk and disco touches to the familiar bassline swing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor all South African musicians during this time, it was a considerable struggle to operate. Following the Soweto Uprising in ’76, bands would play live shows despite live performance restrictions with freedom of gathering strictly curtailed and curfews imposed. The Radio Bantu group of stations were among the few media outlets for black musicians to get their music heard. For most, music was no way to make a living and many musicians were forced to hold down other jobs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite the harsh conditions, the period documented\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein ’Next Stop Soweto 4’ was a hugely important one for South African music, setting the stage for the ’world music’ explosion of the 1980s when South African artists like the reformed Mahotella Queens, Hugh Masekela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo would find a global crossover audience and Western artists like Malcolm McLaren and Paul Simon with his infamous ’Graceland’ project would embrace the sounds of the townships.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased March 9, 2015\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2015, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423118651714,"sku":"STRUT121LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423118717250,"sku":"STRUT121CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2837438460_10.jpg?v=1677769589"},{"product_id":"pat-thomas-coming-home","title":"Pat Thomas 'Coming Home'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA full career retrospective of the Ghanaian highlife master, covering his late ‘60s big band highlife recordings through to the “burger highlife” movement of the early ‘80s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrowing up with music around him (“my uncle, King Onyina, was an important highlife musician”), Thomas was inspired to become a singer after hearing vocalist Joss Aikins: “He sang with Broadway Dance Band and Decca in Ghana chose him to sing with any group that came into their studios.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a new incarnation of Broadway Dance Band was created in ‘67, led by Ebo Taylor, Thomas received his first big break. “Ebo started to write new songs. I added the lyrics and sang them and it worked well.” The partnership with Taylor would become one of the enduring forces in Ghanaian music during the ‘70s, creating a fresh, progressive new highlife sound. They played with the Blue Monks band before, in 1974, forming Sweet Beans with the backing of Ghana’s Cocoa Marketing Board: “The album, ‘False Lover’, was the first under my own name and my first for Gapophone,” Pat reflects. “Reggae was “on” at that time - Jimmy Cliff was the guy - so I tried reggae fusions and brought in some\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esoul.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album established Thomas across Ghana. Sweet Beans disbanded but the musicians stayed together as Marijata. “The guys initially used Jewel Ackah as their vocalist but they involved me and I re-vocalled the album. This became the ‘Pat Thomas Introduces Marijata’ LP. At that time, I would go to George Prah at Gapophone to ask for money and he would say, ‘if you want me to pay you, go and write a song!’ So, tracks like ‘Coming Home’ came about that way, written on the spot.” A second Marijata album followed before a damaging coup in Ghana in 1979. “Jerry Rawlings’ “house-cleaning” was designed to stop corruption but it seriously damaged our country’s music culture.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThomas left for Berlin and stayed true to his highlife roots, becoming the first Ghanaian to record highlife there. “In Ghana, people ex-pats living in Germany called themselves ‘burgers’, so the scene became ‘burger highlife’.” Thomas travelled to Togo and London, before settling in Canada: “I ended up there for ten years playing for universities, Ghanaian societies and festivals.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"3LP","offer_id":44423118913858,"sku":"STRUT147LP","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"2CD","offer_id":44423118946626,"sku":"STRUT147CD","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3218271010_10.jpg?v=1677247149"},{"product_id":"kondi-band-salone","title":"Kondi Band 'Salone'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA collaboration between Sierra Leonean kondi (thumb piano) player Sorie Kondi and US producer \/ DJ Chief Boima, who himself has Sierra Leonean roots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe project was spawned after Boima happened upon an online video of one of Sorie’s original tracks. “Sorie Kondi is a blind musician with a will to thrive like no person I have met before,” explains Boima. “My work with him began with a YouTube link. I spotted the video for his track ‘Without Money No Family’ and was struck by his beautiful vocals and socially-conscious lyrics. These incredible melodies he was playing on his namesake thumb piano (the kondi) sealed the deal: I immediately decided to remix it.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe resulting bootleg remix started appearing in DJ playlists and led to coverage by The Fader magazine. As a result, Sorie’s manager in Freetown reached out to Boima and, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Sorie travelled to America for the first time for a five date tour. During the trip he and Boima worked on new recordings which will form the nucleus of the debut Kondi Band album ‘Belle Wahalah’ this Autumn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This project forges a direct link between techno born\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein the black cities of the American Mid-West, where I grew up, and roots African music,” Boima continues. “Sorie Kondi may be playing an acoustic folk instrument from Sierra Leone, but he thinks about music as if he were a techno producer. The dance-friendly pulse of his cajon drum, the spiraling melody lines from the thumb piano and his incredible vocals hold it all together.” It’s acoustic dance music that creates a sound as full and dynamic as any club track and, through Boima’s intricate production, the album subtly and skillfully integrates contemporary electronic sounds, keeping the simplicity and space in Sorie’s music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first EP from the project is built around Sorie’s personal and uncompromising lyrics on ‘Belle Wahalah’, a song that uses belly pain as a metaphor for poverty, hunger and lack of financial opportunity. Mixes come from South London-based producer Hagan and the “father of Ancestral Soul”, Boddhi Satva. The release also features another simmering Kondi band original, ‘Yeanoh (Powe Handa Blingabe)’ which translates as ‘what’s up \/ what’s occurring’?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe project is the culmination of several years’ work by Boima producing and promoting original new music for groups such as Afro-Panamanian rap duo Los Rakas and his partnership with DJ Oro11 Banana Clipz, alongside official remixes for Afrikan Boy, Sinkane, and El Guincho among others. As a DJ, he has played worldwide, performing at events including The Red Bull Music Academy New York, The Lincoln Center Outdoors and SXSW. He has also delivered lectures on youth culture and politics at Harvard, the EMP and Yale, started his own culture platform INTL BLK, he runs the Brooklyn-based label and DJ collective Dutty Artz and edits the blog ‘Africa Is A Country’.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423119044930,"sku":"STRUT143LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423119110466,"sku":"STRUT143CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1093031104_10.jpg?v=1677092290"},{"product_id":"various-artists-soul-sok-sega","title":"Various Artists 'Soul Sok Séga'","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP, CD\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=270382152\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/strutindianocean.bandcamp.com\/album\/soul-sok-s-ga\"\u003eSoul Sok Séga by Various Artists\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eSéga is the traditional music of Mauritius (a small island off the coast of Madagascar) and is known as the “blues” of the Indian Ocean. The music was born during the 17th to 19th centuries by African slaves dancing to improvised music incorporating rhythms from their homelands in West Africa, Mozambique, Zanzibar and Madagascar. From these diverse influences sprang a new, insular dance and music, the séga.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThough initially marginalised, by the mid-1960s séga music had become a symbol of national pride and identity for Mauritius. With the advent of electric instruments, the influx of funk, soul and jazz from the West and the growth of LPs, séga went commercial. Dancefloors started grooving to a more soulful, funky séga beat and séga artists popped up across the island with a new generation of charismatic singers becoming national stars including Claudio, Jean-Claude and Coulouce. Séga, sung in Créole, now united all the communities of the island. Mauritians from the European, African, Indian and Chinese communities, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, all danced and enjoyed séga.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing excursions into rare tropical and island sounds with the Sofrito series, and the Haiti Direct and Calypsoul 70\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ealbums, we’re proud to present a collection exploring the incredible séga sounds that emerged from Mauritius during the 1970s, Soul Sok Séga, compiled by DJ duo La Basse Tropicale (Natty Hô and Konsöle), based in the neighbouring island of La Reunion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSoul Sok Sega features extensive sleeve notes from long time Mauritian cultural champion, Percy Yip Tong, including new artist interviews, photos and original vinyl artwork. All formats are unmixed, made up completely of tracks that have never been re-issued internationally.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased February 5, 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2016, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423119077698,"sku":"STRUT139LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423119143234,"sku":"STRUT139CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2577547034_10.jpg?v=1677772354"},{"product_id":"sunburst-ave-africa-the-complete-recordings-1973-1976","title":"Sunburst 'Ave Africa: The Complete Recordings 1973-1976'","description":"\u003cp\u003eFirst ever retrospective of short-lived but brilliant East African Afro-rock collective Sunburst, 1973-1976. Includes music from their one studio album 'Ave Africa', all of their songs released as 45s, and a previously unreleased radio session.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423119241538,"sku":"STRUT128LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"2CD","offer_id":44423119176002,"sku":"STRUT128CD","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a0545418316_10.jpg?v=1677680345"},{"product_id":"mulatu-astatke-mulatu-of-ethiopia","title":"Mulatu Astatke 'Mulatu Of Ethiopia'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA landmark album in the field of African music, recorded in New York in 1972.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album arrived at a time when Astatke had begun to master the delicate fusion of styles needed to create Ethio jazz. “I left the UK for America and studied at Berklee College in Boston. I learnt the technical aspects of jazz and gained a beautiful understanding of many different types of music. That’s where I got my tools. Berklee really shook me up.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJourneying regularly to the Big Apple to play and watch live shows at the Cheetah, the Palladium and the Village Gate, Astatke met producer Gil Snapper on the circuit. “Gil was a nice and very interesting guy. He produced music and worked with all kinds of musicians.” The meeting would lead to a series of albums on Snapper’s Worthy label. The first, ‘Afro Latin Soul’, documented Astatke’s new-found directions. “Mulatu has created a new sound,” enthused Snapper on the album jacket. “He has taken the ancient five-tone scales of Asia and Africa and woven them into something unique and exciting; a mixture of three cultures, Ethiopian, Puerto Rican and American.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe resultant album represented the first fully formed document of Astatke’s trademark Ethio jazz sound. It features ‘Kulunmanqueleshi’, ‘Dewel’, and ‘Kasalefku-Hulu’, tracks that Mulatu would return to regularly on singles and in live shows, the Ethio-Latin workout ‘Chifara’ and the self-titled groover ‘Mulatu’ (“I wanted to make a track for…. myself!”).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"3LP","offer_id":44423119274306,"sku":"STRUT129LPB","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":44423119405378,"sku":"STRUT129LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423119339842,"sku":"STRUT129CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1457850517_10.jpg?v=1677158396"},{"product_id":"orchestre-les-mangelepa-last-band-standing","title":"Orchestre Les Mangelepa 'Last Band Standing'","description":"\u003cp\u003eA new studio album by one of the all-time great African big bands, Orchestre Les Mangelepa. Comprising Congolese musicians who settled in Kenya, Les Mangelepa helped drive the East African evolutionary spur of one of the greatest musical artforms, African rumba, during the 1970s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrior to their formation, in the late 1960s, future members of Les Mangelepa were part of Baba Gaston’s band, L’Orchestre Baba Nationale, based in Lubumbashi in the Eastern Congo. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Congolese Rumba had become the dominant musical force across Africa ad Nairobi became a magnet since PolyGram, EMI and other international companies had studios and pressing plants in the city. In 1973, Baba Gaston’s band recorded in Kenya and relocated there permanently in 1975. Evany (Kabila Kabanze) and Bwamy Malumona were the bandleaders and held a residency at the Aquarius Club in Ngara but within Baba Nationale there was unhappiness about how Baba Gaston was treating them. A breakaway faction recorded 'Mbungu' and 'Kijana' under the name Les Mangelepa as a side project and a split became inevitable. Led by the Evany and Bwamy, the majority of the members of Orchestre Baba Nationale soon quit and formed Orchestre Les\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMangelepa.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDeveloping a regular residency in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park at the Park Inn, Mangelepa began to draw huge crowds. Their early recordings helped them to establish their authority, released on contemporary labels like Jojo and Tobina. Alongside a spectacular horn section they were known for their tight vocals and bittersweet, poetic lyrics and, during the late ‘70s, Mangelepa’s stage shows were an unsurpassed breath-taking circus. They held a wide appeal across a spectrum of Kenyans; Congolese (Lingala) music was hugely popular and Mangelepa’s Swahili lyrics used the genre and brought Kenyans together across ethnic divisions. The popular music of Kenya at that time included Benga from the shores of Lake Victoria and Chakacha from the coast; Les Mangelepa became skilful and adept songwriters, harnessing the energy from these other music styles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe band’s fame spread across East Africa, scoring household hits in Kenya with songs like 'Maindusa' and 'Embakasi'. In the late ‘70s, under George Opiyo’s management, they embarked on lengthy tours of Uganda and Malawi and returned to their long-running Nairobi residency at Garden Square. In 1982 they headed to Zimbabwe via Tanzania and Zambia and, after breaking into two factions, made several acclaimed albums including 'Safari Ya Mangelepa' and 'Madina' for PolyGram.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir popularity began to wane during the mid-‘80s until, in the early 2000s, Tom Kazungu took over their management and began to help breathe new life into the band, recording 'Mangelepa Millennium'. They took up new residencies at Tents Club on Mombasa Road and Simmers, right in the centre of Nairobi. In 2016, Les Mangelepa finally made it out of Africa, touring Europe including the Afrika Festival in Hertme, Netherlands. This new album, recorded by No Nation’s Guy Morley, encapsulates some of their best-loved material, re-recorded and brought up to date using the current personnel of their Nairobi Vibro residency. They represent a wonderful era of African music and justifiably warrant the title ‘Last Band Standing’.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased October 20, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2017, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423120126274,"sku":"STRUT159LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423120159042,"sku":"STRUT159CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1937645430_10.jpg?v=1677161682"},{"product_id":"seun-kuti-egypt-80-black-times","title":"Seun Kuti \u0026 Egypt 80 'Black Times'","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe youngest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti is as incensed by injustice as his father ever was and, with his mighty new album Black Times including features from Carlos Santana and Robert Glasper, he honours the revolutionaries who have gone before and rallies the torch-bearers to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlack Times is the fourth album by Seun and Egypt 80, the extraordinary dance orchestra created by Fela Kuti as a conduit for the common people. Inherited by the 14-year- old Seun in 1997, the younger Kuti has been building to this, his most accomplished and honest album yet. “Black Times is a true reflection of my political and social beliefs,” says the singer, bandleader and musician, 34. “It is an album for anybody who believes in change and understands the duty we have to rise up and come together. The elites always try to divide the working class and the poor people of the world. The same oppression felt by workers in Flint, Michigan is felt by workers in Lagos and Johannesburg.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere, then, are tracks designed to spark conversation and realign priorities. The elegant ‘African Dreams’ insists that commercial success counts for little. Pay no heed to examples set\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby “accepted” African-American celebrities, says Kuti, and marvel instead at the philosophies of such great thinkers as the late Pan-Africanist Doctor Amos Wilson. “The message,” Kuti sings, “is free.” ‘Black Times’, with its rousing male and female harmonies, furious guitar riffs and Kuti’s soaring tenor sax, gives us truth. Lyrics such as “Understand your history \/ rise to be free” shine a forensics-style black light on that which is otherwise hidden, intensified by the axe-work of Carlos Santana. ‘Bad Man Lighter’ is a horn-heavy track calling out duplicity and defending the right to smoke the good weed; the politically charged ‘Corporate Public Control Department (C.P.C.D)’ is a roiling protest anthem directed at Muhammadu Bahari’s Nigerian government and indeed, at deceitful politicians the world over. Co-written with veteran Egypt 80 saxophonist Abedimeji ‘Showboy’ Fagbemi, the frenetic, finger-pointing ‘Kuku Kee Me’ borrows from a Nigerian saying (“When someone is always on your case, you’re like ‘Save yourself the stress and kuku kill me now’”) while ‘Theory Of Goat And Yam’ ridicules a homily invented by former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who justified corruption by likening politicians to goats tempted by yams: “By taking money meant for a hospital or to build roads, they are actually costing human lives.” ‘Last Revolutionary’ featuring Robert Glasper’s keys is a paean to authentic leaders past, present and future, name-checking homegrown African heroes, revolutionaries and freedom fighters like Kwame Nkrumah, Thomas Sankara and Patrice Lumumba. “I say the names of these men who died for us without any promise of resurrection,” says Seun Kuti. “Maybe it will cause a young man or woman to wonder who they are. Maybe they will Google them, then set out on a journey whose destination is unknown.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We are all capable of change, us iron people, us workers. Black Times is the sound of the people, and a weapon of the future. The big picture needs more colour.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423120257346,"sku":"STRUT163LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423120290114,"sku":"STRUT163CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a0753768187_10.jpg?v=1677249481"},{"product_id":"various-artists-ote-maloya","title":"Various Artists 'Ote Maloya'","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP, CD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1468047083\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/strutindianocean.bandcamp.com\/album\/ote-maloya\"\u003eOte Maloya by Various Artists\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eStrut present a brand new compilation documenting the groundbreaking maloya scene on Réunion Island from the mid- ‘70s, as Western instrumentation joined traditional Malagasy, African and Indian acoustic instruments to spark a whole era of new fusions and creativity. Compiled by Réunionese DJ duo La Basse Tropicale, ‘Oté Maloya’ follows up last year’s acclaimed ‘Soul Sok Séga’ release on Strut.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ereleased June 30, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2017, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423120453954,"sku":"STRUT151LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423120552258,"sku":"STRUT151CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1004977861_10.jpg?v=1677771527"},{"product_id":"joe-king-kologbo-the-high-grace-sugar-daddy","title":"Joe King Kologbo \u0026 The High Grace 'Sugar Daddy'","description":"\u003cp\u003e‘Sugar Daddy’, is an experimental highlife \/ disco outing by Nigerian highlife guitarist Joe King Kologbo.\u003cbr\u003eBuilding his career as a composer and player with Eastern Star Dance Band at their residency at the Atlantic Hotel in Aba, Eastern Nigeria, Joe King Kologbo was forced to flee to Ghana when the Biafran War broke out in 1967. As his son Oghene recalls, \u003cem\u003e“when war came, everything just scatter. He lost his house, everything.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoe King played with a variety of bands in Ghana including Real Ruby’s, a jazz highlife big band, before returning to Lagos in 1971. By the time he recorded the ‘Sugar Daddy’ LP for the tiny Electromat label in 1980, he was one of the older musicians on the circuit. Oghene Kologbo remembers, \u003cem\u003e“My Mum used to say, ‘I hope you don’t go and play guitar everywhere and play around, don’t go and be Sugar Daddy!’ All my father’s friends nicknamed him ‘Sugar Daddy’ so he did the song in a fun way. He was a nice man. He never did ‘playboy’.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Since he was based in the East during his early days, he\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e was not as well known nationally as some of the other highlife players of the time,”\u003c\/em\u003e continues Oghene, \u003cem\u003e”so it’s nice that this album is coming out again. It brings back good memories.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoe King Kologbo’s ‘Sugar Daddy’ is released in its original artwork and features new interviews with Oghene Kologbo and Sonny Akpan of The Funkees. The album comes remastered by The Carvery, with vinyl pressed at Pallas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44423120683330,"sku":"STRUT150LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a3234011724_10.jpg?v=1677091047"},{"product_id":"oneness-of-juju-african-rhythms","title":"Oneness of Juju 'African Rhythms'","description":"\u003cp\u003eOneness of Juju’s African Rhythms’ is a classic work of Afro-jazz, drawn from the rich archives of Black Fire Records.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor bandleader James “Plunky” Branch, ‘African Rhythms’ marked a significant return to his home town of Richmond, Virginia after a politically charged five years based on the East and West coasts. His personal journey had taken him from activism at Columbia University to San Francisco where Zulu musician Ndikho Xaba used theatre to “resurrect” Afro-Americans with a new African identity. The first incarnation of Plunky’s band, Juju, drew attention to the struggle in South Africa under apartheid, layering heavy Afro rhythms under uncompromising avant garde jazz.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBack in Richmond, Plunky tapped into the mid-Atlantic preference for Southern R\u0026amp;B and gospel: “Juju had always been blues-based and it was a natural progression to add R\u0026amp;B and dance rhythms. It didn’t change our message.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Jimmy Gray of Black Fire Records, the new sessions included the title track (“We wanted a song to dance to with a message – ‘you are dancing to African rhythms’”), the positive message of ‘Don’t Give Up’ and political commentary on\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e‘Liberation Dues’.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOriginally just a regional hit on the East coast and in Washington DC specifically, the album gradually spread, influencing the nascent DC go-go scene. The UK revived the album during the rare groove era of the late ‘80s and the title track has since become a soul-jazz favourite worldwide.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRemastered from the original sessions and featuring rare photos and extensive liner notes, this new repress also features Part 1 and Part 2 of the original 45 version of ‘African Rhythms’ and the previously unheard ‘Afrobeat’, recently unearthed from the original tapes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423120814402,"sku":"STRUT188LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423120879938,"sku":"STRUT188CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2971757926_10.jpg?v=1685616108"},{"product_id":"miriam-makeba-pata-pata","title":"Miriam Makeba 'Pata Pata'","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut presents an all-time classic of South African music, the definitive remastered edition of Miriam Makeba’s ‘Pata Pata’, her first album recorded for Reprise in 1966.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album marked a significant international breakthrough for Makeba. Moving to the US after the anti-apartheid film ‘Come Back, Africa’ gained international attention and staying there in exile, she quickly built her career in New York during the ‘60s, mentored by Harry Belafonte. Signing with Reprise after a period with RCA, she returned to one of her older hits with the Skylarks: “I wrote ‘Pata Pata’ back in 1956, back in South Africa,” remembered Makeba in her autobiography. “It was a fun little song and I was thinking of a dance that we do at home (“pata” means ‘touch” in Zulu and Xhosa).” Originally a hit in South Africa with her early vocal harmony group the Skylarks, the new recording, produced by Jerry Ragovoy, brought a lighter uptempo R’nB arrangement, adding some English lyrics. “It was my first truly big seller. All of a sudden, people who never knew I had been in America since 1959 were asking me to be on their television shows and play at their concert halls during 1967. In the discotheques, they invented a new dance called the ‘Pata Pata’ where couples dance apart and then reach out and touch each other. I went to Argentina for a concert and, across South America, they are singing my song.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe track peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 12 and the album. Other songs on the album included a version of the traditional Xhosa classic, ‘Click Song Number One’ (‘Qongqothwane’), the atmospheric ‘West Wind’, later famously covered by her friend Nina Simone, and a version of Tilahun Gessesse’s ‘Yetentu Tizaleny’ which Makeba learned on a trip to Addis to perform for Haile Selassie at the Organisation Of African Unity. Mastered by The Carvery from the original reel to reel tapes, ‘Pata Pata’ is released in its mono and stereo versions for the first time. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ereleased August 16, 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2017, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"strutrecords","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423120912706,"sku":"STRUT180LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"2LP B-Stock","offer_id":44423121109314,"sku":"STRUT180LP_DEF","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423120978242,"sku":"STRUT180CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a0988772016_10.jpg?v=1677157448"},{"product_id":"onipa-we-no-be-machine","title":"Onipa - We No Be Machine","description":"\u003cp\u003eONIPA means ‘human’ in Akan, the ancient language of the Ashanti people of Ghana. It’s a message of connection through collaboration: from Ghana to London, our ancestors to our children, Onipa brings energy, groove, electronics, afrofuturism, dance and fire!\u003c\/p\u003e\nBorn out of deep collaboration between long-time friends KOG (Kweku of Ghana of KOG and the Zongo Brigade) and Tom Excell (MD, guitarist and writer of acclaimed jazz\/ soul afrobeat pioneers Nubiyan Twist), the 4 piece live show features KOG on vocals, balafon and percussion, Tom Excell on guitar, percussion and electronics, Dwayne Kilvington (Wonky Logic) on synths and MPC and Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) on drums.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"As we chase the morphic resonance of African art, sound and movement into new worlds, we find stories of the past answering riddles of the future. Tales of existence and resistance, of our innate ability to positively connect, express, share and create. Tales of extending our natural abilities beyond our own survival, to\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethe survival of the planet, reminding us that our ancient connection with the earth must not be traded for technology and materials.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough the musical prisms of London and Ghana our influences join together to create a new sound, 'Savanna Bass’. A fundamental thread of traditional African rhythms, instrumentation and storytelling, interwoven with electronics, urban soundscapes and synth bass. We use technology, but it should never use us, our music is live and about deep human connection.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased March 20, 2020\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2020, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423121404226,"sku":"STRUT217LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423121371458,"sku":"STRUT217CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1311381430_10.jpg?v=1677161203"},{"product_id":"various-artists-nigeria-70-no-wahala-highlife-afro-funk-juju-1973-1987","title":"Various Artists - Nigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk \u0026 Juju 1973-1987","description":"\u003cp\u003e2LP, CD\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe style=\"border: 0; width: 550px; height: 300px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2146236599\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/artwork=none\/transparent=true\/\" seamless\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nigeria70.bandcamp.com\/album\/nigeria-70-no-wahala-highlife-afro-funk-juju-1973-1987\"\u003eNigeria 70: No Wahala: Highlife, Afro-Funk \u0026amp; Juju 1973-1987 by Nigeria 70\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003eNigeria 70: No Wahala returns to a fertile heyday in Nigerian music when established styles like highlife and juju became infused with elements of Western jazz, soul and funk in the ‘70s and early ‘80s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The Nigeria 70 series is the gift that keeps on giving [...] a reliable source for some of the finest music to come out of 1970s and 80s Nigeria\" (Pop Matters)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003ereleased March 29, 2019\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2019, Strut Records - a division of K7 Music GmbH\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423121469762,"sku":"STRUT197LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423121436994,"sku":"STRUT197CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1428734647_10.jpg?v=1677770198"},{"product_id":"pat-thomas-kwashibu-area-band-obiaa","title":"Pat Thomas \u0026 Kwashibu Area Band - Obiaa!","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe modern-day leaders of Ghanaian highlife music are back!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album, produced again by Kwame Yeboah and Ben Abarbanel-Wolff at Lovelite Studio’s analogue HQ in Berlin, is a deep and soulful journey into the heart of Ghana's indigenous highlife music celebrating the timeless and iconic voice of Pat Thomas, the 72 year-old “Golden Voice of Africa”.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter producing Ebo Taylor's seminal albums ‘Love and Death’ and ‘Appia Kwa Bridge’ for Strut Records, in 2014 Ben Abarbanel-Wolff approached Kwame Yeboah, Ghana's top contemporary instrumentalist and bandleader, to work on a new project: “We initially wanted to invite Pat back into the studio with Ebo Taylor and Tony Allen to recreate and expand on some of the vibes they had recorded together during a lost session in 1977,” Ben explains. Recorded in Accra, the result was the critically acclaimed self-titled debut album ‘Pat Thomas \u0026amp; Kwashibu Area Band’ in 2015.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePat and the Kwashibu Area Band (named after Kwame's neighbourhood in Accra) hit the road in October 2015. After a memorable performance at WOMEX in Budapest, they\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003enever looked back. The next two years took them around the world to play at\u003cbr\u003emajor venues and festivals including Glastonbury, Roskilde, WOMAD, Sakifo, WOMADelaide, Sines and many more. “We could see there was something for everyone in our music. People of all ages, colours and trends were dancing together!’ explains Kwame, the mastermind behind the band's unbelievable precision and killer live show.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe new album is called ‘Obiaa!’ which means ‘Everybody!’. Tracks include the modern parables ‘Onfa Nkosi Hwee’ warning against arrogance and ‘Odo Ankasa’ about the value of real love and trust as well as a great new cover of Thomas’ Afro-disco favourite ‘Yamona’. “Playing highlife around the world taught us what we had to do to move our sound forward,” continues Ben. While simultaneously looking back towards the classic days of highlife and forward to a fresh revival of the guitar band sound, this album cements Pat Thomas \u0026amp; Kwashibu Area Band’s position at the pinnacle of modern African music.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423121502530,"sku":"STRUT201LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423121600834,"sku":"STRUT201CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a0285422236_10.jpg?v=1677162896"},{"product_id":"various-artists-alefa-madagascar","title":"Various Artists - Alefa Madagascar","description":"\u003cp\u003eStrut continues its essential compilation series of Indian Ocean sounds with ‘Alefa Madagascar’, the first compilation to document the unique culture of salegy, soukous and soul on the island during the ‘70s and ‘80s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOriginating as far back as the 15 th Century through folkloric ceremonial music and an a cappella chanting style called antsa, salegy emerged as a fast- tempoed local dance style based on 6\/8 and 12\/8 rhythms. By the ‘60s, radio was bringing in new sounds from the Congo, Mozambique, South Africa and Kenya and Jean Francois de Comarmond’s Discomad label championed a new generation of artists breaking the mould with their own new fusions of styles as electric instruments replaced the traditional. The strong call-and- response dialogues, rich vocal choruses and rolling triplet feel in the rhythm sections all boasted a unique Malagasy sensibility and singles started selling tens of thousands of copies, rivalling any foreign music at the time. Local pop was sometimes referred to as tapany maintso (half-green) a reference to the stickers on singles from the other key label in Madagascar, Kaïamba, many of them produced by Charles Maurin Poty whose work was crucial in shaping the emerging genre.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e‘Alefa Madagascar’ showcases the rich variety of\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esounds during this heyday of Malagasy music: Roger Georges’ ‘Mama’ and Jean Kely et Basth’s ‘Andosy Mora’ bring the raw energy of salegy, influential band Los Matadores drop military drums and Hammond soul in the classic ‘Andeha Hanarato’; Mahaleo’s ‘Izahay Mpamita’ showcases the band’s powerful folk sound, a crucial voice emerging from the Rotaka farmer and student protests of 1972, while Terak’Anosy Group work around a stomping Congolese guitar groove. The era paved the way for many of the household names of Malagasy music today including Jaojoby, D’Gary and Lego.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMastered by The Carvery and featuring cover artwork by top illustrator Lewis Heriz, ‘Alefa Madagascar’ is released on 16th August 2019 and is compiled by Réunionese DJs La Basse Tropicale and Percy Yip Tong (Mauritius). Physical formats feature sleeve notes by influential producer Charles Maurin Poty and Banning Eyre of Afropop Worldwide.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"2LP","offer_id":44423121535298,"sku":"STRUT207LP","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423121568066,"sku":"STRUT207CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2850692650_10.jpg?v=1677685314"},{"product_id":"sir-shina-peters-his-international-stars-sewele","title":"Sir Shina Peters \u0026 His International Stars - Sewele","description":"\u003cp\u003eA new reissue of a great (and now very rare) original album from the early career of Nigerian juju star Shina Peters, ‘Sewele’ from 1986.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“‘Sewele’ represented a time of transition in my music career,” explains Peters. “I had branched out to start as a solo artist after spells with Ebenezer Obey, Prince Adekunle and Segun Adewale and I was trying to find my own voice and to play juju in a more progressive direction. This was an important time for me. Three years later, I had honed that sound into Afro-Juju, and my ‘Ace: Afro Juju Series 1’ album broke me as an artist.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn ‘Sewele’, Peters explores different themes on four extended juju workouts, showcasing his incredible guitar work and his sense of fun as the odd Bob Marley and Abba riff pops up in the grooves. The title track means ‘shower of blessings’: “it’s like a prayer for my fans throughout Nigeria and the diaspora.” The funky Afrobeat of ‘Yabis’ is about being proud to be African and not to follow American ways and ‘Agbe’ere De’ states proudly that Peters is coming again with something different: “I always wanted to get the message across to my fans that I was keeping things fresh and creating melodies and music that people would enjoy.” The final track, ‘Late\u003cspan class=\"bcTruncateMore\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAboderin’, is a moving tribute to Peters’ mentor, the late Chief Aboderin: “He helped me in many ways including legal aid in a court case against a record label. He also bought a van to carry the band to concerts.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThis new reissue features all original artwork and a new sleeve note by Sir Shina Peters telling the story of the album and his wider career. The album audio has been restored by See Why Audio and remastered by The Carvery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-about\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tralbumData tralbum-credits\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44423121666370,"sku":"STRUT202LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":44423121633602,"sku":"STRUT202CD","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a2740848779_10.jpg?v=1677597750"},{"product_id":"ofege-try-and-love","title":"Ofege - Try And Love","description":"A fresh reissue of the classic debut album Try And Love from one of Nigeria’s most celebrated Afro-rock bands, Ofege.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormed by guitarist Melvin Ukachi and bassist Paul Alade while young students at St Gregory’s school in Lagos, Ofege first found their feet borrowing instruments and supporting school band The Groove Makers. Discovering drummer M-ike Meme by chance at a school dance and adding Dapo Olumide on keys and Felix Inneh on\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003erhythm guitar, they met EMI’s resident producer \/ A\u0026amp;amp;R man, Odion Iruoje who promptly auditioned them. Sneaking them out of school to record their first sessions (Ofege literally means “breaking bounds”), Iruoje honed the band into a tighter unit and their debut album Try And Love was recorded at EMI’s Studios in 1972. “Odion was like a Sergeant Major, explains Ukachi. “He drilled us for the whole day until we became tight.”\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe album caught the imagination of a young Nigerian crowd fascinated by the new teen band and Ofege joined a fresh wave of homegrown artists coming through in the wake of Fela’s towering influence and other Afro-rock bands like Monomono, Ofo The Black Company and Blo (Blo’s Berkley Jones contributed wild guitar solos to this album and continued working with the band). Try And Love mixed driving Afro-funk and rock tracks like the instrumental ‘Gbe Mi Lo’ and ‘Whizzy Llabo’ about a fellow student with hair like a wizard. Ukachi also contributed ballads including the title track and ‘It’s Not Easy’, most recently featured in TV series What We Do In The Shadows.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOfege’s Try And Love is remastered by The Carvery and features an exclusive new interview with bandleader Melvin Ukachi. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e","brand":"Strut Records","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":44568430346562,"sku":"STRUT307LP","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/6939\/2706\/products\/a1195023461_10.jpg?v=1676977908"}],"url":"https:\/\/strut-records.co.uk\/collections\/africa.oembed?page=2","provider":"strutrecords","version":"1.0","type":"link"}