The sun restores the soul

Summer-time arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning whilst I was enjoying the tropical tunes at the Soundway Records' Colombia LP launch party. An update tonight with lots of odds and ends:
* If you plan to drop my DJ set at Mash It Up on 12 May then remember to book your by clicking on the picture on the right hand side.
* I've swopped out the podomatic player with the new listening widget from box...much cleaner and it means I can add more tracks quicker. The podcasts will continue by iTunes subscription or through visiting the mastuli podomatic page
* Listener and soon to be African Serenades contributor John Beadle has picked up a repeat track on Tim's Kenyan Singles set. So to correct this here are the correct Part One and Part Two of the track Mokili by Orchestra Mos Mos.
* The African Serenades series is set to end with Vol. 50. A new moniker is required - suggestions to me by mail: matsulimusic AT gmail.com. Winning entrant will received a DVD of the African Serenades series and a few other bits and pieces from the matsuli library.

On rotation at matsuli headquarters, and in no particular order:

Bokoor Beats - Vintage Afrobeat, Afrorock and Electric Highlight from Ghana
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Colombia - Soundway compilation
Timbaland Presents Shock Value
A Tribute to Joni Mitchell
Shannon Wright - Let In the Light
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall
African Serenades Kenyan Singles I&II
What's Happening In Pernambuco - New Sounds Of The Brazilian Northeast
Tinariwen - Water is Life
Bob Marley Live at Rufaro Stadium 1980
Kashmere Stage Band - Texas Thunder Soul

Upcoming and on the radar:

Si Para Usted - Funky Beats from Revolutionary Cuba (Waxing Deep)
King Sunny Ade - Gems from the Classic Years (Shanachie)
Matata - Independence
Fania DJ Series - Gilles Peterson (Fania)
Nigeria Special: Highlife, Afro Funk and Nigerian Sounds 1970-76 (Soundway)
Moussa Doumbia Keleya - Raw Malian Funk from the 70s
Djelimadu Tounkara and Super Rail Band - Allo Bamako: Malian Dance Music of the 70s

May the sun restore your soul. Peace

Details and dancing in "64"

The Kenyan town of Eldoret has the unique boast that it was founded by Afrikaaners - white farmers who did not stop their journey from the British controlled Cape Colony until reaching close to Lake Victoria. The town was originally known as 64, because it was established at the 64th mile post on the wagon route from Londiani.

Tim, who has lovingly compiled the next set of African Serenades, explains: "I taught near Eldoret for two years in the early 1980s, fell in love with the music and then found that my Zigzag-reading, album-sleeve-obsessive completist's mindset was completely turned upside down because, of course, none of the friends I made - and who guided me towards the records I have sent you - cared about who was responsible for that amazing guitar solo or impassioned vocal on individual songs. All they were concerned about was "Can you dance to it?" Which isn't a bad take on things when it comes
down to it."

So without further ado here are two killer sets of Congolese inspired Kenyan singles.


01. Tshiku Pt 1 - Orchestra Les Noirs
02. Tshiku Pt 2 - Orchestra Les Noirs
03. Pamela Pt 1 - Orchestra Les Wanyika
04. Pamela Pt 2 - Orchestra Les Wanyika
05. Virunga Pt 1 - Orchestra Virunga
06. Virunga Pt 2 - Orchestra Virunga
07. Na Bimaka Pt 1 - Orchestra Super Mazembe
08. Na Bimaka Pt 2 - Orchestra Super Mazembe
09. Koleta Pt 1 - Orchestra Super Volcano
10. Koleta Pt 2 - Orchestra Super Volcano
11. Fifi Pt 1 - Orchestra Shika Shika
12. Fifi Pt 2 - Orchestra Shika Shika
13. Joka Pt 1 - Mwenge Jazz Band
14. Joka Pt 2 - Mwenge Jazz Band
15. Akamba Pt 1 - Orchestra Viva Makele
16. Akamba Pt 2 - Orchestra Viva Makele
DOWNLOAD


01. Yo-Mabe Pt 1 - Orchestra Super Mazembe
02. Yo-Mabe Pt 2 - Orchestra Super Mazembe
03. Amua Pt 1 - Orchestra Les Mangelepa
04. Amua Pt 2 - Orchestra Les Mangelepa
05. Kajituliza Pt 1 - Orchestra Les Wanyika
06. Kajituliza Pt 2 - Orchestra Les Wanyika
07. Ole Ole Pt 1 - Orchestra Les Mangelepa
08. Ole Ole Pt 2 - Orchestra Les Mangelepa
09. Paulina Wanje Pt 1 - Butere Sharpshooters
10. Paulina Wanje Pt 2 - Butere Sharpshooters
11. Celibataire Pt 1 - Orchestra Baba National
12. Celibataire Pt 2 - Orchestra Baba National
13. Shika Shika Pt 1 - Orchestra Shika Shika
14. Shika Shika Pt 2 - Orchestra Shika Shika
15. Mokili Pt 1 - Orchestra Mos Mos
16. Mokili Pt 2 - Orchestra Mos Mos
DOWNLOAD

Update from Tim (Sat 24 March):
"I was also a long way out in the sticks at Lelmokwo, a village with no electricity and one shop. The nearest bar, at Mutwot, entailed a five-mile walk each way and we rarely made it into Eldoret. When we did, the town's one nightclub, the Olympic, owned by Kipchoge Keino, favoured Western music, which inevitably meant Boney M, Abba and Motown. The one record stall was by the bus station and sold cigarettes and sweets as well as a few records.

"I saw a couple of bands while I was there, but both were strange occasions. Super Mazembe played at the Eldoret Agricultural Show, erecting a bamboo fence around the area where they were to play - no stage, just an awning - and charging 10KSh entrance. Since it was daytime, there was very little atmosphere and the impression was of a band just jamming and jamming, with a heavy rotation of players. Soe one who play drums for half an hour or so and then just get up wander off and someone else would take over.

"The other band I saw was the Maroon Commandos, who were much tighter and slicker and put on a show. Unfortunately, it was at a local army base, so the audience consisted of about 500 soldiers, a truckload of women, who had been rather reluctantly bused in from local bars, and me."

From the Soul

Thanks to the heads up for this video link from Oliver Wang over at Soul Sides . Can't believe it was almost 20 years ago that De La Soul broke onto the scene. Check the shout outs from KRS 1, Big Daddy Kane, Run DMC, DJ Red Alert and others....

Bare feet dancing in the sand!

For a while I was getting worried that the Miles Cleret's Soundway label would be going the same was as Strut/Afrostrut after being burnt with their ambitious Mulatu retrospective.. Previously responsible for unearthing some great Afrofunk originals they are now back with a second latin Long Player and limited issue 7" focusing on Columbia and the output of Disco Fuentes. This takes me back to the eighties when Mango were licensing material from Disco Fuentes and when World Circuit put out a killer Joe Arroyo compilation called Rebellion. Head over to the Soundway site for some samples and download the exclusive Matsuli MP3 below.

Colombia! The golden age of Discos Fuentes, the Powerhouse of Colombian music
1. Fruko Y Sus Tesos-Salsa Na Ma
2. Lito Barrientos Y Su Orquesta-Cumbia En Do Menor-2:46e
3. Michi Sarmiento Y Sus Bravos-Hong Kong
4. Sonora Cieneguera-La Piojosa
5. Fruko Y Sus Tesos-Improvisando
6. The Latin Brothers-Patrona De Los Reclusos (CD ONLY)
7. Wganda Kenya-Tifit Hayed
8. Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros-Fandango En Percusion
9. Orquesta Nunez-La Samaria
10. Los Corraleros de Majagual-El Mondongo
11. Fruko Y Sus Tesos-A La Memoria Del Muerto
12. Michi Sarmiento Y Sus Bravos-La Primavera (CD ONLY)
13. Wganda Kenya-Elyoyo (CD ONLY)
14 Lucho Bermudez-Gaita De Los Flores
15. El Sexteto Miramar-Cumbiamba
16. Michi Sarmiento Y Sus Bravos-Mirame San Miguel
17 Pedro Laza Y Sus Pelayeros-La Picua (CD ONLY)
18. Climaco Sarmiento Y Su Orquesta-La Pata Y El Pato
19. The Latin Brothers-Las Calenas Son Como Los Flores
20. Afrosound-Pacifico

As a Matsuli exclusive here's the track Susan (DOWNLOAD) from the Wganda Kenya LP Cartagena Caribe. "Wganda Kenya is a Disco Fuentes studio band that was put together a while back to record non-latin tropical hit songs from places like West Africa, Curaçao and Martinique. This kind of music is very popular with the ‘champeta sound systems’: pretty similar set-ups to the reggae sound systems that you see at places like Notting Hill Carnival. ‘Champeta’ is supposed to sound like the noise that bare feet make when they’re dancing in sand!" (John Armstrong from the UnionSqare website)

African Serenades Again! (41+42)

One step forward and two steps back. Playing catch up here with a simultaneous posting of the African Serenades Volumes 41 and 42 compiled by comic store supremo Ekki. (And Vol 44/45 by the end of the week!)


Instrumental Special
01. Mandiani - Cissoko
02. The Quest - Afro Cult Foundation
03. Ceddo End Title - Manu Dibango
04. Nyusamkhaya - Gwigwi Mrwebi
05. Yekermo Sew (A Man of Experience and Wisdom) - Mulatu Astatke
06. Kadia Blues - Orchestre De La Paillotte
07. Egyptian Bint Al Cha Cha - Ginger Folorunso Johnson
08. Lonely Days - Zacks Nkosi
09. Heaven (Edit) - Ebo Taylor
10. Afro-Love - The Lafayette Afro Rock Band
11. Kata Kata - Manu Dibango
12. Grazing in the Grass - Hugh Masekela
13. Midnight Ska - Reggie Msomi's Hollywood Jazz Band
14. Hellfire - African Jazz Pioneers
15. Dubaduba - West Nkosi
16. Afro Disco Beat - Tony Allen and Africa 70
17. Qongqothwane (The Cockroach Click Song) - Amampondo

Download link (ZIP FILE - UPDATED)


01. Ake (Yoruba Work Chant ) - Unknown
02. Emvenyane - Harmony Baca Gumboot Dancers
03. Babalasi - Irene Buyiswa Ndumo & The Jury Mpelho Band
04. Mbube - Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds
05. Thula Thula - Five Roses
06. Umtsahakasi - Slo Foot King Brothers
07. Chaka - Manhattan Brothers
08. Nthambeleni - Tshigwada Tsha Toronto
09. Ndi Vlubva - Colbert Mukwevho
10. Ngiyalila - Koernag Namadlanga
11. Umfaan - Ricardo Bornman
12. Zulu Boy Kwela - Toko Tomo and The Bachelors
13. Bayeza - Soul Brothers
14. Bullets for Bafazane - Juluka
15. Jita Bug - West Nkosi
16. Yaka Mama - Lucie Eyenga
17. Love's a Real Thing - Super Eagles
18. Psychedelic Woman - Honny and the Bees Band
19. A.I.E. (A'Mwana) - Black Blood
20. Allah Wakbarr - Ben Ofoedu, Ofo & The Black Company
21. Zombie - Ephraim Uzomechina Nzeka
22. Ifa - Tunji Oyelana & The Blenders
23. Do You Remember Malcolm - Miriam & Mbongi Makeba
24. Cousin Mosquito #1 - Congresswoman Malinda Jackson Parker

Download link (ZIP FILE)

Tom Waits Live

Step right up. Since no-one can realistically get tickets to Tom Waits these days I've uploaded a show from the 2006 Orphans tour that took place on August 13 in Akron. You can listen via the right hand sidebar or via download HERE (MP4/AAC FILE

367 (days) is my number

Time flies when you're having fun! Matsuli celebrates 12 months of existence and I would like to say thank you. Well over 80 000 page views and just under 40 000 visitors have looked at the 98 posts over 12 months.

The map above shows a sample distribution of where everyone is from.

On the agenda for the next month is another rare Manu Dibango LP, an extended version of the Michael Smith Mi Cyaan Beleive It LP and some early electric jive from South Africa. Also plenty more from the African Serenades crew.

And if you're in London I'll be spinning some Afro Funk and Rumba tunes at Mash It Up on May 12. Check here for more details.