Eba Aka Jerome & Sanwi Star - Trahison vol. 1 (Soukous form Ivory Coast, 1978)

(PAPA-DISCO 001).

A great soukous track from Ivory Coast, with interesting lyrics dealing with cheating in a couple (trahison = betrayal). Long track but with incredible guitar break (from 9th minute), those particularly apreciated by colombian picoteros (I found in a colombian uncredited bootleg these 3 minutes "repique" guitar part, which is actually the only part of the track they play on sound systems).

Lemed Janvier et l'Orchestre African Allstar (Soukous from Benin, 1981-82)

(Oueme LJ001).

Lemed Janvier took part of recordings with Orchestre Poly Rythmo, Les Volcans du Benin and Tabu Ley from Congo.
Being form Benin but having lived in Kinshasa, he can also sing in lingala like a congolese  musician (and generally alternating some french or english parts). This late album was released in Benin and contains infectious soukous ryhtmic guitars (Señores Picoteros, pienso que le va a gustar). Global sound remains more in the 70s with African Allstar band, and includes also few suprisingly funky short breaks.

First tracks deals with a topic often adressed: the fact that the slanders and rumors do not affect the musicians.

The Natural Seven International - Free Advice (Nigeria, 1977)

(Hasbunalau records HRCL36).

This LP from Nigeria is realized by The Natural 7 International but the label credits The Sea Birds International. Anyway, Eddy Dada delivers an hybrid soukous sung in pidgin english and the following track with reggae-dub flavor.

Lukoki Diatho and Joe Mpoyi - Vava (Congolese singers in the 80s)

(Maikano MAILP1031).

Following years of success with Franco's TP OK Jazz, singer Lukoki Diatho ran several projects with his colleague Joe Mpoyi Kaninda in the mid 80's (Orchestre Canons du Zaire, Tiers Monde Cooperation). This album "100-1" is one of them, although name of the band is not mentioned.
Title track denounces liars and cheaters, surnamed "100-1". Competition between bands, betrayal and honesty have been recurrent themes in congolese soukous, same as love and woman relations which is the topic of "Vava" track presented here.

Ange Ebogo Emerent (Ozima rhythm from Cameroon, 1976)

(Africana Star AFRI005).

Singer from Cameroon, Ange Ebogo Emerent recorded his first 7inch in 1974 with Orchestre Essian on Sonodisc.

MIX /// Tropical Roundtrip Selection (from Colombia to Africa)

(Muzzicaltrips TRT019).

A real tropical roundrip, beginning in colombia with classy 60s cumbia, guiro y guaracha, merecumbe, maracumba, currulao, afrocolombian...
A selection warmly advised to people still convinced that all latin music is more or less salsa... Actually we begin with few examples of the countless styles having emerged in Colombian regions, as merecumbe, being a blend of merengue+cumbia initially popularized in the 50s by Pacho Galan, and here played by Lucho Bermudez.

Marc Nkodo David - Marco Star African Xyl (Cameroon, 80s)

(Marc 001).

This album has been recorded at Radio Cameroun studio, probably in 1983. Marc Nkodo David plays the solo guitar, name of the band being Marco-Star. The recording is not perfect but the music is very interesting rhythmically. During one song he explains that the rhythm they're playing is  called "angazuma" (engagement?). Any additional info is welcome.

Empire Bakuba - Mombembe (Early Soukous from Zaire, 1976)

(Sonafric SAF 1810).

Nice soukous track from Empire Bakuba. This band takes his name from a pre-colonial african state, and was created in 1972 by singer Pepe Kalle (+1998), after playing with African Jazz, Bella Bella and Lipua Lipua from the 60s.

Pico Culture #02 - MIX /// Terapia Africana Mix (A selection of pico african hits)

From the 70s, while the soundsystem culture was developing, more and more african records arrived on the colombian coast due to increasing commercial exchanges between international harbors.

Some african songs became hits, african styles being surnamed: nova for highlife tracks, rastrillo for kenyan tracks... It was such a big success for the youth of Cartagena and Baranquilla that even each popular song received his own surname. Also several tracks have been bootlegged in terapia/champeta  compilations (which leads to find improbable records including a pure benga followed by an awful 80s techno), and not always credited the original artist/title, but just the local surname known by everybody.

MIX /// Muzzicaltrips In Congo (45rpm selection from 1966-74)

A travel around really beautiful rumbas and early soukous, played by orchestras during early years of Congo under Mobutu Sese Seko. Great voices, crazy guitars, sweet horns, in various congolese styles. Selection is based on 45s from Fiesta, African and Pathe labels, which are not extremely rare to bump into in africa as generally not the styles hardly sought after by vinyl diggers, in parallel to be a bit lost in the huge congolese production.

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Debrouiller n'est pas voler (Soukous from Benin, 70s)

(Albarika Store ALS 058).

A very nice album from Orchestre Poly Rythmo, typical african dancefloor hit... Nice words full of humor and common sense: "trop parler c'est maladie / to speak to much is a sickness", "debrouiller n'est pas voler / to arrange does not mean to steal"...

Cooperative un point un trait - Kiamukoko (Early 80s Soukous in Paris)

(SAVAS-IGUANE SA 300039).

A Muzzicaltrips favorite. To have an idea of the mood of this bloody song, "Quelle ambiance!" repeated many times in the song means "what a great atmosphere"...