Jo Bisso was born and raised in Yaoundé, the political capital
Cameroon. He grew up being a fan of American soul music such as Otis
Reading and Wilson picket. In 1971 he left Cameroun to pursue his
musical career. Beginning an 8 year stint of Paris to New York jet trips
the young ambitious man forged his musical career on his own terms;
Staring off with the minor hit “Flying To The Land Of Soul” which he
signed to Decca and moving on to produce, finance, write and create
several albums released under his own name and other artsits such as
Sookie and Venise.
In 1975 Jo created his genre blended debut
album “Jo Tongo” on the Paris based Disques Esperance label. Sung in
English and his native language it was way ahead of its time for the
day, blending Jazz, Funk, Soul, afro rhythms and the sounds that were at
the time being come to be known as Disco. The album was produced by Jo
who plays a wide variety of the instruements and contributes his
baritone “Barry White” tinged spoken vocals about life and love.
The
album opens up with the title track “Dance To It”, A slice of groovy
lounge-funk. Part 1 is all about the driving catchy groove which is
layered with a downtown funk saxophone lead line. Part 2 brings in Jo’s
spoken vocals in his native language and English, setting the tone of
the album to come. “Disco Madonna” introduces a Latin flavour with
Spanish vocals, a rumba groove and darting percussion. “Ramaya” melds a
playful, summery, euro melody with Jo’s throaty, fun-loving vocals and a
nascent use of synthesizers.
“Lets Keep It Together” is a song in
two parts. The first half builds the groove over washy guitar, and
chords before breaking into a solid soul riff with bass, Rhodes and
guitar. Over this Jo layers the catchy, soulful vocals, summer-breeze
guitars and jazzy keys. A real treat. Flip over to the Vinyl B side for
what is probably the albums most “getting down” moment. The driving funk
of “Give It Up”. Stabby brass, whirling organ and tight bass which is
all wrapped up in a one tight arrangement. Add in doses of Jo’s sulty
vocal and that is a recipe for a real winner.
“Don’t Fight The
Feeling” again furthers into real deep funk territory. Jo opening up
with a sermon on “love and sex”. The album closes with the swinging soul
of the pensive Jo and his thoughts on life, “Odwa”. What is going down?
The
Give It Up track was a highlight of the recent Africa Seven debut
release “African Airways Volume 1: (Funk Connection 1972-1979). To
Follow that up Africa Seven are proud to repress the debut Jo Bisso
album in its full glory.
Before returning to the US in 1981 he recorded two ska records in France
but he used the moniker Carl Collins. The Gangsters featuring Carl
Collins - "Who's That Man?" b/w "The Game" and "Money in the Ghetto" b/w
"The Star" both released in 1980.
From
1981 to 1989 his lived in Cote D’Ivoire. He now lives in Paris and
although he sometimes “finds it hard to listen to his albums”, he does
thinks it great that people love his music and his debut album is
getting a re-release all these years later.
A - Money in the Ghetto
B - The Star
The other single was previously posted on Tone and Wave
HERE but I included it in this download.
DOWNLOAD
[This wall of text was respectfully plagiarized from
THIS Soundcloud page on Jo Bisso.]