Following the acclaimed reissue of Sa Discossa earlier this year, Jo Tongo’s third solo album Those Flowers returns to the spotlight.
Originally released just a year and a half after Sa Discossa, this 1982 gem came out on the small Context label and, in Tongo’s own words, the two records are “like twins.” Recorded with many of the same musicians, Those Flowers continues the vibrant fusion of disco-funk and reggae — this time dedicating one side to each, leaning slightly more into his Western influences.
But there’s more than groove beneath the surface. Tracks like “People Need Peace” and “We Human Beings” channel his enduring themes of resistance, identity, and freedom. The synthesizer at the beginning of the song mimics the ominous drone of warplanes, and lyrics speak directly to global struggles — reminders that his music is both deeply personal and powerfully political. “I paid for these ideals in my career,” Tongo reflects, alluding to the personal costs of his outspoken stance against colonialism and injustice.
Still, Those Flowers carries joy at its heart. Songs like “Ain’t No Man Like A Real Friend” celebrate trust and loyalty, while the title track offers a tender ode to love and kindness — “picking flowers from the soul,” as Tongo puts it. These songs reveal the inner world of a man who has always viewed music as a mirror of life.
This reissue marks the second installment in the African Edge series from The Outer Edge label. Fully restored and remastered, Those Flowers is now set to bloom again — another vital chapter in the legacy of Jo Tongo.
credits
released November 28, 2025
JO TONGO: Composer, arranger and conductor
Lead vocal, lead and rhythm guitars, bass guitar (track 3)
Vicky EDIMO: Bass guitar (except track 3)
Denis HEKIMIAN: Drums
Jean-Claude NAIMRO: Fender RHODES and CLAVINET D6 (only on track 3)
Adrien DUPLAY: Fender RHODES (except track 3)
Sammy ATEBA: Percussion
Isabella VAN GINNEKEN: Violin
Marie-Aude ROUX: Viola
Véronique TONGO VAN GINNEKEN: Cello
Langenu PARSONS: Trumpet
Tony BRENES: Trumpet
Mam HOUARI: Tenox sax
Sulayman HAKIM: Alto sax (only on chorus)
Véronique TONGO, Catherine HEGU, Céline CHENUT, Marie B. KINGUE
and Sylviane "EVA" BLOUIN: Background vocal
Originally produced by UNIVERSOUND
Guenter STOEPPEL: Reissue Production, Additonal Restoration and Sound Supervision
Transfer and Restoration by Tom SKY at Faible Studio
linktr.ee/theouteredgeofficial
The Outer Edge is an independent record label from Berlin, Germany. Focused on rare and lost recordings, unissued songs from master tapes or music that never received the attention it deserved.
From driving hard rock and brassed-out funk to psychedelic soul and old-fashioned R&B, this stellar Long Beach six-piece does it all. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 31, 2025
