Dikongue-Pipa - Muna Moto (1975)

A small budget movie imposes to be creative, and few dialogues can reinforce power of images (and sound). Cameroonese director (and theater author) Jean-Pierre Dikongue-Pipa made a master piece with Muna-Moto (The Child of Another), and his direction choices reflects contents of the movie:  traditional  organization oppression vs personal emancipation, power of money accentuating injustice in a traditional evolving society,  are treated in a revolting way. Flashbacks structure and long scenes without dialogues reminds news ways of directing a movie in the 70s. A deep recommended travel into african 70s, but also a deep and universal drama.

Nelle Eyoum is suppose to be the musician who first introduced in the late 50s the term "kossa kossa", which led to surnamed this new major style in Cameroon : Makossa. He played in  Los Calvinos (with Francois Misse-Ngo) and appears here on the Muna-muto's soundtrack whith his band the Negro-Styl from Douala.

(Magie Noire MFA 0001).

Nelle Eyoum and Negro-Styl - Le Rendez Vous de l'Ete:


Dikongue-Pipa Filmography:
La Foire aux livres à Hararé (1984)
Histoires drôles et drôles de gens (1983)
Music and Music: Super Concert (1981)
Kpa Kum (1980)
Le Prix de la liberté (1978)
Muna Moto (1975)
Rendez-vous moi mon père (1966)
Les Cornes (1966)
Un simple (1965)

Pedro Lazo y sus Pelayeros - Fandango (and Porro)

(Fuentes LP 0011).

This early LP recorded by Pedro Laza for Fuentes label consists of 2 kind of styles widely played in Colombia: Fandango and Porro. 

Fandango is originally an old spanish ternary rhythm, but being brought early to Colombia, it integrated local influences, african drums, brass bands (bandas papayeras), to become a successful style for record industry in the 50s.

The band "Los Pelayeros" points out the regional origin of the music, San Pelayo, which corresponds to the Sinuense musical sub-zone, land of Porro. Porro also emerged from traditionnal styles being played with new instruments (clarinet introduction) and became one of the major Costeño style along with Cumbia, Gaita and Vallenato.

Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros - El Arranque (fandango)

Pedro Laza y sus Pelayeros - El Cebu (porro):

Lord Cobra and Pan-afro Sounds (1979)

(Carnaval 363609).

Calypso is an early swaying tropical style from Trinidad but many productions can be found around the Caribbean: Lord Cobra is a major calypso figures from Colon, multicultural harbor in Panama. In the late 60s he even made a song announcing the political party of Calypso! Ten years later he still delivers fresh and funny sounds...

Lord Cobra - German:

Empire Bakuba - Mombembe (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.

Empire Bakuba - Mombembe:

Luis Morais em La Bonanza - La Murga Panamero

(Morabeza Records 6810 254).

Cabo Verde being on the road between Africa and the Caribbean, latin covers regularly appear. This Luis Morais LP includes a murga (credited to W. Calon and H. Lavon!), a cumbia (Lisandro Meza) and some other tropical rhythms.

La Bonanza was the name of the club in Rotterdam where Luis Morais' previous band (Voz de Cabo Verde) used to play during the late 60s.

Luis Morais e o seu Conjunto - La murga panamero:

Ornette Coleman - Midnight sunrise (1977)

(Horizon 722).

This one is for ears looking for free expriments. From his 1959 "Free Jazz" LP, which open great perspectives in US jazz during the 60s, Ornette Coleman did not stop to innovate.  As many free jazz musicians, looking for african roots could take part in the approach. So Dancing In Your Head LP includes an interesting experiment with musicians from Morocco, the Master Musicians of Joujouka, recorded between 1973 and 1975. Being a sufi brotherhood, music from Joujouka aims to reach a trance (a kind of mystic musico-therapy also present in  Gnaoua culture) and naturally allows jazzy experiments. And I guess it's not just by chance that the cover artwork represents 2 faces of the same head.

Ornette Coleman - Midnight Sunrise:

Liner Notes by Ornette Coleman:

Climaco Sarmiento - Bombo y Maracas

(Fuentes LP0061).

This heavy record is the second Cimaco Sarmiento released for Fuentes. It includes cumbia, gaita, porro, plena and also palenque, as is tagged the "Bombo y Maracas" hit. Hanging around in Baranquilla bars can reveal great record collections, and even in some small places, attention is paid to play the music with original vinyls...

Climaco Sarmiento - Bombo y Maracas:

Baranquilla 2011.

Caribbean Rhythms from San Andres (1957)

(Folkways FW 8811).

San Andres is a caribbean island with english west indies influence. This is noticeable musically, but this island having being part of nicaraguan and now colombian territory, it also integrates latin culture and spanish language.

So these Folkways recordings realised in 1957 are composed of various caribbean rhythms as calypso (sung both in english and spanish), and guaracha, pasillo for the colombian influence. The guitar play is amazingly roots and groovy which makes it perfect fresh music for the coming spring...

Aguinaldo Hooker - Stickman (calypso):


Sandino Ellis - Al Oscuro (kind of guaracha):

The Natural Seven International - Free Advice (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.

The Sea Birds International - Free advice:

Los Doggers de Colombia - Saca tu Pareja

(Benny LP001).

As I received several questions about a track selected for the Muzzicaltrips en Colombia mix, i post here another catchy track from Los Doggers.

It begins like a colombian stylish mambo, with slight nuances from "Oye como va", and where singer Benny Primera invites men to take their woman out and dance his rhythm ("saca tu pareja..."). But then turns into a totally jazzy instrumental, including walking bass and a sax final.

Los Doggers - Saca tu paraja: