Orchestre Viva la Musica - Oiseau Bleu

This is a very special Koffi Olomide composition from 1979. The single was often played before I've bought her in 1980 over in Goma. Maybe there was a CD re-issue (there is something on You Tube ...) with this track - I couldn't find it. But here is the original on Veve. Enjoy!

Johnny Bokelo - Catherine (African 90.343)

"Dewayon himself had a group called Watam, where a twelve year old Franco as well as Bokelo started to play guitar in 1950. After playing in his brother's follow up bands, Conga Jazz and Orchèstre Cobantu, Johnny Bokelo formed in 1958 his own group, Orchestre Conga Succès which was joined by Dewayon in 1960. "Their songs followed the usual themes of love and death, but stood out musically as harder-edged, at times raucious." The brothers split "amicable" in 1962. "Bokelo continued to lead the musicians of Conga Succès, but with a self-restraint that smoothed out the sound and brought it even closer to Franco's. Bokelo's series of recordings entitled 'Mwambe' (No. 1, No. 2, etc.) voiced his concern with the direction society was taking." The musical styles of Bokelo, Dewayon and Franco remained close. "Many of Bokelo's own compositions sounded uncannily like Franco's, and he often continued the themes or replied to Franco's subject matter." ... (read more)

Enjoy "Catherine" and "Cis-ca" here!

Henry Fiol - Sonero!

New York based Henry Fiol is one of those musicians I discovered by hazard as Earthworks released this compilation in a row with classic compilations of South African, Kanyan and other African music via Virgin. Henry Fiolwas a teacher and counselor in the education system. His two recent albums, "Salsa Subterránea" and "De Cachete" are for free download on his site. His music is a mixtrure of salsa and Cuban son. On Sonero! you have beautiful melodies, wonderful rhythms and and and. I love this record. And I hope you enjoy too!

Pearl Harbour - Pearl's Galore!

A short while after I found "Hula Love", this LP appeared in record shops. Looking at the credits I found one of my heroes, Dick Cuthell, the hornsman who played always with Rico since the mid 70s.

I was never able to identify where he played on this record. When I first made a post on Pearl and Dick Cuthell for my first attempt to be a blogger, Torbach wrote this comment: "I played tenor sax on the Pearl Harbour record in question - apparently, the Specials horns (of whom we were all big fans) had played on an earlier studio version of the song "Flirt", recorded in England, i presume - and a bunch of us were called into a studio in New York to re-record the horns with something more Poppy -which meant kind of simple, stock horn parts and a super simple solo by yours truly. The Specials tenorman had put a beautiful sax solo on there - very jazzy and energetic (one I'd love to hear on the radio or anywhere else), but some genius thought it was "too out there" for a pop single. Well, I wasn't proud but, it was a gig so I did what I was asked, and down went the Specials' horns."

Ok - nobody knows, who plays on this record at least on what you can hear except Torbach whom I like to thank this way for this little insight behind the scene. What soever: enjoy! the music.

Pearl Harbour - Hula Love (Island 10")

What a strange kind of pop music. A name recalling the worst time of the 20th century and a carefree voice and melody full of joy and fun.


The single is a little souvenir from my personal (musical) histoy: early in summer 1984 "sfbeat", a Berlin radio programme, played this song and the dejay described the record in wonderful words, summer time music, blue like the sea, even the vinyl blue, released on Island, a 10" single - I searched for nearly two weeks - commodity fetischism was wonderful.

I never found an article on the band in one of the music mags I read in those days; neither this single nor the LP that I will share very soon (and then I'll go back to Africa!) entered the hit lists.

Today there is a little fan site. That's it. You may listen and feel a bit of summer if you're like me in cold and rainy central Europe. Enjoy!

Les Fréres Guissé - Siré

Les Fréres Guissé started mid 1990s with an acoustic approach to Senegalese music. The brothers Djibi, Cheikh and Aliou play guitar and percussion and they sing. More at Frank Bessem's Musique d'Afrique and at Au-Senegal.

This one is the trio's second cassette produced in Dakar at studio PCS, and released in 1998. Enjoy!

Tracks:
A-side:
1. Fouta
2. Siré
3. Baay lahad
B-side:
1. Dèmocratie
2. La hi la lah
3. SIDA

Babacar Mboup, thank you very much for leaving me with their music! The Fréres recently released a new CD in the Netherlands available via Amazon et. al.

Mayaula Mayoni - Ye Mon Amour (7")

Mayaula passed away last year in May. I want to start my year with a single from 1977 (?). And I hope that you will enjoy!