For today, I’d like to share with you “La Popo“, an insane 70s Psychedelic Cadence Soul tune from Martinique (in the French West Indies), taken from the 1st LP of the mythical short-lived band “Guerilla” composed with some of the bests Antillean musicians from that era.

Recorded between the 10th of January & 23th of February 1975 at “Studio Musicorama” in Saint-Joseph city (Martinique) this album was released on the mythical French West-indian record label “Hit Parade”

It includes the following musicians :

Jimmy V. Maynard : Vocals, Guitar ;

Hillaire Hartock : Vocals, Drums ;

Mick Angel : Vocals, Percussion ;

Laetitia : Vocals, Tambourine ;

“Baby” Bagoe : Organ, Piano ;

Phill Claudio : Organ ;

Don Fleriac : Bass ;

The band recorded another album the next year & released 2 singles, before the musicians decided to follow their own paths (but that’s another story !).

One of my favorite tropical spins when I’m asked for some curations / radio selections, or when I’m booked to play in bars & clubs – Feel free to ask if needed !

Hope you’ll like this song, enjoy !

Guerilla – La Popo (Martinique, 1975, Hit Parade)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/Ajt1B-jxKP4

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this former post, I’d like to share with you for today “Obe Yava“, a mind-blowing syncopated Psychedelic Afro Sato Folk Soul track from Benin with bewitching horns & synths parts, taken from the 1st album by the Beninese composer & musician Guendehou Sidonie Evelyne known as “Guenshi-Ever”.

It was privately recorded & released in the early 80s on “Gaseg Collections” (an obscure record label that apparently released only this album) with the financial contribution of “La Cloche” restaurant located in Cotonou, Benin (!).

No so much additional infos about this album (any are welcomed !), but it seems that “Guenshi-Ever” who backed a lot of famous mythical artists as Honoré Avolonto or Denis Pambou Tchicaya as a singer, wanted to try his luck on a solo musical career, throught this album and another one recored a bit later.

Invisible to find nowadays, glad to share it today in such clean condition – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Guendehou “Guenshi-Ever” Sidonie Evelyne – Obe Yava (Benin, 1980s, Gaseg Collections)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/PC4Z8OZERWs

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I’d like to share with you “Nananina“, a deep melancholic epic 70s Afro Folk Soul Jazz instrumental from Guinea Conakry, recorded in the mid-70s by the “Sombory Jazz de Fria“, a Guinean regional band from Fria (country’s mining region) that brought together musicians who also worked as miners in the alumina plant & the region’s bauxite mines.

The track presented here is taken from “Musique Sans Paroles” an album recorded by sound engineer Moussa Konaté’s magical hands, and released in 1978 that brought together all exclusive tracks from some country’s band of that era, in order to promote them.

It was released on “Editions Syliphone Conakry“, the legendary Guinean state-funded label active from 1967 to 1984 (until the death of Guinean President Sékou Touré), responsible of barely all country’s musical recording & releases, even though the label pressed in France since there was no pressing plant in Guinea, forcing the label to have the records pressed abroad, in Africa & Europe.

Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous artwork pictured by label’s photographer Alpha Bah.

Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Sombory Jazz De Fria – Nananina (Guinea Conakry, 1978, Editions Syliphone Conakry)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/qsGvhlVIbQI

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this former article, I’d like to share with you for today “Mbandaka“, a breezing deep 70s Fusion Soul Folk Organ instrumental track from Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaïre), taken from the 1st album the mythical congolese band “Les Ya Toupas du Zaïre“.

Recorded in Kinshasa (country’s capital) with the help of the famous Togolese producer Gerard Akueson, this album was released in France in 1978 on “Songhoï“, subdivision of the legendary Sonodisc/Sonafric record label.

It included some of the finest musicians of the country of that time as :

Raymond « Ray » Lema A’nsi Nzinga : Guitar, Piano, Organ, Percussion, Vocals ;

Félix Pedro « Manuaku Waku” : Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar ;

Nzimbi, Pamsu-Dimbani Waza-Kesho : Vocals, Percussion ;

Zoe Matondo “Nzuani” : Congas, Percussion ;

Paul « Bopol » Mansiamina Mfoko : Bass ;

Kadinga : Drums, Percussion ;

Nkoy Bizico : Percussion ;

Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art by the French Caribbean composer & producer Gilles Sala (also responsible for the line notes on the back cover !), who used to run “Songhoï” publishing house in the late 70s.

Really beautiful album from start to finish, invisible nowadays unfortunately – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Les Ya Toupas Du Zaïre – Mbandaka (Democratic Republic of Congo, 1978, Songhoï)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/S6kMCW7kV-s

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I’d like to share with you “Ima Mi Dio“, a splendid deep 70s African Soul Highlife Funky Folk track from Nigeria driven with gorgeous horns & with Afrobeat reminiscences, taken from the 5th album recorded in 1979 by the great Nigerian composer & musician E. E. Akpan, and backed by his band “The Hunters“.

Sadly, I have not more informations about him, so any would be more than welcome !

One of my favorite tracks in the genre, blending a lot of different influences – hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !

E. E. Akpan & The Hunters – Ima Mi Dio (Nigeria, 1979, Go Gay)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/yuVyfu6Y_vo

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I’d like to share with you “ظنّك” (“Zannik“, that could be translated as “Your Thoughts“), an awesome obscure Libyan cover of Pink Floyd’s interplanetary hit “Another Brick In The Wall“, reinterpreted here in a deep dark slow Boogie Synth Soul way by famous Libyan TV music composer & musician “خالد الرقيعي” (Khalid Al Reghi) & his brother “عبد الرحمن الرقيعي” (Abdelrahim Al Reghi) and lyrics adaptated to turn the song into a love song by “صلاح عباس” (Salah Abbas).

This song is taken from Khalid Al Reghi’s first album, only released as tape format in the late 80s in Libya in very small quantities and quite impossible to find nowadays unfortunately, that explain my will of sharing it with you today.

Probably my favorite cover of this classic, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !

Khalid Al Reghi – Zannik (Libya, 1980s, 97) / خالد الرقيعي – ظنّك

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/GqbXulJCeGY

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I’d like to share with you “Pastorelle (4ème figure)“, a deep bewitching bland of traditional Antillean Folklore, Gwoka & Soul track from Guadeloupe (French West Indies), taken from the 1st album of the Guadeloupean legendary Gwoka player, drummer & composer Marcel Lollia (better known as “Vélo“) recorded in 1968 on the mythical French Antillean label “Celini Disques – Aux Ondes”

Gwoka (also known as Gwo-Ka or Gros-ka) is a traditional musical genre, dance, and cultural practice of Guadeloupe combining ka drums, Creole singing and dance.

Velo is considered by the most as a Gwo-ka Master, and recorded with the bests French West Indian artists of that era such as Alain Jean- Marie, Robert Loyson, Paul Blamar, Emilien Antile,  Jean-François Fabiano, Guy Conquette & Artheme Boisbant.

One of my favorite track of the genre, always nice to see people dancing on it when I play it during my DJ set or radio show – Enjoy !

Marcel Lollia dit “Vélo” – Pastorelle (4ème figure) (Guadeloupe, 1968, Aux Ondes)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/FdlnZT59cn0

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I’d like to share with you “Ntchizenguè”, a mellow balearic 80s Cosmic Synth Soul track from Gabon taken from an obscure LP recorded in 1981 in Libreville (country’s capital) an produced by the famous Gabonese composer & musician Jean-Yves Messan in order to promote the sole recordings of 5 young talents (Jean-Louis Evoung, Douma Dominique, Jean-Claude Boutoto, Gnanga Moukoula Dominique & Pépé-Ngalet).

Out on the label “Zika Production” (on which were released some great albums by the Congolese superstar Abeti Masikini), the song presented here is my favorite from this album – sad the artist didn’t released more material after that (any more informations on this release + artists would be warmly welcomed !).

Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Pepe-Ngalet & Les Jeunes Espoirs – Ntchizenguè (Gabon, 1981, Zika Production)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/S-LIjk-Ag-o

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this former article, I’d like to share with you “Wollou“, a sublime deep psychedelic 70s Afro Manding Fusion Soul Synth Folk track from Gambia, taken from the second album (my fave one !) of the mythical Gambian band “Guelewar Band of Banjul“, founded by composers & musicians brothers Laaye & Moussa N’Gom, and that included some of the bests Gambian & Senegalese musicians of that era as :

Laaye N’Gom : Leader, Keyboards, Piano, Vocals ;

Moussa N’Gom : Lead Vocals ;

Njok Malick Mike Njie : Bass ;

Moussa Njobdi Njie : Guitar ;

Adu Sallah, Alive Badara Cham N’Gom, Koto Sunu Icoto N’Gom : Percussion ;

Laaye Sallah Ombor : Tenor Saxophone ;

Bas Lo Fara Biram : Alto Saxophone ;

Recorded in 1980 in Dakar (Senegal), this album (“Tasito”, or “self-sufficiency” in Mandinka Senegambian langage) is one of the very firsts produced by Ibrahima Sory Sylla, who’d become later one of the most prominent figures of African music, and would pave the way for the emergence of West Africa’s greatest groups and artists (Gnonnas Pedro & Africando, Orchestra Baobab, Gets de Dakar or Ismaël Lô) though is label “Syllart Records”.

This album was released at the time on both labels “Productions Jambaar PJ” (for Senegalese market distribution) & in France on “Le Kiosque d’Orphée” (famous Paris-based record manufacturer/label, where every artists could pay to get a number of pressings, making it an alternative for a private press autoproduction)

Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art by painter Senegalese Djibathen Laye Sambou, one of my personal hero when it’s about African album sleeve design (remember Orchestra Bawobab Gouye-Gui de Dakar & Ousmane “Ouza” Diallo ones ?) – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Guelewar Band of Banjul – Wollou (Gambia, 1980, Productions Jambaar)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/wqIPgBTOtsI

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this former post, I’d like to share with you for today “Gizie“, a sweet 70s Ethio Soul Folk Jazz track with bewitching piano & guitar parts, taken from the 1st single of the Ethiopian composer & singer Bahta Gebre Hiwot, with the help from Gebreab Tefera (words) & Girma Beyene (musical arrangements).

It was released in 1973 on “Amha Records“, prominent & legendary record label owned by Amha Eshete and that released more than a hundred of Ethiopian singles and dozen albums between 1969 & 1975, including some by mythical musicians Mahmoud Ahmed or Mulatu Astatke.

Those Ethio gems are getting harder & harder to find nowadays, especially in such clean condition, so hope you’ll like it Enjoy !

Bahta Gebre Hiwot – Gizie (Ethiopia, 1973, Amha Records)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/aAoxbvuorM8

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau