Paris DJs with some insight from Zakari Frantz (The Souljazz Orchestra) have prepared for this 4th volume in the 'Tropical Grooves & Afrofunk International' series a special treat, since they opted from day one to go into an Afro Rock direction with the title 'Have You Ever Been To Electric Afroland'. Exclusive tracks are numerous, starting with a surprising Ethio-Twist number from Dereb The Ambassador (Australia), and going on with more unclassifiable stuff from Nikhil P. Yerawadekar & Low Mentality, Hard Proof (both USA), Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers (Germany), the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra or The Afrorockerz (both from France)….
Buy on Bandcamp
Paris DJs Soundsystem - Have You Ever Been To Electric Afroland? - Tropical Grooves and Afrofunk International Vol.4
(Digital Album/Poster) Paris DJs PARISDJS039, 2013-10-25
Tracklisting :
01. Dereb The Ambassador - Eshururu (Witness)* / AUSTRALIA
02. EMEFE - BBB (feat. Gabriel Garzon-Montano) / USA
03. Hayvanlar Alemi - Yekermo Sew** / TURKEY
04. Pidgin - Company Man / USA
05. Doctor L - Choking / FRANCE
06. Nikhil P. Yerawadekar & Low Mentality - Run Fast* / USA
07. Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers - 2 Feet* / GERMANY
08. Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Mazouglave* / FRANCE
09. Vieux Farka Touré - Sarama (Brownout Remix) / MALI
10. CRuNCH 22 - Barumbi / ISRAEL
11. The Afrorockerz - Soul & Prayer (Jujjumix)* / FRANCE
12. Bando - Oruro / PUERTO RICO
13. Hard Proof - Lots* (USA)
14. Pipo Pegoraro - Sofia / BRAZIL
* unreleased tracks
** unreleased on digital format
Credits :
Audiovisual concept by Djouls & Ben Hito
A&R : Djouls, Zakari Frantz from the Souljazz Orchestra, with the help of Loik Dury
Audio mastering by Grant Phabao
Artwork by Ben Hito
Links :
Buy on Bandcamp
Paris DJs : parisdjs.com | bandcamp | facebook | pinterest | soundcloud | twitter | youtube
Press Release :
Paris DJs with some insight from Zakari Frantz (The Souljazz Orchestra) have prepared for this 4th volume in the 'Tropical Grooves & Afrofunk International' series a special treat, since they opted from day one to go into an Afro Rock direction with the title 'Have You Ever Been To Electric Afroland'. With only that title in hand, illustrator Ben Hito prepared a psychedelic cover artwork, which we then sent all over the place asking for submissions.
So once again this fully-licensed compilation of Afrofunk, Afrorock, Afrojazz, Afrobeat, Latin or Brazilian Funk & Ethio-Jazz from the 21st century has been prepared the other way round, starting from the end and the packaging, ending with music and the mastering of the final selection. And the spirit of Jimi Hendrix floating in the studio...
Exclusive tracks are numerous, starting with a surprising Ethio-Twist number from Dereb The Ambassador (Australia), and going on with more unclassifiable stuff from Nikhil P. Yerawadekar & Low Mentality, Hard Proof (both USA), Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers (Germany), the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra or The Afrorockerz (both from France).
The series has already received fantastic critical praise, with The Afrobeat Blog calling Volume 1 "pure unadulterated afrobeat heaven", WRUV's Music Reviews noticing the "Gorgeous vintage sound on many tracks", The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on the BBC claiming that "the amount of high-quality Afro, Soul, Ska & Reggae that the Paris DJs are throwing out just now is breathtaking. 'Dis Is Good For You', their actual compilation, it's good for ya!", and its programmer telling us about Paris DJs that "you have been responsible for some the very best releases to have come out over the past couple of years and it is always a delight and exciting to hear what you have put out next".
All of the tracks were re-mastered by Grant Phabao at Paris DJs studios, giving the music on 'Have You Ever Been To Electric Afroland' a sound quality sometimes previously unavailable. Quite simply, the music has never sounded this good. With an intemporal Ben Hito artwork as a source of inspiration to submit tracks, this is truly epic music and is perhaps even more relevant to the rockier and psychedelic influences within the contemporary Afro musical spectrum.
TRACK BY TRACK INFO :
01. Dereb The Ambassador - Eshururu (Witness) / AUSTRALIA
Our opener is an exclusive new track from Australia's own Ethio Soul superstar Dereb The Ambassador, featuring our collaborator Todd Simon on some trumpet arrangements, and it's the quite unique kind of music were always looking for: something new, something borrowed and something special! So this is really new, we had never heard Ethio-Twist before. This is something borrowed, from a traditional Ethiopian tune. And this is something really special, since it comes to us from Australia through Los Angeles! We fell in love for Dereb's Ethio Soul with their first album released in 2011, which included the killer 'Gedawo' cover we played in may 2012 in our ' 21st Century Afro Spectacular Vol.3', and after some festival dates in Japan the band is back in Sydney where they have a weekly residency at the Basement (Reiby Place, Circular Quay), preparing their second album….
Credits :
Dereb Desalegn : vocals
Eden Ottignon : bass
Ross Ferraro : drums
Jon Pease : guitar
Daniel Pliner : keyboards
Mathew Ottignon : tenor and baritone sax
Peter Farrar : C-melody sax
Aykho Akhrif : percussion
Recorded at Alberts Studios and Studio Le Pavois, Sydney, Australia
Written & composed by Dereb Desalegn / Tony Buchen / Trad.
Published by Alberts Music/Control (APRA)
Produced by Tony Buchen
Mixed by Tony Buchen
Mastered by Grant Phabao at Paris DJs' studios
© 2013 Brighton Blvd Productions / Dereb The Ambassador
About Dereb The Ambassador :
Born in Ethiopia, Dereb Desalegn (aka Dereb the Ambassador) grew up surrounded by a family of musicians, and from an early age was completely immersed in his home countrys richly unique melange of sounds, rhythms and musical styles. Now based in Sydney, Derebs musical career has gained considerable momentum over the past year with the release of an acclaimed debut album and several Australian performances at venues in Sydney and Melbourne as well as at larger festivals such as Womadelaide.He has also been garnering considerable interest abroad, and has more recently returned to Australia from a tour to Ethiopia and a festival performance in Korea. As word about Dereb continues to spread, his mind-blowing vocal talents and addictive brand of Ethio-soul, enthrals a growing fan base of happily music-savvy folk who know there's more to life than three-chord guitar rock. Backed by a ridiculously tight seven-piece ensemble that boasts some of the hardest-working musicians on the Sydney scene, Dereb the Ambassador taps into territory hitherto uncharted on local stages, and in doing so breathes a kaleidoscope of texture into the possibilities for music in Australia. His repertoire unites a classic jazz-fusion sounds of 60s-70s Ethiopia now becoming increasingly popular around the globe, as well as shoulder-shakingly rhythmical incarnations of traditional Ethiopian tunes, and of course a swagful of spicy, hypnotic originals.
Latest Releases :
- Dereb The Ambassador (CD, Other Tongues Australia, 2011)
Links :
official | facebook | soundcloud | twitter | youtube
02. EMEFE - BBB (feat. Gabriel Garzon-Montano) / USA
After seeing Miles Arntzen killing it on the drums with Antibalas in Paris last year at Le New Morning, we had to inquire. The young man discovered Fela Kuti after beginning jazz school at New York University in 2009 and leads EMEFE (which stands as the spoken acronym of M.F.A., for 'Music Frees All'), a ten-piece band from Broolyn, who plays its own mix of afrobeat, mixed with the funk of Sly Stone and jazz and hip hop influences, all with a rock and roll edge. With a horn section mostly playing as a whole, a focus on songwriting and arrangements, and guest vocalists such as Chico Mann (from Antibalas) or Gabriel Garzon-Montano (from Mokaad), their album 'Good Future', released last summer, is a great discovery of 2013 for Paris DJs!
Credits :
Miles Arntzen : drums, percussion
Jas Walton : tenor saxophone
Christian Anderson : baritone saxophone
Ray Mason : trombone
Michael Fatum : trumpet
Jake Pinto : Hammond organ, Farfisa, Wurlitzer
Deen Anbar : guitar
Davy Levitan : guitar
Doug Berns : bass
Javier Ramos : congas, percussion
Chico Mann, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Luna
Garzón-Montano, EMEFE : vocals
Composed by Miles Arntzen
Published by SMILESAHEAD (ASCAP #884529947, ISWC T-912.856.991.5)
Recorded at Mason Jar Music, Brooklyn NY
Produced by Miles Arntzen and Dan Knobler
Mastered by Michael Fossenkemper at Turtletone Studios, NYC
© 2012 Miles Arntzen/No Mirrors
About EMEFE :
EMEFE was created in 2009 by Miles Arntzen after he discovered the amazing power of Fela Kuti's music. In the same way that Fela used this music as an escape from and confrontation against the Nigerian authorities, EMEFE uses its music to fight the inner authorities that we put on ourselves, each for our own specific reasons (hence the band's motto, Music Frees All). With the EMEFE sound, which consists of a four-piece horn section, a drummer, a bassist, two guitarists, two percussionists and a keyboardist, the bands hopes to spread awareness of the healing power of music, dancing, and smiling. Dubbed "one of the Big Apple's best live acts," EMEFE has been called to support Passion Pit, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Antibalas, Rusted Root, and more. Members of EMEFE have played with artists such as Antibalas, the Fela! musical, J.D. McPherson, Charles Bradley, Asphalt Orchestra, Budos Band, Lenny Pickett, Medeski Martin and Wood, Superhuman Happiness, Grace Weber, and many more.
Latest Releases :
- Good Future (CD, 2012, No Mirrors)
- BBB feat. Gabriel Garzon-Montano parts 1&2 (7", 2012, No Mirrors)
- Europe EP (Digital EP, 2011, self-released)
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | myspace | soundcloud | twitter | youtube
03. Hayvanlar Alemi - Yekermo Sew / TURKEY
By pure luck we stumbled last year upon a 45 released by the cult Sublime Frequencies label, featuring a jaw dropping psychedelic rock cover of Mulatu Astatke by Hayvanlar Alemi, a Turkish band, available exclusively through the band at their shows during their 2012 Europena tour. Thankfully a few limited copies were available through normal distribution channels and we were amongst the happy few… The version being so damn good and original, we crossed our fingers to be able to pick it for our 'Electric Afro' compilation and ended up discussing with the label, who explained to us they were doing things different than the norm, and that we should license the track directly through the band - a point of view on dealing with artists in the 20th century that we share 100% at Paris DJs! And we're also quite proud to present this rare piece of psychedelic heavy Ethio-Jazz in our 4th selection!!
Credits :
Ozum Itez : guitars
Işık Sarıhan : drums
Hazar Mutgan : bass
Composed by Mulatu Astatke
Published by C.R.C. Edition (ISWC T-003.366.316.9)
Recorded at Deneyevi - Istanbul
Produced by Hayvanlar Alemi
Mixed by Hayvanlar Alemi
Mastered by Hayvanlar Alemi
© 2013 Hayvanlar Alemi
About Hayvanlar Alemi :
Hayvanlar Alemi is a psychedelic folk rock band founded in Ankara. They got together in secondary school in 1999, when they were 14. Classical rock and heavy metal were big influences on teenagers in Ankara then, and they started their musical venture playing hard-and-heavy covers, but very soon self-discovered free improvisation and moved into a more avant-garde approach, and later on occasionally deployed traditional instruments, found-sound elements like live radio, and stage theatrics. They were influenced by the new folk-influenced experimental rock scene of the late 90s Istanbul, but isolated from that scene in Ankara, their sound and song-structure diverged from their contemporaries as they incorporated elements from the findings of their musical research into their sound, which included hybrid sounds of South East Asia, East and West Africa, South America and Russia, as well as Jamaican dub reggae and Californian surf. Alongside numerous self-released cdrs, Hayvanlar Alemi released their first album "Gaga" through Ankara label 003 Records in 2006. Their second album "Guarana Superpower", mostly culled from tracks on their cdrs from 2007 to 2009, was released by Seattle label Sublime Frequencies in 2010, followed by a cover of Mulatu Astatke’s Ethiopian instrumental piece "Yekermo Sew" on seven inch vinyl. Following the release of Guarana Superpower, Hayvanlar Alemi opened for Group Doueh in London’s Barbican Centre and played a surprise performance at All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival Curated by Animal Collective. Since then they have been touring routinely and presenting their music to live audiences in Western Europe. Hayvanlar Alemi consists of Özüm İtez, Işık Sarıhan, Hazar Mutgan and Gökçe Başar. As they have been separated by geographical boundaries since 2006, the band has a flexible repertoire which allows them to play in power-duo and power-trio formations as well. In the past few years, Hayvanlar Alemi mostly toured with an old-school three piece set up with drums (Sarıhan), bass (Mutgan) and electric guitar (İtez), with an emphasis on heavy psychedelic rock.
Latest Releases :
- Yekermo Sew (7", Sublime Frequencies, 2012)
- Guarana Superpower (LP/CD, Sublime Frequencies, 2010)
- Visions Of A Psychedelic Ankara (CD, self-released, 2010)
Links :
official | discogs | facebook | freemusicarchive | soundcloud | sublimefrequencies | youtube
04. Pidgin - Company Man / USA
Pidgin, from Norman, USA, are characterized by their psychedelic approach to Afro-soul! It was Martin Smith from ©© Les Freres Smith who brought their album to us while co-curating the previous Paris DJs compilation, 'Rise Of The Troubadour Warriors', but we preferred to keep it under wraps for this Electric selection, where the opening track from their first album works like a charm.
Credits :
Tyler Smith : Guitar
Eli Wimmer : Guitar
Taylor Graham : Bass
Marcus Spitz : Trumpet
Eric Walschap : Bari Sax
Kiel Dehnert : Drums
Ricky Kemple : Percussion
Composed by Pidgin
Published by Pidgin
Recorded at Souljourn Entertainment Group llc.
Produced by Jay Alexander
Mixed by Tom young
Mastered by Mike Phoenix
© 2013 Pidgin
About Pidgin :
The sound of this band is BIG. Pidgin brings a heavy-hitting rhythm section of drums, bass, and percussion that collides with psychedelic guitar, all underneath a powerful horn section. Often described as "bootyshakingmania", the songs that comprise their first album "The Breaks" could provide an entire soundtrack for a seventies-era car chase scene, or any Guy Ritchie movie. If you enjoy instrumental music, rich with technical composition and soul-grinding rhythm, then "The Breaks" is for you.
Latest Releases :
- The Breaks (CD, self-released, 2011)
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | soundcloud | twitter
05. Doctor L - Choking
After the remix single with Grant Phabao released last spring on Paris DJs, and two amazing albums out on Comet Records, the great Doctor L graces us with an exclusive mix of his 'Choking' track featured in the 'No Prison EP' released earlier this year (also on Comet). With Allonymous killing it on the slam and Doctor L doing the same on the drums, Cedric Ricard doing no less on the horns, and the absolutely unique organic Afro-Urban vibe from the good ol' doc, this deep Afro-Blues-Jazz affair is smelling whiskey while deeply grounded in African roots. Impressive stuff. Play it again and again, then go check the myriad of productions from Doctor L, always worth the trip!
Credits :
Allonymous : vocals
Cedric Ricard : sax
Doctor L : all other instruments
Written by Allonymous
Composed, produced, mixed and mastered by Doctor L
About Doctor L :
Coming from Dublin, Liam Farrell a.k.a. Doctor L came along various musical courants: hip-hop, rock, afro, folk… Well-known producer (Assassin, Rodolphe Burger, Tony Allen…). He's always in quest of a sound revolution. His latest albums from 2012, 'The Great Depression' and 'We Got Lost', saw him deconstructing and re-inventing the blues genre with class, just like he had done with hip hop, rock or afrobeat in the past - always many steps ahead in the future.
Latest Releases :
- Doctor L - Sweet Life feat. Allonymous (Grant Phabao Remix) (Digital Single, Paris DJs, 2013)
- The Great Depression (Digital Album, Comet, 2013)
- No Prison (Digital EP, Comet, 2013)
- We Got Lost (CD, Comet, 2013)
Links :
discogs | facebook | myspace | soundcloud | wikipedia (fr) | youtube
06. Nikhil P. Yerawadekar & Low Mentality - Run Fast / USA
Always asking for physical records as a media, we at Paris DJs like to read liner notes, check the musicians, producers, recordings studios and all the details and information you hunt for on records and not on digital downloads (or pdf files). So when we realized that the same guy was playing in Antibalas, The Sway Machinery, Superhuman Happiness and Akoya Afrobeat, all cool bands we've featured many times in our news or in our mixes, we dug a little further and contacted Nikhil P. Yerawadekar regularly for his potential submissions to our Afro compilations. First time we heard 'Run Fast' we were instantly hooked, with its unique Afro-backbeating groove and a charming "so lonely without you" pop bridge jumping into the two-notes theme reprise… Such a great single! Catchy as hell, the kind you find yourself whistling in the shower. And an exclusive first official release on Paris DJs! Nikhil rules.
Credits :
Nikhil P. Yerawadekar : vocals, guitar
Omar Little : trumpet, keyboard
Pavel Kogan-Liakhov : guitar
Chauncey Yearwood : congas, vocals
Timothy Allen : bass, vocals
James Windsor-Wells : drums vocals
Recorded at Studio BPM, Brooklyn NY
Produced by Nikhil P. Yerawadekar
Mixed by Jim Bertini
Mastered by D. James Goodwin
Written & composed by Nikhil P. Yerawadekar
Publisher(s) : P Rules Them All Enterprises (ASCAP #885909308 ISWC T-912.964.260.0)
© 2013 Nikhil P. Yerawadekar
About Nikhil P. Yerawadekar :
I (Nikhil P. Yerawadekar) am a musician from Queens, NY currently living in Brooklyn. I play guitar and bass with a lot of great bands like Antibalas, The Sway Machinery, Superhuman Happiness, Bright Moments, Akoya Afrobeat, No Small Money Brass Band, Sticklips and The Igniters. I can sense my mind hardening and going one way, and it doesn't seem right. I think we could all benefit from getting our rocks off and letting our thoughts out a little more. I'm making a record that will if nothing else help me do that, and I'm gonna be playing shows all the time with my band of friends called Low Mentality. The music is full of bass, beats and devious melodies, and I came up with it without worrying about who the market is or how it compares to anything that other people seem to like. As much as I respect the hustle, I got into this music thing because of the possibilities, not the most immediate realities, and I want to continue to live my life with that curiosity alive. Also, I want to enjoy my damn self. It's music after all.
Links :
official | facebook | soundcloud | twitter | vimeo
07. Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers - 2 Feet / GERMANY
Onom Agemo and the Disco Jumpers, obviously heavily immersed into Afrofunk, consists of internationally-renowned professional musicians featured in numerous projects such as Woima Collective - who'll have their second album out on Kindred Spirits at the end of the year - International Ducks or Mop Mop - both bands who were compiled previously in our Afro/Tropical selections 'We Are The Fire Inside Your Mind' or 'Rise Of The Troubadour Warriors'. Their killer first single '2 Feet' will appear soon on glorious 7 inch vinyl through Agogo Records. When Improvisation meets Raw Funk and Afro/Ethio Jazz, we can't be more pleased! Guys? Keep the tracks coming!!
Credits :
Johannes Schleiermacher : sax, synth, percussion
Oliver Roth - flute
Jörg Hochapfel - synth
Bernd Oezsevim - drums
Kalle Zeier - guitar
Written and produced by Johannes Schleiermacher
Recorded at Lovelite Studios Berlin by Jochen Ströh
Mixed by Jochen Ströh / Johannes Schleiermacher
Mastered by Kelly Hibbert
Published by Hanseatic Musikverlag | Edition Agogo Music. www.agogo-records.com
(P) 2014 Agogo Records - LC 15656
Links :
soundcloud
08. Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra - Mazouglave
Already the 4th track extracted from the upcoming Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra album, this new Afrobeat/Psychedeic Funk dancefloor instrumental is a monster, once again. With the help of former Egypt 80 trumpet player Muyiwa Kununji, co-writing and playing on this one, and also French sax player Cedric Ricard or Cameroonian singer/songwriter/producer Franck Biyong on bass & rhyhtm guitar duties, Grant Phabao puts out a new killer single announcing one hell of an album for 2014!! France has found its master producer.
Credits :
Franck Biyong : bass, rhythm guitar
Muyiwa Kununji : Trumpet
Cedric Ricard : barytone & tenor sax
Other instruments, production, mix and mastering by Grant Phabao
Composed by Grant Phabao and Muyiwa Kununji
Published by T.I.M.E.C.
© 2013 T.I.M.E.C./Paris DJs
About Grant Phabao :
Parisian multi-intrumentalist Grant Phabao might be the most essential producer of 21st century roots Jamaican and African music. His sound and mixing style got him the praise of most veterans from Studio One in Kingston, who never forget to come to Paris DJs studios in the French capital to voice some new riddims with him when in town, saying he's "bringing back the original King Tubby sound with a modern twist". Four albums, with respectively The Lone Ranger, Carlton Livingston, The Silvertones, and The Jays, have already been produced by Grant Phabao and released on the Paris DJs label. Many more singles and remixes too, already gathering half a million downloads wihout any kind of promotion. Grant Phabao is now played on many radios all over the world and was recently spinning his tunes along with the Paris DJs Soundsystem at the Glastonbury festival 2013.
Latest Releases :
Already more than 20 new releases just for 2013 on parisdjs.bandcamp.com!!
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | juno | parisdjs | soundcloud | youtube
09. Vieux Farka Touré - Sarama (Brownout Remix) / MALI, USA
Picking this Vieux Farka Touré track was pure conceptual continuity for us: we did an interview with the Malian singer/guitarist last year, and his western Saharan Soul & Blues had been remixed by our close collaborator Adrian Quesada and his Brownout combo… Adding some jam band psychedelia, heavy funk beats and a Jamaican dub spirit to the original, this remix was indeed the perfect fit for our 'Electric Afroland' compilation! When the 'Hendrix of Sahara' meets the 'Latin Funk king of Austin, Texas', it's pure 'Afrofunk International'!!
Credits :
Issa Bamba : vocals
Abdoulaye Kassambé : djembé
Tim Keiper : drums
Mamadou Sidibé : electric bass
Mamoutou Tounkara : sabare
Vieux Farka Touré : guitars, vocals
Recorded at Studios Bogolan, Bamako, Mali, November 2008
Engineered by Eliézer Oubda
Production coordinators : Asseye Touré , Deborah Cohen
Drums, additional vocals and guitars recorded at In the Pocket Studios, Russian River, California, January 2009
Engineered by Mike Scully
Additional recording and mixing at Fine Sounds Studio, CA
Mixed by Yossi Fine and Vieux Farka Touré
Produced by Vieux Farka Touré and Yossi Fine
Mastered by Brent Lambert @ Kitchen Mastering , Carrboro, NC
Composed by Vieux Farke Toure
Published by World Circuit Music (PRS)
© 2013 Six Degrees Records
About Vieux Farka Touré :
With his recent collaborations and performance before a billion people —yes, you read that right—at the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa, Vieux Farka Touré is one of the most celebrated African guitarists in history. Read his full bio here.
Latest Releases :
- Mon Pays (CD, Six Degrees, 2013)
- The Secret (CD, Six Degrees, 2011)
Links :
Vieux Farka Touré : official | bandcamp | facebook | soundcloud | twitter | wikipedia
Brownout : official | facebook | twitter | youtube
10. CRuNCH 22 - Barumbi / ISRAEL
Led by one of The Apples turntablists, Erez Todres, Crunch 22 is an eclectic Groovetronica power trio, built from a unique instrumental combination of Rhodes, drums & turntables. They've just put out an album and a limited 7 inch, on the b-side of which we found this gem released by the Audio Montage label in Tel-Aviv. Described as an up tempo afrobeat tune, which triggers the mind on a wave of an electric tribal dance in the press release, this is really unclassifiable music, blending Afrobeat, Psychedelic Funk and Turntablism with a unique sound. The whole album is quite a ride we urge you to try at least once!
Credits :
Tomer Baruch - Rhodes
Dan Mayo - Drums
Erez Todres - Turntables
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Uri "Mixmonster" Wertheim
Recorded at Hamizran Studios, Rishpon, Israel, December 2012
Composed by E. Todres, T. Baruch, D. Mayo
© 2013 CRuNCH 22
About CRuNCH 22 :
CRuNCH 22 are three hyperactive, partly disturbed musicians, producing live psychedelic grooves from a strange combination of Rhodes-Piano (Tomer Baruch), Drums (Dan Mayo), And Turntables (Erez Todres). Mixing funk, drum'n'bass, blues, dub and afrobeat, this trio manages to turn every concert into a surprise party. (surprise!) After playing in most major festivals in Israel, their critically acclaimed debut album and 7-inch vinyl record were released in the summer of 2013 on boutique Israeli label "Audio Montage", triggering the band's first European tour.
Latest Releases :
- CRuNCH 22 (Digital album, Audio Montage, 2013)
- Dimitri (7", Audio Montage, 2013)
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | soundcloud | vimeo | youtube
11. The Afrorockerz - Soul & Prayer (Jujjumix) / FRANCE
With a theme starting with Afrofunk and ending with Psychedelic Rock, we contacted right away Julien Raulet, guitarist in Fanga and… The Afrorockerz!! Coming from France, their AfroPsychedelicRock with a lick of Soul fits like a glove in this Have You Ever Been To Electric Afroland selection. You'll hear hints of Talking Heads and early-era Prince colliding with Fela influences. This is heavy shit.
Credits :
Allonymous , Korbo : guest vocals
Ruth Tafebe, Emma Lamadji : vocals
Tony Allen : drums
Chief Udoh Essiet : percussion
David Obam : bass
David Reckab, Franck Chauvier, Rachid Guissous : keyboards
Julien Raulet : guitar, programming
Composed by Julien Raulet
Produced by Julien Raulet
Mixed by Lionel Puyal
About The Afrorockerz :
The Afrorockerz is the revitalized project of guitarist Julien Raulet, knighted by Tony Allen and founding member of the band Fanga, a french afrobeat septet known in the world music circuit. After meeting with bassist and multi-instrumentalist Sylvain Daniel (ONJ, Bot'ox, Yom & The Wonder Rabbis) who navigates between rock & jazz it was evident he'd be an integral player. Both share the passion of playing Fela Kuti's music as well as being inspired by Prince, Talking Heads, & Frank Zappa. It wasn't long before they were joined by Allonymous (Jimi Tenor, Push Up) on lead vocals. Chicago born Parisian sworn painter, poet, & singer whose writing reflects his atypic views on life and is echoed through his hypnotic flow and stage presence. Equally sharing lead vocals is Emma Lamadji (Defunkt, Gospelize It) whose powerful mezzo burns with the urgency & serenity of the Central African origins she's rooted in. Together they are perfect. Alternating between backing and lead, their two voices unite to ignite our consciousness & liberate our bodies! From the underground Parisian bars & clubs to groundbreaking venues The Afrorockerz have continuously honed and shaped their hornless sound. Yet one hardly misses this keystone. Authentic, analog, dirty, traditional & furiously urban in the same vain. Of course this sound would not be complete with out staple metronome Frederic Jean (Babyx) who brings rock crash mathematics with a touch of class to the drums. Funk fueled riffs & synth stabs are trumpet-ist turned keyboardist Guillaume Poncelet's (Gael Faye, Electro Deluxe) speciality thus it is no wonder he completes the band. The premiere album "Talking In Rings" will soon be ready. A multilayered soundtrack of life evoking images of a cast at times set in Minneapolis in the '80's, with the likes of Tony Allen & Robert Smith and a host of others you can not wait to discover!
Latest Releases :
- Until We Meet Again... (CD EP, DuNose Productions, 2012)
- Holy Warriors (CD, Comet Records, 2007)
Links :
official | facebook | soundcloud | youtube
12. Bando - Oruro / PUERTO RICO
We've been claiming for years that Paris DJs is something unique, both media and label, and 100% international. This submission for our Afro/Tropical series is a prfect example of that, since we're not such you've heard Afrobeat from Puerto Rico before! Bando come from San Juan, and bring to the game a unique fusion of afrobeat, classic funk, folkloric afropuertorican rythms, boogalo, jazz and progressive rock, penning their own style as afrogressive. There's just no way we would not include this flavorful and invigorating performance into our 'Electric Afroland' selection. Afrobeat from Puerto Rico. Afrobeat is the music of the future. Everywhere.
Credits :
Agustín "Chito" Criollo : bass guitar
Richard Colón : tenor sax
Martín Latimer : rhythm guitar
Francisco Ortiz : drums, barril de bomba, percussion, clave
Rafael Rodríguez : trumpet
Oscar Siaca : piano, organ, Moog synth, shékere
Gaby Vidal : lead, rhythm and atmospheric guitars
Mixed by Gaby Vidal
Produced by Gaby Vidal y Agustín Criollo
Recorded at Ongolandia, Guaynabo
Mastered by John Rogers @ Big Label Sound Studio, Las Vegas
Artistic Director : Agustín Criollo
Composed by A. Criollo (BMI)
Arranged by A. Criollo/G. Vidal/F. Ortiz/O. Siaca/M. Latimer
© 2013 All rights reserved by the artist
About Bando :
After more than 40 years since the emergence of that musical idea cooked on the mind of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti that will later become Afrobeat - a fusion between Yoruba rhythms and American funk - the genre has seen a revival on a world scale, spreading through countries and cultures as detached from the "africanization" as Japan or England. Bands such as Antibalas and Kokolo, from New York; Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra, from Scotland; Jaribu Afrobeat Arkestra, from Tokyo and Fanga, from Paris, just to mention a few, have taken it upon themselves to demonstrate that this relatively new musical genre transcends political and cultural barriers. However, in Puerto Rico, a former Spanish colony, where African Yoruba roots predominate, the fertile ground for the creation of a creole style afrobeat had never been sown … that is until now. Incorporating within them a fusion of traditional afrobeat, classic funk, blues, boogalo, ambient and afro Antillean folk rhythms such as "bomba", Bando arrive at the scene with a conceptually unique musical proposal. Formed by seven veterans of the Puerto Rican musical scene: Agustin Criollo (La Iglesia Atómica, Astrid Pröll, solo artist) on bass and vocals, Gaby Vidal (Ongo, Icaro Azul, Trili) on lead and atmospheric guitar, Enrique Chávez (Yerba Bruja, Antonio Santaella, Calle 66) on drums, percussion and vocals, Martín Latimer (La Iglesia Atómica, Andante, Madera Negra) on rhythmic groove guitar, Rafa Rodríguez (Gomba Jahbari, Yerba Bruja, SOJA) on trumpet, Flugelhorn and vocals, Oscar Siaca (Los Naborias, Ron Calavera) on keyboards and percussion and Eddie Rodriguez (Ventana Sonora) on lead vocals, Bando epitomizes the social outcry in their lyrics, supported by a solid rhythmic base without precedent where traditional Afro-American instruments intertwine with indigenous Puerto Rican musical instruments, such as the percussion barrel and the maraca which are used in traditional "bomba" dance and music. Bando’s name, surges from a historical fact that makes references to the notorious "Bando Contra la Raza Africana" (Ban Against The African Race): a series of edicts proclaimed by the Spanish Crown in 1848 by the then governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Prim, who imposed the most absurd and cruel punishments on people of African descent, notwithstanding if they were slaves or freedmen, for fear of another "black" revolution in Puerto Rico from the sorts of the one Haiti already experimented a couple of decades before. However, this "bando", is for the race, not against it, hoping to prove that all different slopes related to the African Diaspora are but rivers leading to the same ocean: the African continent. This is only the beginning for a group which promises to be one of the most relevant artists in Puerto Rico’s independent musical scene.
Latest Releases :
- Serembé (Digital Single, self-released, 2013)
- Oruro (Digital Single, self-released, 2013)
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | soundcloud | vimeo | youtube
13. Hard Proof - Lots / USA
It seems like we've been digging again into the vaults of Hard Proof, the Austin-based 9-piece Afrobeat/Afrorock/Ethio-Jazz band we've featured in our previous compilation 'Rise Of The Troubadour Warriors'. With musicians from Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears, The Echocentrics and Ocote Soul Sounds, Hard Proof is a kind of high-energy supergroup, and the exclusive track 'Lots' featured here sounds like an Hendrixian take on the Afrobeat genre - again. We couldn't pass on Afro-rocking your world with this - proving that 'Electric Afroland' is also somewhere in Austin, Texas…
Credits :
Stephen Bidwell - Drums
Tommy Spampinato - Percussion
Tony Cruz - Congas
Joe Sokolik - Bass
Gerardo Larios - Guitar & Keyboards
John Branch - Guitar
Joe Woullard - Bari Sax
Jason Frey - Tenor Sax
Derek Phelps - Trumpet
Recorded at E.A.R. Studios and Level One Studios
Produced by Hard Proof and Adrian Quesada
Mixed by Adrian Quesada
Mastered by Erik Wofford
Composed by Derek Phelps
Published by Afrobotic Music
© 2013 Hard Proof
About Hard Proof :
Locally produced and internationally-inspired, Hard Proof is an Austin-based collective that brings intense Afrobeats to the state of Texas. Hard Proof tightly fuses sounds from sub-Saharan Africa with adventurous jazz and deep funk to stimulate your brain and move your feet. Members of Hard Proof also perform with bands such as Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Ocote Soul Sounds, Echocentrics, The Calm Blue Sea and Cougar.
Latest Releases :
- Dragon / Tere (7", Kept Records, 2013)
- Hard Proof (CD/Digital, Hard Proof Music / 2010)
Links :
Hard Proof : official | bandcamp | facebook | juno | sonicbids | soundcloud | twitter | youtube
14. Pipo Pegoraro - Sofia / BRAZIL
We stumbled upon this Brazilian guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer from São Paulo because Bixiga 70 keyboard players was playing on his latest album 'Taxi Imã', a beautiful record exploring post-tropicalism with echoes of reggae and afrobeat. 'Sofia', extracted from that album, is the perfect conclusion to this 'Electric Afroland' compilation, filled with psychedelic synths lines and layers of electric guitar, while breezing with electro-organic Brazilian coolness.
Credits :
Pipo Pegoraro : vocals, electric guitar
Decio 7 : drums
Kiko Dinucci : viola
Guilherme Held : electric guitar
Marcelo Dworecki : bass
Maurício Fleury : electric piano, synthetizer
Backing vocals : Kika, Blubell, Mairah Rocha, Silvia Tape, Cristiano Scabello
Produced by Bruno Morais e Pipo Pegoraro
Mixed and mastered by Carlos Lima
Composed by Pipo Pegoraro
Published by YB Music
©2012 YB Music
Latest Releases :
- Taxi Imã (CD/LP, YB Music, 2011)
- Duplo Teritório (Soundtrack, 2009)
- Intro (self-released, 2008)
Links :
official | bandcamp | facebook | soundcloud | twitter | vimeo | youtube
About Pipo Pegoraro :
From São Paulo, 34 years old, musician, singer and music producer. Started playing the guitar at age 6 and while he was still a teenager he already composed his songs for the bands he was a member. In 2012, he released his second album Taxi imã achieving great critical acclaim being featured in various lists of journalists and blogs as one of the 10 best albums of the year. He is currently recording his third album with estimated release for the first half of 2014.