TH#117 - How The Story Ends [Luke's Summer 26 Mixtape]

I guess by now you know I'm a big fan of African and Caribbean music - well this new mixtape is full of my latest discoveries, including other-worldly singer Debbie Gaskin from Barbados, who recorded some tracks with the "Eternal Love Combo" in Toronto some years ago (it was released on Local Dish > check out!) - wonderful! Side B brings us some dope African reggae numbers such as Zig-Zag Band from Zimbabwe and a skanky raï serenade by the one and only Cheba Zahouania. The story ends with a great song by Lovers, performed here by german band The Notwist on their latest album.

Side A
01 - Andre Tanker - Jumbie Call
02 - Debbie Gaskin & Eternal Love Combo - What's That
03 - Addai's Band - Awisia Hye Den
04 - Black Truth Rhythm Band - Save D Musician
05 - Brothers Of Barbados - 9th Avenue
06 - Morton And The Uptights - Taurus
07 - Ali Chukwuma - Odi Ofele

Side B
08 - The Original Brothers - Black Out
09 - Debbie Gaskin & Eternal Love Combo - I Want Your Love
10 - The African Brothers - Lead Us Father
11 - Zig-Zag Band - Ndzirombi
12 - Chaba Zahouania - Bar Adjani
13 - Electric Taal Band - Bongo Shamshad
14 - The Notwist - How the Story Ends
15 - Andy Votel - Archipelagogo Theme

Thanks : Roberto, whoever you are, for the archive link, whoever put it together ; Louis "Hot Mule" Hautemule ; Paul Wiel ; fellow bloggers, diggers, archivers of killer music.

TH#116 - Illusion [Graham's Selection Summer '26]

1 Steve Zuckerman – Lower Case n (Sesame Street)

2 Nina Simone – In The Morning (live)

3 Lijadu Sisters – Life's Gone Down Low

4 Penina O Tiafau – Fa'ala'itiiti

5 Bertha Tillman – Oh My Angel

6 Jimmy 'Preacher' Ellis – Since I Fell For You

7 The Exciters – He's Got The Power

8 Linda Martell – Color Him Father

9 Thee Sacred Souls – Future Lover

10 Miramar – Salida

11 The Orient Express – Train To Bombay

12 Steve Zuckerman – Capital I (Sesame Street)

13 Daryl Hall & John Oates – She's Gone

14 Norma Tanega – Illusion

15 Dia Prometido - Hey Al-lah

16 The Orient Express – Asaar

17 The Status Quo – Pictures Of Matchstick Men

18 Duke Pearson – Christo Redentor

19 Alex Maas – Paint You In The Sunshine

20 Elderberry Jak – Forrest On The Mountain

 

Thanks to Booty, Flavien, and special thanks & big up to Alana, Shaun, Helen & Derya – most tunes were shared or discovered during our North American trip this June !

What's interesting to mention about this sunny comp/mixtape ? Miramar is a great bolero/soul band from Richmond, Virginia, who released this "Salida" single on the legendary Daptone label. Steve Zuckerman wrote a pair of surrealistic alphabet tunes for the TV show Sesame Street when he was 19 (check out the animation shorts that go with them!). Dia Prometido was a Hispano-Iranian duet who recorded this funky "Hey Al-lah" pro-peace song in the mid 70's, while the Orient Express were a Franco-Belgio-Iranian trio who recorded their self-titled LP in California in '69. A string of iconic female artists performing the best folk, jazz, country, soul, r'n'b and funk : Norma Tanega, Nina Simone, Linda Martell, Bertha Tillman, the Exciters, and the amazing Lijadu Sisters from Nigeria. Philadelphia's 'Yacht-rock' legends Daryl Hall & John Oates with the soulful "She's Gone". Alex Maas' (from the Black Angels) "Paint You" song from his Levitation sessions. What else ? Samoan folk duo Penina & Tiafau with a groovy tune called "Fa'ala'itiiti" ; Jimmy Preacher Ellis's Hammond-lead r'n'b hit "Since I fell for you" ; jazz pianist Duke Pearson's haunting "Christo Redentor" ; US psych rock band Elderberry Jak and UK psych rock band The Status Quo ; Daptone's power-soul-trio Thee Sacred Souls... All set for your summer's road trips !

TH#115 - Stella Marina [Graham's Selection Spring '26]

 

 

1 Lena Lim feat. The Stylers - ?

2 Orhan Gencebay – Hatasız Kul Olmaz

3 Afet Serenay – Maden Dağı

4 Trio Mocotó – Não Adianta

5 Sun Ra Arkestra – Everything Is Space

6 Jabula – Harvest Part II

7 The Scorpions & Saif Abu Bakr – Nile Waves

8 The Paragons – When The Lights Are Low

9 Slim Smith – Sitting In The Park

10 Charif Megarbane – Stella Marina

11 Salma El Assal – Salaam

12 Peter Moss – Satyam Shivam Sundaram

13 Sven Libaek – Misty Canyon

14 Lena Lim feat. The Stylers - ?

15 Milt Buckner – The Beast

16 Odetta – Hit Or Miss

17 Jabula – Ithumeleng Ba Mamelodi

Thanks : Piero, Benny, Derya, Roady

 

A sunny springtime journey awaits you on this comp/mixtape, starting with Mandopop singer Lena Lim backed by the kings of Singapore's 60's guitar bands The Stylers. Orhan Gencebay, ambassador of Turkey's 'Arabesk' genre, is followed by folk song 'Maden Dağı' sung by Afet Serenay. Samba legends Trio Mocotó's hit 'Não Adianta' links to jazz and afro-jazz, with Sun Ra (a rare 80's recording), South African group Jabula, and the Sudanese Scorpions with Saif Abu Bakr (reissued on Habibi Funk).

The haunting ballad 'When The Lights Are Low' by the Paragons (penned by John Holt) brings us to a reggae mood : Slim Smith's version of 'Sitting In The Park', Lebanese composer Charif Megarbane's 'Stella Marina', Sudanese singer Salma El Assal's 'Salaam'. A couple of groovy instrumentals follow : Peter Moss's synth freakout 'Satyam Shivam' (a Bollywood cover) and Australian TV composer Sven Libaek's 'Misty Canyon'. Finally, a couple of Blues/jazz classics with Hammond hero Milt Buckner and blues/gospel legend Odetta. Enjoy !

 

TH#114 ~ RED ROSE ~ Luke's Spring 26 Tape

 

Here's our new seasonal selection of gems from all around to fit onto a C60 musicassette - hope you dig it! If for personal reasons you don't listen to cassettes yet you'll find the streamable form below.

Side A
01 - Kwami et son Orchestre - B.B.B.
02 - Mundanda Antoine - Mwana Aboyi Mama
03 - Burt Blanca & The King Creoles - Taboo '69
04 - Kabangu Raphaël - Pete Na Mosapi
05 - Artur Nunes - Uaué Mua N'gola
06 - Queen Orete - Iyanume
07 - Chico Buarque & Ennio Morricone - Funeral De Um Lavrador
08 - Abdou El Omari - Layali Fass
09 - Indian Cultural Pageant of Trinidad & Tobago - Salina Ali

Side B
10 - Brother Resistance - Tonite Is De Night
11 - Ebo Taylor - What Is Life
12 - Khadiija Axmed (Jiijo Jeesto) - Galad (Victory)
13 - Kid Baltan & Tom Dissevelt - Orbit Aurora
14 - Annie Rae - Bang Bung Ranggaek
15 - Cheba Wahida - Jrouli Jrouli