va -- "Happening Sunday" [Graham's X-mas Comp '2020]

 

Let's not forget dancing is a vital activity - and that the right to dance has being threatened in many places this past year! Red-nose-alert! I hope this x-mas comp will help fight this dangerous tendancy.

Starting with the very uplifting 60's-group-sound-mock "Rouge No Dengon" by Japanese pop singer Yumi Matsutoya, this selection browses through many genres (Indian classical repertoire with superstars Lata Mangeshkar and Bhimsen Joshi, early Brazilian bossa-jazz with Walter Wanderley and jazz-fuzzion with Hermeto Pascoal's Brazilian Octopus, Anatolian Psych-folk with Alpay, Colombian Groove-Pop with Elia y Elizabeth, Leon Thomas and Pharaoh Sanders' magnificent spiritual jazz anthem "The Creator Has A Masterplan", Lalo Schifrin and Jimmy Smith's sixties classic "The Cat", the Rahbani brothers' heartbreaking "Mali Ou Malak" sung by Mona Marachly, Nina Simone's classic version of Aretha Franklin's "Save Me", etc)...

A few outsiders to be noticed : big-band leader Count Basie's surprising marimba-led "Afrique", composed and arranged by Oliver Nelson ; UK TV composer Ron Grainer's oddest single (a wild, weird and groovy yet forgotten version of the Prisoner's theme that he composed for Patrick McGoohan's cult series, and its B-side, the no-less weird "Happening Sunday"), Paul McCartney's cheapo avant-garde disco-dub-dub nonsense B-side "Check My Machine"... and finally, a song that will be featured on Les Pythons De La Fournaise's upcoming LP "L'Orchestre Du Piton", the beautiful "Maloya Tantine".

Thanks: Irène & Luc, Derya, Benny, Cam Cam, Mathieu, Doug, Warmchops

 

 

MIXTAPE #53 : Kites Are Fun

Time for a new mix. You'll find quite a few East African numbers on this one, from Sudan to Tanzania. There's also a couple of Brazilian cuties, some Indonesian oddities and more. Despite the title this is not the funniest TH comp ever.

Side A
01 - Piero Umiliani & I Suoi Oscillatori - Roma Amor
02 - The Free Design - Kites Are Fun
03 - Roberto Menescal - Adriana
04 - Chico Buarque - Oumas e Outras
05 - Havazelet Ron - Loz Ou Gahgah
06 - Yaseen & Party - Tufuate
07 - Ali Hassan Kuban - Adeele
08 - Zuhura & Party - Zizi La Huba
09 - Hitam Manis

Side B
10 - Black Ox Orkestar - Dobriden
11 - M Baraka Mwinshehe & Super Volcano - Unaulizwa
12 - Ali Hassan Kuban - Mabruk
13 - Yaseen & Party - Laiti Siwi Ndege
14 - Asnakech Worku - Tche Belew
15 - Sha'aban Yahya - Journey Back To Jogja

va -- "On A Clear Day" [Graham's Selection Fall'20]

 

A mixtape full of much-needed positive vibes : who wouldn't feel lifted up by the fresh sounds of the Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love" or Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam"? Besides these classics, more super-women rule the zone : the amazing Quarteto Em Cy from Brazil, Esin Afşar from Turkey, Elia y Elisabeth from Columbia, and in a more spiritual way Ella Jenkins and her Goodwill Choir.

Let's not forget the weird Moog-disco track "Gadget" by Moggi (one of Piero Umiliani's many alter-egos), Barış Manço's beautiful "Gülme Ha Gülme", two groovy tracks by British 60's group The Peddlers, and 2 legendary musicians from the East : Indian percussionist Babla and Azeri jazz pianist/composer Vagif Mustafazadeh (with his daughter Elza on vocals in a mad 15/8 version of "Black Eyebrow Liner")!

Thanks : Akram, Cam Cam, Luc, Roady

 

 

V.A. - My Reverie [Mixtape #52]

Ninety minutes of reverie for sunny days ahead. Brasil, Sudan, Algeria, Sao Tomé & Principe, Reunion, Kenya, Israel, Indonesia... a musical trip through the universal door of beauty. It's always locked, but everyone has a key.

SIDE A
01 - My Reverie
02 - Quarteto Em Cy - Quando o Carnaval Chegar
03 - Chico Buarque & Ennio Morricone - Roda Viva
04 - Serge Lebrasse - A cause sa cyclone la
05 - Negro Jazz Band of East Africa - Akadas Helen End
06 - Emad Youssef - Al Bareedo Ana (The One I Love)
07 - Africa Negra - Mino Bô Bé Quacueda
08 - Giovanni Cristiani - Violence-Love
09 - Cyril Labonne - Roseda
10 - Yanti Bersaudara - Anggrek Merah
11 - O Conjunto de Orlando Pereira - Maruda
12 - Ibrahim El Kashif - Elhabeeb Wain (Where is My Sweetheart)

SIDE B
13 - Dieter Schïtz - In Dreams
14 - Aharon Amram - Ladema Eini
15 - Cheb Yacine - Loukane Dja Galbek
16 - Quarteto Em Cy - Cavalo Ferro
17 - Roberto Menescal - Negro
18 - Walter Gavitt Fergusson - Mother Love
19 - David Dor - Sapri Tama
20 - Abu Obaida Hassan - Nas Fi Nas (People On Parade)
21 - Sami Belkheïr & Bellemou - Daouar Daouar
22 - Пульсары (Pulsari) - Инструментал (Instrumental)

Thanks to Cam-Cam, Felix, Roady, Reda Boudemala, Bernard C, Remz & fellow bloggers.

va -- Churiga Churiga [Le Major ' Mixtape]

Churiga Churiga seems to mean " Watch out! Be Careful ! ", hence the lynx on the cover!
I first wanted to call it "Unité Nationale" after Achille Johnny's feel good tune, but thought it could be misleading...
Replete with dreamy tunes, indonesian beauty, japanese UFO, modern experiments, turkish hits and sub mediterranean power, this new comp goes down like a glass of wine!
Aperitivo & children friendly.


1 • Baden Powell • Prelude
2 • Yusef Lateef • Love theme from The Robe
3 • Gal Costa • Baby
4 • Emelya Hasan & Orkes Pengabdian • Melati Dusun
5 • Jeti Dengan & The Alfan • Churiga Churiga
6 • Achille Johnny & Sunny Black’s band • Unité nationale
7 • Marc Aryan • Yalancısın
8 • John Cameron • Half forgotten daydreams
9 • Haruomi Hosono & Miharu Koshi • Capybara
10 • Solange • Things I Imagined
11 • Mac Demarco • Chamber of reflection
12 • Akbaba Ikilisi feat Arif Sag• Darıldım Darıldım
13 • Gülden Karaböcek • Karadır kasların
14 • Chaba Fadela & Cheb Sahraoui • Manich Mana
15 • Hamid El Sha’ery • Wein Ayamak Wein
16 • Nagat • Ana Bashak El Bahr

thanks: Dj Rainbow / D.Dog / Lockdown

Roady presents: I Never Dreamed [Mixtape]

A.P. Roady's new eclectic selection of favourites -- specially, freshly made for you:

01. Ed Terry - Rock Your Baby
02. Shelly Fabares - Johnny  Angel
03. Tony Esposito - Pagaia
04. Roy Shirley - If I Did Know
05. Giovanni Cristiani - Dancing for Diletta
06. Chris Montez - Let's Dance
07. The Hues Corporation - Rock the boat
08. The Aquarians - Medusa parts 1 &  2
09. The Cookies - I Never Dreamed
10. Trovajoli - Il Sogno
11. Sahara Band - Habibi
12. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
13. Yoko Kanno - Nobuno's Groove  [APR edit]
14. Alisha Chinai & Vijay Benedict  - Zindagi Meri Dance Dance
15. Mutiny - Burning up
16. Millie Small - My Boy Lolipop
17. Ahmed Fakroun - Sahra

va -- "Never Stop A Drum" [Graham's Confined Selection]

Out of pure serendipity, it seems that one line in Somali singer Khadijo Qalanjo's hit "Diriyam" (also spelled "Diryan") translates as "I have a flu jab" or even "the drum is a flu jab". The recurring line seems to translate as "never turn off a drum" or "never stop a drum".

This selection features a few more reggae-influenced dance tracks sung by amazing ladies - notably Salma El Assal's masterpiece "El Rayga" from Sudan (you'll find the 19-min full version as Bonus track), one of Chaba Zahouania's most pumping tracks, and Gülden Karaböcek's beautifully haunting "Yalancısın".
It opens with Lee Fields' "Clap Your Hands" which is about having a party at home, just with your lover, and ends with Mickey & the Soul Generation's weirdest and most psychedelic track, "Mystery Girl".
Also to be mentioned: Zalla's (Piero Umiliani under a pseudonym) fascinating "Risaie" (mysteriously composed on an Ethiopian melodic mode), Barış Manço & Moğollar's funkiest collaboration, Ike Turner's Arp-synthesizers-commissioned gospel, London's cult Caribbean funk group Cymande, French singer Pierre Vassiliu's cover of Chico Buarque's "Partido Alto" with hiliarious lyrics, Turkish bossa-nova by Önder Bali and Zafer Dilek, Greek singer Nikolas and a rather unknown Turkish lady called Nurcan Opel...

Thanks: Merryn, Nico Sheikholeslami, Benny Gordini, Chops, Tello, Jérôme mon disquaire.

Roady presents: Follow That Dream [60's Pop, Doo-Wop & R'n'b]

Here is A.P. Roady's new selection of 60's pop songs ! Silliness, heartaches, new dances and cheesy rhymes, all wraped up together on this C60 mixtape.

01 Freddy Canon - Pallisades Park
02 Neil Sedaka - Oh Carol
03 Johnny Otis - Willie And The Hand Jive
04 The Marcels - Give Me Back Your Love
05 Barry Mann - Who Put The Bomp (In The Bomp Bomp Bomp)
06 Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops
07 Joanie Sommers - Johnny Get Angry
08 The Velvets - Tonight (Could Be the Night)
09 Monty & the Cyclones -  Summertime
10 Dion & The Belmonts - I Wonder Why
11 The Murmaids - Popsicles And Icicles
12 Johnny & the Huricanes - Red River Rock
13 Johnny Cymbal - Mr. Baseman
14 Eydie Gorme - Blame it on the Bossa Nova
15 Elvis Presley - Follow that Dream
16 Little Peggy March - I Will Follow Him
17 The Chiffons - One Fine Day
18 Chubby Checker - Limbo Rock
19 Emile Ford & Checkmates - Counting Teardrops
20 The Marcels - My Melancholy Baby
21 Lesley Gore - It's my Party
22 Chuck Jackson - Any Day Now
23 Woody Thorne - Teenager In Love
24 Buzz Clifford - Hey Mr. Clown
25 Little Willie John - My Love Is

va -- Get Happy [Mixtape #51]

Inspired by cold white skies and stacks of wood, #51 has everything you need to make it through this wet winter : a loony tune by Pascoal ; a bunch of songs picked from the remarkable Born Bad Records catalog (Sandwidi, Mazouni, Estardy, Létang) ; crazy Croatian band Idoli's Rusija ; cheesy pop hits by Mathis and Ros ; a fine song by obscure band The Rolling Stones (ever heard of them?) ; and much more to discover on this C60 musicassette !


SIDE A
01 - Art Tatum - Get Happy
02 - Serge Gainsbourg & Jean-Claude Vannier - Les Chemins de Katmandou
03 - Bernard Estardy - Angoisse Au Coeur
04 - Capricho Huanca - Huancayo Cotupchacka
05 - Charles Maurin Poty - Amboliako Fary
06 - Idoli - Rusija
07 - Hermeto Pascoal - Little Cry For Him
08 - Amin Xaaji Cusmaan & Company - Yaabint
09 - Pierre Sandwidi - Ouaga Affaires

SIDE B
10 - Casimir Létang - Ménage Chalvire
11 - JR Thomas and The Volcanos - Color Me Blue
12 - Tommy McGee - We Ought To Be Together
13 - Johnny Mathis - No Love (But Your Love)
14 - The Rolling Stones - Under My Thumb
15 - Mazouni - Daag Dagui
16 - Old And New Dreams - Chairman Mao
17 - Edmundo Ros & His Orchestra - Jet Flight


Thanks : Seb, Roady, Dan Electro, F.C.

va -- Cosmic Echoes - Sweet Sounds From The Decade Gone 2010-2019

This is Graham's traditional X-mas comp, a bit delayed, this time paying tribute to the decade just gone "the Tens".
Not much to explain - just enjoy this eclectic mix that gives a sample of the recent productions from our vast Outernational world, from near-mainstream artists to obscure mystery-bands.

Thanks: Georgia, Arash, Luke, Booty, Derya, Cyril

Oh, Carolina! mix by Coco Maria

Says Coco Maria :

" After some years of collecting and searching for records, I bumped a few times with songs dedicated to a certain lady called Carolina.
But,
Who is she?
Where is she?
This is a mix only with songs from Latin America & Brazil, all these songs called "Carolina" for all the Carolinas we have met and who have inspired us. Teachers, sisters, lovers, neighbours, friends of friends and even institutions!
Dedicated to all of them :)
Enjoy. "

Just As You Are [Mixtape #50]

I wuz thinking of doing something special for the 50th TH mixtape but it's "just" a C90 compilation, with dope tunes from all over the place as usual. Well actually we did get a new banner/logo created by Peter The Moon.

SIDE A
01 - Fairuz
02 - ??
03 - Moondog - Stamping Ground
04 - Lilis Surjani & Orkes Melayu El Jadin - Insaflah
05 - Super Eagles - Viva super eagles
06 - Etsakor Supreme Voices - Nare
07 - Frank Caulker and the Nugatone Band - Baby a tire with you
08 - Los Ases Del Ande - Te Fuistes Sin Desperdirme
09 - Tamrat Molla - Ene Yewodedquat
10 - Girma Beyene - Set Alamenem
11 - Reuben Bell & Casanovas - It's Not That Easy
12 - And I Love Her

SIDE B
13 - Krzysztof Komeda - Le départ
14 - Robert Wyatt - Just As You Are
15 - Coconut's Band - 1 plus 2 is 3
16 - Dr John - Life
17 - Sam Fletcher - I'd Think It Over
18 - Dr John - Danse Kalinda Ba Doom
19 - Lilis Surjani & Orkes Melayu El Jadin - Huriyah
20 - ??
21 - Conjunto Los Reales de Cuzco - Mis Recuerdos
22 - La Peruanita - Recuerda Corazon
23 - Orchestre Abass - Kissagui
24 - Peter Abdul - Don't You Know
25 - Feeling Kréyol - Gadé

ps: if anyone knows what the band on tracks 2 & 20 is I'd love to know so I can invite them to play for my wedding...

Thanks to Dan Electro, Gma, Bernard Céleste, Bonzzaï, Roady and fellow bloggers.

Please check out the blog list on the right. There are some killer collectors (Global Groovers, Madrotter...) & and comp makers (Dream Weapons...) around keeping it real!

Things running a little slow around here with Catapulte crew fixing up houses and becoming fathers: happy times :)