va -- The Bird Has Flown [Graham's X-mas Selection '21]

 

 

After the wacky "Voyage Sans Retour" mixtape, this selection carries a much lighter, happier vibe, in fact almost christmassy (I even managed to include two indirectly Xmas-related titles, "Snowman's Stomp" and "Vomitation"), so don't hesitate to impose it to your family or friends as a digestive dance party after a heavy dinner !

Some hip-shaking soul-jazz by Eddie Jefferson and Lou Donaldson, some reggae vibes (an early Marley/Wailers track, one of Jackie Mittoo's grooviest numbers, a strangely soulful love song by Junior Byles, and Janet Kay's timeless Lovers Rock hit "Silly Games"!), a few 60's goodies (New Colony Six's crazy "Dawn Is Breaking" as an opener, and later on Joe Meek's "Julie" sung by the Dowland brothers, "Snowman's Stomp" by KPM composer Steve Gray, and John Shroeder's psychedelic "The Bird Has Flown")...

"La Musique" is a fresh soukous track by Benin's young Star-Feminine Band, followed by Turkish anthems "Misket" and "Ben Sana Böyledir O Demedim Mi" (Kenan's groovy version of "Baksana Talihe")... Morrocan group Frères Bouchenak's hit "Laylalila", Indian percussionist Babla's brilliant attempt to "chutney" music (calypso-influenced Indian music) sung by Kanchan... and a great cumbia/chicha track by Los Shapis (featuring singer Noemi) suggested by my friend Seb from Rebel Up! ... Finally Lulu Mushi's 1998 chilled 5/4 bossa "Cartwheel" and Nino Ferrer's proggy "Vomitation"!

Thanks : Werner "Eurodermitis", Roady, Derya, SebCat

va -- Voyage Sans Retour [Graham's Selection Fall'21]

A selection subtitled "Far-out and free-spirited jazz, prog, folk, pop and reggae from across the Globe". It contains songs from Moroccan rock group Frères Bouchenak's beautiful first album (featuring their uncredited sister, singing in the most extraordinary way!), tracks by obscure instrumental French band Temple Sun and from Azeri pianist Vagif Mustafa Zadeh's cult 1971 album featuring vocal group Sevil. Also to be noticed : 2 Anatolian folk songs interpreted in the trippiest way, respectively by jazz musician/singer Özdemir Erdoğan and by ephemere psych-rock band Kontrastlar ; and 2 weird songs by Italian prog legends Franco Battiato and Enzo Carella... And check out New Colony Six's fantastic version of the Yardbirds' song "Mister You're A Better Man Than I"... prepare for a one-way trip!

Thanks : Fred, Akram, Diz-Diz, Piro

MIXTAPE #56 : DREAM JOURNEY

 This is the new C60 voyage in our blog-long adventure through outernational music.

 Side A
01 - Devil Fantasy Band
02 - Daniel Delord - Maria
03 - Sandra Mara - Celeiro de bamba
04 - Bob James - Dream Journey
05 - Onuma Singsiri - Mae Kha Som Tam
06 - The Heptones - You Turned Away
07 - Sir Waziri Oshomah - Emmanuel mhomoh
08 - Rim Akandoh & his Prince Sparrows Band - Sasabonsam fie

 Side B
09 - Paul Desmond - Music For A While
10 - Os Jovens do Prenda - Gaby
11 - Alfred Panou & Art Ensemble of Chicago - Je suis un sauvage
12 - Charlie And His Boys
13 - Arulan & Barry Crocker - Djalan Mati
14 - Ream Daranoi - Fai Yen
15 - Nada Kentjana - Djaleuleudja
16 - Stroto Pogonisio Kitsos Harisiadis - Smooth Dance from Pogoni

 

MIXTAPE #55 : Porto Alegre

Drums, accordion, guitar, bright vocals, far-out synths... Let's resume our voyage through the universal door of music. Next stop: Porto Alegre! An 18 track compilation to fit on a C60 musicassette.

Side A
01 - Pluto
02 - Nestor Amaral - Porto Alegre
03 - Discafric Band & Robert Degbevi - Djoyi Fa
04 - Paul McZiel - Tape Dance
05 - Wilmoth Houdini - Tiger Tom Kill Tiger Cat, Damblay, Santapie & Rat
06 - Black Star Musical Club - Enyi Wanadamu
07 - Bienveillance Abymienne - Ti Jenes An Nou
08 - Eric Siday - Sliding Thirds
09 - Talking Heads - (Nothing But) Flowers
10 - Murad Kajlayev - Старый саксофонист

Side B
11 - Joseph Koo, 顧嘉煇 - Oh My Love
12 - Kourosh Yaghmaei - Gole Yakh (Winter Sweet)
13 - Saknatee Srichiangmai - Nom Samai Mai
14 - Sandra Mara - Isso tem que se acabar
15 - Ashanti Brothers Band - )Kwaadwe Fo)
16 - Discafric Band & Robert Degbevi - Do Nku Tso
17 - Rim Akandoh & his Prince Sparrows Band - It's me o lord
18 - Daniels-Deason Sacred Harp Singers - Hallelujah

Thanks: DWP, Nova, Global Groovers, Soulseekers...

 

MIXTAPE #54: Empty Spring Part 1&2

Ready for Spring? Here's a massive 2xC90 compilation full of mellow nostalgia for a world that never was, both bright and dark, mysterious though very familiar...

 

Empty Spring Part 1: A Spring Was Pouring Out Water

(alternate zip) 

Side A
01 - Dave Bartholomew - Stardust
02 - Memory Group - Tiada Sesalan Lagi
03 - Piero Umiliani - Carlo E Sofia
04 - Lyubka Rondova - Izvor Voda Izvorvashe (A Spring Was Pouring Out Water)
05 - West African Swing Stars - Omo Africa
06 - Prince Buster - Freezing Up Orange Street
07 - Sivuca - Ponteio
08 - Ray Charles - I Love You, I Love You (I Will Never Let You Go)
09 - Ennio Morricone, Enrico Pieranunzi - Per Dalila (From Il Bandito Dagli Occhi Azzurri)
10 - Flora Purim - Nem O Mar Sabia
11 - Airto - Bebe
12 - Attilio Donadio - Our Beat
13 - Brian Bennett - Solstice
14 - Peter Thomas - Corals In Space
15 - Sun Ra Arkestra - Sea of Darkness / Darkness

Side B
16 - Donald Byrd - Kofi
17 - Mandingo Griot Society with Don Cherry - Sounds From The Bush
18 - Eric Siday - Night Tide
19 - Phil Manzanera - Lagrima
20 - Jabula - Thunder Into Our Hearts
21 - Barry Stoller - Condition Red
22 - Ebo Taylor - Will You Promise
23 - Mohamed, Yasseen & Party - Nalikuwa Na Mpenzi (I Have Had My Darling)
24 - Sivuca - Rosa Na Favela (A Rose Born In The Ghetto)
25 - Karimata & Dave Valentin - Confession
26 - The Dead Brothers - Goldbrunnen Platz

 

Empty Spring Part2: Gemme In Fiore

(alternate zip)

Side A
01 - Mort Garson - Ode to an Afican Violet
02 - Brigitte Fontaine & Jacques Higelin - Fleur De Pavot
03 - Inquietacao (Foolishness Of Young Love)
04 - Alain Goraguer - Thème d'Amour
05 - Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Ain't No Sunshine
06 - Galt Macdermot - And He Will Not Come Again
07 - Lil Albert - Outrageous
08 - Them - Could You Would You
09 - Vanessa Kendrick - Of Me Is You
10 - Camel's Dream
11 - Rino De Filippi - Gemme In Fiore
12 - Gong - Thought For Naught
13 - Chico Hamilton Quintet - The Wind
14 - Østerdalsmusikk - Bukkehornlåt etter Ole Eggen
15 - The Son Of PM - Fountian
16 - Empty Spring

Side B
17 - Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom
18 - Brian Eno - In Dark Trees
19 - Richard Hayman - Gris-Gris
20 - Orkes Bukit Siguntang - Tjinta Hampa
21 - Arthur Alenxander - The Girl That Radiates That Charm
22 - Richard Hayman - Voodoo
23 - Stu Mitchell - Acid
24 - Alain Goraguer - Thème de Liz
25 - Roger Roger - Lotus Girl
26 - Robert Wyatt - Born Again Cretin
27 - Brian Eno - Sombre Reptiles
28 - Aksak Maboul - A Modern Lesson
29 - Holger Czukay - Persian Love
30 - Orera - Мухамбази

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.