Various, Reggae Africa (Roots & Culture 1972-1981)  
Various
Reggae Africa (Roots & Culture 1972-1981)
GBR 1xLP 
Label: Africa Seven
Release Year: 2021
Style: Latin & Brasil & Afro
 
  Tracks  
  01: The Mebusas - Good Bye Friends
02: Georges Happi - Hello Friends
03: Black Reggae - Darling I'm So Proud Of You
04: Christy Essien - I'll Be Your Man
05: The Lijadu Sisters - Bobby
06: Tala Andre Marie - Hop Sy Trong
07: Essama Bikoula - I'll Cry
08: Carlos And Miki - All This Nonsense
09: Pasteur Lappe - Babette D'O (Rastawoman)
 
  On 18th April, 1980, after decades of anti colonial struggle, the Zimbabweian flag was finally raised at midnight at the Rufaro Stadium in Harare. Not long after, the words "Ladies and Gentlemen, Bob Marley and The Wailers!" rang out, and Zimbabwe's independent future began.

In the years that followed, Africa was to produce it's own reggae superstars, as the likes of Alpha Blondy, Majek Fashek and Lucky Dube swept across the continent and beyond, and there's no doubting Bob Marley's explosive impact on this particular narrative.

Marley's unswerving commitment to liberation and unity ranged from the sweeping spiritual sentiments of iconic hits such One Love and Redemption Song to the galvanising, focused tone of 1979's 'Zimbabwe', and his status as global superstar ensured that his (self funded) part in the countries' epochal celebrations meant that the history of reggae in Africa would always be viewed through the prism of his influence ( Wiki/African Reggae : "In 1980, world-famous Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley performed in Harare, Zimbabwe, and that concert is often credited as marking the beginning of reggae in Africa")

But in fact, the recorded history of reggae produced in Africa stretches back over a decade before Marley's arrival on the continent, and showcases broad pan - diasporic interflows between the Carribean and Africa, with the UK and the US communities playing influential supporting roles, all helping shape the evolution and development of the genre in Africa from late 60's inception to Marley's arrival in 1980, and then well beyond.

Reggae Africa : Roots and Culture, 1972 - 1981 tries to capture a sense of that evolution, starting in 1972 as Mebussa's ultra rare 'Good Bye Friends' effortlessly captures triangular, transatlantic cultural interflows, with the short lived Nigerian group's bitter sweet chords echoing classic US soul, but laid over a gritty, skanking Jimmy Cliff - esque proto reggae rhythm.

Trying to work out the precise provenance of Black Reggae's 'Darling I'm So Proud of You' (1975) isn't easy, but involves Paris based / African focused label Fiesta, some proper OG co-branding exercise with Bols Brandy ( "Bols Brandy presents Black Reggae") - and deeply infectious, lilting Rocksteady.

By 1976, glorious Nigerian sister duo Lijadu Sisters are echoing the chunky roots of a Dennis Brown or U Roy on 'Bobby', and in 1977, bespoke Nigerian drummer Georges Happi is introing 'Hello Friends' with the soon to be universal signature reggae tom roll intro, before veering leftfield with snatches of spoken Afro - English vocal in between the hooky choruses.

Nigerian giant Chrissy Essien's 'I'll Be You Man' (1979) combines floaty Lovers vibes with catchy ska shuffle, and in the same year, Cameroonian afro-funk/disco heavyweight Pasteur Lappe' drifts seamlessly into skanking, Lovers infected reggae on 'Babbette D.O. ( Rastawoman )' (before a sprawling electric guitar solo reminds us how unselfconsiously eclectic so much African music of the era was.)

And finally bookending the compilation, in chronological terms, fellow Cameroonian Tala AM also swaps his funk and soul for the rootsy and infectious 'Hop Sy Trong' (1981), again highlighting the diverse and eclectic approach to this timeless Carribean musical genre taken by African musicians in the years before that Bob Marley year zero event in Zimbabwe.
 
      Wish List  
  Price: CHF 28.00   Currently not on stock!
Please check back later or call us for more information:
+41 (0)43 322 02 04
 
  Releases of the same artist  
  Various Blends, Further Dimensions  
Various Blends
Further Dimensions
[Insidious Urban Records]
CHEAPO  
USA 7inch  Wish List
CHF 11.00 Add To Cart
 
  Various, Latin Underground Revolution  
Various
Latin Underground Revolution
[Rocafort Records]
GBR 7inch  Wish List
CHF 33.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Brownswood 10 Versions  
Various
Brownswood 10 Versions
[Brownswood Recordings]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 40.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Soul Slabs, Volume 1  
Various
Soul Slabs, Volume 1
[Colemine]
USA 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 40.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Praise Poems Vol.5  
Various
Praise Poems Vol.5
[Tramp Records]
GER 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 29.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Spiritual Jazz Vol.8: Japan, Pt.1  
Various
Spiritual Jazz Vol.8: Japan, Pt.1
[Jazzman]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 44.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, We Out Here  
Various
We Out Here
[Brownswood Recordings]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 35.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Spiritual Jazz Vol.11: SteepleChase  
Various
Spiritual Jazz Vol.11: SteepleChase
[Jazzman]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 35.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Funk Spectrum II  
Various
Funk Spectrum II
[BBE Records]
GBR 2xLP vg/vg Wish List
CHF 25.00 Add To Cart
 
  Various, Fac. Dance: Factory Records 12  
Various
Fac. Dance: Factory Records 12" Mixes & Rarities 1980-1987
[Strut]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 25.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Cameroon Garage Funk  
Various
Cameroon Garage Funk
[Analog Africa]
GER 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 41.00 Add To Cart
 
  Various, Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection  
Various
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection
[Habibi Funk]
GER 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 39.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Gangster Music Vol.2  
Various
Gangster Music Vol.2
[All City Music]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 33.00 Add To Cart
 
  Various, Red Hot + Fela  
Various
Red Hot + Fela
[Knitting Factory Records]
GBR 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 35.00 Restocking!
 
  Various, Jeff Recordings  
Various
Jeff Recordings
[Crippled Dick Hot Wax]
GER 2xLP  Wish List
CHF 25.00 Add To Cart
 
  Releases of the same label  
  J. M. Tim & Foty, African Funk Experimentals (1977-1979)  
J. M. Tim & Foty
African Funk Experimentals (1977-1979)
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 35.00 Restocking!
 
  M'Bamina, Experimental  
M'Bamina
Experimental
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 30.00 Restocking!
 
  Manu Dibango, Ceddo (Bande Originale Du Film)  
Manu Dibango
Ceddo (Bande Originale Du Film)
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 28.00 Restocking!
 
  Sory Bamba, Du Mali  
Sory Bamba
Du Mali
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 30.00 Add To Cart
 
  V/A, Africa Airways One (Funk Connection 1973-1980)  
V/A
Africa Airways One (Funk Connection 1973-1980)
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 28.00 Restocking!
 
  V/A, Africa Airways 03 (Funk Departures 1972-1984)  
V/A
Africa Airways 03 (Funk Departures 1972-1984)
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 28.00 Add To Cart
 
  V/A, Afro Psych  
V/A
Afro Psych
[Africa Seven]
GBR 1xLP  Wish List
CHF 31.00 Add To Cart
 
21 Savage
American Dream
[Slaughter Gang]
Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru
Souvenirs
[Mississippi Records]
James Alexander Bright
Fall For You
[Athens Of The North]
Major Arcana
Major Arcana
[Out-Sider]
Manillio
Deheim
[Bakara Music]
Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
Magnetic Sunshine
[Library Of The Occult]
Papa Bear & His Cubs
You're So Fine
[Athens Of The North]
Samizdat / Michael J.Blood
Disenfranchised Refuseniks
[Blood]
Tara Clerkin Trio
On the Turning Ground
[World Of Echo]
  1. Earl Sweatshirt & Alchemist
Voir Dire
 
  2. Mogwaa
Translucent
 
  3. CCO
Sonic Atmospheres
 
  4. TamTam
Ramble In The Rainbow
 
  5. Benedek
Southland Mystic EP
 
  6. Dimitri Grimm
For Beauty's Source
 
  7. Fugees
The Score
 
  8. VA
Instrumental Dubs 2
 
  9. Arctic Monkeys
AM
 
  10. Che
The Incident