Category Archives: African

SONG OF THE DAY Os Kiezos – Comboio

Today’s little carousel of joy feels like a spinning ride of happiness, bursting with energy and beaming with vitality. I love those vocal layers, its agile pace and shimmering guitar melodies. This is definitely one to call upon when I … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers – Talking Drum

“All the music that we do is based firmly on African traditions. So is rhythm and blues – but we try to get nearer the source, right down to the grass roots of the jungle – the sun, the heat, … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds – Mbube

I know it happened a lot in the past when songs were covered and then went on to be really popular, but the original artists didn’t even get credited, let alone get any royalties…but I never realised today’s song was … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Yaseen & Party – Kiss To Kiss

I’d really love to know the original release date to this sweet, sweet piece of music, it’s so bloody addictive!! I know that some of this music was originally issued on shellac, so I’m going to assume its from the … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Henri Bowane – Wabon’kum Blues

The happiest accidental tangent of the most fortunate kind befell my lucky ears earlier today when I found this little beauty!!!! Emerging in the late 1940’s, guitarist, singer and bandleader, Henri Bowane was a pinnacle figure in the development of … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Menelik Wossenachew – Belew Bedubaye

Earlier this year I featured a track (a cover in fact) by the great Ethiopian singer/music writer and lyricist, Menelik Wossenatchew. His version of Tezeta is really rather glorious and his vocal tone is as mellow as the sinking sun … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Iftin Band – Sirmaqabe (No Secrets)

This tune is literally music to my ears! It makes me all melty inside, transmitting those tingles that you sometimes get when a melody or a beat, or whatever it is strikes a magic part in your soul! It’s a … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Menelik Wossenachew – Tezeta

Tezeta is a song originally constructed by the wonderful Mulatu Astatke sometime in the late 1960’s, early 1970’s. Translating as ‘nostalgia’ or ‘longing’, the song is composed as an instrumental piece by Mulatu, but today’s cover has a vocal element, … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY Tak Shindo ‎- Mombasa Love Song

Born in America in 1922, Takeshi “Tak” Shindo was a Japanese American musician, composer and arranger best known for his prominence in the world of exotica music. Active throughout the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, his main instruments were the … Continue reading

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SONG OF THE DAY The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination – Amalinja

The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination were a band formed by three ex-members of Fela Kuti’s 1960s highlife-jazz outfit, the Koola Lobitos –  this being the prototype band Fela Kuti set-up before changing the name to Africa 70 in 1970. Consisting … Continue reading

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