Various Artists – Afrobeat Airways 2: Return Flight To Ghana 1974-1983” (2013) review
Various Artists “Afrobeat Airways 2: Return
Flight To Ghana 1974-1983” (CD/2xLP on Analog Africa, 2013)
Flight To Ghana 1974-1983” (CD/2xLP on Analog Africa, 2013)
As the title indicates, this marks a return to
the West African nation of Ghana for more ultra-rare Afrobeat that’ll keep your
happy feet plastered to the dancefloor. While the incredible 44-page booklet
full of artist and producer bios and interviews and amazing contemporary images
is worth the price of admission alone, particularly for musicologists tracking
the history of Afro funk and soul, these thirteen tracks will get the party
started and keep you bopping and hopping all night long. [One minor quibble:
the track/artist annotations in the book do not follow the CD sequence, so it
takes a little effort flipping abck-and-forth throughout the booklet to locate
the artist info as you listen along.]
the West African nation of Ghana for more ultra-rare Afrobeat that’ll keep your
happy feet plastered to the dancefloor. While the incredible 44-page booklet
full of artist and producer bios and interviews and amazing contemporary images
is worth the price of admission alone, particularly for musicologists tracking
the history of Afro funk and soul, these thirteen tracks will get the party
started and keep you bopping and hopping all night long. [One minor quibble:
the track/artist annotations in the book do not follow the CD sequence, so it
takes a little effort flipping abck-and-forth throughout the booklet to locate
the artist info as you listen along.]
Uppers
International kick things off with the funky sway of “Aja Wondo”, an
hallucinogenic trance stomper. One of many treats for collectors is up next in
the previously unreleased jazzy improve “Children Don’t Cry”, featuring
Afrobeat star Ebo Taylor backing his son, Ebo, Jnr. Brass aficionados will love
this one, but there’s some perfectly placed guitar solos in there as well.
International kick things off with the funky sway of “Aja Wondo”, an
hallucinogenic trance stomper. One of many treats for collectors is up next in
the previously unreleased jazzy improve “Children Don’t Cry”, featuring
Afrobeat star Ebo Taylor backing his son, Ebo, Jnr. Brass aficionados will love
this one, but there’s some perfectly placed guitar solos in there as well.
The enigmatic De Frank and His Professionals
(Frank Kakrah always kept a low profile and his current whereabouts are still
unknown) ups the funk ante with “Waiting For My Baby”, which rides its “Louie
Louie” riff into a blaring brass coda. A few personal highlighta are up next:
Los Issufu and His Moslems’ “Kana Soro” and Waza-Afriko 76’s “Gbei Kpakpa Hife
Sika” both ride deliriously infectious organ beats coupled with more
trance/dance rhythms that will find the listener enveloped within their grip
and have you swaying and grooving long after the tracks fade away.
(Frank Kakrah always kept a low profile and his current whereabouts are still
unknown) ups the funk ante with “Waiting For My Baby”, which rides its “Louie
Louie” riff into a blaring brass coda. A few personal highlighta are up next:
Los Issufu and His Moslems’ “Kana Soro” and Waza-Afriko 76’s “Gbei Kpakpa Hife
Sika” both ride deliriously infectious organ beats coupled with more
trance/dance rhythms that will find the listener enveloped within their grip
and have you swaying and grooving long after the tracks fade away.
Tony Sarfo & The Funky Afrosibi’s
instrumental “I Beg” welds Booker T & The M.G.’s to latter-day Talking
Heads, K. Frimpong’s lengthy “Abrabo” will work up a brutal sweat with its
jazzy guitar licks, chanting/rapping vocals, and omnipresent brass and this
whole compilation is highly recommended to fans of world beat, afro funk, and 80s practitioners like the Heads,
Liquid Liquid, Medium Medium, and other funky, brass-and-organ-heavy artists.
instrumental “I Beg” welds Booker T & The M.G.’s to latter-day Talking
Heads, K. Frimpong’s lengthy “Abrabo” will work up a brutal sweat with its
jazzy guitar licks, chanting/rapping vocals, and omnipresent brass and this
whole compilation is highly recommended to fans of world beat, afro funk, and 80s practitioners like the Heads,
Liquid Liquid, Medium Medium, and other funky, brass-and-organ-heavy artists.
Review made by Jeff Penczak/2013
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http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2013
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