Cedrik Fermont – Es könnte der Anfang sein

Cedrik Fermont is a composer whose work I greatly admire. He has done remarkable work in documenting experimental music from underrepresented areas and is also an accomplished composer in his own right. This new album features two tracks: one recorded this year and the other in 2023. Both tracks utilize Continue Reading

Franco & O.K. Jazz – Franco Luambo Makiadi Presents Les Editions Populaires (1968-1970)

Franco was the pride of what was then (and would be again) the Democratic Republic of Congo, for a brief spell known as Zaire.  He went from singing rumba and bolero tunes to developing a funk-influenced sound that lit up most of the African continent.  From the Bandcamp site: “This Continue Reading

Various Artists – The Soul of Congo: Treasures of the Ngoma label (1948​-​1963)

Before Afrobeat became such a massive influence across Africa, Congolese music seemed to be the pride of the continent.  A joyous mix of merengue, rhumba and local music would influence a great deal of West African popular music until James Brown and others came over to topple over the previous Continue Reading