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
Rhumba
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
Air Volta – Volta Jazz
The 1200 Line is an expert reissue label bringing some amazing African music to the masses with meticulously recreated cover art and remastering. This release is from Upper Volta, and it features cumbia rhythms, rhumba, Cuban son and yé-yé blended into a joyful mix. From the Bandcamp site: From the Continue Reading
Star Band de Dakar – Psicodelia Afro-Cubana de Senegal
Cuba has a long, storied history of sharing a strong bond with many countries in Africa. From the horrifying slave trade to the Cuban Communist “revolution,” culture and music have flowed back and forth between the island nation and most of the richly cultured continent. This release from the now-legendary Continue Reading