Afro

Late 80s South African dance floor winners only! Selected by DJ Okapi and Antal, the compilation holds tracks by Jivaro, The Hard Workers, Ayobayo Band, S.Y.B. & many more. This is the sharp electronic music that fuelled the local Pantsula dances during the 80s and 90s . A must have for fans of Bubblegum and Kwaito music.The 12 tracks selected for Pantsula! come from a very unique, very different time and place. They represent the birth of electronic dance music in South Africa, through the songs of one particular independent label from the time: Music Team. The sound represents the culmination of the bubblegum era, when South Africa’s disco artists outgrew their American influences and forged an increasingly electronic and ‘local’ pop sound.Evolving over time since long before the 80s, the distinctly South African subculture of Pantsula is more closely associated with an attitude, a style and a signature dance, rather than any specific sound. In the late 1980s and early 90s, Pantsula was also the name given to a new type of dance music taking over the streets of South Africa, influenced by earlier bubblegum and the rise of Shangaan Disco, but with a far broader appeal and a harder, purely electronic sound.

First official reissue of Nigerian Boogie Disco Grail LP produced by Grotto for EMI Nigeria and originally released in 1978. Contains dance classic‘Bad city Girl’. Liner notes by Nigerian Music expert Uchenna Ikkone, include previously unpublished photos and extensive interviews by Temitope Kogbe.“Odion Iruoje was the A&R manager at EMI at the time,” Benson says, “and he auditioned us, liked he material and signed us.” Odion Iruoje of course had groomed and produced Ofege. Now he was looking to repeat the formula with other high school groups such as Tirogo, Apples and Question Mark. Grotto’s deep rock would be a welcome addition to this “schoolboy rock” series. Work on their album started immediately, with Iruoje in the producer’s chair. Adapting to the tastes of the times—as well as their own maturing musical sensibilities—Grotto started transitioning from acid rock towards sleeker, more dance floor-friendly grooves. “As I grew older I think I got a bit jazzier,” Benson says. “I also listened to Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Prince and a lot of funk groups from that era.” “Hard rock was the content of the first album,” Amenechi agrees, “and funk/jazz/R&B the focus of album number two. Especially with the late Toma Mason Jr. joining as bassist.” The group’s second album, Grotto II: Wait… No Hurry (released in 1979) reflected the growing sophistication of its members’ musical outlook. Fat, funky bass grooves rubbed shoulders with jazzy flute lines; space-age synthesizer tones punctuated good, old-fashioned crunchy rock riffs.

Exhumé par l'archéologue du groove Betino Errera, ce bijou noir gravé à Paris en 1980 est l'œuvre du chanteur Américain Robert Helms. Celui-ci fit en France une carrière plutôt confidentielle avec quelques sorties tant sous son nom que celui de Bobby Helms ou encore Bobby. L'album " Lay down girl" est resté un secret bien gardé en dépit du fait qu'il contienne deux puissants morceaux de disco funk façonnés par des pointures de studio dont Donny Donable, pilier du Lafayette Afro Rock Band à la batterie, Christophe Zadire de Zulu Gang à la basse and Beckie Bell dans les choeurs. Les séances furent dirigées par le grand Jacob Desvarieux aux guitares, piano et synthés , qui était déjà à l'époque un des fondateurs de Kassav. Ces enregistrements ont été réalisés sous la supervision de Pierre Jaubert, producteur majeur du circuit indépendant à partir de la fin des années soixante, à la tête de son propre studio, lequel était un lieu de rencontre très prisé des musiciens. Il est a l'origine de disques de maitres du blues tels que John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Roosevelt Sykes et de grands du jazz comme Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp and Charlie Mingus. Mais pour les amateurs de funk, Pierre Jaubert est surtout reconnu pour son travail avec le groupe légendaire Lafayette Afro Rock Band dont les breaks et les riffs exceptionnels ont été samplés par les plus célèbres rappeurs dont Public Enemy, De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, Digital Underground, Wu Tang Clan et Ice Cube pour n'en citer que quelques uns.Aujourd'hui, Betino's Records réédite les deux morceaux les plus recherchés de l'album original : "Feet on the ground" coécrit par Desvarieux et Helms et "Sekele I like it" de Desvarieux et Pasteur Lappe, ce dernier, originaire du Cameroun, étant le premier à enregistrer le morceau en 1979.En prime, les deux morceaux sont retravaillés dans la veine actuelle. Baptman et Betino abandonnent les parties chantées de "Sekele I like it" pour le transformer en un dub d'inspiration "Philly" ultra dansant.De son coté, DJ Vas creuse la veine afrobeat pour "Feet on the ground", épaissit la sauce avec des lignes de basse qui claquent et lui donne une touche à la "Earth Wind & Fire" en magnifiant la section de cuivres.Dernier point, le pressage de ce maxi est limité à 700 exemplaires.Unearthed by groove archeologist Betino Errera, this black gem was cut in Paris in 1980 by American vocalist Robert Helms. His French career being rather confidential with releases under his own name as well as Bobby Helms or simply Bobby, the "Lay down girl" album remained a well-kept secret for decades despite the fact that it contained two very strong disco funk tunes. Helms was backed by a seasoned studio band including Donny Donable of Lafayette Afro Rock Band on drums, Christophe Zadire of Zulu Gang fame on bass and Beckie Bell on backing vocals. The session was led by master musician Jacob Desvarieux on guitar, piano and synths , who was already at that time, one of the founders of Kassav. These recordings were made under the supervision of Pierre Jaubert who was a major player on the independent French production scene from the late sixties onward, operating his own studio, famous for also being a much appreciated meeting point for musicians. He is responsible for bringing forth works from legendary bluesmen like John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Roosevelt Sykes and jazz greats including Mal Waldron, Archie Shepp and Charlie Mingus. But to funk lovers, Pierre Jaubert is mostly known for his involvement with the mythical Lafayette Afro Rock Band whose prominent breaks and riffs have been sampled by the most illustrious rappers including Public Enemy, De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, Digital Underground, Wu Tang Clan and Ice Cube to name but a few.Today, Betino's Records reissues two very sought after tracks from the original album : "Feet on the ground" cowritten by Desvarieux and Helms and "Sekele I like it" written by Desvarieux and Pasteur Lappe , the latter hailing from Cameroon, was the first one to record the song in 1979.In addition , both tunes get the contemporary rework treatment. Baptman and Betino editing the vocals out of "Sekele I like it" then turning it into a very danceable Philly- inspired dub.For his part, DJ Vas digs the Afrobeat seam on "Feet on the ground" , thickens the sauce with thumping bass lines and adds an "Earth Wind & Fire " feel by putting the emphasis on the horn section.And last but not least, this 12 inch pressing is limited to 700 copies worldwide.