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The Funk goes native on this heavy back-to-Africa collection of rare Afro-grooves from around the globe. Ouelele is an eclectic mixture of African and African-derived music from 12 different artists who deliver some of the heaviest rhythms known to man. Nothing hits harder than the hardcore Afrobeat of Smahila & The S.B's epic "African Movement," a 19-minute Fela Kuti derived groove that keeps you spellbound with its endless energy. Soul-jazz meets South Africa in Letta M'Bulu's swinging cover of Hugh Masekela's "What's Wrong With Groovin'." All the intensity of free-jazz is channeled into the percussion heavy groove of Philip Cohran & The African Heritage Ensemble's "Unity," a tribal-funk jam built around a hypnotically droning violin line and a wall of drums. Henri Guedon's "Volcano" is a highly danceable obscurity that skillfully combines jazzy flutes and horns with raw Afro-Latin percussion and pure funk bass. Argentine native Fernando Gelbard opens up 1974's "Alevacolariea" with an African-inspired chant sung over a lone hand drum, before kicking into a Fender Rhodes led vamp that blends the best elements of early Fusion with the soul of ancient Africa. Nigerian percussionist Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers deliver a truck-load of solid rhythmic uplift with "I Jool Omo," a jazzy gem from their highly collectible 1967 lp, "African Party." New York City-based Antibalas unleash a brand new and heavy Afrobeat classic, "World War IV," an unadulterated blast of prime African funk in the tradition of "Black President" Fela Kuti. The album closes with Batsumi's exotic slice of South African jazz-mysticism, "Lishonile," a 9-minute track swirling with impassioned flute and sax solos. Without a dull moment or weak track, Ouelele is definitely worth owning. And, if you find yourself Jonesing for more rare and obscure Afro-rhythms, check out Comet Records' earlier collection, Racubah!
---John Ballon (email)
Buy or Hear It Now...
TRACKS:
1. What's Wrong With Groovin' - Letta M'Bulu
2. Unity - Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble
3. Vulcano - Henri Guedon
4. Alevacolariea - Fernando Gelbard
5. African Movement - Smahila & The S.B.'s
6. Ouelele - Marius Cultier
7. I Jool Omo - Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers
8. World War IV - Antibalas
9. Douala By Night - J.M. Tim & Foty
10. Senga - Manu Dibango
11. Na Waya - Ghetto Blaster
12. Lishonile - Batsumi
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