Livy Ekemezie
Friday Night

This Incredible afro-soul album was recorded in Italy in 1974 by the two Nigerians Ezy Hart and Isaac Olashugba. Ezy is known for his vocals while Isaac for playing saxophone. They are ex-members of Fela Kuti’s Hi-Life Jazz band, The Koola Lobitos and The Don Ezekiel Combination. After doing amazing collaborations together, recording a few Christian-Funk albums, and touring all over West Africa, these two finally settled in Italy were, after almost two decades, they not only toured through the all country, but also through Switzerland and Monte-Carlo.The Funky Fella, a group of 12 top Italian musicians such as Maestro Leoni from Rifi records, produced three albums with Ezy and Isaac. The first one is called Soul Rock and is considered as a Soul masterpiece. It contains the bomb track called “Bawagbe” ; This track is very tuff, hypnotic afro-soul groove with ruff Yoruba chants, smacking congas, afro horns, funky breaks and a wicked percussion breakdown of rattling cowbells. It`s a very unique collectors’ item for the afro-funk lovers and more. We’re also including a bonus track called “I’m Ready For you”, coming from the rare funky 7inch released in 1976.Soul Rock is considered gold-dust, it`s the Holy Grail of Afro-Italian funk.

Born in 1989 in Bamako, Mali, Nfaly Diakité is a member of the Donsow, Bambara animist hunters. Nfaly Diakité is named after his grandfather, the late Nfaly Diakité, one of Mali’s most respected donso chiefs. His grandfather did not play, but as a leading figure in the donso brotherhood, he was always accompanied by musician Yoro Sidibé. Nfaly grew up alongside Yoro Sidibé, who became his first master of the donso ngoni, a type of eight-stringed antelope skin harp. After leaving school to devote himself to his instrument, Nfaly continued his apprenticeship with Diakaria Diakité and Oumar Sidibé, two donso masters from the Wassolo region.He quickly made a name for himself in the donso community and was much asked to play at the traditional ceremonies of his brotherhood. He then met percussionist Ibrahim Sarr and joined the BKO Quintet, with whom he recorded an album and toured Europe and the United States. His virtuosity on the donso ngoni soon attracted attention, and he took part in numerous music and dance festivals in Mali and abroad, with the aim of raising awareness of this little-known traditional instrument.Nfaly Diakité is also a Kônô, meaning that he is responsible for passing on the history and culture of the Bambara people through music and song. He pursues his mission by combining tradition with more contemporary sounds and by collaborating with artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds. For him, music is a means of conveying messages of peace, love and harmony, and his compositions evoke the values of respect, tolerance and open-mindedness.‘Tribute to Toumani Koné’ is Nfay Diakité’s first solo album, recorded in Bamako in June 2020. On the album, Nfaly is the only singer, providing backing vocals and playing the donso ngoni and keregne. The album is a tribute to the storyteller and poet Toumani Koné, the greatest donso ngoni player since N’gonifo Bourama. Nfaly Diakité is a representative of the new generation of donso ngoni players and he wishes to pay tribute to Toumani Koné, who throughout his long career has been a symbol of courage, daring, loyalty and honesty.The nine-track of this solo album leaves no room for hesitation. Three instruments (donso ngoni, voice and keregne) manage to carry one into another dimension without ever tiring. The fitting and precise rhythm is a deep but melodious transe. Nfaly’s voice plays between expressive urgency and calm wisdom, and the choruses with his own voice multiply the planes of dimension of the music. The donso n’goni, of which Nfaly is an excellent player, sounds rough and earthy but always clear and sharp. All the strength of a music that does not belong to a single musician but to a long cultural tradition of which he is the spokesman is expressed here. The young Nfaly, thanks to his experience and sensitivity, succeeds on his own in pushing us into this world without feeling the weight of tradition but only the liberation of music that sounds all the more contemporary. This album is to be listened to in its entirety as one tight journey between repeated formulas, highlights and moments of rest within the same relentless rhythm. The densest moment is probably found in the heart of the album, between the tracks Nankama (the predestined one) and Mogote Diabeye (no one can please everyone). Here, the message, which can be deciphered from the translation of the lyrics, seems to transcend language barriers and intepret us directly about our human condition, urging us to move our bodies to the dense rhythm of life.

An ode to Nature or the nostalgia of a fantasized city, it’s the character of Zaka, the Voodoo Loa (spirit), who gives its protection to this collection inspired by the wonderfully free world of Library Music.This second volume shows Blundetto’s passion for nature and the mystic of the eco-systems. You’ll hear the realm of a studio placed in the center of a French forest, the chicken ballroom, the daily walks at the rhythm of seasonal transformations of oaks and chestnut trees, the summer wind in the jungle of the vegetable garden responding to vintage keyboards, folk guitars and the silky sound of Mellotron.

Saigon Supersound Continues… to present more interesting tunes of a musical era that has long been obscured. With the well-received Volume 1, we are very delighted to dig deeper and share with you the beautiful music of a short but significant period in Vietnam‘s history. Much like the country itself, the music of Vietnam has endured many twists. As the result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided into two. From the North, the Nationalist forces fought to reunite Vietnam as a Communist State, while the American troops backed the government of the South. This caused a mass migration of Northerners to the South, which includes many Tân Nhạc (Modern Music) singers and songwriters. Often characterized by its emotive, poetic and prolific personality, Tân Nhạc continued to freely develop in the South and progressively vacating from the influences of its main inspiration, French music. In the North, the Resistance music, or the so-called Nhạc Đỏ (Red Music), which promoted socialism, patriotism and anti-capitalism was the only genre allowed on national radio. Tân Nhạc was something new to the South Vietnamese repertoire. Between 1954–1960, the theme of hometown (quê hương) was a main inspiration for many songwriters such as Hoàng Thi Thơ, Lam Phương and Nguyễn Hữu Thiết. The 9th title of the compilation, “Thôn Trăng Mở Hội Trăng Tròn” showcases a variety of images that were often described in this genre: the harvest moon, playful children, old mother… Every recording made in this era is then an organic combination of human experiences, communications and uniqueness. In 1965, the first American troop landed in Vietnam, bringing with them the musical influences of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley… The Vietnamese people quickly integrated it into the repertoire with hope to further diversify the music of Vietnam. Constantly changing and learning from different cultures, the modern music of Vietnam cuts a window into the soul of a Vietnamese person and the country’s history as a whole. With that, we hope that Saigon Supersound Volume 2 would take you on a trip back to the unique atmosphere of Saigon through the many different palettes of music that this beautiful place offers.

Everyone loves "Why Can't We Live Together" by Timmy Thomas: how could one resist such a strong music vibe coming with a message more relevant today than ever! It has been covered by the most creative artists more than a few times…Recorded in Paris and Kingston, the Soul Sugar crew & Leonardo Carmichael make it their own with a sultry reggae groove. Jahno on drums and syndrums, Thomas Naim on guitar, and Guillaume "Gee" Metenier on keyboards and production duties, are delivering the classic hit in all its majesty, in the superior categories of both extended Discomix, and Dub version under the spell of Dubmaster extraordinaire Dennis Bovell!What to say about the breathtaking interpretation of Leonardo Carmichael? Growing up in Jamaica, Leonardo learnt many a song from his father Glendon Joseph McFarlane, who would sing to his mother Geraldine, who sang in a choir. Leonardo grew up as a drummer and a singer in churches. Through a mutual friend, he met Nastassja Hammond, daughter of Beres Hammond, with whom he started writing and releasing music for various artists including Courtney John and Kreesha Turner. Leonardo has a wide appreciation for diverse genres but keep an International Reggae and Dancehall feel at the core of his music. It can be said Leonardo has faith & soul to the bone...

Atangana Records is back with a new track from Henry Wenceslas Thénard.From the collection Maxi Disco "Single 12" since it's creation in 2018, Atangana brings back to life a Zouk Funk Disco bomb of the album Laser released in 1978