More Coastal Sounds From Kenya?

Here's an LP that my old friend Steve Kamuiru brought me from Kenya back in the early '90s. I have been unable to find out anything about Aziz Abdi Kilambo, but from his name and style of dress I would speculate that he is from the coastal area of Kenya. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong! Likewise Orchestra Benga Africa's sound has a more languid (coastal?) rumba feel to it. Talanta (Polydor POLP 615, 1991) is an enjoyable excursion indeed!

Aziz Abdi Kilambo & Orchestra Benga Africa - Talanta

Aziz Abdi Kilambo & Orchestra Benga Africa - Msahau Mila

Aziz Abdi Kilambo & Orchestra Benga Africa - Maneno Mengi Sipendelei

Aziz Abdi Kilambo & Orchestra Benga Africa - Masanga

Download Talanta as a zipped file here. Other recordings by Aziz Abdi Kilambo are available for streaming on Amazon, Spotify and other platforms.

Fifty Years of Xalam

About ten years ago I devoted a post to the Senegalese jazz/funk group Xalam, then celebrating their fortieth anniversary. It seems that Xalam is still around, and going strong! So next year will mark the fiftieth anniversary of this very influential combo.

Xalam has been a home for many Senegalese musicians who have gone on to acheive fame as solo artists and session musicians. Among these are founding members Seydina Insa Wade,  Idrissa Diop and Cheikh Tidiane Tall. As well, the group has opened for Western acts including Crosby, Still and Nash and Robert Plant. Xalam's percussionists were featured on the Rolling Stones' 1983 LP Undercover.

Here's a video of the group with the legendary Senegalese percussionist Doudou Ndiaye Rose:

And here for your listening pleasure is Xalam's 1993 cassette Samanka. Enjoy!

Xalam - Baye Mor

Xalam - Lambigolo

Xalam - Samanka

Xalam - Sister

Xalam - Yaram

Xalam - Gunte

Xalam - Dikeul

Download Samanka as a zipped file here.

Pat Thomas's False Lover

I posted four tracks from Pat Thomas's 1974 album False Lover (Gapophone GAPO 02) almost ten years ago. Recently a reader asked that I post the whole LP. Pat's been experiencing a career renaissance lately, and he's been a mainstay of Likembe, so I couldn't think of a good reason why not!

False Lover was Thomas's first solo LP after stints with the Broadway and Uhuru Dance Bands. As he states in the liner notes of the retrospective, Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1964-1981 (Strut STRUT 147, 2016):

...I was planning to go to Europe but the Cocoa Marketing Board in Ghana got in touch and wanted me to form a new band. So, I went back to recording and writing music with Ebo [Taylor] and formed the Sweet Beans. The album featuring the band, False Lover, was my first album under my own name and it was very special for me. Reggae was "on" at that time and Jimmy Cliff was the top singer so I was trying reggae in his style on tracks like "Revolution" and "False Lover." I was open to all styles, though, and would always try whatever sounds were coming in. False Lover was a big album in Ghana ...

The first four tracks of False Lover are indeed reggae, but the rest of the album is straight-ahead danceband highlife, and very successful. Enjoy!

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Revolution

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - False Lover

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - It Takes Time

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Sweet Baby

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Set Me Free

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Don't Beat the Time

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Abotare Na Ntease

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Ɔdɔ San Bra

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Merebre

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Mesiafo

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Wabe Aso

Pat Thomas & the Sweet Beans - Eye Wo Asɛm Ben

Download False Lover as a zipped file here.