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LP
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SVVRCH 028LP
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2022 repress. Survival Research present a reissue of Manu Dibango's Africadelic, originally released in 1972. The strange and majestic musical beast that is Africadelic was Dibango's follow-up to Soul Makossa (1972), but it was initially released on Louis Delacour's library music label, Mondiaphone, before Soul Makossa became an international phenomenon. As a Mondiaphone release, it was aimed at television and film producers seeking atmospheric background music, so the original titles are simply "Theme No 1," "Theme No 2," etc., with corresponding rhythmic notations such as "3/4 Africain," "Afro Beat 12/8," and "Medium Soul Beat," though once "Soul Makossa" hit the stratosphere, subsequent reissues bore actual song titles. In any case, the album is simply wonderful, a driving mix of Afro soul, funk, and jazz, with an undercurrent of Latin percussion throughout, given further shades by rock guitar and soul organ, as heard on "African Battle" and the title track; opener "Soul Fiesta" builds dramatic percussive tension before Dibango drops a killer vibraphone riff, while "African Carnival" makes the most of the full horn section, Dibango's sax soloing giving room for complex polyrhythmic percussion breaks. "Oriental Sunset" has beautiful vibraphone from Dibango too, as well as a thrilling flute melody, "Monkey Beat" and "Wa Wa" are funky soul struts and "Percussion Storm" has the band marching off into the African sunset as Dibango unleashes another killer vibraphone melody. Listening back to the album now, it is hard to believe that the whole shebang was written in a couple of days and committed to tape within the space of a week, but that is all more testimony to the greatness of Manu Dibango, one of African music's true pioneers.
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LP
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HC 063LP
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2021 restock. Hot Casa present a reissue of Manu Dibango's African Voodoo, originally released in 1972. A fantastic and rare album by the Afro soul maestro. These files were recorded in 1971 at Pathé-Marconi studio (Boulogne-Billancourt) for professional sound illustration intended for the cinema, television, and advertising. At the time, jazz musicians were interested in and experimented with all genres, and started to convert solely to what soon to be called "rare groove", somewhere between soul, jazz, and Afro funk with a hint of Latin clave. These tunes have not aged and the sound will be considered as "huge" by many cratediggers. These recording were not supposed to reach the club or radio audience, they were freer sessions, a moment for the musicians to open their imagination and test their "Afro something", like Manu Dibango liked to say. These recording sessions included the best of the French soul scene at the time: Yvan Julien (trumpet), Slim Pezin (guitar), Jacques Bolognesi (trombone), Lucien Dobat (drums), Emile Boza (percussion), Manfred (bass), and the conductor himself at the vibraphone, marimba, saxophone, organ. This album is a wonderful return to the future and should satisfy the need of the Afro soul aficionados. Mastering by The Carvery. Replica; vinyl-only; 180 gram vinyl; includes interview by Jacques Denis; limited press.
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CD
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AU 5039CD
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Born in Cameroon in 1933, Manu Dibango is best-known for his 1972 disco classic "Soul Makossa." This legendary library funk LP was issued the following year in France only, and has it all -- fuzz guitar, horns, bongos, breaks, and -- of course -- Dibango's awesome sax and vibes work.
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