NEW WORLD

AFRICA

OLD WORLD (inc Asia, Arabia)

African Discographies

Greetings, Platterbugs!

Updated 1 September 2026

News

Notable new releases and reissues

Psychedelic champeta from Abelardo Carbono (maxisingle)

via Ken A: Tribu Baharu, also from Colombia, "Champeta Champions"

Orq Akokán from Cuba have a new album & they have added two guest female singers

Ampiano Selections by Teno Afrika, from South Africa

From Peru: La Danza remixes from Novalima

Soul Revivers: classic mellow reggae from Acid Jazz, with Johnny Clarke, Ernie Ranglin and Susan Cadogan

If you like Desert Blues... this is new from Amanar de Kidal: Kel Tamasheq

I have no idea what this is, other than hypnotic -- from Switzerland

And a reissued salsa gem from 1969: Willie Rodriguez's My Dog Soogie!

Video

El maestro Ray Barretto on Sesame Street

From Ken A: short doc on the career of Manu Chao

R.I.P.

Carlyto Lassa (OK Jazz; Choc Stars)

Muzikifan Podcasts

Rough Rumbas vol 7:
45s from Congo, Kenya & Tanzania

Summer Treats:
a mix of favorites: reggae, latin rock, etc

DOLLAR BRAND / DON CHERRY / CARLOS WARD
THIRD WORLD UNDERGROUND (WeWantSounds)

Dollar Brand, the South African-born jazz pianist who died in Summer 2026, was a pioneer. Though rooted in the classical American tradition of Ellington as much as his Township youth (think Father Huddleston's jazz band) he was always looking to push boundaries and collaborate with anyone as interested as he was in such shifting (something a Canadian critic dismissed as National Geographic sounds). An equally boundary-transgressing musician was American-born trumpeter Don Cherry who (after a long stint with Ornette Coleman, Ed Blackwell and Charlie Hayden) traveled the world, almost as a musical nomad, exploring the music of each culture he encountered, from Africa (where he took up ngoni) to India (where he studied Karnatic singing). At one point Cherry decided to put roots down in Sweden (where he married and opened a cultural art center/studio) which is how he ran into Brand (who became Abdullah Ibrahim after embracing Islam in 1968) and Panamanian alto saxophonist Carlos Ward. They jammed one night in November 1972 in a club called Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen, and the tapes were released on vinyl by Trio Records on Japan. That long out of print album has now been reissued by WeWantSounds and presents these great musicians sitting on a peak. Cherry plays krakrebs (not very well) on the song named for him "Cherry," but yelps encouragement to the saxophonist while Brand holds down a rolling vamp on the bottom of the piano. But then he hands the rattles to Ward and rips out a stunning trumpet solo as the tide swells to over 12 minutes of spontaneous brilliance. Next up is a stunning solo rendition of Brand's "Bra Joe from Kilimanjaro." Cherry plucks up the nerve to jump in after 7 minutes to add color to the outtro. "Jabulani-Easter Joy" reminds me of a Western movie theme, though which one I can't quite pin down. Mostly it's Ibrahim's music with Ward and Cherry adding flavor but it is a wonderful live set brought back from the distant past. According to discographies this is the earliest recording of longtime sideman Ward with Ibrahim (they would record over a dozen albums together) and an early encounter with Cherry before Ward joined the band Nu and together they recorded Relativity Suite and Multikulti. Here the triad bounce ideas off the rhythmic underpinning of piano and the relentless left hand of Brand.

ORCHESTRA BABOMA
VOL 1: THE LANDSDOWNE RECORDINGS (afro7/jazz aggression)

Orchestra Baboma was an offshoot of Virunga formed by musicians Fiston Lusambo, who started out in the classic Rumba Ray de Maray Maray, and backing vocalist Risa who defected from a European tour of Samba Mapangala in 1991 to set up a base in London. They were joined by other lovers of Congolese Rumba from Tanzania and the UK and made a name as a hot live band, touring the country to play at colleges, bars and festivals. In between times they went into the studios to lay down some tracks and their tapes have finally been issued by crate digger supreme Fred Lavik's afro7 label, based in Finland. The album was pressed in a very small run, but now a 45 has been issued of "Midomi Dakana" to keep the party vibe going. They often supported Mose Fan Fan on tour and Fiston went on to appear on the Musicatelama album which also featured veteran sax men Verckys and Dele Pedro with Nzaya Nzayadio (of Lipua Lipua, who also ended up in the UK). From this rich expatriate network Baboma drew top talent to deliver a solid set of classic soukous.

ALY EISSA
EGGSHELLS (MOT46)

I was recently captivated by the trio The Handover and their brilliant jamming and now, in quick succession, comes a solo album by one of the three: Egyptian oud player Aly Eissa, long a mainstay of the Cairo classical scene. He studied with a violinist who was part of Oum Kalthoum's orchestra, and brings impeccable timing and delicate shades of microtonality to his instrument. As well as the variable placement of the fingertip on the neck of the oud which determines the pitch of the sound, the structure of the maqam allows great latitude in timing so each piece is fluid and never repeatable. The tunes are improvised around classical sagat rhythms and structures and weave together elements of folk music, religious chants, moulid celebrations and doubtless other influences he has absorbed in his career (as a youth he played rock guitar). At one point (15'09 into the first part) there is a four note sequence that made me think of the koto! Nowadays, he often performs with Europeans but not to add an exotic flavor to their work but to bring them into his space. Freed from the restraints of group performance he can go anywhere (I think of solo Monk in this context), so a sudden idea can prompt a new direction and a line of musical pursuit. This is the joy of improvisation which is fragile as it can lead to joy or catastrophe, depending on your state of mind. (How often do you hear a jazz horn player quote "A-tisket a-tasket" or "The Campbells are coming" and then inwardly curse themself and try to purge it from their mind?) Perhaps this is where the title comes in! The last track is a recitation of some 13th century poetry with oud accompaniment, but the strength of the album lies in the two long improvisations that precede it. Also recommended: Eissa's trio The Handover from Sublime Frequencies.

Most recent reviews

(click on maps at the top of the page to get to continent of choice)

July 2026

Mama Sissoko's Diamond Fingers is filed in Mali part 6
Angine de Poitrine vol II creates a dilemma: I can't file them in USA as they are Canadians, so they have gone to Europe (Old World Miscellany)!
Los Orientales de Paramonga are filed in Peru 2
The biography of Don Cherry by Graeme Ewens, Eternal Rhythm is on the bookshelf

June 2026

The Handover went to Arabia part 3
Msindaba Jazz Band are filed in Kenya & Tanzania part 3
Mah Damba is reviewed in Mali part 6
Spok's Raizes is filed in Brasil 3

May 2026

Dr K. Gyasi & his Noble Kings are in Ghana part two
Antoine Dougbe & Poly-Rythmo's compilation can be read about in Benin
Conjunto Angola 70's Turma da Benca is filed in Angola
La Fantástica's rare album now on Vampisoul and
Joe Acosta's Power of love are filed in Salsa

April 2026

Saly Kouyaté's Mali Kelen is filed in Mali part 6
Zanja All stars are filed in Cuba 4
Léve Léve volume two from São Tomé can be found in the Cabo Verde tab
Les Belgicains are right there in Congo Classics 2
Read about Himba Hymn from Namibia in African miscellany
Steve Hernández and his Latinoamericana orchestra are filed in salsa
Ayjay Walzaqat al Jilalia is in Morocco

March 2026

Azuka Moweta and his Anioma Brothers' Kenechukwu is found in Nigeria part 3
Tim Maia's eponymous fourth album is reviewed in Brasil part 3
Roberto y su Nuevo Montuno can be read about in Puerto Rico
Music for a Revolution vol 2 is filed in Music of Guinee
Indian Talking Machine part 2 is filed in India & Pakistan part 2
Joseph Kamaru's Heavy Combination went to Kenya part 3

February 2026

Los Rogers are filed in Peru two

January 2026

Excavated Shellac: Voices is filed under world miscellany
Lenine's Eita can be found in Brasil part 3

December 2025

Dr Nico presents African Fiesta Sukisa &
Roger Izeidi presents African Fiesta Vita Matata are both filed in Congo Classics part 2
Noura Mint Seymali is filed in Arabia part 3
Syran Mbenza's Rumba Africa is filed under Music of Congo 4
Pelengana Blo's Hunter Folk vol II is found in Mali part 6
Son Palenque's latest is filed in Colombia part 3
Africa Shangazi is filed in Kenya & Tanzania part 3

...

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A DISCOGRAPHY OF DOCTEUR NICO
By Alastair Johnston

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