Search Results for:

BBE AFRICA

Various Artists

Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats From Apartheid's Dying Years Compiled By John Armstrong

    The apartheid boycott In the 80s, the world – rightly - stepped up its boycott against South Africa’s apartheid government. But this had unexpected and sometimes adverse consequences for South Africa’s music professionals and consumers. Musicians still needed to work live shows both at home and abroad, and to make and sell records. The youth still aspired to clubbing and partying at the weekend after hard, poorly paid jobs under the thumb of an oppressive government. Music was their sanctuary: specifically, African- American inspired soul, jazz, boogie, disco and funk.

    Unique diversity producing musical excellence was nothing new for South Africa, even in the 80s: both traditional and jazz music of various genres had been performed, showcased and recorded for decades with the assistance of some of the most skilled and ingenious sound-engineers and producers in the world, the jazz players rivalling their American peers in many cases. But what makes Mzansi 80s popular music unique is that it had to – and for the most part, did- appeal to a multi-ethnic, multilingual population almost like no other in the world, for its geographical size. There may have been many tribal and political differences between Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa, Tsonga and others day-to-day, but when it came to the weekend, those differences often melted away for a while on the dancefloor. Paul Ndlovu had kwaZulu fans as well as Shangaan followers; Black Moses and the Soul Brothers had followers and fans with everyone..and so on. And everyone- detractors and lovers alike- were content to settle on the monicker ‘Bubblegum’ as a general description. Mzansi took disco- and slowed it down a bit.. ..exactly as 90s and early 2000s South African DJs and mixers took House- and slowed it down a bit to develop Kwaito, Gqom and – later – Amapiano. The Roland TR-707 sampler came along in 1985- at just the right time for the flowering of Mzansi disco and boogie. And in the artful hands of arrangers, engineers and producers such as Peter “Hitman’ Moticoe, whose work figures on several of the tracks here, it became something unique to South Africa.

    TRACK LISTING

    1. Tsakane
    2. Johnny Boy
    3. Crocodile's Rock
    4. I Was Born In Africa
    5. Don't Follow Me
    6. Special Angel
    7. Blackout
    8. Ximamane
    9. Dayshift
    10. Khombora Mina
    11. Pusa Twala
    12. Nwananga Washanesera
    13. Ku Hluvukile Eka Zete
    14. Chomesa

    Sidiku Buari

    Revolution (Live Disco Show In New York City)

      Revolution (Live Disco Show In New York City) is the fourth and final BBE reissue of Sidiku Buari’s unique and sought-after body of African Disco albums. Side 1 is (possibly!) ‘live’ throughout, from a 1979 show at the (possibly mythical!) La Cheer Nightclub, NYC, but very well recorded for a ‘live’ album with clean, bright top notes, sharp percussion and heavy bass-lines. Keep The Rhythm Going segues into Ofey Karambani reminiscent of the Kongos’ massive Loft Club floorfiller Anikana-O, whilst This Is Music and Disco Soccer keep up the 120-140bpm pace to complete a side that rocks enough for the lazier DJ to play from start to finish without lifting the needle! Side 2 consists of four very varied tracks all recorded at Aire L.A.Studios, the two openers Revolution and Together We Can Rebuild It (Ghana Motherland) being polemics against government and army corruption, and a battle-cry for Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who ruled the country for a brief period in 1979 when this recording was made, later serving as Ghana’s President from 1981 to 2001. Then there’s a perennial crowd-pleaser Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Side 2 rounding off with the super-heavy Afrobeat-Disco groover, Happy Birthday. Originally a national athlete, winning silver and gold medals in the Senegal All Africa Games and West African Games in 1963 and a bronze in the All African in Congo Brazzaville in 1965, Sidiku Buari then moved to America on a music scholarship at The York Institute, obtained as a result of his athletic achievements. When one of York’s music teachers, Irvin Mechanic, heard him singing in the Ga language- he suggested putting a rhythm section behind the songs, recording them, and seeing what the American record buying public thought of them. Four classic albums followed in quick succession, after which Buari’s solo output abruptly ceased. But it was an ending that held within it the seeds of greater musical achievements to come. In 1990 he was appointed to the board of the Musicians’ Union of Ghana, later becoming its President from 1999 until 2007. In 2019, he was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Pan-African Republic Honorary Award Society for ‘meritorious contribution to the development of music and movie industries in Ghana’.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Keep The Rhythm Going
      2. Ofey Karambani
      3. This Is Music
      4. Disco Soccer
      5. Revolution
      6. Together We Can Rebuild It (Ghana Motherland)
      7. Merry Christmas And Happy New Year
      8. Happy Birthday

      In 1979 the late Congolese musician Lumingu Zorro, protégé of Kinshasa’s legendary 60s band leader Dr Nico, recorded Mosese, his only pre-2000 solo album, for the Tabansi label- and this is it. CHAMPETA STORM WARNING! The first-ever reissue of one of West Africa’s best-kept rumba-soukous secrets- as well as being one of the most in-demand titles on Colombia’s booming Champeta sound system scene, where a rare record is protected as fiercely as on the Northern Soul or Jamaican sound system scenes, the label scratched off, the record hidden from view when not on the turntable. Possibly one of the strongest and most consistent Congo dancefloor albums ever recorded perfectly balanced between voices, horns, guitars and percussion. Which is why original copies of this all-time rumba rarity almost never reach the open market, being traded between Colombia’s champetapicoteros (sound system selectors) instead. In Kinshasa they say ‘Mizikiezelakielengndeko’- ‘Sweet music, brother!’. Roger that.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Dadavi Pitie
      2. Thina Dekula
      3. Mosese
      4. Meaculpa Mawewe

      Ben Jagga’s long-deleted sole solo release is the epitome of Tabansi/Taretone soul-funk-boogie-disco in its prime, and is very much a family affair. This is the first-ever reissue. Producer is Ephraim Nzeka (of Brother To Brother fame, as ‘Ephraim’), and backing vocals come courtesy of artists all with their own solo efforts out on the label: BummyOlajubu, Judith Ezekoka, Zak Roberts, Eric Kol and NkemNjoku (see the BBE reissue catalogue for killer LPs from the last two artists, in particular). Instrumentation is a tight, stripped-down unit: bass, guitar, drums and keyboards – and the mixdown man is Martin Ikebuaku, one of the unsung geniuses of the West African boogie sound, with literally hundreds of well-regarded sessions on almost every major Nigerian label under his belt. The album has long been in-demand among outernational boogie fans, and usually changes hands privately for princely sums (as of the date of writing these notes, it’s never been offered for sale on Discogs, probably the world’s leading rare vinyl sales site).

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Hold On Pretty Woman
      2. Aliyenju
      3. You're The Light Of My Life
      4. Just Forgive And Forget
      5. Let's Vow We'll Never Part
      6. It's You Forever
      7. You're My Reason For Living
      8. Jack And Jill

      Sidiku Buari

      Feelings / Sidiku Buari And His Jam Busters

      BBE Music presents two back-to-back, impossibly scarce and NYC Afrodisco by Sidiku Buari & His Jambusters, originally released on short-lived and highly collectible imprint ‘Precious Records’. Accra funk, village-party, anthem-packed LPs from the prolific output of Alaji Sidiku Buari, gold-winning sprint athlete, dancer, singer, arranger, composer, cinema and club founder, award-winning music video producer – and, latterly, president of Ghana’s Musicians’ Union as well as recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Pan- African Society. Sharp Club 54 production values "Music", "Feelings", "Karambani" - combine with Accra village-style party vibes "Yayo Papa", "Minsumobo" and Buari’s socially conscious lyrics "Anokwar", "Power To My People" to produce more than two hours’ worth of music that will have you stuttering for superlatives.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Yayo Papa (Good Friend)
      2. Music
      3. Feelings
      4. Anokwar (Truth)
      5. Let's Go Funky Town
      6. Karambani
      7. Power To My People
      8. Minsumobo
      9. Sophisticated Jammer
      10. Rhythm Of Africa
      11. Let's Go Funky Town
      12. Karambani
      13. Power To My People
      14. Minsumobo
      15. Sophisticated Jammer
      16. Rhythm Of Africa

      Originally released in 1982 on the short-lived Lyncell Records imprint, BBE Music is excited to present the brilliant and ultra-rare album ‘African Sunset’ by South African band Kabasa. Formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata “TNT” Sibeko, guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane (described as the Jimi Hendrix of South Africa) and percussionist OupaSegwai, Kabasa recorded a trio of powerful albums in early-80s Johannesburg. Having been part of the iconic Afro-rock band Harari, the first ever local black pop band to appear on South African TV, Mthalane and Segwai decamped to team up with Sibeko for Kabasa’s eponymous debut in 1980. ‘African Sunset’ is their third and final album and is produced by the band with songwriting duties shared between founding members Sibeko and Mthalane as well as newly-joined percussionist and flautist Mabote “Kelly” Petlane. Taking in psychedelic rock influences alongside shades of jazz, funk and more traditional sounds, ‘African Sunset’ is a timeless album, standing out to this day thanks to its heavy grooves, great songwriting and superior musicianship. With original pressings of ‘African Sunset’ now virtually impossible to find, BBE Music is delighted to present this carefully remastered version that includes original artwork. Available on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

      The first ever reissue for this ultra-rare 1982 album by South African band Kabasa. Kabasa was formed in Soweto by vocalist and bassist Tata “TNT” Sibeko, guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane (a former member of iconic Afro-rock band Harari, the first ever local black pop band to appear on South African TV). A unique and timeless album taking in psychedelic rock influences alongside shades of jazz, funk and more traditional sounds. Carefully remastered and pressed on heavyweight vinyl, complete with original artwork. Original copies of the LP are now almost impossible to find, fetching hundreds of pounds when they occasionally surface.


      TRACK LISTING

      1. Rainbow Children
      2. Mafeteng
      3. African Sunset
      4. Feeling Of The 60's
      5. Walking In The Jungle
      6. Awundiva
      7. Happy To Be Me
      8. Sengiyesaba


      Latest Pre-Sales

      105 NEW ITEMS

      E-newsletter —
      Sign up
      Back to top