Back catalogue: Funk/Reissues

Review: Two titans of African music come together for a collaboration that will sadly never be repeated after the passing of the late Hugh Masekela. Allen's instantly recognisable drumming and Masekela's iconic trumpet are a match made in heaven - after all their paths first crossed back in the 70s thanks to Fela Kuti's galvanizing energy. Forget the throwback stuff trying to capture the spirit of the originators, this IS the originators sounding cool and deadly in every way. Funk lovers, Afrobeat heads, curious ears and dancing souls take heed - this right here is an unmissable transmission from two grandmasters in their field.

Review: Manu Dibango knew how to work a crowd. By the time he hit the stage at Marseille's Theatre La Criee in December 1982, he had long mastered the art of turning a gig into a full-blown celebration. This was the man who took makossa global, who made 'Soul Makossa' an international sensation a decade prior and who could pivot between jazz, funk and African rhythms like it was nothing. The recording, unearthed from the INA archives, captures him in peak form, leading an eight-piece band through a set that refuses to sit still. 'Africa Boogie' is all clipped guitars, tight horns and a bassline that struts like it owns the place. 'Ashiko Oumba' turns the groove alluringly, locking into intricate polyrhythms before erupting into pure brass-fuelled joy. Then there's 'Waka Juju', sprawling across three parts, moving from simmering tension to full-throttle release with the kind of control only Dibango could pull off. He's conducting, shaping the music in real-time, every solo a conversation, every break a setup for the next explosion of sound. Four decades later, the set still feels alive. It's there in the call-and-response with the crowd, the sweat-soaked momentum of a band that knows it's on fire. Dibango, effortlessly cool at the centre of it all, proves once again why his music never ages.

Review: Popularly known to fans as "Ice" - a rare case of hypocorism in colloquial fan band nicknaming - Strut Recordings document a rare record from the vaults of the luminary Lafayette Afro-Rock Band, one that is arguably the closest in their catalogue to the signature sound defining their earlier work. Marked by an especially complex funk rhythmology, this record was pressed contemporaneously with the infamous Soul Makossa and Malik sessions; but compared to their earlier works, Afro Agban pushes deeper into jazz-rock territory. 'Ozan Koukle' has espceially become a known but coveted missing link for turntable taxonomists, who'll thank their lucky stars for the fact that it is now available in full.

Review: Funky Africa is an album that, as the title suggests, totally embodies the sound of Africa. Composer, guitarist, and producer Almon Memela imbues his sounds with everything that makes Afro music great from the wild trumpet lines to the throbbing rhythms and spiritual vibes that run through each tune. It first came in 1975 and has long been one of those cornerstone albums for those in the know. It has been ultra rare since first issue and packs in romantic sounds next to dance floor bait, all with great style and showmanship.

Review: Habibi Funk co-founder Jannis Stuertz first came across "the Holy Grail of Sudanese funk", Saif Abu Bakr and The Scorpions "Jazz, Jazz, Jazz", while browsing eBay listings a few years back. His interest piqued, he took a trip to Sudan to track down the musicians who had made a ridiculously rare LP that was changing hands for thousands of pounds online. Some four years later, his wish to reissue the set has finally come through. It was originally recorded in Kuwait in 1980 and brilliantly joins the dots between American funk, soul and rhythm and blues, traditional Sudanese vocals and rhythmic arrangements, and even a dash of Congolese soukkous. It's the first full album Habibi Funk has reissued, and with good reason: it's near perfect from start to finish.

Review: Fred Spider Presents Chakalaka Jazz: A Selection of South African Gems celebrates South Africa's unique and ever-moving jazz landscape. It is a scene that has always blended traditional niches with global influences and styles like marabi, goema and mbaqanga capture the essence of this as Fred "Voom Voom" Spider dives into those and many other rich, eclectic depths. Spider's term "Chakalaka Jazz" reflects the spicy blend of influences and is named after the local relish made from tomatoes, onions and chilli. This collection, spanning 1969 to 2003, is a mix of local talent, exiles and expats that honours the golden era of the 1970s.

Review: Many will know Teaspoon & The Waves' incredible 'Oh Yeh Soweto' - a brilliant Afro-disco riff on Lamont Dozier's 'Going Back To My Roots' that has appeared on countless compilations and re-edit releases over the years - but fewer have heard the rest of the tracks on the South African band's incredible 1977 debut album (in part because original copies are rather hard to find). To those people, we'll say this: check out this Mr Bongo reissue right now! Blending Afro-jazz with jazz-funk, soul, deep funk and disco, every single track is a winner, with highlights including the celebratory 'Friday Night', the dazzling, duelling solos and heavy percussion of 'Saturday Express' and the life-affirming brilliance of 'Got Me Tight'.

Review: A new week means yet another new compilation from Wagram. The French label has become expert at myriad different genres from staples like house and techno to more esoteric world genre niches. This time out they launch a new series that looks into the rich sounds of Afrobeat, first pioneered by the likes of Fela Kuti and his drummer Tony Allen. Neither of them feature here but the four sides of tunes we do get all make for a deep dive into this compelling rhythmical music.