VA – Togo Soul 2 [HC79LP]

Hot Casa Records present Togo Soul 2: Selected Rare Togolese Recordings from 1974 to 1989. A treasure-trove of rare and unusual recordings mostly recorded in Lomé during the 70’s and 80’s. A fusion of traditional voodoo chants, raw soul and even Electro Funk . Finding these tracks and their rights holders hasn’t become any easier even after few trips all over this west African country bordered by Ghana , Benin & Burkina Faso. Hot Casa Records, with the kind help of Roger Damawuzan, selected thirteen tracks, a snapshot of some hundreds of rare and often forgotten tapes from the most prolific, professional and exciting phase of the country’s recording history included international stars like Akofa Akoussah, Gregoire Lawani to Roger Damawuzan compared as the James Brown from Lomé to forgotten tapes and brilliant songs in Mina, Kabyié and Fon language. Many of the tracks featured here are peppered with innovation and experimentation highlighting how diverse, the music scene in Togo was at the time even if the political context influenced their creation. Many of the original albums these tracks are taken from high prices online due to their rarity and so it’s with great pleasure that we present a selection here that evokes a golden boomtime in Togolese music history.

vinyl / CD

VA – Togo Soul 2 [HC79LP]

Manu Dibango – African Voodoo [HC63]

Fantastic and rare album by Manu Dibango, 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. The jazzman experimenting with all genres was then beginning to convert solely to what soon to be called “Rare Groove” somewhere between Soul, Jazz and Afro-Funk, with a hint of Latin clave. In 2019, these tunes have not aged and the sound can be considered as “Huge” by many crate-diggers. These recordings were not supposed to reach the club or radio audience, it was more free sessions, a moment during they can open their imagination and test their “Afro something”, like Manu Dibango call it. Theses recording sessions included the best of the french soul scene at this time, Yvan Julien (Trumpet), Slim Pezin (Guitar), Jacques Bolognesi (Trombone), Lucien Dobat (Drums), Emile Boza (Percussions, 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.

listen

Manu Dibango – African Voodoo [HC63]

Deke Tom Dollard – Na You [HC54]

Afro-Soul music from Ivory Coast served up by Deke Tom Dollard, an obscure artist who only recorded two albums in 1979 and 1981 but who created an original funky fusion with Bété langage. A selection of four amazing tracks recorded in Abidjan on two different records label called War Records and As Records. The music here is a mixture of Funk with heavy basslines, traditional percussions, funky guitar riffs, nice horns section and lyrics in Beté. The song ‘Demonde’ is inspired by harmonies of the famous ‘Dance to the Drummer Beat’ by Herman Kelly. Those two rare records were found by Afrobrazilero (aka Djamel Hammadi) and never appeared on the vinyl market. It’s almost impossible to have info about this singer and composer neither the musicians involved in the recording sessions and most of the traces of the recording session were lost by the labels.

listen

Deke Tom Dollard – Na You [HC54]

Itadi K. Bonney – Inye [HC052]

Afro funk and Political Soul from Togo. Recorded in the beginning of the 80’s and self-produced by Itadi in 1983 , this obscure album contained deep soul and controversial rare grooves backed by the 5 band members called the “Afro Funk Band de Lomé”. Itadi’s music is unique, in his second album, he kept the same recipe: a mixture of soul, reggae, hi-life and Funk, with heavy lyrics which sounds like slogans and caused him big trouble after its release. He was obliged to escape the country to USA. A real definition of a revolutionary musician.

listen

Itadi K. Bonney – Inye [HC052]