Episode 19: Night at Club Safari 1
Today we are going back to a musical theme that was a staple of my original XRAY FM show The Adventures of Encyclopedia Sound: the name of this theme is “Night at Club Safari,” and the content is African pop music, especially afro-latin, from the early decades of the African recording industry. The name “club safari” conjures up images of Casablanca-style bars built for European soldiers of fortune and Indiana Jones types, haunted by a host of local femme fatales… I don’t know how much truth there may be to that Hollywood cliche, but it is true that the musical acts you will hear today looked and sounded exactly like the bands you would see in that film: they were dressed in Western suits or ruffle-sleeved rumba shirts, playing music with strong influences from Cuba and the Caribbean. Special focus in the first hour on music from The Congo.
In the second hour today we leap forward to the 1980s with a set of synthesizer heavy disco and highlife sounds, with tracks from Cape Verde, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana.
- 12:02pm Merengue Parte O Pe by Jovens do Prenda on Rebita 74 (Analog Africa)
- 12:04pm Cha Cha Cha Bay by Camille Feruzi on Ngoma, The Early Years, 1948-1960 (Popular African Music)
- 12:07pm Guigui by Trio Fylla on Ngoma, The Early Years, 1948-1960 (Popular African Music)
- 12:10pm Vive Patrice Lumumba by African Jazz on Congo Revolution (Soul Jazz Records)
- 12:13pm MNC Uhuru by African Jazz on Congo Revolution (Soul Jazz Records)
- 12:16pm Makambo Mibale by Bantous de la Capitale on Congo 70 (Discograph)
- 12:20pm Marie Louise by Wendo Kolosoy avec Beguen Band on Congo Revolution (Soul Jazz Records)
- 12:23pm Mine de Diamants by Orchestre du Congo Jazz on DJ Qbico Plays Philips West Africa 45 Vol. 2 (Qbico)
- 12:25pm Masikitiko by Salum Abdallah & Cuban Marimba Band on Ngoma Tanzania (Domino Sound)
- 12:28pm Onye Huru Odum by Dan Satch & The Professional Atomic 8 Band on DJ Qbico Plays Philips West Africa 45 Vol. 2 (Qbico)
- 12:31pm Kundug Bidza Bidza by Los Camaroes on A Journey Into Cameroonian Music (Nubiphone)
- 12:34pm Ue Diami by N'Goma Jazz on Folclore de Angola 2 (Roda)
- 12:37pm Mengaia Maurice by Los Camaroes on A Journey Into Cameroonian Music (Nubiphone)
- 12:40pm Cherie Yaka Tobongisa by Fiesta Negro on single (Pathe)
- 12:43pm Lamento by Africa Show on Folclore Angolano Vol 3 (N'Gola)
- 12:44pm Mosika Okeyi Zonga Noki by Franco & OK Jazz on single (Pathe)
- 12:48pm Bato Ya Mabe Batondi Mboka by Franco & OK Jazz on DJ Qbico Plays Franco & The OK Jazz Vol. 2 (Qbico)
- 12:51pm Godo Jauline by Franco & OK Jazz on DJ Qbico Plays Franco & The OK Jazz Vol. 2 (Qbico)
- 12:54pm B.B.B. by Kwami et son Orchestre on L'Afrique Danse No. 3 (African)
- 12:57pm Sabina El Kwame by Franco & OK Jazz on Authenticite 1960/62 (African)
- 1:02pm Inspiracao de Nito by Africa Show on Angola Soundtrack 2 (Analog Africa)
- 1:04pm Alima by Liza Ngwa on Liza Ngwa (Nubiphone)
- 1:07pm Rua d'Lisboa by Vlu on Radio Verde: Cape Verdean Dancefloor Music (Colorful World Records)
- 1:11pm Rapaz Novo e Malandro by Americo Brito & Djarama on Radio Verde: Cape Verdean Dancefloor Music (Colorful World Records)
- 1:18pm Fly Me Back to Kribi by Eko Roosevelt on 1975-1982 (Nubiphone Records)
- 1:20pm Manyaka by Eko Roosevelt on 1975-1982 (Nubiphone Records)
- 1:24pm Igba Alusi by Original Wings on Nigeria Soul Power 70 (Soul Jazz Records)
- 1:32pm Nya Asem Hwe by Dytomite Starlite Band of Ghana on Dytomite Starlite Band of Ghana (BBE)
- 1:41pm Eyemaya Erayemare by Sir Waziri Oshomah & His Traditional Sound Makers on Sir Waziri Oshomah & His Traditional Sound Makers (Superfly Records)
- 1:43pm Nigeria Kanyi Jikota by Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe on Osondi Owendi (Hive Mind Records)