A1. Civilisation in the World A2. Free Me Now A3. Tolambo Funk
B1. Let Me Hear Them Say B2. Get Together B3. Shifty Hand Woman
recorded at Lagos EMI Nigeria in 1978 on a 16 channel mixer
'Rare late 70s Afro soul from Cameroonese bassist and singer Brigth Engelberts – insistent, hyponotic and danceable grooves that points the way to myriad trends in soul in the decade to come, well beyond easily categorizable Afro funk & soul! Some numbers have a punchier, hypnotic rhythmic dynamic, others steer a bit closer to a psych soul vibe! The groove is fairly tight, with Engelberts backed by keys, drums, congas & other percussion, and some horns, and it's plenty funky!'
A1. Yio Si Da Miliki Beat A2. Afro Instrumental A3. Osika Ranti
B1. Buje Buje B2. Aseni B3. Kete Kete Koro
'Orlando Julius has been a well known name on the West African music scene all through the 1960s and 70s. His early work was recorded in the Philips studios under the strict supervision of their house producers who were putting an emphasis on a pleasant and swinging sound that was jugging along in a pleasant way, bridging big band highlife music with American soul.
In 1972 & 1973, Orlando Julius and his band The Afrosounders visited the legendary ARC studio of Ginger Baker and what OJ and the gang put to tape there was an entirely different beast: They recorded and album packed with unadulterated, funky Afrobeat of the heaviest caliber For the first time, Orlando and the his band were able to really let loose and showcase their full power with an unfiltered impact. They laid down six epic tracks that from a Funk or Afrobeat perspective definitely count as Orlando's strongest work but it seemed that Philips were not too happy with this result. They completely botched the distribution of this record and while Orlando's earlier and later work has all been re-issued over the past years, sometimes multiple times and from various international labels, this, his best record has remained under the radar and virtually unknown to the worldwide community of African music lovers.'
Guitar [Lead, Rhythm], Vocals, Arranged By - Kevin 'Cornbread' Thornton Piano, Organ, Percussion, Vocals - Michael Greene Saxophone [Tenor, Alto], Percussion [Elec], Backing Vox - Thurron 'Thorn' Mallory Bass, Backing Vocals - Harold Greene Congas, Bongos, Backing Vocals - George 'The Chain' Chainey Drums, Backing Vocals - David "Bra Ping" Sutton Trombone, Organ, Piano, Percussion, Vocals - Vince "Worm" Wormley Trumpet, Percussion, Backing Vocals - Lamont Payne Engineer [Chief] - John Greek
Recorded and Mixed: Artists Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
'A reminder of a brief time when black music effectively synthesized R&B with numerous progressive trends while remaining both optimistic and street-smart. The collision of influences makes itself known right from the opening “Evolution,” with its celebratory/revolutionary lyrics, solid funk groove, James Brown-like horns, bongos, distorted hard rock guitar riffs, and intricate sailing background harmonies. The dragging beats and druggy ambience of 'Your Mind' should recall Sly Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On period to many listeners. The wacky hallucinogenic sex sentiments of 'Natural Juices' wouldn’t sound too out of place in George Clinton’s world, with its spaced-out narration: “some people get off on a needle…then there is a thumb and blanket. But the ultimate pacifier is a warm, wet nipple.” 'Witch Doctor’s Brew' & the more impressive, ten-minute 'Composition Seven,' by contrast, make much use of Miles Davis-ish jazz-rock fusion keyboards in their groove-oriented, jammy passages, the latter tune boosted by an irresistible Latin beat. The album was entirely overlooked in comparison to the more famous artists mining the same grooves, both when it was made and when such sounds have come back into fashion. And it absolutely demands a hearing by anyone who digs these sorts of combinations.' ~ RU, AMG
such a fun n' filthy funk record & by far the tuffest sounding rip i've ever encountered of this piece. as is so often the case, i dunno from whence it came but 320 daps are due thee originilluminator
1. Akampanye 2. Mampam Sukuruwe 3. Eyi Su Ngaanngaa
Side B
1. Oburumankoma 2. Sasa Abonsam 3. KyeKye Pe Aware
Sweet Talks were amongst the top five most popular bands in Ghana during the 1970s having recorded a string of hit albums. ‘The Kusum Beat’ was originally released in 1974 and became a household favourite with heavy emphasis on the ‘Afro’ through its traditional rhythms and motifs, blended together into a modern mix that combined highlife, funk and Afrobeat.
Like a small handful of seminal Ghanaian albums, The Kusum Beat has stood the test of time and sounds as original and unique today as it did back in 1974. Original pressings are in high demand and can be found on record exchanges for significant prices. This was the second album from the band formerly known as ‘El Dorados’, later to change their name to ‘Medican Lantcis’ before settling on ‘Sweet Talks’ – they were live residents at the legendary ‘Talk of the Town’ nightclub in the port town of Tema near Accra. It is here they established a name for themselves as one of the most exciting young bands in the country.
Due to the popularity and commercial success of their first three albums – Adam & Eve, Kusum Beat and Spiritual Ghana – the band began touring on a regular basis and made it as far as Los Angeles. They went on to record what was to be their biggest selling record, the Hollywood Highlife Party LP, as well as some straight disco recordings aimed squarely at the burgeoning American market.
The Kusum Beat is far from typical of their trademark sound but shows just how versatile an outfit they were – able to turn their hands to any one of a number of styles. It’s a great reminder of how open-minded, experimental and curious the music scene in Ghana was in the first half of the 1970s.
Very rare LP by seminal Ghanaian band. The record was released simultaneously on both Philips Ghana and Phonogram [Coconut] in Nigeria. The Sweet Talks were deservedly huge in both regions. touring Nigeria constantly and making many records exclusively for release in the Nigerian market. This is one of the most solid & original of all Ghanaian LP's from the time. The quoted text above postulates that this slab was dropped in 74 but the Philips labels say 76. either way, it's wicked groovy
