Following this former post, I’d like to share with for today “Life’s Gone Down Low“, a gorgeous hybrid slow 70s Afro Soul Reggae Funk track from Nigeria with catchy organ parts, composed by the Nigerian twin sisters Kehinde & Taiwo Lijadu better known as “The Lijadu Sisters”.

This song is taken from their 2nd album, recorded at the legendary “DECCA Studios” in Lagos city, and released in 1976 on the mythical Nigerian record label “Afrodisia“.

It includes the following musicians :

Kehinde & Taiwo Lijadu aka The Lijadu Sisters : Writtings, Arrangelments, Lead Vocals ;

Biddy Wright : Lead Guitar, Tenor Saxophone, Percussion, Bass Guitar, Producer ;

Felix Shittu : Alto Saxophone ;

Johnny Woode : Keyboards ;

Ade Jolaoso : Bass Guitar ;

Cherry on the cake : this beautiful artwork by the mysterious “Ideas Organisation” !

One of my favorite Reggae Soul track from the African continent, discovered though the excellent Afro Rock compilation “The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s, Nigeria” released in 2010 by the renowned reissue label “Soundway”.

I’ve been lucky enough to find an original copy in pristine condition during one of my several record digging trop in Cameroon the same year, but that’s another story..

Hope you’ll like this song as I do, enjoy !

The Lijadu Sisters – Life’s Gone Down Low (Nigeria, 1976, Afrodisia)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/xQcmyqXWYvM

Check also my Soundcloud for exclusive mixes & selections : https://soundcloud.com/armand_de_preseau

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Feel free to support my action to preserve musical heritage & buy my vinyl & digital reissues here : https://nangabokorecords.bandcamp.com

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Gypsy of Love“, a deep Soul track from Miami (United States) with Caribbean & Reggae flavors and driven by a bewitching synth, taken from the 1st album of the singer & musician Betty Padgett, recorded in 1975 only one evening the local ‘Criteria Studios” and really hard to find nowadays.

Born in Newport (New Jersey) in the late 50s, she moved to Miami (Florida) during her high school. There, as a talented teenage singer, she joined her 1st band “Joey Gilmore and the T.C.B Express”. After a gig at the Elks Club (Fort Lauderdale), she was approached by soul legend Milton Wright (responsible for the rare groove classics “Keep It Up” and “You Don’t Even Know Me.”) to record her first album, released on the mythical Miami-based record label “Alwa” (subdivision of “Ultra”, label known for its Caribbean Soul & Funk releases – remember Frankie Zhivago Young’s ones ?).

Shortly after the release, some of the tracks from of her album created quite a buzz & became hits, such as “Sugar Daddy” or “Gypsy of Love“.

The years after, she recorded tracks for TV/radio ads, released several albums until 2013 and toured a lot sharing the scene with great figures as Little Beaver, Gwen & George McCrae, K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Latimore & Jackie Moore.

Here is the Nigerian release of her debut album, out in 1979 on the legendary Nigerian label “Tabansi“, as a proof of its interplanetary success – Enjoy !

Betty Padgett – Gypsy of Love (United States/Nigeria, 1979, Tabansi)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/bKE51s_A998

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “N. A. Disco Party“, an deep Island Disco Reggae Synth Funk track from Guyana with instant catchy horns & synth parts, taken from the only LP recorded & released in 1979 by the Guyanese composer & musician Ivor Lynch.

This album includes the following musicians :

Backing Vocals : Eddie Clarke, Esme Lynch, Ivor Lynch ;

Bass : Eddie Clarke, Eldon Oliver ;

Drums : Errol Wise, Vonrick Maynard ;

Guitar : Eddie Clark, Ivor Lynch, Tony Voisin ;

Congo Drums : Jose ;

Percussion : Eddie Clarke, Ivor Lynch ;

Piano : Clive Bradley, Pelham Goddard ;

Saxophone : James Smart, Jude Bethel ;

Strings : Clive Bradley, Pelham Goddard ;

Synthesizer : Clive Bradley ;

Trumpet : Enirque Moore, Fortunia Ruiz ;

Super sweet groover, hope you’ll like it – Enjoy !

Ivor Lynch – N. A. Disco Party (Guyana, 1979, EPL Records)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/7x2z-KrL2Q4

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Doudou Créole“, an instant catchy breezy Island Zouk Boogie Soul track with Reggae flavors, taken from the only maxi single of the ephemera band “Milton“, that featured the best musicians from the French West Indies of that era, including several members of the mythical band “Kassav” from Antilles & Guadeloupe :

Arrangements : Jean-Claude Naimro ;

Lead Vocals : Patrick Saint-Eloi ;

Piano : Jose Bedin ;

Written-By : Eddy La Viny, Jean-Pierre Rascas ;

Summer anthem sweetness, recorded in 1988 in Paris (France) by the legendary French engineer Dominique Blanc-Francard at Continental Studio – Enjoy !

Milton – Doudou Créole (Martinique/Guadeloupe/France, 1988, IBO Production)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/tA8XIik2vZI

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Wednesday, see you on next Sunday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “I Shot The Sheriff“, timeless Reggae classic track by the legendary composer & musician Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley, reinterpreted here in a slightly more Soulful Rocksteady way by the Jamaican reggae musician, vocalist, engineer, and producer Leighton Keith “Pluto” Shervington, and taken from his 1st album recorded in 1974 and out on the mythical Jamaican record label “Wild Flower”.

Cherry on the cake : maybe the sole album sleeve from all around the world that features a goat !

Refreshing version, that is my favorite of that cult song, another sweet summer anthem – hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Pluto Shervington – I Shot The Sheriff (Jamaica, 1974, Wild Flower)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/Jw0F6gk41f0

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Wednesday, see you on next Sunday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Problems“, an instant catchy deep Afro Reggae Soul track with killer synth parts, taken from the 2nd album of the Ivorian band Orchestre de l’Université d’Abidjan (also known as “O.U.A“), created to promote the importance of a college education, and that included many great musicians :

Bass Guitar : Joseph Kouadio, Richmond Sibailly ;

Chorus : Gaetan Fouabi, Marie Rose Borba ;

Drums : Mesmin Abaka ;

Guitar, Soloist : Bamba Ibrahim, Désiré Zama ;

Lead Vocals : Ibrahim Bamba, Ramses Kimon ;

Lead Vocals, Percussion : Ismael Diaby ;

Percussion : Sibailly Obrou ;

Rhythm Guitar : Emmanuel Bouaffo, Mesmer Zebeyou ;

Synthesizer : Diava Dagry ;

Cherry on the cake : this gorgeous cover art by A. Hilaires – Enjoy !

Orchestre de l’Université d’Abidjan – Problems (Ivory Coast, 1986, Polygram)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/OZ66WDKPIzY

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Basement Party”, an incredible catchy Island Soul Reggae track with Rock Steady & Calypso flavors, taken from an hard to find single recorded in 1980 by the legendary  Calypso Trinidian composer & musician Andre Tanker and that features :

Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Slide Guitar, Flute, Blues Harp, Keyboards : Andre Tanker ;

Vocals : Charmaine Forde, Jocelyn Williams, Veno Edwards ;

Bass Guitar : Ron Reid ;

Drum, Bongos, Congas, Percussion : “Jabba” Brathwaite, Jajah Oga Onilu, The Hands Of The Orishas, Veni ;

Drums, Percussion : Tony Woodroffe ;

Keyboards : Carl “Beaver” Henderson ;

Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar : Stanley Chaman ;

Saxophone : Dennis Wilkinson, Hendron Boucaud ;

Killer breaks, gorgeous flute parts and, cherry on the cake : a splendid artwork by Gerry Besson, Stuart Hahn – Enjoy !

Andre Tanker – Basement Party (Trinidad & Tobago, 1980, Contraband)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/k1cx9zGQMtA

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Zeny Izy“, a very interesting & groovy deep track from Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, really nice blend of Psychedelic Soul, Reggae, Pop, Rock, Folk & Fusion influences that only that specific geographical area has the secret.

This song is taken from the first single recorded by the band “The Smockers“, leaded by the composer & musician Roger Georges, and out on the mythical Madagascan record label “Discomad” in the late 70s – Enjoy !

The Smockers – Zeny Izy (Madagascar, 1970s, Discomad)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/4iNJfeeautw

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

For today, I wanted to share with you “Colon Colon“, a gorgeous melancholic Tropical Latin Calypso Soul track with sweet Island Reggae flavors & bewitching guitar parts, recorded on the 30 of November 1970 by the mythical Panamanian producer, composer & musician Wilfred Methusiel Berry Gonin better known as “Lord Cobra“, one of the most important calypsonians, not only in Panamabut throughout the Caribbean, standing out as a troubadour and as a composer.

Among dozens of pieces he composed, we can mention “Banana”, “The Man with the Big Suitcase” and the famous “Baptism”.

This track (my favorite from this artist by far !) was released on the mythical owned by the legendary producer Rodrigo De Jesús Escobar Tamayo – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !

Lord Cobra And Panafro – Colon Colon (Panama, 1979, Tamayo)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/YwVvLbQ97Ic

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Sunday, see you on next Wednesday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau

Following this previous post, I wanted to share with you today “O Papillon “Djessouwe”“, an instant catchy deep Afro Soul Reggae Dub Synth track by the “Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou“, the mythical Beninese band founded in 1968 by the legendary musician Melome Clement (“Meloclem“) that released more than 300 songs and is still touring today.

Composed by Melome Clement, this song was recorded in tribute to the deceased great band guitarist Bernard Zoundegnon, better known under the nickname “Papillon” (“Butterfly” in English), one of the founders of the group, who died on the 27 of October 1982.

To note : the group mainly recorded soukous, blues, folk or soul titles, so upper class & unusual African Reggae like the one presented here are more than appreciated – Enjoy !

T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo – O Papillon “Djessouwe” (Benin, 1983, Albarika Store)

You can also listen to this song on my Youtube Channel here : https://youtu.be/9z_0cQmL6dw

Follow me on Instagram too for more exclusive contents : https://www.instagram.com/armand_de_preseau/

Have a nice Wednesday, see you on next Sunday for another musical (re)discovery !

Armand de Preseau