For today, I wanted to share with you “Misosi“, a sweet uplifting Afro Makossa Soul Folk track from Cameroun driven by feel-good jazzy guitar parts, released in 1973 as a single by the Cameroonian composer & musician Eitel Tobbo and released on the legendary French label “Pathé Marconi”.
Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !
Eitel Tobbo et ses Guitares – Misosi (Cameroun, 1973, Pathé Marconi)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Yemakpego Dragons”, an outstanding 15min Afro Latin Salsa Pachanga Soul track from Benin, taken from the sole LP recorded in 1984 by the Beninese composer & musician Toffo Houssou “Miguelito” Gilles and released on the mythical local label “Albarika Store” founded in 1964 by Adissa Seidou.
On this album, Toffo-Houssou Miguelito is backed by the famous band “Les Volcans de la capitale” founded in 1962 under the name “Orchestre de la Gendarmerie Nationale du Benin” & composed with members of the national police orchestra.
Huge dancefloor burner in the genre, always a sure shot when I play it in my DJ sets – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !
Following this former article, I wanted to share with your for today “Longoka“, a sweet Funky Afro Soukous Fusion Soul track from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with deep psychedelic Synth parts, taken from the 2nd & last LP of the “Trio Bydoli“, recorded in the early 80s in Ivory Coast on the legendary local label “Editions Sodogil”.
This band was composed with a bunch of three musicians (Bhy Gao, Domingo Salsero & Lea Lignanzi, who used the first syllables of their names for “Bydoli”) from Bangui (Central African Republic), but who quickly left their hometown to play & tour with several mythical Congolese musicians & groups, as Henri Bowane, Sam Mangwana, Orchestre Veve & Trio Madjesi.
Highly recommended & hard to find LP, full of great tracks in all kind of genres from Afrobeat to Blues – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !
Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !
Armand de Preseau
Betty Padget – Gypsy of Love
( United States / Nigeria , 1977 , alwa / Tabansi )
posted on 04 / 01 / 2026
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)
Have a nice Sunday, see you next week for another musical rediscovery !
Armand de Preseau
Sharhabil Ahmed / شرحبيل أحمد – Ghazal / غزال
( Sudan , 1977 )
posted on 28 / 12 / 2025
For today, I wanted to share with you “Ghazal” (“غزال” in Arabic or “Antelope” in English), an awesome uptempo 70s Afro Garage Twist Soul Jerk track from Sudan, taken from the first K7 tape recorded in 1977 by the legendary Sudanese composer & musician Sharhabil Ahmed (“شرحبيل أحمد” in Arabic) and released on the mythical Egyptian record label “Sono Cairo“.
Born in 1935, Sharhabil is the founder of the Sudanese Jazz scene, who dedicated his life to modernize Sudanese music, merging Surf, Rock & Funk occidental influences with Congolese music and East African harmonies (Ethiopian & Sudanese traditional rhythms) & instrumentations.
He’s also known as “The King Of Sudanese Jazz” as he won a national Jazz contest in the early 70s among with mythical Sudanese bands as The Scorpions leaded by Saif Abu Bakr (سيف أبو بكر).
Really hard to find tape nowadays, testimony of the past & piece of Sudanese heritage – Enjoy !
Sharhabil Ahmed – Ghazal (Soudan, 1977, Sono Cairo) شرحبيل أحمد – غزال
For today, I wanted to share with you “Dis Merci Ton Papa “, a deep syncopated 70s Island Sega Synth Soul track from La Reunion (Indian Ocean), taken from the second (and last) single recorded in 1977 by the Reunionese musician & performer RayGrammont, and composed by Camille “Jacky” Lechat, another great figure from the island.
Ray Grammont was backed on that recording by “Le Club Rythmique”, a local music band formed in 1968 and leaded by the composer & musician Jean-Jacques Cladère, who was also the creator of the Disques Jackman record company (as the single presented here), and owner of the first professional recording studio of the island that welcomed by time a big part of the artists of the island (Jacqueline Farreyrol, Maxime Laope, Jacky Lechat, Marie-Armande Moutou, Pierrette Payet or Michel Adélaïde, who was also part of the band).
Funfact : Ray Grammont was the father of the French Reggae, Soul, Ragamuffin and Gwoka musician & singer David “Tonton David” Grammont, one of the best French figures of the 90s era !
Hope you’ll like this daily rediscovery, enjoy !
Ray Grammont – Dis Merci Ton Papa (La Reunion, 1977, Disques Jackman)
For today, I wanted to share with you “Amor En Cha Cha Cha“, a storming Caribbean Cha Cha Cha Latin Guaguanco Soul track, taken from the first LP of the band “Ensemble Tropicana“, that begun as the live band of Michel Colas’ club “La Cocoteraie” in Martinique (French West Indies), formed in 1964 by the mythical Haitian composer & musician Felix Guignard.
Shortly after, the band moved to Guadeloupe (French West Indies) to play at Georges Brival’s club “La Bananeraie” under the name “Ensemble Tropicana de La Martinique”.
Recorded a few years later in 1967, this LP includes legendary musician from the French West Indies, such as Michel Desgrottes (arrangements) and Gary French & Joseph “Jo” Lavaud on the vocals.
Splendid LP from start to finish, a great example of the musical blend of musical genres in the Antilles during this era, especially the strong Cuban/Latin influences – Enjoy !
Ensemble Tropicana – Amor En Cha Cha Cha (Martinique, 1967, Disques Antibo)
For today, I’d like to share with you “Nassima“, a deep bouncy minimal syncopated 70s Afro Soukous Soul Synth track from Ivory Coast, taken from the only LP recorded in the early 80s by the mysterious Ivorian composer Bazaré D. Pablo (any informations welcome, as he seemed to be a mysterious character) on the famous record label “Sodogil Eidtions“, and produced by the legendary Beninese composer & musician Gilbert Dossou (better known as “Prince Dgib’s” or just “Dbib’s), who released a couple of crazy rare singles.
Super underground release that deserves to be better & widely more known, so hope you’ll like it – enjoy !
Bazaré D. Pablo & Le Nassima Orchestra – Nassima (Ivory Coast, 1980s, Sodogil Editions)
Following this former post, I would like to share you for today “N’Ny”, an instant catchy Afro Boogie Soul Funk track from Guinea with gorgeous guitar & powerful horn parts, taken from the first album recorded in 1982 by the Guinean composer, arranger and musician (balafon and guitar player) Ousmane Kouyaté, born in 1950 in Dabola (Guinea Conakry).
He released 5 albums, and played with many mythical musicians & bands, such as Salif Keïta, Kante Manfila, Cheikh Tidiane Seck or Mory Kante (he played the guitar on the African hit “Mandjou” with the Malian band “Les Ambassadeurs”) and played in the very well known “Le Rail Band De Bamako” & “Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux” among with Salif Keïta (Mali) and Kante Manfila (Guinea Conakry).
This album features some of the best west african musicians of that era such :
Ousmane Kouyate : Writing, Composition, Arrangements, Lead Guitar, Vocals ;
Deyin Kassila, Mamadi Diabate : Vocals ;
Mamadou “Pacheko” Bagayoko : Bells ;
Moussa Cissoko : Tenor Saxophone ;
Doh Albert, Tom Diakité : Chorus ;
Traore Kabine “Tagus” : Trumpet ;
Djeli Moridjan Kouyaté : Balafon ;
Souleymane Doumbia : Drums ;
Banthini Koita : Rhythm Guitar ;
Cheick Tidiane Seck : Organ ;
Sekou Diabaté : Bass Guitar ;
Benjamin Diabaté : Congas ;
Released on the legendary Ivorian label “Sacodis“, this album is good from start to finish, but unfortunately too hard to find album nowadays (especially in that condition) – Hope you’ll like it, enjoy !
Following this former article, I wanted to share with you for today “Pot Pourrit De Guajira“, a gorgeous 70s Afro Cuban Latin Soul Fusion track from Senegal, taken from one of the several albums recorded by the mythical Senegalese Band “Orchestra Baobab” (spelt here “Orchestre Baobab Gouygui De Dakar”), formed in the early 1970 and famous for merging Cuban Music with traditional West African Wolof Griot culture and the Mandinga musical traditions of the Casamance in an Afro Cuban, Afro Latin & Afro Pachanga style.
Still touring today, the band features the following musicians :
Barthelemy Attisso : Guitar, Arrangements ;
Medoune Diallo : Lead Vocals, Maracas, Arrangements ;
