March 31, 2022

Vibro success

The folks at Milan's Dig This Way Records have a reminder for us: all the crates will never completely be dug.  The latest evidence is their reissue of Drunkard by the Central African Republic's Vibro Success Intercontinental Orchestra.
 
Vibro Success were the first band to use a drum kit in Congolese-style rumba.  They were Bangui's biggest band in the 1970s, became the toast of Yaoundé and N'Djamena due to their constant touring of neighboring Cameroon and Chad, and recorded a series of albums in Aba, Nigeria for the Ben Limited record label, hence the "Intercontinental Orchestra" moniker.

I can't speak to all of their recorded output, but I can tell you that 1978's Drunkard is on par with the best music of Africa's post-independence era.  And that's saying something, since they're a band I had literally never heard of under a few weeks ago.  Hear them for yourself this week on Global A Go-Go.

Also this week (Sunday April 3, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards on the wrir.org archive player, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site): a boatload of excellent new releases from artists who, like Vibro Success, you have probably never heard before -- Stephanie Santiago, Kiko Villamizar, The Bongo Hop, The Bogie Band featuring Joe Russo, Reggaesta and Congotronics International.  And plenty of Global A Go-Go classics to balance the scales.



Artist | Country | Song | Recording | Label | Year
 
Oliver Lake | USA | Separation | Matador Of 1st & 1st | Passin' Thru | 1997
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros | England UK | Global A Go-Go | Global A Go-Go | Hellcat | 2001
 
Stephanie Santiago | England UK | Alma Carnavalera | Alma Carnavalera - Single | Movimientos | 2022
Bomba Estereo | Colombia | El Alma Y El Cuerpo | Elegancia Tropical | Soundway | 2013
Kiko Villamizar | USA-Colombia | Tuya Tuyita | Todo El Mundo | Wepa | 2022
 
Quantic | England UK-USA-Colombia | Muévelo Negro (feat Nidia Góngora) | Magnetica | Tru Thoughts | 2014
The Bongo Hop | France-Colombia | La Ñapa (feat Nidia Góngora) | La Ñapa (feat Nidia Góngora) - Single | Underdog | 2022
The Bogie Band feat Joe Russo | USA | The Prophets In The City (Arrival) | The Prophets In The City | Royal Potato Family | 2022
 
Ray Barretto | USA | Quitate La Máscara | Barretto Power | Fania | 1970
Los Calvos | Venezuela | Salsa Y Sandunga | Salsa Y Sandunga - Single | El Palmas | 1968
Fruko Y Sus Tesos | Colombia | El Preso | Fruko El Grande | Discos Fuentes | 1975
Willie Colon | USA | El Malo | El Malo | Fania | 1967
 
Reggaesta | Italy-Jamaica-England UK | Cocaine (feat Earl 16) | Cocaine (feat Earl 16) - Single | Echo Beach | 2022
The Tamlins | Jamaica | Baltimore | Baltimore - Single | Taxi | 1980
Marty Dread | USA | What I Am | It Sometimes Rains In Paradise | Five Corners Music | 2011
The Wailers | Jamaica | Concrete Jungle | Catch A Fire | Island | 1973
 
Masanka Sankayi + Kasai Allstars | R.D. Congo | Wa Muluendo | Congotronics 2: Buzz 'N' Rumble From The Urb 'N' Jungle | Crammed | 2005
Konono No. 1 | R.D. Congo | Mama Na Bana | Assume Crash Position | Crammed | 2010
Congotronics International | R.D. Congo-USA-Argentina-Sweden | Where's The One? | Where's The One? - Single | Crammed | 2022
 
Vibro Success Intercontinental Orchestra | Central African Republic | The Drunkard | Drunkard | Dig This Way | 1978

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