The James Brown of Lomé

Back in the 1970s and early 80s when he was performing 5 nights a week at the beachfront Hotel Tropicana with his killer Togolese band Les As Du Bénin, Roger Damawuzan was known as "the James Brown of Lomé."  At age 70, he has just released Seda ("Listen" in the Mina language), his first album in 40 years, and Roger feels good -- he feels better than James Brown.

 

Part of the reason why Roger feels good is that he's being backed up by one of the best funk bands in the world: Vaudou Game from Lyon France led by Roger's nephew Peter Solo.  They recorded the album at the OTODI studio in Lomé, where Roger cut his early 45s and which has been reclaimed from the jungle by Peter and his friends.

 

Seda is one of the feel-good albums of 2022 -- you'll hear a track from it this week on Global A Go-Go.  Also this week (Sunday November 20, 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): vintage and new Nigerian highlife, more Wassoulou rock, deep roots reggae featuring a terrific Pablo Moses reissue, the bacchanal sounds of soca from Trinidad, and Joe Bataan's Latin soul.

Podcast: radio4all.net/program/114035

All the podcasts: radio4all.net/series/Global%20A%20Go-Go

 

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

 

Celestine Ukwu | Nigeria | Ejina Uwa Nya Isi | No Condition Is Permanent | Mississippi | 2022-1974

Oliver Nayoka | Nigeria | Ego N'Achi Uwa | Oka Mmadu | Odogwu Entertainment / Palenque | 2022

 

Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band | Burkina Faso | Kamelaba | Sonbonbela | Sublime Frequencies | 2022

Orchestra Gold | USA-Mali | Keleya | Keleya - Single | self-released | 2022

BKO | Mali-France | Kekereke | Djine Bora | Bongo Joe | 2022

Ba Cissoko | Guinee Conakry-France | Dandala | Sabolan | Marabi | 2003

 

Roger Damawuzan | Togo-France | See Your Face | Seda | Hot Casa | 2022

Bokoor Band | Ghana | Onukpa Shwarpo | Bokoor Band | Bokoor | 1978

Geraldo Pino & The Heartbeats | Sierra Leone-Ghana | Let Them Talk | Let's Have A Party | EMI | 1974

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo | Benin | Gbeti Ma Djro | Afro-Funk | Albarika Store | 2022-1971

 

Jacob Miller | Jamaica | 80,000 Careless Ethiopians | Jacob "Killer" Miller | Top Ranking | 1977

Pablo Moses | Jamaica | Revolutionary Dream | Revolutionary Dream | Baco | 2022-1975

The Gatherers | Jamaica | Words Of My Mouth | King Scratch (Musical Masterpieces From The Upsetter Ark-ive) | Trojan | 2022-1973

Horace Andy & Jah Stitch | Jamaica | Zion Gate / Every Wicked Have To Crawl | Guiding Star / Zion Gate - Single | Carib Gems | 1978

 

Charlie's Roots | Trinidad & Tobago | Yes Darling | 10th Anniversary Album | Lypsoland | 1987

Shurwayne Winchester & David Rudder | Trinidad & Tobago | Bacchanal Come | Bacchanal Come - Single | SW Limited | 2022

Marvay | Barbados | Know The Face | Soca Gold 2017 | VP | 2017

Biggie Irie | Barbados | Need Ah Riddim | Soca Fest Volume 2 | A&A Productions | 2013

 

Joe Bataan | USA | Call My Name | Call My Name - Single | Vampisoul | 2022-2004

Pete & Louie | USA | Evil Ways | El Barrio: Sounds From The Spanish Harlem Streets | Fania | 2007-1970

Yerba Buena | Venezuela-Cuba-USA | Bilingual Girl (feat Joe Bataan) | Island Life | Razor & Tie | 2005