Lord Begineer - Fed A Ray
London Is The Place For Me - Trinidadian Calypso In London (Honest Jons) 1950-56
- When the Empire Windrush, an old troop-carrier, arrived at Tilbury on June 21, 1948, and inaugurated modern Caribbean immigration to Britain, it also supplied calypso with its best-known image — on Pathe newsreel, Lord Kitchener singing his new composition London Is The Place For Me.
Kitch had boarded with Lord Beginner at Kingston docks, Jamaica, on Empire Day, May 24. In London they joined a milieu of fine band musicians familiar with Caribbean musical forms, and already represented on numerous recordings crucial to the development of British swing and jazz music.
Travelling with their own core audience, the Trinidadian calypsonians brought with them the vocal music of Carnival. Traditionally this ranges from social satire to sexual double-entendre, from voodoo to the most pressing issues of the day, from sporting events to competitive insult. The experiences of Britain’s growing Caribbean population were to be fabulously rich in raw material.
'... a witty and joyous testament to the creative power of popular culture and a document of more innocent times. It constitutes one of the best starting points for that rich, unfinished history of the black British diaspora and its intricate interweaving with British life that remains to be written' (Stuart Hall, The Guardian).
'... Not only is it a momentous record of real historical significance, but it comes in a finely produced sleeve with evocative photographs, background notes and recording details that bring the performances on the disc to life even more... a unique and marvellous compilation that lays open a whole era' (Chris Searle, Morning Star).
1st hour - Sega Semba Siria Carimbo Calypso, Cumbia Cha Cha Biguine, Bugalu, Bossa Nova,
Playlist by request. Email mic@ktuh.org - Ask for the Music Ingredient Chef !
Kamal Ahmed feat Noor Jehan - I Am Very Sorry - Sound of Wonder
Sound of Wonder! (Finders Keepers) 2009
- Commonly, ignorantly but understandably lumped in with its wealthy not-too-distant cousin, Bollywood, Lollywood was inspired by, but often overshadowed by its posh and well-traveled relative. Following the simplistic Bombay + Hollywood = Bollywood name game (that would in later years spawn Nollywood in Nigeria), Lollywood's Lahore based film industry was a profitable and vibrant one that found great success in the modest boundaries of its own country but was seldom savoured outside Pakistan. However, the hugely important musical business spawned a bi-product that was viewed as a potential earner for international entertainment industry, EMI, which allowed talented musicians to create ambitious music with world class mediums at there disposal, which throughout the 60s and 70s ranged from fuzz-guitars, space-echo machines and American and European synthesizers, but, due to the composers indigenous roots, rarely a drum-kit. Here you'll find fuzzy, scuzzy, twang-happy, spaced-out and funked up urdu-grooves complete with harmonium melodies and driven by some of the most random factor, freakish, finger-numbing, percussion that the South East Asian mainstream has ever had to offer. Above all, Lollywood soundtracks sound RAW! Re-imagine some of the most action packed Bollywood productions (which Lollywooders actively did) then fire the make-up department, take away the special effects budget and then improvise. The lack of gloss on a dusty Pakistani mini-LP makes for truly experimental Eastern Pop music.
So, it's time to meet the culprits. The names on the back of the records that'll keep you gambling on Ghazals and taking punts on Pakistani pulp-balladry. As an introduction, in place of R.D. Burman and Asha Bhole, we have Mr. M. Ashraf and his long-term female collaborator, Nahid Akhtar. This duo would provide Pakistan with it's Gainsbourg / Birkin or it's Morricone / Dell'Orso for over 20 years, recording squillions of cut-and-paste sonic collages and moog-fuelled desperate love / hate / chase / chill / kill / songs mixing onomatopoeic Urdu lyrics with unexpected bursts of user friendly English language (which often elongates the running time passed the 5 minute mark) and throwing in the odd motif from a Barry White or Donna Summer hit. We also have legends like Noor Jehan, a national treasure and household name in Pakistan whose discography of film songs have deprived the vaults of EMI Pakistan of floor space for half a century.
2nd hour - Lollywood, French Indo Latin and Funk Rock, Panama Soul, AfriFunk
Playlist by request. Email mic@ktuh.org - Ask for the Music Ingredient Chef !
The Soul Jazzmren - Inhlupeko (City Special) 1969
- It's hardly news anymore that Cape musicians are the best in the Republic of South Africa. It goes without saying that they are still the originals from who almost every group draws more inspiriation. Still it may help silence the jazz diehards who have been doing the 'Cape artists are not that great bit' all year. In this disc they have come out with a very impresive package that will knock you out. The title tune Inhlupheko (Distress) a ditty that wraps around you with infiinite sadness was born at the 'Blue Berry', home of iimpressario Ray Nkwe and Soweto's jazz workshop where entertainers meet to share ideas and knock tunes into shape. It happened during the festive season in 1968. Four gawky figures, their limbs ached and their faces were masks of dejection. They were from Port Elizabeth and had come to the Golden City to perform at shows. The concerts were financial flops and the four musicians were left stranded. When they finally reached the Blue Berry their lonely desperation flooded into Rays heart and he fed the four hungry men. With their tummies full the four jazzmen controbuted towards a drink work fifty cents and it gurgled happily down their throats.They picked up their instruments and started to blow. They blew into the night and temporarily forgot their distress. Thats how Inhupeko was born. The composer of the song, Duku Makasi has been called the new tenor-sax voice of 1969 and this recording proves he is also the sound of '69. He has that hard core of progressive jazz and tears up with a fine rhythm backing of Tete Mbambisa on piano, drummer Mafufu Jama and the thudding bass of "Big T"Ntshele. The other tunes on this LP record illustrates the group's fine voice. And the musical mind behind the success story of the Soul Jazzmen is Duku Makasi. Just one more treat for jazz fans. (From the original liner notes)
3rd hour - Township Jazz! - Nigerian Jazz - Sun Ra
Playlist by request. Email mic@ktuh.org - Ask for the Music Ingredient Chef !
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