Various Artists - Africa Airways Five (Brace Brace Boogie 1976 - 1982)

It's that time again. The skies are calling and its time to board our trusty jet for the 5th outing of Africa Seven's premiere class compilation Africa Airways. For volume 5 its time to brace yourselves for 10 slices of Afro boogie goodness. 

We up the boogie time groove with The Black Bells Group (the first band of lead singer Sidney 'Patrick Duteil' who went on to become the godfather of French hip-hop and a well know TV presenter. Here the groove is swinging... the perfect opener. Next up is German-based Cameroonian musician and cousin of Manu Dibango, Charly Kingson with this bass-synth boogie stomper. Big brass and jazzy trumpets add layers of sparkle too.

Next its time for some highlife inspired boogie from Ghanian Gyedu Blay Amboley. Highlife fused with reggae, disco, boogie and jazz just as the lyrics say. 

Next we pair up with Africa Seven friend Eko once more under his Dikalo guise. The Cameroonian master musician is on fine form with his heavy brass and deep percussion with a driving afro boogie groove. To round off Side A its off to Cameroon again to groove with Jean 'Mekongo President'. Think Bernard 'Chic' Edwards on the bass with some African style and you can see it's the bottom end groove and afrobeat drums that power this gem along. 

We open the second side slowly and purposefully with the highly sought after 'French Girl' from Fotso. Drippy bass synth grooves and a wondrous percussion and drum shuffle pair with piano riffs to make this a unique sounding track. Our friend Tala AM is next with the foot-stomping 'Sugar Lump'. JK Mandengue is next with most definitely the catchiest chorus you will hear today. Nigerian Jide Obe gets synth and clavinet rich with his ode to sensible dating advice 'Too Young'. We close off the album with a track from label good friend Jo Bisso under his Mulamba guise. Sounding like a long lost TV theme from a late night TV show circa 1977. Let's get down and boogie with the brand new dance in town folks... the Dashiki.

Until Volume Six takes flight it is time to unbuckle those seat belts folks.

A1 Black Bells Group - Sweet Sidney (Edit)

Written by Jan Lowf. Published by Copyright Control. (P) JPLL

A2 Charly Kingson - Nanga 'Boko

Written by Charly Kingson. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1978 Africa Seven

A3 Gyedu Blay Ambolley - Highlife

Written by Gyedu Blay Ambolley. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1982

A4 Dikalo - Fine Biscuits

Written by Eko Roosevelt Louis. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1976 Africa New Sound

A5 Mekongo President - Angona Mana 

Written by Mekongo President. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1979 Disques Esperance

B1 Fotso - French Girl

Written by F. Haiata. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1978 Sonafric

B2 Tala AM - Sugar Lump (Edit)

Written by Tala Andre Marie. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1978 Fiesta

B3 J K Mandengue - Chibidaba, Chibidaba

Written by J K Mandengue. Produced by Slim Pezin. Published by Copyright control (P) 1979

B4 Jide Obe - Too Young

Written by Jide Obe. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1979 Africa new Sound

B5 Mulamba - Dashiki (Version Instrumentale)

Written by Jo Bisso. Published by Dharma Songs. (P) 1978 Jo Bisso / Africa Seven

Compiled By John Bryan (www.johnbryan.info)

Audio Restoration By Timmy @ Tiger Bright Studios (www.tigerbright.net)

Mastered By Eugene @ Cromon Tor. Artwork By Rich Elson.

Thanks to Keith Slater, Samy Ben Redjeb, Maboul Basmati, Sidney Duteil, Eko, Jo Bisso & Alain (Brace Brace) Zovighian. 

(C) 2019 Africa Seven Records

(P) 2019 Africa Seven Records

www.africaseven.com