Various Artists
"Africa Airways 01 (Funk Connection 1973-1980)"

Its early 2015. Welcome to Africa Seven. We are a new record label. We may be based in Paris and London but our hearts firmly rooted in the universal motherland. We love African music, we want everyone to hear it and we want to spread the love. We are a collective of crate diggers, afro music-heads, label spotters and vinyl buying obsessives. We don't have any particular musical release agenda apart from, "is it of African origin, does it have a beat?, do we like it?". For the first few releases on Africa Seven we are exploring a rich seam of creativity and groove from the 70's. Stand by for re-issues from Manu Dibango, Jake Sollo, Jo Tongo, Pasteur Lappe and Tala AM to name but a few.
Trying to decide our first release was a long drawn out affair. Everyone had their favorites. Would it be Manu, Tala, Ray, Jake or Jo? In the end we just couldn't decide. To keep the peace we settled on a taster compilation called "Africa Airways Vol 01". Think of it as a statement of intent. A sample of aural treats in store. As for the cheesy name, well... we like African Music, who doesn't like air hostesses? and we are plane geeks. It was a no-brainer really.
Volume 1 of Africa Airways focuses on the funkier side of 70s African music. We can't think of any better way to start an African compilation than some pounding, powerful, masterful African drumming. Thank you Ekambi Brillant, you sure know how to set up an opening track. Next up we jump to the Cameroonian king of the Tchamassi dance, Tala Andre Marie (Tala AM is his snazzier moniker). "Black Gold" is a track that really says it all. Cant-sit-still grooves, masterfully jangly guitars and a really cool nascent use of synthesizers. Is it possible to play a song over and over again 300 times?... we think so. Elvis Kemayo is next up with the funky assault. Big brass, big basslines and happy times. Cameroonian native Jo Tongo, now lives in New York but back in the 70s he was part of the Fiesta label massive who were cranking out great records in Paris. "Jangolo" is quite possibly his finest moment. Keeping things Cameroon to finish up side one is the Saxophone master Manu Dibango. "Mimbo" is jazzy, darty gem. Manu recently turned 80 and celebrated with a series of gigs. A true afro legend with over 30 albums to his name. Quite a few have never been re-issued since the 70s and they are now patiently queued up on our release schedule.
Opening side two of our vinyl is Jo Bisso. "Give It Up" is a funky, brass banger from 1977 on the Disques Esperance label. Next up is "Mbongui". Did you think a flute in African music could sound this funky? Nigerian Jake Sollo met with an untimely death but his music lives on. Jake was a leader of one of the first wave of funky afro bands to come out of Nigeria in the early 70s, "The Funkees". "Father Time and Mother Nature" retains all those key elements of what made his band so successful. Sookie are next up with their US style funk... but with an African twist. To finish up the LP Paris based "African Soul Band" bring out the dark strings, chanted Senegalese vocals and mirroring marimbas for their epic closer "Nande" from 1978.

1. Written By Ekambi Brillant. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
2. Written By Tala Andre Marie. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
3. Written By Elvis Kemayo. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
4. Written By Jo Tongo. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
5. Written By Manu Dibango. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
6. Written & Produced By Jo Bisso. Licenced From Disques Esperance.
7. Written By M'bamina & Samba Ngo. Produced By Philippe Brejean. Licenced From Fiesta Records.
8. Written & Produced By Jake Sollo. Licenced From Disques Esperance.
9. Written By Sookie. Produced By Jo Tongo. Licenced From Disques Esperance.
10. Written By Alpha K. Kouyate. Licenced From Fonior.
All Tracks Published by Copyright Control.
Mastered By Sean P And Eugene Rasini @ Cromon Tor. Artwork By Rich Elson.
Compiled By John Bryan.
(C) 2015 Africa Seven Records
Www.africaseven.com