Afro-Pop & African Drums
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Thurston Knudson brought African drums to the American album-buying public in the late 1940s, along with a crackpot theory relating rhythm to bondage and footstep speed. Apart from jazz, authentic 1950s field recordings offered glimpses of musical traditions from almost all of the African diaspora. Pop caught up at the end of the decade, when the promotion of stereo increased demand for all forms of percussion. Later in the 1960s drummer Babatunde Olatunji and singer Miriam Makeba brought worldwide attention to African music. "Chaino" (not his real name) was a wild, experimental, non-African drummer given to grunting and other exhuberant "exoticism." While his association with Kirby Allan was a classic case of 1950s, pop marketing gone awry, his talent is obvious. He made his own drums, his hands flew, and his legendary recordings have endured the lurid sensationalism of the artwork and false liner notes. Some famous Latin and exotica LPs feature Chaino as a sideman. The Jungle Percussion session notoriously appears on countless public-domain, budget-label records, as Jungle Beat, Taboo, Congo Percussion, Soul of a People, Fabulous Bongo Ping Pong Percussion, even Tahitian Percussion(!), and under various artist names --"Sabu" (meaning the actor; the LP has nothing to do with Sabu Martinez), Subri Moulin, "Kaino" (not Chaino), Chief Bey, Cawanda-- and song titles with various spellings, typically "Asiwanda," "Yowcolule," and "Ben Je Engay." Get it only once. The original, world-beating, drum aficionado, Les Baxter, artfully assimilated African themes throughout his career (never mind his music for the Ed Wood movie, "Bride and the Beast," set in Africa). African themes were popularized by the films "Hatari," "Born Free," and of course "Tarzan." Some of the interpretive albums, such as Gold Coast Saturday Night (with a young Charles Earland on tenor sax), African Sounds, and Jungle Odyssey are classics. Buying: Afro-drum and Afro-pop albums can be hard to find but usually are good values. |
Non-Folkways African LPs
| Rating | |
| 8 | Bilal Abdurahuram w/Rahkiah Abdurahuram, Ayyub Abdullah: African Musical Instruments--North Africa-Islamic Influence/South of the Sahara; Folkways FW-8460; 1970 (1 African-jazz piece) |
| 8 | Bilal Abdurahman: Sound, Rhythm, Rhyme, & Mime for Children; Folkways FC-7540S; 1971 |
| 7 | Bilal Abdurahman w/Jack Stubbs & Latif Abdul-Zahir: Innovative Rhythmic & Tonal Textures [for Little Ones]; Folkways FC-7535; 1976 |
| 8 | Bilal Abdurahman: Echoes of Timbuktu & Beyond in Congo Square, U.S.A.--African American Musical Roots Revisited; Folkways FC-7755; 1979 (partly jazz/out w/scat & narration) |
| 7 | Saka Acquaye & his African Ensemble from Ghana: Gold Coast Saturday Night; Elektra EKL-267-X; 1959 (w/Charles Earland!; also as Drum Fever; Crestview CRS-7805) |
| 7 | Adesanya Adeyeye Traditional African Music & Dance Ensemble: Nigeria--Music of the Yoruba People; Lyrichord LLST-7389; 1983 |
| 5 | Mustapha Tettey Addy (master drummer from Ghana); Lyrichord LLST-7250 |
| 7 | Afro Percussion Ensemble: Soul of a People; Trolley Car TC-5015 (Afro-drum/bata; prod. Joe Cain, dir. Jean Devres tho may overlap public-domain set earlier credited to Chief Bey, Soubri Moulin, "Sabu & his Jungle Percussionists," Chief Walataghi, etc.) |
| 8 | Arthur S. Alberts (rec.): The Field Recordings of African Coast Rhythms; Riverside RLP-4001; ?/1949 (reissues 78 album "Tribal, Folk, & Cafe Music of West Africa) |
| 6 | Ray Barretto & Brock Peters: Mysterious Instinct (Akannaginnagi); Charlie Parker PLP-834 (w/Chief Bey; Brock Peters: Accent on Roots; Strand SLS-1029) |
| 7 | Les Baxter: Tamboo; Capitol DT-655 |
| 7 | Les Baxter: African Jazz; Capitol ST-1184 |
| -» | Big Black -- see African Jazz |
| 7 | The Blue Nile Group: Orchestra Ethiopia; Tempo TRE-6169; c.1969 |
| 8 | Miriam Burton w/Pat Williams: African Lament; Columbia/Epic BN-26011 (African exotica) |
| 8 | Ladji Camara, Master Drummer: Africa, New York; Lyrichord LLST-7345; 1975 |
| 8 | Chaino: Jungle Mating Rhythms; Verve MGV-2104; c.1957 (also as Voodoo Drums; MGM/Metro 2356-052; India) |
| 8 | Chaino: Night of the Spectre; Tampa TP-4; c.1958 (a.k.a. Eyes of the Spectre; also as --promo-only-- Unbridled Passions of Love's Eerie Spectre; Specter 4) |
| 7 | Chaino: Jungle Rhythms; Score SLP-4027; 1958 |
| 8 | Chaino: Chaino-Africana; Dot DLP-25240/75202; c.1959 |
| 8 | Chaino & his African Percussion Safari: Jungle Echoes; Omega OSL-7; c.1959 (1st pressings deep groove--some brown vinyl; 1st jacket has red "Chaino" text/yellow back/captioned Chaino photo; 2nd jacket has different Chaino photo; repackaged for budget label as Ugella & Viking Pops Orchestra: Theme from Mondo Cane & Other Horror Music; Viking VKS-6605) |
| 7 | The Exotic Sounds of Chaino: Temptation; Omega; c.1959 (exotica/Latin/Latin jazz; "including members of Francis Bay Orchestra"--Chaino leads a 4-man percussion section using 20 instruments; Omega likely unreleased but also as John Evans: Exotic Percussion & Brilliant Brass; Premier/Directional Sound DS-5006;; Chaino & his African Drums: Erotic Percussion; Lincoln LNP-305) |
| 6 | Cheltenham Orchestra: Born Free; Wyncote SW-9176 |
| 5 | Roberto Delgado: African Dancing; Polydor 2371-106 |
| 6 | Denis-Roosevelt Expedition: Primitive Music of Africa; Mainstream 56021 (music of the Belgian Congo; reissues an earlier LP on obscure label) |
| 4 | Martin Denny: Afro-Desia; Liberty LST-7111 |
| 6 | Hamza El Din: Al Oud--Instrumental & Vocal Music of Nubia; Vanguard VSD-79194; 1965 |
| 7 | Dinizulu African Troupe: The Drums of Dinizulu--Songs of Ghana & Anago Chants; Afrotone STLP-700 |
| 6 | The Dungills: Africa Calling; Vee Jay LP-1061 |
| 6 | Bertha Egnos & Gail Lakier: Ipi-Tombi OC; Audiofidelity/Ashtree ASH-26000; 1975 (2-LP) |
| 7 | David Fanshawe (rec.): Africa--Witchcraft & Ritual Music; Nonesuch Explorer H-72066; 1975 |
| 6 | Frekoba Africans Presents Voices of Black Angels & Drums of Thunder; Recorded Publications Company RPC; 1972 (LaDeva M. Davis, James L. Lewis, Afro-American Drum & Dance Ensemble of Philadelphia's Bartlett Junior High School) |
| 6 | Richard Hill (rec.): Drums of West Africa--Ritual Music of Ghana; Lyrichord LLST-7307 |
| 7 | [The Drums of] Cyril Jackson: Afro-Stereo; Counterpoint CPST-5561; 1958 ("Banda") |
| 7 | Stephen Jay (rec.): Africa--Ancient Cermonies, Dance Music, & Songs of Ghana; Nonesuch Explorer H-72082; 1979 |
| 7 | Stephen Jay (rec.): Africa--Drum, Chant, & Instrumental Music; Nonesuch Explorer H-72073; 1976 |
| 6 | Benny Kalanzi: The Mysteries of African Music; McAfee Music Corporation MCA-4974 |
| 8 | Thurston Knudson: The Rhythm of Tropic Drums 10"; Tempo TT-2212 |
| 8 | Thurston Knudson: Alibi for Drums 10"; Tempo TT-2266 (w/Danny Stewart, Sam Koki, George Worth, Milt Holland) |
| 7 | Thurston Knudson, Augie Goupil, & their Jungle Rhythmists: Jungle Drums 10"; Decca DL-5426; 1952 (78 album A-718; 1949; also on Thurston Knudson & Augie Goupil: Tahitian Rhythms & Jungle Drums; Decca DL-8216) |
| 7 | Thurston Knudson: Primitive Percussion--African Jungle Drums; Reprise R-6001; 1961 (stereo R9-6001; 1962) |
| 7 | Roberto Leydi (rec.): African Rhythms & Instruments Vol. 1; Albatros; 1969 (live at Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algeria; Lyrichord LLST-7328) |
| 6 | Roberto Leydi (rec.): African Rhythms & Instruments Vol. 2; Albatros; 1969 (live at Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algeria; Lyrichord LLST-7328) |
| 6 | Roberto Leydi (rec.): African Rhythms & Instruments Vol. 3; Albatros; 1969 (live at Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algeria; Lyrichord LLST-7339) |
| -> | Arthur Lyman (African cuts on Bwana A, The Colorful Percussions) |
| 5 | Miriam Makeba; RCA Victor LSP-2267; 1960 |
| 7 | Miriam Makeba: The Many Voices of; Kapp KS-3274; 1962 |
| 5 | Miriam Makeba: Makeba Sings!; RCA Victor LSP-3321; 1965 |
| 5 | Miriam Makeba: Pata Pata; Reprise RS-6274 |
| 7 | Miriam Makeba in Concert; Peters International PLD-2082; 1977 (live, hip) |
| 4 | Henry Mancini: Hatari! ST; RCA Victor LSP-2559; 1962 |
| 8 | Shelly Manne: Daktari; Atlantic SD-8157; 1968 (w/Emil Richards) |
| 7 | Dumisani Abraham Maraire: The African Mbira--Music of the Shona People of Rhodesia; Nonesuch Explorer H-72043; 1971 |
| 7 | Albert Mouange & his African Ensemble: An Adventure in Rhythm--Cameroons to Caribbean 10"; Vanguard VRS-7032; 1955 |
| 8 | Arch Oboler's African Adventure--Songs, Ceremonial Music, & Tribal Dances of Equitorial Africa 10"; Decca DL-7007; 1950 |
| 7 | [Babatunde Michael] Olatunji: Drums of Passion; Columbia CS-8210; 1960 (w/Chief Bey, Montego Joe..) |
| 6 | Olatunji: Afro Percussion--Zungo!; Columbia CS-8434; 1961 (w/Montego Joe, Yusef Lateef, Clark Terry, Ray Barretto..) |
| 8 | Olatunji: Flaming Drums; Columbia CS-8666; 1962 (partly African jazz; covers Guy Warren's "Love the Mystery of"; w/Montego Joe, Clark Terry, Gavin Masseaux..) |
| 5 | Olatunji: High Life; Columbia CS-8796; 1963 (prod. by John Hammond; w/Ray Baretto, Dave Pike, Montego Joe, Chief Bey, Willie Rodriguez, Clark Terry..) |
| 6 | Olatunji: Drums! Drums! Drums!; Roulette SR-25274 (also as Olatunji; Roulette SR-42063; (w/Chief Bey, Pat Patrick, Marshall Allen, Sonny Morgan..; also reissued on Trip) |
| 6 | Olatunji: More Drums of Passion; Columbia CS-9307 (w/Chief Bey..) |
| 7 | Olatunji: Soul Makossa; Paramount PAS-6061; 1973 (funky) |
| 7 | Prince Onago & Princess Muana w/Chick Foster Quintet: Roots of Rhythm; Jubilee JGS-5007 |
| 8 | Prince Onago & Princess Muana & Native Drummers of the Belgian Congo: The Drums of Africa; 20th Century Fox SFX-3000/FOX-3000 |
| 8 | Andrew C. Pearse (rec.): The Big Drum Dance of Carriacou; Folkways Ethnic Library FE-4011; (c)1956 |
| 7 | Gilberty Rouget (rec.): Music of West Africa; Roulette SR-9003 (w/"Musical Bow Solo"--like mouth harp) |
| 5 | "Sabu & his Jungle Percussionists": Jungle Percussion; Clarity 812 (one of dozens of similar inauthentic releases; absolutely nothing to do with Sabu Martinez!!!) |
| 4 | Sapra Studio of Nairobi: Heartbeat of Africa--Drums of Africa Series 2 EP |
| 7 | S. Sklair: Musical Topograhy Vol. 1--African; Berry/Conroy BMLP-136; 1975 (African/production; some breakbeats) |
| 6 | Titos Sompa with the Tanawa Dance Company: Yao!; Vanguard VSD-79415; 1978 |
| 6 | Sonar Senghor Al Sicco Yi: African Tribal Music & Dances; Everest/Counterpoint/Esoteric CPST-5513 |
| 7 | The Shangaans: Jungle Drums; EMI Studio 2 TWO-109; 1965 (South African/exotic rock) |
| 7 | Carl Stevens: African Sounds; Mercury PPS-6030 (African/exotic rock/exotica/mod twist; partly on Various: Hit Motion Picture Themes; Mercury SR-60810) |
| Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 1; Decca (Decca/London; entire series has spoken intros) | |
| 7 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 2--Kenya; Decca (Decca/London LB-826) |
| 8 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 3: Drums of East Africa; Decca (Decca/London LB-827) |
| 8 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 4--Congo Drums; Decca (Decca/London LB-828) |
| 7 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 5--The Guitars of Africa; Decca (Decca/London LB-829) |
| 8 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 6--The African Music Society's Choice, Best Music for 1952; Decca (Decca/London LB-830) |
| 8 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 7: Congo Songs & Dances; Decca LF-1172 (Decca/London LB-831) |
| 8 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 8: Music of the Uganda Protectorate; Decca (Decca/London LB-832) |
| Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 9: African Stories; Decca (Decca/London LB-833) | |
| Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 13: African Dances of the Witwatersand Gold Mines; Decca | |
| -» | Guy Warren -- see African Jazz |
| 6 | Anyaogu Ukonu (Ukonu & his Afro-Calypsonians: Afro-U.S.A.); Imperial LP-9007 (original maroon deep groove; reissued w/different jacket art) |
| Drums of West Africa--Ritual Music of Ghana; Lyrichord LLST-7307 | |
| Ethiopian Urban & Tribal Music Vol. 1--Mindanoo Mistiru; Lyrichord LLST-7243 | |
| Ethiopian Urban & Tribal Music Vol. 2--Gold from Wax; Lyrichord LLST-7244 | |
| Music of Ghana--Kpanlogo Party; Lyrichord LLST-7251 | |
| 7 | Music of the Rain Forest Pygmies of the Northeast Congo; Lyrichord LLST-7157/LL-157 |
| Sounds of West Africa--The Kora & the Xylophone; Lyrichord LLST-7308 | |
| 7 | Talking Drums of Africa: Savage Rhythms; Tempo TS-1015 (possibly reissues 10") |
| 8 | Robert Farris Thompson, Jr.: Safari of One--Primitive Rhythms on African Thumbpianos & West Indian Drums; SMC Pro-Arte SMC-1058 (w/Kako) |
| 7 | UNESCO-Collection: An Anthology of African Music Vol. 8--The Music of the Senufo; Barenreiter Musicaphon BM-30-L-2308 (deluxe!) |
| 7 | Voices of Africa: Masque d'Afrique; Del-Fi DFLP-1203 (Bob Keene & Earl Burton emulate Chaino) |
| Unknown/Uncredited: Drums Over Afghanistan 10"; Tempo | |
| 6 | Uncredited: Kasongo!--Modern Music of the Belgian Congo; Capitol of the World T-10005 |
| 7 | Uncredited: Music & Dances of Occidental Africa; Oympic 6110; 1974 (music of the Malinke & Baoule; US release of French LP--Grand Prix du Disque winner) |
| 6 | Uncredited: Watusi Drums; Burundi BU-99 |
| 7 | Various: African High Life; Philips/Mercury/Fontana SRF-67519 (Black Beats, Comets, Chasmen Sunset Band, Ambassador Springboks, Happy Stars, Stargazers of Kumasi, Modern King Stars) |
| 7 | Various/Uncredited: Africa--Soul from the Beginning; [no label or #] (2-LP w/booklet) |
| 7 | Various: The Africans ST; Island/Antilles AN-7085; 1986 (BBC/PBS doc featuring Fela, Sunny Ade, Toure Kunda..) |
| 7 | Various: Music of the African Zulus!; Capitol of the World T- 10114 (African pop/jazz) |
| 7 | Various: Music of Cameroon--The Fulani of the North; Lyrichord LLST-7334; 1976/1975-76 (w/1 bomboro--mouth harp cut) |
| 7 | Various: Music of West Africa; Roulette SR-9003 (rec. Gilbert Rouget; features "musical bow solo") |
| 6 | Various: Music Sounds of Africa; Gallo MMRL-1282; 1985 (compilation) |
| 7 | Various: Nigeria--Music of the Yoruba People; Lyrichord LLST-7389; 1983 |
Folkways LPs
| Rating | |
| Africa--South of the Sahara; Folkways (2-LP compilation) | |
| African Music; Folkways 8852 | |
| African Music--The Naked Prey; Folkways 3854 (from the soundtrack) | |
| 8 | African & Afro-American Drums; Folkways FE-4502 (2-LP compilation) |
| 8 | African Drums (African & Afro-American Drums, Vol.1); Folkways FE-4502-AB; 1954 (w/bata drums) |
| Afrikaans Childrens' Folk Songs 10"; Folkways 7201 | |
| Afro-American Drums (African & Afro-American Drums, Vol.2); Folkways FE-4502-CD | |
| Bantu Choral Folk Songs 10"; Folkways 6912 | |
| The Baoule of the Ivory Coast; Folkways 4476 | |
| Bulu Songs of the Cameroons; Folkways 4451 | |
| Dahomey Suite for Oboe & Piano; Folkways 3855 | |
| Drums of the Yoruba of Nigeria; Folkways 4441 | |
| Folk Music of Ethiopia; Folkways 4405 | |
| 6 | Folk Music of Liberia; Folkways 4465 |
| Folk Music of the Western Congo; Folkways 4427 | |
| 5 | Ella Jenkins: Jambo & Other Call-&-Response Songs & Chants; Folkways FC-7661; 1974 |
| Music of Chad; Folkways 4337 | |
| 6 | Music of Equatorial Africa; Folkways 4402; 1964/1950 (rec. Andre Didier) |
| Music of the Ituri Forest; Folkways 4483 | |
| Music of the !Kung Bushmen; Folkways 4487 | |
| Music of Mali; Folkways 4338 | |
| Music of the Cameroons; Folkways 4372 | |
| The Music of the Diola-Fogny of the Casamance, Senegal; Folkways 4462 | |
| Music of the Mende of Sierra Leone (West Africa); Folkways 4322 | |
| Music from Petauke, Northern Rhodesia, Vol. 2; Folkways 4202 | |
| Negro Folk Music of Africa & America; Folkways 4500 | |
| David Nzomo Trio: Songs from Kenya; Folkways 8716 | |
| Psalms Sung in the Cameroons; Folkways 8910 | |
| 7 | The Pygmies of the Ituri Forest; Folkways 4457; 1958 (rec. Colin M. Turnbull & Francis S. Chapman) |
| Religious Music of the Falashas; Folkways 4442 (Ethiopian Jews) | |
| Songs of the Watusi; Folkways 4428 | |
| The Topoke People of the Congo; Folkways 4477 | |
| Tuareg Music of the Southern Sahara; Folkways 4470 | |
| 7 | Yoruba Elewe--Bata Drums & Dance; Folkways 4294; 1980 (rec. G. Odukwe Sackeyfio at Ila Rangun at the Odun Egungun Festival) |
| 7 | Various: Exotic Dances; Folkways FOLL-52; 1950 ("Baya Dance") |
Partly African LPs
| Rating | |
| 5 | Jose Bethancourt/Richard Campbell/Harry Coon: Beat Tropicale; Concert-Disc CS-33; 1956 |
| 7 | Clyde Borly & his Percussions: Music in 5 Dimensions; Atlantic SD-33-195; 1966 ("Afromania") |
| 8 | Candido: Calypso Dance Party; ABC-178; 1957 |
| 7 | The Gaylads: Sunshine is Golden; CoxSone CSL-8006 ("Sounds of Africa"--exotic Afro-mento!) |
| 8 | Montego Joe: Arriba! Con Montego Joe; Prestige PRST-7336; 1964 |
| 7 | Quincy Jones: Around the World; Mercury PPS-6014 ("Africana" w/Michael Olatunji; "Baia" features Olatunji & Tito Puente) |
| 9 | John McFarland [Sextet]: Provocatif--9 Exotic Motifs; United Artists UAS-5053; 1959 (w/Johnny Rae; exotic jazz) |
| 6 | Ouro Negro/Berta Cardoso: A Visit to Portugal; Capitol of the World ST-10309 (1/3 fados, 2/3 Portuguese-African) |
| 7 | Tak Shindo: Mganga!; Edison International SDL-100 (mono CL-5000) |
| 8 | Various: Songs & Sounds of Faraway Places; Philips PCC-201 (3 African cuts) |
| 7 | Various: TransAfrica MusicMakers Vol. 1; Shade FM-005 (UK African/calypso/calypso jazz/Latin; West African Supersonics, OK Jazz Band, West African Rhythm Brothers, Rans Boi, Amrose Campbell, Ali Ganda, Brewster Hughes) |
African 45s & EPs
| Rating | |
| African Jazz/Elegance Jazz: Congo Cha-Cha-Cha; Columbia Esengo Series, SEE-2 (4-cut EP) | |
| 6 | Bunde Awino: Songs of Victory; Sapra Limited Heartbeat of Africa Series; CMIL-41 (2-cut EP; Nairobi; "Bunde Awino, the Nyanza Litugist, Presents: Thumgorutu--Ceremonial tunes of Nyanz/Ochuotho Mogot--The tale of a freedom fighter") |
| 8 | Chaino & his Slave Boys: Trinidad/The Slide; Tampa TP-142 (calypso jazz/African; not on LP) |
| Rock-A-Mambo/Negro Band: Congo Highlife; Columbia Esengo Series, SEE-1 (4-cut EP) | |
| 5 | Rock-A-Mambo/Negro Band: Congo Goes Latin; Columbia Esengo Series, SEE-3 (4-cut EP) |
| 7 | Lalo Schifrin: Rhino Romp/Theme from "Rhino!"; MGM K-13251 (exotic rock/African/percussion) |
| 5 | Hugh Tracey: Music of Africa Series No. 13: African Dances of the Witwatersand Gold Mines, Part 2B; Gallotone XEP-7015 |
| 7 | Uncredited/Various: Drums of Africa; Sapra Studio Heartbeat of Africa Series 2 (8-cut EP; Nairobi) |
| 7 | Uncredited/Various: African Folk Music; Sapra Studio Heartbeat of Africa Series 2 (8-cut EP; Nairobi) |
| 7 | Uncredited/Various: Traditional Instruments; Sapra Studio Heartbeat of Africa Series 2 (8-cut EP; Nairobi) |
Hyp Records is a 3-part guide:
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