Various: Authenticite; The Syliphone Years 1965-80 (Southbound)

 |   |  <1 min read

Orchestre de la Paillote: Kankan-yarabi
Various: Authenticite; The Syliphone Years 1965-80 (Southbound)

In a beautiful sleeve featuring stamps from Guinea and with an informative booklet, this double disc collection takes you to the heart of music from this small African state (population about 10 million) and includes material by the very famous Bembeya Jazz National and their peers on the Syliphone label.

It seems when Guinea became indepent from Fance in '58 the government encouraged the arts and each region of the country (there were over 30) was represented by artistic troupes of an orchestra (basically a big jazzy band), a traditional music ensemble, a choir and a theatrical group.

The government bought the instruments and encouraged them to sing about anti-imperialism, colonialism and independence. All of which sounds like state dogma set to music, but most of us have the advantage of not understanding a word of these lively songs. We get to go with the groove.

Those who like Cuban music will find much to delight in here as the horns punch in -- but it is that trickling guitar sound everywhere which is utterly seductive.

An excellent compilation which will warm up the coldest days.

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   World Music from Elsewhere articles index

Songhoy Blues: Music in Exile (Transgressive)

Songhoy Blues: Music in Exile (Transgressive)

With the sounds of Womad still ringing in our ears, this remarkable album might get more traction that it might otherwise have found. That said however, this one also walks towards a mainstream... > Read more

Various Artists: Musical Explorers; Deben Bhattacharya, Colours of Raga (ARC Music)

Various Artists: Musical Explorers; Deben Bhattacharya, Colours of Raga (ARC Music)

Elsewhere has previously introduced the excellent double CD set The Rough Guide to Indian Music which, on release in 2014, immediately went into our Essential Elsewhere albums list. For... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

Susan Tedeschi: Back to the River (Universal)

Susan Tedeschi: Back to the River (Universal)

This raw and soaring blues-rock singer and guitarist has been mentioned in Elsewhere dispatches recently, but only as the wife of slide guitarist Derek Trucks. Very much her own person however,... > Read more

Revulva: Revulva (digital outlets)

Revulva: Revulva (digital outlets)

Even more so than “pop” or “rock” -- and vastly more than “reggae” -- the word jazz is immune to easy definition. It contains multitudes.  The form... > Read more