Filed under: Peru
In 2010, two Peruvians compilations were released: Crammed Disc‘s The Roots Of Chicha vol. 2 and Vampi Soul‘s Cumbia Beat Vol. 1. Both featured tracks by Manzanita y Su Conjunto. But I didn’t really fall in love with Manzanita until I stumbled on the Super Sonido blog and heard the song “El Jardinero” – which immediately became a mainstay in my DJ set.. Last year, Analog Africa released a compilation entitled Trujillo – Perú 1971-1974. From the liner notes:
Berardo Hernández – better known as Manzanita – first surfaced during the psychedelic Cumbia craze. At the head of the scene were the magnificent Los Destellos, whose leader, Enrique Delgado, was such a six-string wizard that other guitarists found it impossible to escape his shadow. But then Manzanita arrived with his electric criollo style, sent shockwaves through Lima’s music scene and posed a serious threat to Delgado’s dominance as king of the Peruvian guitar.
Manzanita had come to Lima from the coastal city of Trujillo, five hundred miles up the coast – a place where Spanish, African and indigenous populations had been living and making music together for centuries – and came of age at a time when the first wave of psychedelic rock from the US and UK was starting to sweep the airwaves. But the sounds of Cream and Hendrix disappeared from the radio just as quickly in 1968 when Juan Velasco seized control of the country in a military coup. The new regime, which favoured local traditions over cultural ‘imports’ from the north, was a blessing in disguise for the Peruvian music scene.
Record labels flourished as new bands, raised on a hybrid diet of electric guitars and Cuban rhythms, rushed in to fill the vacuum created by the lack of imported rock. A new genre, known as Peruvian cumbia, was born and Manzanita quickly became one of its most original voices.
Starting in 1969, Manzanita y Su Conjunto released a steady stream of singles that used Cuban guaracha rhythms as the foundation for dazzling electric guitar lines. After countless 45s and several years on the touring circuit, the band signed to Virrey, an important Peruvian label, and recorded two LPs acknowledged as masterpieces among aficionados of tropical music. […]
Although he scored a few more hits in the later 70s, his dissatisfaction with the music industry caused him to withdraw from the scene for several years; and when he finally retired for good, the golden age of Peruvian cumbia was a distant memory. But when Manzanita was at the top of his game he had few equals. […]
Catalog number 0342 on Dinsa – AKA Disco Industria Nacional S. A. – of Lima, Peru, released 1969.
Filed under: Togo
♬ Ablo
This is one of those records that I had been searching for forever. I was under the impression that Koffi Ottytana Bebli was from Ghana since the only tidbit of information listed on this single is that it was recorded at Ghana Films Studios Accra. But, according to an Instagram post by Hot Casa Records, he was from neighboring Togo and currently lives in Paris. This single was his only known recoding.
Catalog number AD 046 on Afro-Disc of Creteil, France. No release date listed.
Filed under: Taiwan
♬ Give Me a Kiss of Love / 給我愛的吻
My first introduction to Yao Su Yong / 姚蘇蓉 (also seen Yao Su Rong, Yao Surong, Thu Su Yung, Yao Soa Yong and Yiu So Yung) was the Q.D.K. Media compilation entitled Asian Takeaways.
Yao Su Yong was born in Taiwan on December 5th, 1945. Her first recording was a cover of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood’s “Summer Wine” in 1966. Her first major hit was a Mandarin-language rewrite of a Japanese popular song, “負心的人” / “Cruel-Hearted Lover” the following year.
At the height of her popularity many of her songs were banned by the Taiwanese government – which was under martial law that was imposed by Chiang Kai-Shek – for stirring up “unhealthy morals” amongst the youth because many of her songs were about love and romance.
On August 18th, 1969, at a performance in Kaohsiung, the audience begged Yao Su Yong to sing some of her banned songs. Initially she declined, saying that she was not permitted to perform those songs, and that she hoped the audience would forgive her. However, the requests wouldn’t stop and eventually she sang “負心的人” hoping the popular appeal of her song would override any official censorship. Unfortunately, the police guards stationed at the theater didn’t agree. They called her offstage and questioned her and asked her to make an official confession. Failing to do so, her singer’s license was revoked. Since she was no longer allowed to perform in Taiwan, she turned to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia to continue her career.
Her backing band on the album above was The Telstar Combo – or as they are credited on the cover as The Telstars Combo – which have been covered here previously. When I posted their debut album on the first iteration of this blog back in ’06, it was picked up by a number of other sites. The increased traffic caused that site to crash. So, I ended up buying a domain and creating a website. But coding is not my idea of a good time. That now defunct website eventually (d)evolved into this WordPress monstrosity.
Catalog number SL-2048 on Haishan Records of Taiwan, released 1968.
Filed under: Morocco
Abdelwahab Doukkali was born in Fez, Morocco on January 2nd, 1941. At the age of 18, he moved to the capitol city of Rabat, where he worked briefly at Radio Television Maroc. He soon moved to Casablanca – the center of Morocco’s music industry. For the next three years, Doukkali pursued careers in both theatre and radio. In 1962 he toured Algeria, then left Morocco and settled in Cairo. During his three years in Egypt, he gained popularity outside North Africa, then returned to Morocco in 1965. In 1968, he tried his hand at acting with the lead role in Ahmed Mesnaoui and Mohamed Abderrahman Tazi‘s film Vaincre pour Vivre. He also recorded the theme song for that film. Doukkali would go on to act in two more films and he continued to write and perform music through the 1990s.
Although there are no production credits listed on this single, it definitely sounds like this recording was produced by J. Hendrix who also produced Algeria’s Rachid et Fethi and Morocco’s Les Frères Megri.
Catalog number ATL 5060 on Atlassiphone of Casablanca, Morocco. No release date listed.
Filed under: Somalia
Since my last and only Somali post – which was a guest post – there have been a small number of releases showcasing the music of that country: Analog Africa‘s Dur Dur of Somalia – Volume 1, Volume 2 & Previously Unreleased Tracks and Mogadisco – Dancing Mogadishu (Somalia 1972-1991), Afro7’s Light & Sound of Mogadishu and Ostinato Records‘ Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africaa.
But information about records from Somalia is almost as rare as the records. I have not been able to find any information about the performer Mohámed Ahmed, lyricist Hassan Gudan, composer Basher Hadde or the record label Gazira Melody – other than the label only released two singles and that Indiana University’s Bloomington Archives of Traditional Music has a copy of both of those records.
There is an interesting post on the blog Tix iyo Tiraab (Poetry and Prose) that provides some history of the recording industry in Somalia during the 1960s to the 1980s.
[…] There were, thus, a few private labels in the first half of the 1970s, such as Sirag Noor & Co., Jirde Ltd., Light & Sound, Gazira Melody etc. These were basically commercial enterprises selling many miscellaneous articles, including music paraphernalia, instruments, vinyl records and, mainly, tapes. They also had fast recorders to tape cassettes for the customers and rudimentary facilities to (amateurishly) record bands live or in a studio, and they produced and commercialized the albums independently.
By mid-1970s the music production labels were completely owned by the government and that lasted for about a decade. In the mid-1980s, licenses were again granted to a number of firms, popularly known as stereos, studios or phones. These music shops were pretty much copies of their predecessors from the ’70s. However, producing and selling music- and film-related items, mainly cassettes and videos, was their principal activity.
If you have any further information, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number 5742 on Gazira Melody, manufactured by Flex of Lebanon. No other information listed.
Filed under: Brazil, Chile, Guyana, Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Trinidad & Tobago
I thought I’d start the new year off with something a little different. First, this post has ten songs by nine different artists. Second, the only thing that connects them is that they covered music by Ennio Morricone from one of the three Sergio Leone‘s Spaghetti Western films: A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – a.k.a. “The Man with No Name” trilogy. Third, this post is the first to include music from South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean Islands. Originally, this blog focused only on Africa, The Middle East, India and Asia. But in the almost 14 years since this blog started, I’ve become increasingly interested in the music from South and Central America and the Caribbean.
♬ Titoli
I was first introduced to Hong Kong‘s Man Chau Po Orchestra [seen above] on Thrift Score Records’ sole release: Teen Dance Music from China and Malaysia. which had just about all of the tracks from this single. Also, Thailand’s Suang Santi‘s “Phu Ying Yai” sampled this version of the opening song from A Fistful of Dollars – not the original Morricone track.
Catalog number MEP. 5 on Man Chi Records Co. of Hong Kong, released 1966.
Chile‘s Los Sonny’s are the only other group that I was able to find to cover the theme from the first film of the trilogy. This track is from their second album which consisted entirely of songs from Spaghetti Westerns – including Stelvio Cipriani‘s theme to The Bounty Killer.
Catalog number CML-2638-X on RCA Victor of Chile, released 1968.
Bumble & The Saints were from Guyana. Aubrey Cummings was the leader of the band before leaving to become the lead singer for The Rhythmnaires. The flipside of this single is a cover of “Theme from Django”.
Catalog number I-28 on Ideal. No country of origin or date listed.
The Bad Boys – also seen as Los Bad Boys – were from Managua, Nicaragua. The band consisted of Humberto Hernández “El Gordo Beto” (vocals), Freddy Sequeira (bass, vocals), Francisco “Chico” Alvear (also known as Frank Alvir, guitar, vocals), Roman Cerpas (drums). They recorded 10 other singles for the Discosa label.
Catalog number 62 on Discosa of Nicaragua. No release date listed.
The Spitfires were from Columbo, Sri Lanka. I had been looking for their other single on Decca for ages. I only recently stumbled on this record. The line up for the band as listed on the back cover: Manager: Marcy Perara, Leader: Chinti Perara, Lead Guitar: Ronald Boustead, Rhythm Guitar: Donald Seneviratne, Bass Guitar: Felix Fernando, Electronic Organ: Claude Fernando, Drums: Chinti Perara, Vocals: Budrin Musafer, Sohan Pieris, Desmond se Silva.
Catalog number JVPC 1028 on Philips. No release date listed.
The Cassanovas – also seen as The Guinness Cassanovas – were from Trinidad & Tobago. They released nine other singles and an album. The rendition borrows heavily from Dominic Frontiere‘s “Hang ‘Em High“.
Catalog number ATM-57 on Atman Records of Trinidad & Tobago, released 1968.
Hélcio Milito was a Brazilian jazz samba/bossa nova drummer and producer who worked with musicians like Luiz Bonfá, João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto and Luíz Eça. He has also helped make film scores for several Brazilian movies.
Catalog number 37.600 on CBS of Brazil, released 1969.
♬ The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Relly Coloma is from the Philippines, but – according to his website – currently lives in Los Angeles. Although his bio says “over 70 albums”, Discogs only lists 23 – plus 7 singles.
Catalog number MLS 5186 on Villar Records of the Philippines, released 1970.
Here’s another one by Los Sonny’s with the title track to the album posted above.
♬ The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Happy Melodians were from Singapore. This was most likely Maurice Patton & The Melodians. This song was included on Finders Keepers‘ compilation B-Music – Drive In, Turn On, Freak Out. Many other bands from Singapore covered these songs: Charlie & His Orchestra, D’Starlights, The Quests, The Stylers and The Vigilantes.
Catalog number JS 1001 on Jazzson Records of Singapore, released 1968.
This is by no means a definitive list. I was unable to find anything from the African continent and the only thing I was able to find from the Middle East was Selçuk Alagöz’s “Ringo” – which I have previously posted. There is a version of “A Few Dollars More” by The Tremolos from India. Whereas Discogs has a listing for a band called The Motion from Thailand who’s only single contains covers of both “For a Few Dollars More” and “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”, I have not been able to find any proof that the record exists. And lastly, while countless songs from Jamaica reference the titles and actors of these films, I have not heard an actual cover of a Morricone tune from there as of this posting.
If you would like to listen to all 10 tracks in one uninterrupted mix – as well as a couple of other mixes – check out Radiodiffusion Internasionaal’s SoundCloud page.
Filed under: Thailand
♬ Lam Phloen Hak Sao Phom Pia / ลำเพลินฮักสาวผมเปีย
Wician Salawan, aka Sonthaya Kalasin, was born in the Kalasin Province in 1957. From an early age, he loved to sing, imitating the molam songs he heard on the radio and TV – including his favorites Angkanang Kunchai and Banyan Siwongsa. He did not undertake training as an apprentice, instead he learned the techniques for performing lam from his father, who himself was a molam singer.
Sonthaya was given his debut by Surin Paksiri. In 1975, Paksiri – who’s real name was Tidso Lam Sudsanan – formed the Tidso Lam Phloen Troup. Originally, he wanted Angkanang Khunchai / ทองนาง คุณไชย as the lead singer of the group, but she had become too popular. So, Paksiri hired Sonthi Sonmat / คม คีรีบูน, Phairin Phonphibun / ไพรินทร์ พรพิบูลย์ and Sonthaya Kalasin. Sonthaya originally started out as a dancer in the group but it was not long before Suring notice that Sonthaya had a talent for singing.
Although Sonthaya was adored by female fans for his good looks, he harbored a deep secret: He was transgender. Everyone in the Tidso Lam Phloen Troupe except Surin Paksiri knew this and affectionally referred to Sonthaya as ‘Older Sister’. Surin didn’t understand the nickname, and asked Sonthaya about it, and he explained everything. Surin was understanding and requested that Sonthaya continue to perform as a man as long as he was in the group. After the troupe disbanded, Sonthaya Kalasin fully transitioned. Her popularity has continued – mostly on television where she has become a regular personality.
EMI Japan released a compilation of Sonthaya Kalasin’s work in 2016 entitled Grade A Guy. Most of the information in this post was published in the extensive liner notes of that release. Many thanks to the amazing Peter Doolan of Monrakplenthai for translation and for the information about this record.
Catalog number RP 3129 3093 on Surin Paksiri / สุรินทร์ ภาคศิริ of Thailand, distributed by Golden Sound Record Store / ห้างแผ่นเสียงเสียงทองคำ จัดจำหน่าย. No release date listed.
Filed under: Sudan
♬ Fasueid Dawam Bilqak / فسعد دوام بلقاك
In the last couple of years, there’s been a few releases that have brought the music of Sudan to light: Ostinato Records’ Two Niles to Sing a Melody: The Violins & Synths of Sudan, ShellacHead’s The Lost 45s of Sudan and two albums reissued by Habibi Funk – Seif Abu Bakr & The Scorpions and Sharhabil Ahmed. But those records only scratch the surface. There is much, much more out there. And most of it is only available on cassette.
As for Bashir Abdel al-Aal, there is pretty much zero information available. If you google his name in English, you’ll find stuff about the “master of the Arabian flute” – obviously not the guy holding the Les Paul guitar in the picture above. If you google his name in Arabic, you pretty much get bupkis. According to Discogs, Munsphone did release one other cassette by him. If you have any further information about Bashir Abdel al-Aal, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number ٥٠٣ – ٨٤٣٥ on Munsphone of Khartoum, Sudan. No release date listed.
Filed under: Senegal
Rockabilly? In Senegal? If there’s one thing I’ve learned: Anything is possible.
In the 1970s, Rockabilly had a revival in the United States with acts such as Sha Na Na, the film American Graffiti, the television show Happy Days. During the same time, there was also a revival of Teddy Boys in the United Kingdom. But how did Rockabilly make it all the way over to Senegal?
What little information I have been able to find on King Joe Dann says he was from Senegal. But that picture on the cover was obviously taken in Paris – unless Augustin-Alexandre Dumont did more than one version of Le Génie de la Liberté. The only clue is under the song title on the record label, it says: “CHANTE EN OUALOF” – which translated into English says “Song in Wolof“. Wolof is a language of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania, and the native language of the Wolof people.
If you have any further information, please leave it in the comment section below.
Catalog number 2C006-15.975 on Pathé of France, released 1977.
Filed under: Japan
I’ve covered Takeshi “Terry” Terauchi before… Twice, actually.
Terry Terauchi was the king of Eleki – instrumental music heavily influenced by The Ventures. The name is taken from the Japanese for “electric guitar”. By the early 70s, Takeshi Terauchi & The Blue Jeans were doing albums of Western Classical music and popular film songs. But in 1972, Terauchi released six albums. One was a tribute to Akira Kurosawa‘s 1950 classic film Rashomon / 羅生門..This single is the title track from the album – all of which is just as mind blowing.
Catalog number BS-1599 on King Records of Japan, released 1972.
Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe 