Juno Recommends International: July 2022

Review: Were you aware of the burger highlife phenomenon that swept through Ghana in the 1980s? Taking the West African sound of highlife and infusing it with the synths and drum machines of disco and boogie, a vibrant fusion culture emerged with hit upon hit of infectious, funky-as-hell party gear undeniably rooted in African culture. This diligent compilation from Kalita looks to some of the most important artists from this wave of electrified highlifers, including Thomas Frempong and George Darko, and of course looking between the cracks for the more obscure gems that should get even the well-schooled excited to check this one out.

Review: Robin Jones aka 'The Godfather of British Latin Music' brought some sunshine to often grey UK shores with the pastoral jazz sounds of his debut album. The rhythms have an Anglo skip with an Afro-Cuban soul as they melt flutes, Fender Rhodes and swinging drums and were recorded in 1971. He had help from three percussionists who help make this one a cult classic that has been hard to find over the years. Now London jazz DJ Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records rights that wring with this fresh reissue.

Review: With 2019's Grandeza, Sao Paulo's Sessa made a modest impact thanks to his captivating, intimate sound. Calling to mind the likes of Leonard Cohen, Caetano Veloso and Tom Jobim, his songs speak of the deep roots of South American folk, but also dance with a light touch which is unique to this bright new talent. Now Sessa is back with a new album on Mexican Summer entitled Estrela Acesa, and his sound has gently grown outwards to take in ornate orchestral accompaniments. Crucially though, his tender approach remains as endearing as ever, resulting in another album of dreamy reveries for sweet moments of calm.

Review: This is a fascinatingly entitled record and the music is just as interesting. It is made up of tunes from features tracks by established Sahel Sounds artists such as Etran de L'Air, Hama, Alkibar Jr, Amaria Hamadale and more. The music was ecocide don mobile phones after a call went out and then shared over WhatsApp. They were all recorDed live and mixed up styles as weird and wonderful as Nigerien techno, wedding rock, traditional music, Woodabe guitar, Mandingue music, WZN and more. Some of the best of the on login series make the cut here and takes us on a truly worldly adventure.

Review: Germany's Legere Recordings is the home of authentic, modern funk and jazz. For this tasty 7" outing, Welsh musician Carwyn Ellis and Rio 18 link with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for an alarmingly exotic tune given its country of origin. This is samba drenched in sun, with all the authentic drums, soaring strings and percussive details you would expect next to some great lead flute work. That's the case on 'Ola' anyway, the more upbeat party starter, while 'Ti' is a sentimental and slow-motion ballad for weepy moments.

Review: There is a near endless supply of music from Brazilian samba king Jorge Ben. He was a rule breaker back in his day and someone who challenged the conventions of the sound. His albums are in constant high demand and always getting reissued. This one, Samba Esquema Novo, is one of the best and not least because it is opened up by the legendary 'Mas, Que Nada' which will immediately bring sunshine to any setting. The other tunes are just as vibrant with his elastic vocals, delicate guitar work and generally good time vibes.

Review: A 10" featuring the finest that highlife has to offer, Crentsil was a figurehead of Ghanian music during the 70s and 80s who was introduced to highlife music at the turn of the 90s - a combination of pop, jazz, disco, and funk. 'Obi Baa Wiase' and 'Sika Be Ba' are two tracks with a close-knit message of gratitude, hope and faith between them, with the former being the staple track of Crentsil's long career after being played at weddings, festivals, and live concerts by local bands. A pair of incredible tracks produced by Charles Amoah utilising limited equipment to create an authentic party atmosphere, jovial flutes and plucky strings are the accompaniment to A.B. Entsils's proclamation of joy - put this on at the party and the room are sure to start moving.

Review: Italian artist Moreno Visini is Gypsy by heritage and he lives in New York. As well as recording as Zeb, he explores his melting pot history and outernational music in general as The Spy From Cairo. Now he's back with a fifth album, Animamundi, which finds him working alongside musicians such as Adil Smaali, Mambe Rodriguez and Carmen Estevez to whip up an adventurous trip through Eastern sounds. It's pristinely produced and catchy, but crucially it's written with an affinity for the music he explores, making for something authentic as well as contemporary.

Review: On this new compilation, Musica Infinita present the infectious Afro Latin sound of Ray Perez and Los Kenya, who were in the cut and thrust of the late 60s Venezuelan salsa scene. Perez was a titan of the sound of the time, not least with his band Los Dementes, but he stripped things right back with Los Kenya and as such you get a much rawer, incisive vision of funked up salsa which has lost none of its impact. Alongside Perez's piano you get the dual trumpet hit from Luis Arias and Luis Lewis, Ablerto Naranjo holding it down on the drums, Miguel Silva on bass, Pedro 'Guapacha' Garcia on congas and Ali 'Cosa Buena' Rojas on bongos. Remastered and sounding the best it possibly can, this is a must grab for any devotee of Latin music culture.