Juno Recommends International: March 2022

Review: Half a century ago, legendary rhythm and blues drummer Ginger Baker (Cream, the Graham Bond Organisation etc) moved to Nigeria to work with Fela Kuti and his dextrous drummer, Tony Allen. The resultant recordings, which featured Kuti, Baker, Allen and the rest of the Africa 70 ensemble, were released on the brilliant Live With Ginger Baker LP in 1972, which here gets a deserved, expansive reissue. What you get this time around is the original album - a freewheeling, ultra-percussive Afrobeat masterpiece, full of duelling drum solos, righteous horns and killer grooves - plus a second slab of wax. One side of that is etched, with the over featuring recordings of an infamous drum battle between Allen and Baker that's extraordinarily heavy, sweaty and on-point. In a word: essential!

Review: Peruvian boogaloo superstar Alfredito Linares with the amazing funk drenched boogaloo hit "Boogaloo Girl" in true Nu Yorica style, and another gem on B-side, "Mambo Rock". Released with the collaboration of Aldredito himself coming with an insert with linernotes, a postcard and a sticker.

Review: Peruvian boogaloo superstar Alfredito Linares with the amazing essential funk drenched boogaloo hit "Boogaloo Girl" in true Nu Yorica style, and another gem on B-side, "Mambo Rock". Released with the collaboration of Aldredito himself coming with an insert with linernotes, a postcard and a sticker. Don't sleep !

Review: To celebrate 80 years since the birth of Orquestra Afro-Brasiliera, a long-overlooked outfit that cannily combined "Yoruba spirituality, Candomble chants, West African percussion and big band jazz", producer Mario Caldato, Jr has joined forces with the last remaining member, percussionist Carlos Negrioros, to record a brand-new album in tribute. 80 Ans, the resultant set, is undeniably special: a richly percussive, spiritual, jazz-fired journey through Afro-Brazilian music that's so well produced that you can hear each instrumental and vocal element in crystal clear clarity (something that could not be said about the collective's two original albums, from 1968 and '70 respectively). Terrific stuff all told.

Review: Houdou Nisbi is a top draw, cult classic record from Ziad Rahbani that now gets a deserving reissue on Wewantsounds. It was recorded in around 1984-85 and originally came out on the sought-after Lebanese label Relax-in in 1991, and only on CD and tape. Now it lands on vinyl for the first time and still sounds as good in the way it fuses Arabic sounds with jazz, boogie, funk and even hints of Brazil. Original groove fans heralded this as one of the best of its kind and this newly remastered version, which has been curated by Lebanese DJ, radio host and compiler Ernesto Chahoud, certainly backs that up.

Review: We finally get treated to this superb 7" from Grupo Majezza on Discos Mas which was due for release late last year. It features one of the band's more fiery dance floor tunes in 'La Chica Pikosita' which is all shuffling rhythms and lush string instrumentals with playful chords, percussion and vocals. It is backed with the just as hot and bhangra-tinged 'Cumbia de los Puchikas' on the reverse. These two glorious cumbia tunes are ripe for DJs and dancers alike and have never before been on wax.