Juno Recommends International: February 2023

Review: Originally released in 1972, Shakara is a shining example of Fela Kuti & The Africa 70 in full flight. Made up of two 13-minute long pieces, the definitive Afrobeat sound is laid out in undulating, impossibly funky form. Tony Allen holds it down on the drums and the brass section from Tony Njoku, Igo Chico, Lekan Animashaun and Kuti himself punches out with urgency. This 50th anniversary release does things a little differently by inviting the excellent Ezra Collective to deliver their own versions of each track, each getting their side to lay down expansive reflections on the trailblazing groundwork laid by Kuti and his bandmates half a century ago.

Review: A year and a half on from Ykytu, Brazilian guitarist Fabiano Do Nascimento returns to Now-Again for his fifth LP, once again presenting the most tender of fingerpicking magic embellished here by swooning string arrangements to well and truly melt your heart. The orchestral swells come courtesy of Vittor Santos, who worked closely with Do Nascimento on developing the exquisite sound you can hear on this wonderful record. If you're hungry for some beauteous instrumentals that invoke sunshine, whatever the weather, then Lendas has got you covered. Just check the romantic lilt of lead track 'Fonte' and prepare to be swept away.

Review: Don't be fooled by the title of this compilation; this isn't just birdsong pressed to wax. Rather, each artist invited to contribute to 'A Guide To The Birdsong of Western Africa' was challenged to make an original song both using and inspired by an endangered bird from their country. The album, in its ingenuity, was produced to help fund the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NIBAP), a public initiative to encourage young Nigerians get into bird conservation, watching and atlasing. Standouts include Lamine Cissokho's kora imitate the 'Yellow-casqued hornbill', and the lilting call of the 'Nimba flycatcher' included in a warming voice-and-guitar bossa nova piece by Ruth Tafebe.

Review: Willie Colon's El Juicio is a seminal piece of salsa history, originally released in 1972 and featuring the hits 'Aguanile', 'PiraNa' and 'Timbalero'. Colon is one of the all-time greats of salsa, and his recordings alongside Hector Lavoe are some of the truly defining works of the genre. El Juicio was the third album from the pair to go gold after 1970's Cosa Nuestra and 1971's La Gran Fuga so you know they were on a roll. This 50th anniversary edition is the perfect opportunity to catch up on an essential document of salsa, for those new to the genre and lifelong fans alike.

Review: The Warm World Of Joao Gilberto from 1963 welcomes you deep into the iconic sounds of the so-called Godfather of bossa nova. Brazilian legend Joao pretty much invented the sound and this collection is a comprehensive selection of some of his most pivotal works from 1958 to 1961. While listening you can hear a nascent bossa sound emerging from the speakers as the formerly rare unknown and then late 20-something explored new rhythms and rich harmonies that make for mesmerising and addictive listening. The album is something of a grail so snap up this reissue while you can.

Review: Tunde Mabadu & His Sunrise released only two albums, and this was the first of them in 1978 with a second to follow two years later. It's one of those brilliantly unique records that mixes sup folky, world, reggae, soul, Afrobeat and jazz into just five potent cuts. An original will cost you a pretty penny so this reissue is likely to go fast. The opener is bonkers frankly as Tunde receipts the alphabet before cracking out the sax. Other jams like 'Bisu-Omi' offer an Afro perspective on reggae while 'Red Jeans' is primed for some dance floor fun.

Review: MPB is a vast and vital musical genre with a rich history and many iconic artists ad cult albums. But Chico Lessa's self-titled album is right up there on its own. This is a first-ever reissue of what some call "one of the greatest achievements of Brazilian Popular Music." Some of the country's heaviest hitters feature such as Wagner Tiso, Mauricio Maestro, Robertinho Silva, Pascoal Meirelles and more and the songs remain wholly fresh to this day. They offer a superb take on the post-Tropicalia sound of 70s Brazil and come on a deserving heavyweight slab of 180g vinyl for extra punch.

Review: This one has got an unlikely anthem written all over it from the Los Disco Duro. It features a pair of covers and the weird and wonderful A-side jam 'La Inconforme' is a steamy samba shuffler but with plenty of digital production touches and a roboticized vocal that is sure to hook in any sort of dance floor. After that newer opener which is well known in sonidero circles, comes the Tito Puente composition 'Oye Como Va' which has been popularised by Carlos Santa amongst others. It is another hot Latin American vibe packed with retro-futurism.

Review: Wagram's musical boundaries know no end. The French label has in recent times served up super collections of everything from disco fo funk soul to techno, house to now cumbia. A primer in case you aren't familiar: cumbia is a folkloric sound and dance that emanated from Colombia in the 1940s. It involves influences from all over Latin and South America and is richly instrumental. Here, some of the genre's biggest tunes and most notorious players all get serve dup across tow sides of wax that will have your ass wiggling in no time. Conjunto Tipico Vallenate, Rodolfo Y Su Tipica RA7 and plenty more all feature.

Review: The fledgling Olindo label keeps on turning heads with this fresh new EP from Paris-based Venezuelans, Insolito UniVerso. Across two cuts the outfit hones in on their signature psychedelic folk sound some five years after the quartet served up their 'La Candela Del Rio' album also on this label. Their deep, multi-layered and richly musical style has evolved well since then with subtle new influences from outside the usual sphere evident when you listen closely. This is another potent pair of tracks for worldly dancefloors and cultured music lovers.

Review: Micky Hart is something of a renowned rhythm master who heads up the Planet Durum collective. They are a Grammy-winning global percussion collective who here return with their first new music in some 15 years. The idea here is to bring the many different cultures and rhythms of the world together on one record and as such Zakir Hussain (India), Giovanni Hidalgo (Puerto Rico) and Sikiru depoju (Nigeria) all worked on this in the studio. It is an album of ever-evolving and ever-changing sounds that is utterly compelling and permeates deep into your being.

Review: Peruvian artist Betico Salas dropped his first album Betico Salas y su Sonora and immediately got plenty of acclaim. It shows off his talents as the lead trumpet player of the great Sonora de Lucho Macedo who were a legendary Cuban ensemble back in the mid-60s. This album arrived in 1966 with Alfredo Linares on piano and the majestic and truly spellbinding sonero vocals by Benny del Solar. Plenty of Latin styles - guarachas, guanguanco and cumbias - all influence the sound. Two more albums followed from Betico Salas and they helped cement his legendary status.