Shakalaode vinyl

Columbian Afro-cumbia sensation Wganda Kenya drew acclaim for their group excursions in dance music, not least for the huge ensemble cast of nine-plus musicians that made them up. 'Shakalaode' came in 1976 as the infectiously slackened cover of Fela Kuti's 'Shakara', released five years earlier. Colombian Afrobeat leant more heavily on diasporic rhythmic elements, which differed from Nigerian Afrobeat in that these used regional cumbia, porro and mapale, descending from Afro populations who had settled along the Pacific and Caribbean coast. Less polyrhythmic and perhaps more tropical in feel, the A-side serves as a shining example, with rushy plucks and strident shouts intro'ing a flavoursome shakedown, and 'El Abanico' follows up as a surpriser Fatback Band cover.