Artist/Исполнитель: C.K. Mann & his Carousel
7
Album/Альбом: Funky Highlife
Year/Год выхода:
1975
Genre/Жанр: Highlife
Country/Страна:
Ghana
Source/Источник: Vinyl LP
Label/Лэйбл:
Essiebons EBLS 6131 SX
Format/Формат: MP3 VBR /
Apple Lossless / FLAC · 96 kHz/24 Bit
Size/Размер: 78 MB
/
645 MB
Scans/Сканы: HiRes
Host/Хозяин:
RS
Artist/Исполнитель: C.K. Mann & his Carousel
7
Album/Альбом: Funky Highlife
Year/Год выхода:
1975
Genre/Жанр: Highlife
Country/Страна:
Ghana
Source/Источник: Vinyl LP
Label/Лэйбл:
Essiebons EBLS 6131 SX
Format/Формат: MP3 VBR /
Apple Lossless / FLAC · 96 kHz/24 Bit
Size/Размер: 78 MB
/
645 MB
Scans/Сканы: HiRes
Host/Хозяин:
RS
1. Medley: Asafo Beesuon · Obaa Yaa Aye Me Bone · Kolomashie · Dofo
Bi Akyerew Me · Ankwasema Dede · Okwan Tsentsen Awar · Aboa
Akonkoran 13:26
2. Highlife Medley: Beebi A Odo Wo · Tsie M’Afotusem · Ebusua Ape
Adze Aye Me · Yebeyi Wo Aye (Ebibrim Blues) · Do Me Ma Mondo Wo Bi
15:22
Total time: 28:48
Kofi ‘Papa’ Yankson: vocals
Afedzi: vocals
Ebo Taylor: arrangements
Review from RYM:
Hang on to your shorts, because, if you’re reading this, you have
just found a monster. So often you scour the world’s music looking
for new sounds, and, in so doing, you come across a lot of clunkers
and a handful of great albums, but that rare pearl usually eludes
you. Not this time, my friend.
The A side is a 14:10 minute medley that should be, if it is not
already, a staple in the arsenal of any DJ of West African or world
sounds. This gem just keeps going and going behind a monster groove
of guitars, organ and percussion. But what sets this apart is the
flute that weaves its way in and out. It will seriously make you
wish that the instrument showed up much more often in African
music.
The flip is another medley that fills the side and cools the pace
considerably. The baseboards may not be bouncing on this track but
it’s got a deft variety and comes up with a nice blend of jazzy big
band (a clarinet even makes a showing) and highlife. Per the liner
notes, Ebo Taylor handles the arranging of the B side.
A side — 11 stars
B side — 4 stars
Update — April 15, 2013
My original review was of the original vinyl pressing from Ghana on
the Essiebons label. Since that time, the excellent people at Mr.
Bongo have reissued «Funky Highlife» on both vinyl and CD. I was
curious to hear these Bongo releases partly to have a superclean
copy of the vinyl, partly to have the bonus tracks that the CD
offers and partly because I had heard that there was an alternate
version of the monster first track «Asufo Beesuon» than the «flute
mix» that was on my copy.
Well, the Bongos have arrived and so have the answers. There are,
in fact, two different versions of «Asufo Beesuon». My Ghana copy
has a flute weaving in and out, while the Bongo copies have no
flute, utilizing a guitar in those passages instead. While the
guitar version is still a big, big track and will definitely not
disappoint, I have to say that I much prefer the flute version. (I
have heard that there are original Ghana copies that also have the
guitar version, but I’ve never actually had one on my turntable so
I can’t verify that.) In any event, the different mix on that track
would put my rating of the Bongo vinyl at 4 stars.
Now for the Bongo CD. The good news is that you get a lot more
music — 8 songs that were not on the original LP. The not-so-good
news is that the material is not up to the snuff of the original LP
and makes for a more watered-down and lengthy listen if you take
the disc all at one sitting. Because of this, I would rate the
Bongo CD at 3.5 stars.
I was curious as to where these other tracks were sourced from, so
I flipped through five other LPs from C.K. Mann in my stash. Six of
the tracks I could not find, but two («Araba Lucy» and «Medzi
Makoma Ma Wo») were sourced from the album «With Love …» by C.K.
Mann & His Carousel 7.
More info on
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