One track of pure Afrobeat power from Nigeria’s Oghene Kologbo! Thanks to Paris DJs, who released this bumping track.
Funk
[Music] Makhfirat Hamroqulova & Gulshan / Махфират Ҳамроқулова & Гульшан – Дилро Бубин
There isn’t a lot of information on wild psych music coming out of places like Tajikistan, but this isn’t a bad slice of Central Asian arabesque disco-prog, courtesy of Makhfirat Hamroqulova & Gulshan. Hamroqulova is not only a famous singer in the country, but an actress of note as well.
[Music] Melodiya Ensemble – Vashi Lyubimye Pesni Igraet
Funky Jazz from the house band of the Soviet state record label, the Melodiya Ensemble. There’s almost no info on the band, but there is an article on Soviet Funk, so enjoy.
[Music] Tony Allen – African Message
A lot of press covering Nigerian music rightfully goes to Fela Kuti, yet he’s not the only innovative figure to gain international fame. His percussionist, Tony Allen, has spent a good part of five decades making music which was influenced by funk and jazz as well as Highlife. The Afrobeat sound he was instrumental in creating continues to inspire musicians like Brian Eno and Blur’s Damon Albarn.
[Video] Sevil – Sevil (1971, Azerbaijan, USSR)
Outside of Vagif Mustafa-Zade, who has been featured here before on this blog, there’s not a lot of information on music from Azerbaijan. Sevil is a band who played a type of jazz-funk which was popular throughout the Soviet Bloc. Really solid music.
If any of my friends from the region could point me to some biographical data about the band, I’d be most thankful.
[Video] Firyuza – Firyuza (1979)
Firyuza were a prog-jazz-funk band from Turkmenistan. The album is a classic in the Soviet Rock world.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 