Babaliah Loves Mongo Santamaria

Back in the days when I started to explore beyond the black music I used to love at this time, I soon discovered that I enjoyed latin funk, a lot, and Mongo Santamaria was in the cut. This cuban born congero and rumbero played in New York with a lot of big names of his time. He composed beautiful tunes and covered a lot of R'n'B and Soul winners in a latin style. This selection features a lot of genres, in a chronological sort of way : latin-jazz, boogaloo, latin-soul, latin-funk, latin-disco and guaguanco. i hope you'll enjoy

Babaliah loves USSR

Here is a selection of rare vinyl records from USSR from the vaults of Melodya. Back in the 70's, if someone from the west could have had an accurate look (and listen) through the iron curtain, he would have gotten a big musical surprise. Although the idea of cultural development in the soviets was highly connected with the idea of lack of freedom, although the only musical style that seemed to emerge from USSR was the Red Army choirs, modern music was very healthy there, and it was, by many ways, even more "western" oriented than in western Europe. By Western, I mean Black!!!At the time, Jazz, Soul, Funk and even Tropical was having a golden age in Russia, Georgia, Azerbadjian, Armenia and other regions of the USSR. The reason why is both complex and simple : primarily, listenning to this music and playing it was allowed and that's the main reason. But we can consider other facts :

-This genres perfectly matched the high versatility of classical infused musicians, composers and big band conductors/arrangers

-Black music from the USA was more considered as the music of a dominated people than imperialist propaganda.
-The cultural links and exchanges with african and latin american countries wes very tight. There was even a relationship between the USSR and some revolutionnary / protester groups from the United States amoung which the US Communist Party and the Black Panthers.
-The youth, just as in any place in the world at this time, was in demand for party/freedom music and took no time to enjoy the dancing rythms
-The folk heritage in rural soviets was about rythm, emotion, musical skills, voices and dance. That's what the musicians and the listeners found in Jazz, Soul and Funk!

To highlight the sampling potential, the intro is live edited with my old DJM 400.. I hope you'll enjoy as much as I did.

Disques et Culture # 2 au Sucre : Spécial Europe de l'Est

Fondateur du collectif Palmwine Records qui inonde la région Rhône-Alpes de grooves tropicaux depuis 10 ans, Renaud BELIAH alias Babaliah creuse les musiques du monde depuis toujours. Collectionneur et DJ, il est spécialisé dans les musiques noires des 60's et 70's mais explore volontiers d'autres espaces culturels. Enseignant et conférencier, il a mis au point un cycle de conférences musicales pour le grand public titré « L'Age d'Or des Rythmes Noirs ». Il est aussi pionnier en pédagogie, grâce à une vision transversale des programmes pour construire un enseignement universel, interdisciplinaire, explicite et individualisé. Beatmaker également, il produit des morceaux et des remixs pour le dancefloor urbain actuel. Pour la deuxième édition de ce nouveau rendez-vous « Disques et Culture » dédié aux musiques de l'âge d'or de tous les continents, il propose une confécoute sur l'Europe de l'Est : armé de deux platines vinyles, d'un micro et d'un diaporama, il nous fera découvrir les musiques produites en Europe de l'Est pendant les années 60 et 70 avec un éclairage historique et musicologique. Le voyage musical passera par les musiques traditionnelles, le jazz, le jazz-funk, mais aussi par la soul, la funk le rock psyché et la disco. Tout cela pris sur des disques vinyls originaux deYougoslavie, de Pologne, de Tchécoslovaquie et d'URSS, mais aussi de Bulgarie, de Hongrie de Roumanie ou d'Allemagne de l'Est...La confécoute sera suivie d'une sélection "worldgrooves" tirée de sa collection de vinyls rares de tous les continents.

Babaliah Loves Sega 1 (60's)

My 60's serie goes further with a selection dedicated to Sega. This exotic music from the indian ocean kept its name during years although it changed a lot since its birth. in the 60's, the swaying rhythm of sega was often played by subtile percussions and the creole melodies were often mixed with jazzy arrangments. just like the Biguine in Guadeloupe and Martinique, early sega was influenced both buy the african rythms and colonial music from old europe like Mazurka. The selection here contents nice pieces of sega, including somr really jazzy ones, recorded in the 60's, from "la réunion", Maurice (Mauritius) and Madagascar, as some of the musical exchanges in the Indian Ocean gave the opportunity to some musicians from Madagascar to play sega... The selection highlights the work of the likes of Mr Jerry " Sega Nelson, Franckie Hart, Roger Clency, Loulou Pitou, Luc Donat or freddy Ranarison.I hope you'll enjoy!

Babaliah loves Madikera 1 ( Calypso)

    
As some of you already know, Madikera is a double word, or "Mot-valise" as we say in french, composed with Madinina, the original name of Martinique and Karukera, the original name of Guadeloupe. This first selection dedicated to those two french departments, more often called "Les Antilles", focuses on a little know side of their music. Calypso wass THE big musical phenomenon in non spanish caribbean music back in the 40's. The social and political commentaries of rural callypsonians, and the Jazz-big-band-esque arrangements of urban calypso made their way to the world, especcialy in west Africa to participate to the birth of Highlife. But also to the neighbouring french speaking Islands! and a lot of calypso tracks were recorded in the late 50's and early 60's by musicians and singers from both Martinique and Guadeloupe! Sung in french créole! Here are some of them. On rare early 60's records from the likes of Debs, Maison des merengues, Aux ondes, Karukera...I hope you will enjoy!

Babaliah sort des disques

Après trois saisons de conférences musicales sur l'Age d'Or des Rythmes Noirs, Babaliah a décidé de continuer à sortir des disques au café de la Tannerie : Il posera à chaque édition une belle sélection de disques rares d'une partie du monde mais il amènera aussi des bacs pleins de vinyls à vendre ou à échanger, il y en aura pour tous les goûts. Et comme il en cherche toujours pour son association "Disques et Culture", n'hésitez pas à amener vos vieux disques qui trainent au garage ou à la cave! S'ils ont un intérêt dans l'histoire des musiques du monde, ils seront rachetés à bon prix et ils auront une seconde vie en nourrissant les oreilles des curieux!
Attendez vous au meilleur de la musique caribéenne des années 60 et 70, en particulier de Cuba, de Trinidad et Tobago, de la Martinique, de Guadeloupe, de Porto Rico...
Venez boire, discuter, bouger la tête, manger ( assiettes à 5 euros ), et surtout danser!!!

Babaliah loves Jugoslavia 1 ( traditions)

During the last 15 years, beeing a hardcore record seeker in the flea markets, I've put my hand on dozens of 45's from former Yugoslavia. Some of them were cheesy ballroom music with no big interest as far as I was concerned. Some other were modern grooves mixing pop, rock, jazz, funk with the traditionnal background. Some other were really tasty traditionnal grooves that I learned to love after hours of listenning, trying to sort the ones I was going to keep or not. Interculturality and interethnicity are part of former Yugoslavia. And it seems that it can't be denied by the musical production. Some people helped me to know which track or musician belongs to which ethnic group. Partly in vain. This selection is an ode to interculturality which features syncopated, and even really oriental tracks alongside offbeat accentuated, balkanic rythms. The footprint of the ottoman Empire is deep. It's my first journey into Europe and traditionnal music. I hope you'll enjoy as much as I am!

Disques et Culture # 1 : SPECIAL TURQUIE / Le Sucre / Lyon / Vendredi 26 Février 2016

"Fondateur du collectif Palmwine Records qui inonde la région Rhône-Alpes de grooves tropicaux depuis 10 ans, Renaud BELIAH alias Babaliah creuse les musiques du monde depuis toujours.

Collectionneur et DJ, il est spécialisé dans les musiques noires des 60's et 70's mais explore volontiers d'autres espaces culturels. Enseignant et conférencier, il a mis au point un cycle de conférences musicales pour le grand public titré « L'Age d'Or des Rythmes Noirs ». Il est aussi pionnier en pédagogie, grâce à une vision transversale des programmes pour construire un enseignement universel, interdisciplinaire, explicite et individualisé. Beatmaker également, il produit des morceaux et des remixs pour le dancefloor urbain actuel.

Pour la première édition de ce nouveau rendez-vous « Disques et Culture » dédié aux musiques de l'âge d'or de tous les continents, il propose une confécoute sur la Turquie : armé de deux platines vinyles, d'un micro et d'un diaporama, il nous fera découvrir les musiques produites en Turquie pendant les années 60 et 70 avec un éclairage historique et musicologique. La confécoute sera suivie d'une sélection "worldgrooves" tirée de sa collection de vinyls rares de tous les continents."

Pour une première idée de la production musicale turque des 70's, écoutez ma selection Babaliah Loves Turkey :  

Babaliah Loves BENIN 1 (Latin)

For my first Beninese selection ( it will soon be followed by 3 other ones), I tried to focus on the latin side of 70's Beninese Music. The 2 opening tracks are 2 different versions of "Gendamou Si we" (Policeman's wife-La femme du Gendarme), a great example of "Pach Fon" which was a really famous style at this time : Pachanga sung in Fon (Fongbe). The lovely track is played in 2 slighly different ways by Orchestre Polyrythmo and is featured on two lovely 45's on the mighty LA Aux écoutes Label. The selection also highlights the latin work of one of the greatest african latin legend, who was influenced by both Benny More and Charles Aznavour : the great Gonnas Pedro! At the time he recorded a serie of LP's with His Djadjes band. Finishing with lovely "La Musica en Vérité"! Enjoy!

Babaliah Loves Turkey

Since I started to try and collect vinyl records from a large array of cultural spaces around the globe, I've had a couple of big surprises. The music of Turkey's 70's has been one of the biggest ones. So modern, so funky, so psychedelic and yet sofaithfull to its roots!! As usual the tracks you will discover in this selection are not taken on compilations or re-edits, although I am sure that some of the tracks here have been reedits by labels doing a wonderfull job... Electric Saz, Mad darbukas, sometimes Davul or Zurna, Big Breaks, sick Hiphop samples...the list of the discoveries is long for the ones who do not know yet how it's like to listen to Turkish Spych. For the others, I hope the selection will be good enough to please the good connoisseurs. Enjoy!!

Babaliah Loves Colombia

For my first journey into colombian music, I offer you some musical heat that I've found amazing since I first met it about 15 years ago, as one friend of mine came back from Latin America with a few cd's and let a few of us have a listen, and then a copy... Cumbia is one of the most important syles in the african diaspora. Easy to blend with hip hop, reggae, ska or eastern brassbands, Cumbia has became a DJ tool, but for me it will always be a music from the rrots. Here you will here several cumbias, but also gaïtas, porros, fandangos, merecumbes,... the number of ruthms in Colombia is outstanding and it's quite difficult for me to even know the rythm when I hear it. But I love the jazz arrangments of porro, the wild percussive rythm section of the cumbias, the highly melodic themes of the gaïtas, and the brassband power of the fandangos! Ramon Vargas, Lucho Bermudez, Climaco Sarmiento, La Sonora Curro, Pedro Laza, los Corraleros de Majagual and others take part to the journey...Hot!

Babaliah Loves Jazz 2

A sweet jazz selection for your sunday morning. I wanted it to be latin, afro oriented, but also to feature big names...on their tropical sides... So here is nice percussive jazz, by the likes of Art Blackey, Dizzy Gillespie, Gabor Szabo, Canonball Adderley, Pharoah Sanders, Randy Weston... Enjoy!

Babaliah Loves Ebenezer Obey

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey is one of the most renowned Juju musician. Juju is a very modern musical styles from Nigeria and takes its musical roots in the Yoruba rythm tradition and chants. The multilayered guitar lines are calling and answering in a really original way. Ebenezer Obey seems to be a very innovative Juju musician, whose music, sometimes psychedelic, sometimes more deep, can be influenced by other musical styles, among which afrobeat, which is not unexpectable. But Obey also used somtimes the Blues scales and chords, and even latin rythms... I tried to show this diversity and modernity in this selection. Enjoy!

Babaliah Loves Ry-Co Jazz

Ry-Co Jazz is one of my favorite bands. It started its carreer in Congo and takes its name from the french "Rythme Congolais Jazz". In the Mid 60's, after extensive sessions in Paris, they were invited to Martinique and Guadeloupe for a little tour, but this tour happened to be 3 years years long, and it tottally changed the musical lendscape of these french islands, adding a deep west-african twist to the biguine rooted sound. Even with the influence of the neighbouring latin music and haitian compas direct/cadence rempa, The musical style called Tumbélé would'nt have really been the same without Ry-Co Jazz... Here are my favorite tracks from the band, mostly on 7 inches records, with rumbas, merengues, tumbélés, buiguine and impossible to describe afro-carribean UFO's...Alors, est-ce que tu bois beaucoup?

Special Mix to Promote "Afrotropical Party #2"

In a few day, I will be in Toulouse to play records at a really big "Afro Tropical Party" set up by Kalakuta Prod. I've recorded this mix to promote the party on their Radio Show. It features 2 funky tracks at the begining (look at the tracklist to be surprised) and then rare bouncing winners from Kenya, Sao Tome, Angola, Guinée Bissau, Cabo Verde... And A smoking Porro at the end! ENJOY!

Babaliah Loves Jazz (BONUS)

2 long tracks as a bonus for the Babaliah loves jazz mix : Archie Shepp's "Hipnosis" and Dollar Brand's "Soweto"

Babaliah Loves Jazz

Jazz is a part of life. As a personnal musical background and as an everyday listenning pleasure. This selection is the first of a "Jazz" serie. It's hard to know the limits of the music called Jazz. So I gave no limit... I hope you'll enjoy. The (Bonus) is made of two long tracks taken from the same LP's as the opening and the closing tracks...

Vodkakoka / Babaliah au Mellotron

Invité pour la soirée à Paris par Vodkakoka, on en a profité pour aller faire l'apéro au Mellotron, un vrai lieu de vie réelle avec une énorme rayonance virtuelle, où les boissons et la nourriture sont excellentes,  mais surtout où la sélection musicale est aussi pointue qu’éclectique. On était là pour poser des disques et c'est ce qu'on a fait. Je fais la deuxième heure. Pérou, Océan indien, Bénin, ... surtout de jolis 4( tours. Et comme d'habitude, pas de rééditions ni de compilations...Enjoy HERE!

You Better Ask Yourself (Babaliah Remix)

Remix of Femi Kuti made long ago... carribean vibes in it...

On a Cloud (Babaliah Remix)

////Babaliah and his new African Beats/// A remix of PPP'sOnACloud I made a few years ago Sleeve comin' soon! More Beats comin' soon! Hot!!!! ///Babaliah and his new African Beats

Cobra (Babaliah Remix)

This is a Remix of "Cobra" a great tune from Antony Joseph and the spasm band's last album.
Released on a special record store day 12 inches on the great Heavenly Sweetness label.
From the oriinal track I kept the voice and some flute loops, the rest is the kind of afro latin beat I like to built....with a lot of respect for this beautiful and psychedelic poetry, which I tried to emphasize. HOT!!!

You can listen to it here :

https://soundcloud.com/babaliah/cobra-babaliah-remix

Afrobeat # 1

First round in the "Afrobeat Serie", this beat is made to be used by whoever likes percussive afro-oriented rythms with a modern twist!!! Feel free to download and enjoy! HOT!!!!

Babaliah Loves Ska

About twenty years ago I've played alto saxophone in a band called Mellow Mood. We played 50's and 60's jamaïcan ska and rocksteady. Some classics and some caribbean jazz covers of soul, bossa nova and jazz classics. The short selection here is mostly made of 45's, some Blue Beat ones, some white label ones... In the landscape of "Tropical" or "Black" music, Ska has had a particular place. In my "musical history" too. I now consider this soulfull and jazzy music from one really rich Island from the big antilles as a really good example of early independant and modern african rooted music... Enjoy!

Babaliah Loves Madagascar

If you don't know much about music from Madagascar and think it's the same as music from Réunion or Mauritius, you could be surprised by this selection : First by the level of modernity in these recordings, although some of them were made in the 60's, then by the diversity of genres. The first genre highlighted here is very close to Kenyan Benga, with a strong "kick" beat. You will aslo listen to psychedelic sSalegy, to old school electric Salegy and even one Sega, one slow soulfull groove and one traditional folk track... You will soon discover that the records I used for this selection are not mint ones, Lot of surface noise and clicks, but I thought it would fit perfectly with this raw music... Enjoy!

Babaliah Loves Eurasia

I've been digging further for this one... Whereas my selection at this point always focus on the african diasporas, this new psychedelic trip starts in England and ends in India. At school, when we talk about continents, I always discuss with the children why Europe and Asia are considered as two entities. Is the border cultural? Well, let's "cross the bridge" : folk funk from England, Electric folk from Occitanie, Dark R'n'R from Malta, Break Pop from Yugoslavia, Psychedelic Belly Dance, Soulfull grooves Raw Funk and Oriental Disco from Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Israël, Armenia and India. Buidling slowly but really addictive!!! I hope you'll enjoy this new exploration of my record collection. Vintage vinyls only!

Babaliah Loves Haïti 2

Following volume one, this new exploration of my haitian records highlights the latin vibe of the 60's : Meringue, Vaudou-jazz, cuban-inspired rythms and of course, compas direct and cadence rempa. Played by bands that have since became parts of the legend : Jazz des jeunes, Pierre blain, Raoul Guillaume, orchestre Tropicana, Orchestre Citadelle, Etoile du soir, ...and of course Nemours Jn Baptiste and Webert Sicot. At the end of the selection you 'd even listen to really old recordings including Ensemble aux callebasses. The main purpose here is how big band arrangments blended with personnal exploration of latin rythms lead to a new cultural identity, sometimes in a complicated relationship with François Duvalier's National identity idea...

Babaliah Loves Haïti

First mix of Haïtian music. 70's Konpa from the mini jazz era. Sometimes latin, sometimes psychedelic. Always groovy and soulfull. The melody can be by sax, guitar or organ, and in a lot of bands, those leading instruments share the leadership. But what became obvious to me when, step by step, Haïtian Konpa became one of my favorite musical style, is the alchemy : How is it possible to find such a unity in both ruthmic and melodic sections. Of course there are killig chorus, but the way the guys can switch from one rythmic/melodic pattern to another as if they were one, with such natural team reactions, is amazing. Another thing that I learned to love about Haïtian 70's konpa is the way haïtian bands sometimes choose to claim their musical (cultural) identity by choosing this rythm, sometimes for really mellow love songs, although they show off in the intro of their tracks their huge skills to play the toughest kind of funky african-american music... I call it "art faussement naïf"

Babaliah Loves Congo

A lovely mix focusing on Congo's 60's latin infused music : Merengue, Cha-cha and of course Rumba. Beautiful and melodic vocals, hard Conga playing, early psychedelic guitars and neckbreaking basslines compose this unique afro-latin blend which influenced the whole continent. One of the first "modern" musical genre to come out of Africa (with Highlife). I am especcially found of the early Sebene which you can listen to in several rumbas here, the second part of the tracks, dedicated to the dancers: mostly instrumental, with only screams from the singers to tease the audience, with often sax or guitar choruses and always a big work of the rythmic section, bass and congas. More Sebene, maybe even with a funky flavor, will be presented later in a volume 2 showing of some Congolese music from the 70's. I hope you will like this one because I liked selecting those tracks!

Babaliah Loves Angola 2

Since the release of my first angolan mix, I've been wanting to go further into that stunningmusical area. This time the selection is more logical. Mostly from the vaults of N'gola and Rebita, which are, unsurprisingly for angolan music lovers, my two favorite labels from Angola. This 45's only mix highlitghs the merengue and rebita rythms, but does not showcase big sought after tracks that were re-issued on compilations, especcially on mighty label Analog Africa. I wanted to share the pleasure I feel anytime I play some of those beautiful records in front of an open minded audience. HOOOOOOT!!!

Babaliah Loves Ghana

"Babaliah Loves Ghana" is my first mix dedicated to Ghana, one of the most inspiring musical ressource for me. Only rare 45's. No Funk, DIsco, straight fusion nor Afrobeat here... But really beautyful, enjoyable, percussion heavy, danceable tracks from the 60's and 70's. Different shades of Highlife : deep, groovy, jazzy, modern or oldschool. Tracks 8 and 9 are Pachangas and show if needed that even in Ghana, the latin rythms from the caribbean had an audience. Guitar bands or big bands with a nice place for the guitar players, but also organs and horns... great vocals and polyrythmic drums all around...Check the tracklist!!!

Verckys

Merci beaucoup Samy (Ben   Redgeb) j'ai bien écouté Verckys et j'ai vraiment apprécié. 

"Bassala Hot" est un énorme track pour le dancefloor. Avec un beat original et une énergie de fou. Plein de DJ vont s'en délecter!!!

Le Sebene de "Nakobala yo Denise" est aussi une tuerie pour la danse. La batterie et les percussions donnent un groove tellement efficace et les cuivres sont dingues!!

J'ai aussi adoré le bluesy funk "Sex Veve" superbe morceau.

"Talali Talala" est un méchant track funky avec des gros arrangements de cuivre et une basse impeccable. Mais la basse est encore plus incroyable sur le sebene de "Ya Nini Complete". Le boulot de basse est tellement solide, tellement groovy qu'il n'y a pas besoin d'un gros beat pour que ça soit affolant sur le dancefloor. C'est aussi ça la magie de la rumba congolaise qui s'exprime aussi sur deux morceaux funky de la compilation : quand l'alchimie des voix des guitares et aussi dans le cas de Verckys des cuivres et même de l'organ est soutenue par un énorme groove de basse, il n'y a plus besoin de drums, de beat : la basse est le beat!!!

Pour écouter, acheter et découvrir tout ce que fait Analog Africa c'est ici :

www.analogafrica.bandcamp.com