Awesome Tapes From Africa

Hailu Mergia weaves Moog and DX7 synthesizers, Rhodes electric piano and rhythm machine into the rich harmonic layering of his accordion, creating hauntingly psychedelic, elegantly arranged instrumentals.

From their genesis as members of the Venus club in-house band in the early 70s, The Walias were at the forefront of the musical revolution during an era where modern instruments and foreign styles superseded the traditional fare to become the staple sound of Ethiopia. 

Awa Poulo is a singer of Peulh origin from Dilly commune, Mali, near the border with Mauritania.

Gratitude is the eagerly anticipated new solo album from Abiodun Oyewole, the poet, teacher and founding member of The Last Poets.

And now, after a 10-year hiatus, Doumbia is back with a new set of original songs. “Kanawa”, the word and the song, refers to the youth fleeing poverty and unemployment in Mali.

Dozens of cherished recordings were made during the legendary “golden age” of Ethiopian music, an era stretching from the early 1960’s through the mid-1970’s. 

The rags-to-riches chronicle of Penny Penny's life would be remarkable if he had only released his smash debut Shaka Bundu and packed houses for a few years.

Musically diverse, drawing together elements of jazz-funk, ethio-jazz, more up-tempo Ethiopian dance music and, perhaps most surprisingly of all, both dub and reggae.

Bola’s music melds sheer force of spirit with a sound not often heard by ears outside the remote Upper East Region of Ghana.