MATATA - MATATA LP AFRO-FUNK 1974 TURKEY

$ 55

$ 55 Sold For

Mar 8, 2006 Sold Date

Feb 26, 2006 Start Date

1 Number Of Bids

Turkey Country Of Seller

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Description

EMI / STATESIDE TLS-20, MADE IN TURKEY

VG + / EX (RECORD)

AIR FIESTA is a Kenyan group that was wiped the floor in Kenyan competitons since 1968 and won the BBC African Service's Sound '71 competition. With their flamboyant style they have constantly been described as "Matata" (Fire).Now they have adopted the name and this the debut album from MATATA.

So Matata is another Afro-rock group.But what does that mean? In moving from one village to another rhythm patterns change and in moving from one side of a continent to the other anything can happen. Most Afro-rock music has its roots in the rhythms of West Africa but Matata come from the other side of continent. The local instruments are the Ngoma -a large drum used for sending messages across villages- and the Nyatiti (Kambanane) -an eight stringed instrument looking like a cross between a gu?tar and a harp- while the popular dance rhythm is the Motibo. After eight years of playing together Matata have blended this local colour with assimilated Western pop culture to produce an axciting international music.

The band is big by British standards and when they charge on stage arrayed in a variety od east African tribal costumes, monkey skin headgear, beads and with ostrich feathers strapped to their arms the uninitiaded in the audience could be forgiven for thinking that they had strayed into a forum of African tribal warriors on a recruitment drive. However the audiances that saw them on their recent British tour - and the venues look like a "Where's Where" of clubs, Hatchett's, Samantha's, Ronnie Scott's, The Marquee...- were left in no doubt. Even if the singin some of which is in French, Swadili and Lingala, was at times incomprehensible the musical message was quite clear.

As well as their British appearances Matat have played in germany (where they jammed with the Miles davis group), Switzerland and at the 1969 Pan-African Cultural Festival in Ethiopia. They are at home playing to any audience and i am sure that this album will be at home in any record collection.

Bob Okonedo

side one