{"product_id":"various-artists-the-bristol-meets-africa-sound","title":"Various Artists - The Bristol Meets Africa Sound","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt's more than a special moment when you discover music you've never heard (of) before or ever knew existed. 1982 was a critical spark for the development of wider world musical styles, both in Bristol and the UK at large. The central event from that year was the first \u003cstrong\u003eWOMAD\u003c\/strong\u003e festival, held in the unlikely surroundings of the agricultural themed Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet in Somerset.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne common thread in Bristol to all of these discoveries was the \u003cstrong\u003eEkome Dance Company\u003c\/strong\u003e and most notably Artistic Director, \u003cstrong\u003eBarrington 'Barry' Anderson\u003c\/strong\u003e. Barry had also recruited musicians from African countries such as Cameroon and Ghana, from Jamaica and others from the Bristol area. This kick-started a process and practice in the West Country city where musicians brought over from African countries would collaborate with those from the locality. It is those activities - a sound clash and culture clash, producing material of real depth - that constitute the three different combinations, along with one connection originating in London, that make up material on the first \u003cstrong\u003eThe Bristol Meets Africa Music Sound\u003c\/strong\u003e album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBest known of the triumvirate from Africa was the former \u003cstrong\u003eBhundu Boys\u003c\/strong\u003e frontman, \u003cstrong\u003eBiggie Tembo\u003c\/strong\u003e. The experiment that would yield the tracks that make up the long lost \"\u003cstrong\u003eHouse of Stone\u003c\/strong\u003e\" album with sonic sculptors, \u003cstrong\u003eStartled Insects\u003c\/strong\u003e, came about after both Tembo and the group had left their respective band and label situations and needed a new way forward creatively. The Africa Sound presents a trio of songs which are a snapshot from the album, also now available on \u003cstrong\u003eBristol Archive Records\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCameroonian expat \u003cstrong\u003eCharlie Asaah Papa\u003c\/strong\u003e put together the \u003cstrong\u003eGraffi Jazz\u003c\/strong\u003e band comprising of several stand-out local players. These included \u003cstrong\u003eMarco Anderson\u003c\/strong\u003e on drums, \u003cstrong\u003eSimon Preston\u003c\/strong\u003e on percussion, with \u003cstrong\u003eGlaxo Babies\u003c\/strong\u003e members \u003cstrong\u003eDan Catsis\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eGraham Egan-Andrew\u003c\/strong\u003e on bass and guitar. \u003cstrong\u003eBeverley Gage\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of the sisters of \u003cstrong\u003eGrant Marshall\u003c\/strong\u003e from \u003cstrong\u003eMassive Attack\u003c\/strong\u003e, shares vocal duties with Charlie as does another sister Jenny, who became Charlie's partner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ghanaian \u003cstrong\u003eBen Baddoo\u003c\/strong\u003e is another story that links into Ekome as he moved to Bristol from Gloucester to work with the troupe. It was from here he set up his first Alaha group. Under their \u003cstrong\u003eBen Baddoo International\u003c\/strong\u003e guise, the group recorded several songs at Emergency Plus studio in Bristol and Ben did a solo session at a new set-up at Bath University. Two of the results of those sessions, \"Nyontseleniedzie\" and \"Yea Yoo\", are featured here. Both are hypnotic, upbeat expressions of West African percussive rhythms with Ben's voice inter-weaving with \u003cstrong\u003eBeverley Gage\u003c\/strong\u003e's distinctive tones set against choppy, probing guitar and keyboards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe London based \u003cstrong\u003eIvory Coasters\u003c\/strong\u003e were also regulars at \u003cstrong\u003eWOMAD\u003c\/strong\u003e. In one instance they were the backing band for \u003cstrong\u003ePrince Nico Mbarga\u003c\/strong\u003e at the first festival, as well as making an appearance in their own right. The Coasters had been a 'collision' between London based musicians and Africans based in the capital before paths crossed further west.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll this music shows how artist's experiences can blend together to make an explosion of magic. Prepare to be spellbound.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BRISTOL ARCHIVE","offers":[{"title":"Limited Edition Black Vinyl LP","offer_id":58353807163737,"sku":"SDZ-47523","price":26.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/The-Bristol-Meets-Africa-Sound.png?v=1781868314","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/various-artists-the-bristol-meets-africa-sound","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}