Afro-Latin: Via Dakar

As readers of Songlines probably know, Latin music was re-Africanised after World War II when wind-up phonographs made it to the continent and the locals recognised the inherent African features in Cuban music. That little dog, Nipper, peering into the horn of the Victrola, was doubtless hearing ‘E1 Manicero’ by Trio Matamoros. Here is a massive dose of that wonderful sound, with ersatz Spanish lyrics and a neat transposition of the son montuno piano or charanga flute and violin to electric guitar. Some groups, like Star Band, Star Number One and Orchestra Baobab, featured Latin music heavily in their repertoires, gradually absorbing it into their indigenous sounds; other artists like Laba Sosseh recorded in New York with Latino session musicians (as a wonderful series of albums on Sacodis attests).

The sound on many of these old recordings is not optimal – cassettes might not wear out as noticeably as vinyl, but they're often muddy to start with. But rarities abound. Amara Touré (from Guinea) had a tenor voice particularly suited to plaintive Cuban ballads and is represented with three tracks. There are four selections from the various Star Bands, while Orchestra Baobab turns in seven cuts. The rarities are not necessarily fabulous. Fonseco & ses Anges Noirs do a medley called ‘El Monte’ with bird calls, a xylophone and a credible muted trumpet, but then deliver a corny cover of ‘Babalu’. Highlights include Star Number One's ‘Mathiaky, Raymond et Negro Orchestra's version of Al Vaiven de mi Carreta’ called ‘Caïna’ and the Baobab tracks.