The Rough Guide to African Rare Groove Vol 1

It's rare that the Rough Guide series fails to deliver and this release is no exception. Originally the term rare groove tended to suggest obscure US funk and soul. However, as the liner notes explain, it is increasingly applied to much of the African music that is being compiled for release on small independent record labels. Included is a good variety of African sounds, with varying dance grooves from across the continent. There are three tracks of classic old-school Nigerian highlife – from Gentleman Mike Ejeagha, Celestine Ukwu, and the lesser-known but equally impressive Osayomore Joseph. All three date from the 60s and 70s and therefore are less hi-fidelity than most of the other tracks on offer. From South Africa there is the saxophone jive of West Nkosi, Swahili guitar rumba from Tanzania's International Orchestre Safari Sound, plus Senegalese Afro-Latino and Ethiopian Afro-funk. Less obvious, but very welcome, are tracks from Mozambique and Malawi, and a glorious bluesy instrumental from the South African collaboration between Phillip Tabane and Gabriel Thobejane. This is an excellent and, for the most part, inspired collection.