Soul Makossa

Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango first released his distinctive afro-funk track Soul Makossa in 1972 and Afrique were assembled by producer Bob Shad for his Mainstream label to cash in on the track’s popularity. An expert 13 piece L.A. studio band made up of top level session players and Mainstream recording artists, Afrique made only one album, a monster collection of instrumental (apart from the title track) funk and soul. The quality of the players lifts this above the average early ’70s funk instrumental album, with Mainstream artist Charles Kynard dropping searing organ solos throughout and guitarists David T. Walker and Arthur Wright delivering lightning-fingered wah wah-heavy solos over a series of solid-yet-fluid funk and R’n’B grooves. Side one is mostly covers, including a slightly incongruous wah wah-heavy cover of Santo & Jonny’s “Sleepwalk” and a superb take on Bill Withers’s “Kissing My Love,” complete with wonderfully retro-sounding monosynth solo, while side two is all original funk of varying tempos and moods from songwriter Richard Fritz, ending on a pair of jazzy boogie-blues. An album of expert level funk churners and R’n’B swingers, it’s a highly entertaining funk rediscovery.