Laffayette Afro-Rock Band was a
French funk/Afrobeat group (Paris, 1972) formed by American expatriates who
decided to try fortune in the Roquefort country after realizing the funk scene
in USA was too saturated. In there they became impregnated by African rhythms
and schemes and where savior to fuse them with their funky ensemble. They were
called Bobby Boyd Congress and Ice before their definitive name.
The band didn’t hit the spot of
international success as did Funkadelic or Fela Kuti -they were even considered
an obscure group- but now, their reputation has increased significantly and are
celebrated as a premier example of funk outfit in the ’70, becoming sampled by
an endless list of hip hop artists.
This new entry covers their second
and last LP, for most people their best –me included-, so be prepared for a
wicked exhibition of outstanding tight grooves. This album is gorgeous and
extremely exciting! A full-time instrumental one (ok, if you exclude the
yellings of “Soul Makossa”), plenty of large soloing passages (hot and fierce
horn section, demented fuzzy funky guitar, cool jazz-funk keyboards) boosted by
a luxury rhythm section: tight heavy bass and a hats off drumming and percussion
section, it’s so close and consistent!
Three tracks each face make a total
of six cuts, all of them essential. Side one starts with a funky and
heavy-African-percussion revision of Manu Dibango seminal classic “Soul
Makossa”, passing though the laid-back beautifulness of “Azeta” and finishes
with the wild “Oglenon”. Side two is my favorite, taking off with the gorgeous
“Voodounon”, hitting the hot spot of grooviness pinnacle “Hihache” and closing
with the hard bopper “Nicky”.
Hot stuff guaranteed. An incendiary
funky paradise!
Tracks
A1. Soul Makossa (Manu Dibango)
A2. Azeta (Frank Abel)
A3. Oglenon (Michael Mc Ewan)
B1. Voodounon (Arthur Young)
B2. Hihache (Leroy Gomes)
B3. Nicky (Lafayette Hudson)
Personnel
Larry Jones: Guitar
Laffayette Hudson: Bass
Frank Abel: Keyboards
Ronnie James Buttacavoli: Horns
Arthur Young: Horns, percussion
Ernest “Donny” Donable: Drums
Keno Speller: Percussion
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