DESCRIPTION:
1974 Afrobeat Funk & Soul LP Rpressed On Ltd Edition Blue Vinyl _ Dynamice Percusion & Rhythms That Will Set The Dancefloor on Fire
Strut proudly presents the first official remastered reissue of Lafayette Afro Rock Band's elusive funk/Afro original album, Malik, originally released in 1974. In 1971, an undocumented seven-member Afro-American ensemble known as the Bobby Boyd Congress made a transformative journey from the United States to France. Bandleader Frank Abel recollects, "We sensed that the soul and funk market was saturated back home, and our original plan was a brief 6-month stint in Paris. Surprisingly, we ended up staying for a decade." Upon lead singer Bobby Boyd's return to the U.S., the group rebranded as Ice and crossed paths with independent producer Pierre Jaubert, a seasoned studio professional with credits on groundbreaking recordings alongside Charles Mingus, John Lee Hooker, and Archie Shepp, among others.
Drawing inspiration from Motown's work ethic, Jaubert initiated regular rehearsals with Ice. He recalled, "I didn't want to mimic Berry, but with seven talented musicians collaborating daily, something unique emerged. " The band, residing in Paris and immersed in the African-dominated Barbesse district, began infusing African elements into their music frequently performing with Paris-dwelling Camaroonian and legendary composer Manu Dibango.
Under the new moniker Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the group's music transitioned to predominantly instrumental compositions, featuring a denser Afro-funk sound. Their inaugural recording with the new name, 'Soul Makossa, ' included a compelling rendition of Dibango's classic and the impactful break in 'Hihache.' The subsequent release a year later, Malik, refined their sound with the percussive Afro party jam 'Conga, ' the atmospheric vocoder and piano-led piece 'Djungi,' and the robust funk of 'Darkest Light.'
Despite a limited impact upon its initial release, Malik found appreciation as hip-hop culture flourished in the '80s, establishing itself as a rich source of samples and riffs. 'Conga' was featured in the 'Ultimate Breaks And Beats' series, while the opening horn line from 'Darkest Light' became a pivotal hip-hop motif, employed by Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Wreckx 'N' Effect, and many others.
This remastered reissue, the first of its kind, meticulously crafted by The Carvery from the original tapes, showcases the album in its entirety and includes the full original artwork.
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Though little known in their native U.S., the Parisian-based Lafayette Afro Rock Band was among the premier funk outfits of the 1970s, later becoming a seemingly endless source of samples and breaks for artists from Public Enemy to Janet Jackson. The group was formed on Long Island, NY as the Bobby Boy Congress; deciding America was already overloaded with funk acts, in 1971 they relocated to France, but when frontman Bobby Boy returned stateside the remaining members -- guitarist Larry Jones, bassist Lafayette Hudson, keyboardist Frank Abel, horn players Ronnie James Buttacavoli and Arthur Young, drummer Ernest "Donny" Donable and percussionists Keno Speller and Arthur Young -- renamed themselves Ice and became the house session band at producer Pierre Jaubert's Parisound studio. Regularly performing live in Paris' Barbesse district -- an area made up primarily of African immigrants -- Ice's driving funk became increasingly influenced by African rhythms and textures, and in the wake of their 1973 debut LP Each Man Makes His Own Destiny, Jaubert changed the group's name to the Lafayette Afro Rock Band.
Guitarist Michael McEwan replaced Jones in time to record 1974's Soul Makossa (issued in the U.S. as Movin' & Groovin'), highlighted by the oft-covered and much-sampled "Hihache"; the follow-up, Malik, featured the cut "Darkest Night," its desolate saxophone intro later sampled for use by Public Enemy for the It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back track "Show 'Em Whatcha Got" in addition to providing the foundation for Wreckx 'N' Effect's "Rump Shaker" and Tuff Crew's "Nut." Also in 1975, the Lafayette Afro Rock Band backed jazz pianist Mal Waldron on his unreleased Candy Girl album; the year following, they collaborated with expatriate bluesman Sunnyland Slim on his album Depression Blues. With 1976's Frisco Disco, the group reverted to the Ice moniker; concurrently, working under the alias Captain Dax, they scored a novelty hit in Japan with the single "Dr. Beezar, Soul Frankenstein." Afro Agban followed in 1978, while as Crispy and Co., the band resurfaced that same year with Funky Flavored before returning to America and disbanding. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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