Rikki Ililonga & Musi-O-Tunya - Dark Sunrise (2010 ZAM)

Following its issues of three essential albums - Witch's Introduction and Lazy Bones and Amanaz's Africa - from the genre, Now-Again Records presents Dark Sunrise, an anthology of Zambian "Zamrock" godfather Rikki Ililonga and his groundbreaking band Musi-O-Tunya.

The anthology surveys Musi-O-Tunya’s rarely heard 7" singles – not just the first psychedelic rock music, but the first pop music independently released in Zambia – their debut albumWings of Africa and follows Ililonga’s solo career in its first stages, with his Zambia and Sunshine Love albums.

This anthology contains 31 tracks of unique music that channels James Brown’s raw funk as well as Jimi Hendrix’s fuzzy psychedelia; music that flirts with Fela’s Afro-beat and Congolese rumbas and simultaneously brings the blues of Taj Mahal back to Africa.

Production of this anthology was overseen by Egon in conjunction with Ililonga himself and took place over a period of two years, during which time Ililonga journeyed to his home country to collect photos, ephemera and – of course – the landmark music that he and his band recorded.

Packaged as a 2-CD hardbound, full color book (with the bonus 7”-only tracks which are NOT available in the LP format) and a 3-LP box set that contains exact reproductions of Wings of Africa, Zambia and Sunshine Love.
LP version contains the same liner notes as in the CD version, but in an oversized full color booklet. (by stonesthrow.com)

Now-Again continues its reign of introducing its followers to the world's offerings in psych funk and soul with its latest reissue Dark Sunrise, a double disc (three LP) boxset that follows the career of Rikki Ililonga.
Now-Again's exploration of the Southern African nation of Zambia's "Zamrock" began with reissues of seminal albums by Witch and Amanaz, which I just learned and now need to track down.

Deeper than the two bands first reissued, is Rikki Ililonga and his band Musi-O-Tunya, which is regarded as somewhere between the Lou Reed and James Brown of Zambia in the 70's.

From what I'm gathering on the press release, Ililonga is a national treasure, ya'll.

Makes sense, I've been meaning to share his track "Dark Sunrise" with the Impose faithful for a couple weeks now, but kept getting swept up in the long playing jams.

Disc one follows Ililonga's pioneer days with Musi-O-Tunya, as they built the groundwork for Zamrock, while Disc two explores Ililonga's solo work, making it 31 songs of Zamrock illumination.

Production of this anthology was overseen by Egon in conjunction with Ililonga himself and took place over a period of two years. (by Blake Gillespie)

Track List :

CD I (Musi-O-Tunya)
01.Tsegulani
02.Mpondolo
03.Walk And Fight
04.The Sun
05.Dark Sunrise
06.One Reply
07.The Wings Of Africa
08.Jekete Yamankowa Part 1
09.Jekete Yamankowa Part 2
10.Chalo Chawama
11.Ng'Ombe Shala
12.Mpulula
13.Smoke

CD II (Rikki Ililonga)
01.Sansa Kuwa
02.Sheebeen Queen
03.Stop Dreaming Mr D
04.The Hole
05.Hot Fingers
06.Se Keel Me Queek
07.The Nature Of Man
08.Musamuseka
09.Zambia
10.The Queen Blues
11.Love Is The Way
12.Lovely Woman
13.Munzi Wa Kangwana
14.Working On The Wrong Thing
15.Ulemu
16.Sunshine Love
17.Take It Light
18.Angel Black

CD en mp3 (320 Kbps) y FLAC

LOOK FOR : RIKKI1-2 y RIKKIF1-4