African Rhythms 1970-1982 (3LP)

Format: 3LP Label: Strut Records Year: 2020 Media Condition: New Sleeve/Cover Condition: New TRACKS: A1 Oneness Of Juju - African Rhythms (Album Version) A2 Oneness Of Juju - Follow Me A3 Oneness Of Juju - Nooky B1 Oneness Of Juju - River Luv Rite B2 Roach Om - No Name # III / Love Is... / My Nigger & Me B3 Juju - Nairobi / Chants C1 Oneness Of Juju - Chants / Don't Give Up C2 Oneness Of Juju - Be About The Future C3 Juju & The Space Rangers - Got To Be Right On It (Original 45 Version) D1 Oneness Of Juju - Space Jungle Funk D2 Oneness Of Juju - West Wind (Previously Unreleased) E1 Juju & The Space Rangers - Plastic (Original 45 Version) E2 Plunky & Oneness Of Juju - Every Way But Loose F1 Oneness Of Juju - Bootsie's Lament (Unreleased Version) F2 Juju - The End Of The Butterfly PERSONNEL: Balafon, Vocals – Babatunde Michael Lea Bass, Electric Bass, Flute [Wood Flute] – Ken Shabala Congas – Rafael Solano Congas, Berimbau – Simbo Congas, Drums – Babatunde Michael Lea Congas, Percussion – Richard Dick Watkins Congas, Percussion, Vocals – Pedie Maples Percussion, Vocals – Okyerema Asante Drums – Andrea Thomas, Ronnie Toler Drums, Congas, Timbales – Kevin Davis Drums, Percussion – Tony Green Electric Bass, Percussion, Vocals – Muzi Branch Electric Piano, Clavinet, Percussion, Vocals – Al Hammel Rasul Flute – Bilal Sunni-Ali Flute, Piccolo Flute – Lon Moshe Guitar – Ras Mel Melvin Glover Jr. Keyboards – Nat Lee Marimba – Lon Moshe Percussion – Babatunde Michael Lea Piano – Al Hammel Rasul, Brian Jackson, Joe Bonner Piano, Clavinet – William "Bill" Joyner Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Organ – Weldon Hill Piano, Synthesizer – Timothy Hall Rhythm Guitar – Marcus Macklin Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Percussion, Vocals – Plunky Branch Timbales – Alfredo Mojica Timbales, Shekere – Jalango Ngoma Vibraphone – Lon Moshe Violin – Sister Tee Vocals – Eka-Ete Jackie Lewis, Judy Spears, Veronica "Nilaja" Jones, Virtania "Cookie" Tillery Strut present a comprehensive 3LP compilation of the seminal Oneness Of Juju, led by Plunky J. Branch. “I saw myself as a cultural warrior,” explains Plunky. “We studied about Africa and tried to infuse our music with an African spirit.” Moving back to his hometown of Richmond, Virginia during the mid-‘70s, Plunky drew in a superb new group of musicians and vocalists and created the band’s new incarnation, Oneness Of Juju, retaining the African influence but fusing his sound with funk and R’n’B on the classic ‘African Rhythms’ album. “We realised that, if we put a backbeat to the Afro-Cuban rhythms, people in Richmond and Washington D.C. could be drawn into it; it didn't change anything about our message.” The change would lead to a series of enduring soul-jazz classics on Jimmy Gray’s Black Fire label, including ‘River Luv Rite’, ‘Plastic’ and ‘Don’t Give Up’ and their biggest crossover international hit, ‘Every Way But Loose’ in 1982. The band received renewed interest in their music during the mid-‘80s as Washington D.C.’s go-go innovators cited the band as a major influence and rare groove DJs revived their albums for London dancefloors. ‘African Rhythms 1970-1982’ features a 12” sized 4pp booklet featuring rare photos and a comprehensive interview with Plunky Branch within liner notes by Chris Menist.