Release Date 19th April 2019

For Record Store Day 2019, Freestyle Records are proud to release on a fresh vinyl 45, two 1970's tracks by Ginger Johnson & His African Messengers that have been lost for over 45 years. 'Witchdoctor' and 'Nawa' (written by Dizzy Gillespie cohort Chano Pozo) demonstrate a musical progression as afro-funk had stamped it's indelible footprint on Ginger's ground-breaking afro-cuban and jazz hybrid style.

a. Witchdoctor

b. Nawa

Release Date 29th March 2019

"Luz da Joaca" is a track taken from S-Tone Inc. latest full-length "Onda", here retreated by the magic touch of Maestro Gerardo Frisina with his unique taste. A musical journey in two different movements, both in a Batucada style

The A-side exalts the original melody sung by Toco, while the B-side is a dub rhythm-focused version especially made for a DJ use. Once again Mr. Frisina gives us a sample of his skills as an affirmed producer and longtime collaborator of Schema Records!

a. Luz Da joaca (Gerardo Frisina Remix)

b. Luz Da Joaca (Gerardo Frisina Dub)

Release Date - 21st December 2018

Wahever Records in association with Alex Dayo Drumming School proudly presents Gùndo Fara, the debut EP by Zantogola.
Inspired by the West African heritage of popular rhythms and songs, Zantogola are at the same time masters and explorers of the plenguedey music: a fusion between elements of mandingue, highlife and afrobeat with hip hop, reggae and jazz.
The band mixes traditional African-percussions rhythms with brass, voices, guitars, balafons and ngonis to create contemporary, reflective, joyous and highly danceable songs.
The Zantogola project was born in 2016 with the meeting of Alex Dayo and Matteo Boyero, and has grown up into a full scale band and human adventure. Among the members of the band there are musicians like Alai Sanfo, Hien Narcisse Moustique Piqué, Robert Goldsmith, David Kemp, Nick Onley, James MacPhail, Owain Arthur, Moussa Dembele and Shreya Rai.
Alex Dayo is a drummer/percussionist from Burkina Faso, former musician of the Kouledafourou National Ballet and leader of Wountey, the band who initiated Plenguedey music. Alex moved to London in 2008 where he set up a drumming school.
Shreya Rai is a 25 year old singer from Nepal. She is the main female singer for Zantogola, and also performs with other bands such as Namlo and Makindu (WAHEVER 004). She is a highly creative and dedicated artist, and a composer in her own right: look up her name for future releases.
This EP also features some special guests: violinist John Garner, Rafael Anker on EVI (electro valve instrument), Togo Clément Palé on bass, Sophia Mogapi on snare/cymbals, Marta Badia Marin on background doundoun and Dabaiyah Fidel on backing vocal.
Zantogola means “the greatest in everyone” and it’s the name of a character in Burkina Faso’s folklore. There are many tales of his extraordinary powers. He plays his percussion louder than anybody in the country, so loud that you could hear him from all the other villages.
He can devour a whole village’s food supply for a year in a single day, but his appetite is matched by his generosity: he will farm all the fields for the whole village single-handed. He also sleeps for a whole season unless the village needs him.
Zantogola also inspires a message of humbleness. In these dark times, Zantogola stands against growing nationalism and the tightening of borders to create a spirit of common purpose and brotherhood.
Gùndo Fara means “secret revealed” in Bambara, one of the most widely spoken languages in French speaking West Africa.
This 45 rpm loud cut 12’’ EP is an introduction to an eleven track album to be released in spring 2019, it is limited to 300 copies and comes with B side drum mixes that will not be included on the spring album release.

Composed and arranged by Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Produced by Matteo Boyero and Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo
Recorded by Matteo Boyero at Wahever Records, except drums on “Tare” recorded at the Alex Dayo Drumming School, and bass and electro valve instrument on “Taré”, recorded at Dondoli Studio by Joseph Sangare
Mixed by Peter Soldan at Dada Studios
Mastered by Simon Davey at the Exchange
Artwork by Sandra von Hazelberg

Musicians
Seli:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, drum set (congas, djembe, cymbals, high hat and calebasse), bass bara, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, sabar, tama, maracas
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Dabaiyah Fidel: backing vocal
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe solo
Moussa Dembele: balafon (xylophone)
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: medium bara
James MacPhail: bass
Owen Arthur: electric rhythm and lead guitar
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Taré:
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: lead and backing vocal, balafon, rhythm djembe 1, drum set (congas & djembe 2), bara, sabar, cowbell, shekere Abdoulaye Sanfo : djembe solo, rhythm djembe 3
Hien Narcisse Likite Moustique Piqué: kenkeni and top bell
Marta Badia Marin: background doundoun
Shreya Rai: lead and backing vocal
Pale Togo Clément: bass
Raphael Anker: EVI (electro valve instrument)
John Garner: violins
Robert Goldsmith: baritone sax
David Kemp: alto sax
Nick Onley: tenor sax
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Sya drums (musicians present in the full version of the track not included):
Alexandre Yemaoua Dayo: rhythm djembe 1 & 2, djembe solo, drum set (congas & djembe 3), maracas, woodblock, doundoun, kenkeni & top bell, criquet Sophia Mogapi: drum kit (snare and cymbals)
Abdoulaye Sanfo: djembe snare
Matteo Boyero: drum machine kick programming

Special thanks to Peter Soldan at Dada Studios, Joseph Sangare at Dondoli Studio, Sandra Von Hazelberg for the artwork, Finsbury Park Art Club and all the students at the Alex Dayo Drumming School.

Notes by Alex Dayo:
Seli” means “pray”: whatever our beliefs as human beings, let’s pray to know ourselves so that we can gain a better awareness of humanity’s needs. “Taré” means “majesty”. How great is your mother’s love. How great is a lover’s love. It’s your choice to find the balance: as we cross many rivers, we encounter many mothers and loved ones. The greatest, they are in my heart majestically, I shall never forgot them. Not all women give birth to a majesty. I’m talking too and dedicating Tare to her Majesty, my mother Sita Sessouma, my mother by the river Kalpana from Nepal, and to all you great women from all over the planet.
I specially dedicate this EP to all my students.

a1. Zantogola - Seli

a2. Zantogola - Taré

b1. Zantogola - Seli Drums

b2. Zantogola - Sya Drums

Released 29th June 2018

- Deluxe 2x12" Full Artwork Gatefold, Shrink-wrapped Vinyl package 

- Printed Inner Sleeves

- Download Card

- Mastered by Lewis Hopkin at Stardelta

- Manufactured at Optimal (Germany)

- Managed and Distributed by Unearthed

The recording sessions for Rastrumentals took place over seven years, between São Paulo and Brixton, but the roots of the project stretch back to the arrival of Digistep’s father in 1970s Bristol. Aged 18 he had almost nothing to his name, apart from his treasured vinyl collection. These records are still in the family, and have been invaluable in shaping Dubkasm’s unique sound. Rastrumentals combines samba instruments such as the cavaquinho, pandeiro and cuica with the work of some of the UK’s greatest reggae musicians.

Long-time collaborator Ras B features prominently on the album, and his deep, lion-like cadence will be familiar to anyone who listened to Bristol pirate radio in the 90s. While the Nyahbinghi elder is deservedly respected for his contributions to music, his commitment to Rasta values goes much further. He is now the guardian of Fairfield House in Bath, former home of the Emperor Haile Selassie. It is his voice which gives the opening tune, Eco de Jongo, much of its power. An epic tribute to two ancient musics, it combines the circular, frequently improvised dance of Jongo (which dates back to Africans who were brought to Brazil as slaves in the seventeenth century) with Nyahbinghi drumming and the wisdom of the elder. The cavaquinho is strummed to give the tune a samba edge, and minimalist ‘plate and knife’ percussion locks around Rastafarian kette drumming to create a seamless and entrancing rhythmic palette. The music draws heavily on the Samba de Roda, which came to be seen as an expression of identity and a means of empowerment for the oppressed, and is a natural ally of Rastafarianism’s messages of righteousness and uplift.

Monte de Sião also features Nyahbinghi drumming, but here the kette is used alongside the distinctive Brazilian friction drum known as the cuica. The cuica originates from Africa, and some say that it was used as a lion call, because mimics the roar of the lioness.

King’s Highway is, as befits its title, a majestic journey into roots, featuring terrific work from one of reggae’s finest drummers, Blood Shanti, who has played with such greats as The Abyssinians, Sugar Minott, and Johnny Clarke. His incredibly tight pattern, and the soaring horns keep this tune on a stepping rhythm, in the style of New Chapter-era Aswad.

Samba and reggae are not the only styles the LP explores. The influence of jazz on reggae is significant but often overlooked (think of players like Lyn Tait, Tommy McCook, and John ‘Dizzy’ Moore), and tracks like Delta Blues, with its intricate yet easygoing guitar soloing and chorus of horns, and Cachoeira da Fumaça, a warm flute and sax piece, bring improvisation and musical sensitivity to the fore. Lava Quente is an uptempo history lesson with Ras B on the mic as horns and keyboards switch back and forth over gritty guitars and percussion.

Rastrumentals brings together the talents of nineteen musicians across two continents, and is a perfect example of Dubkasm’s unique ability to combine respect for their forebears with relentless innovation. Lewis Hopkin at Stardelta jointly mixed the album before mastering it via ½ “ tape, taking the sonics to another dimension. Paul Lee

a1 Eco do Jongo

a2 Missão

b1 Lava Quente

b2 King’s Highway

c1 Cachoeira da Fumaça

c2 Lei Áurea

c3 Regal

d1 Monte de Sião

d2 Delta Blues

Release Date: 20th October 2017

‘Fires of Quidel’ is the culmination of Son Swaggas first year as a band, a year spent refining their music, building connections as bandmembers and friends, and finally recording at Greenfield studios with analog gear to bring their sound to life. With this album Son Swagga present themselves to the world and showcase the passion they bring to music as well as the individual talents of the bandmembers.

a1. Fires Of Quidel

a2. Isenman

a3. Calling All Tribes

b1. Galactic

b2. Yamanu Emerges

Released 26th May 2017

a2. That He Man Of Hers

b1. One's Own Permanent Faith

b2. Would You Tell Me About You

Released 17th February 2017

Shamrock grew up in the township called ‘Kwathema’, In the east of Johannesburg. He has being crazy for music since he was a young child, and at primary school he sang as the soloist in the choir. 

Everyone now knows that South Africa is the house music capitol of the world! Most young upcoming producers look up the American and European producers, But Shamrock’s sound is standing out from the rest, as he’s been digging into his African roots to come up with his own style of music, working with mainly South African musicians, only using the computer to record the audio. 

On this album he’s also featured international musicians Han Litz,Flutist from the Netherlands, Asali, vocalist from Kenya, Andy Compton, from the UK, and Jimmy Gabriel on Sax from Nigeria.

His first releases came out on a South African label in 2014.

He’s well known in South Africa for his live guitar shows, normally jamming with DJ’s. This is how he first met Andy Compton, and secured the Peng connection.

Shamrock was a main writing contributor for the fantastic ’Sowetan Onesteps’ project, and after that success he knew the home for his album would be on Peng, which offers his sound to a worldwide audience 

So here it is! Enjoy the African rhythms and sun drenched music!.

Written & Recorded in Studio 7.5, Johannesburg, South Africa 

a1. African Music by African People

a2. Garanga

a3. AfroSalsa

a4. Noshayiwe

b1. Yo Go Share

b2. Zabalaza

b3. Boom!!!

b4. Unfair Law