Various Artists - London Is The Place For Me 2: Calypso & Kwela, Highlife & Jazz From Young Black London (Honest Jon's)

A couple of months ago I posted the first album in this series by the Honest Jon's record label (London Is The Place For Me - located here.) This is the second volume in the series, which revives the same tried and tested solution of the first volume offering up another homage to calypso; but also this time around injecting a bit of jazz, some kwela and some highlife tunes into the mix.

Lyrically the calypsos should have you roaring - and there's definitely that post-war spirit of good times and humour permeating throughout the album - Young Tiger's neat diss of the be-boppers by name opens up proceedings in excellent fashion. Musicians like E.T.Mensah, Shake Keane (Joe Harriott's original trumpet player) and more well known and staple Calypsonians such as Lords Kitchener and Beginner all figure in this compilation which is sure to be a well received addition to anyone's collection and will be occupying a privileged place my cd deck for many a year to come. Built to last and highly recommended. Enjoy.

Tracklist:

01. Young Tiger - Calypso Be
02. Ambrose Campbell - Yolanda
03. Mona Baptiste - Calypso Blues
04. West African Rhythm Brothers - Adura
05. Lord Kitchener - My Wife's Nightie
06. West African Rhythm Brothers - Ominira
07. West African Rhythm Brothers - Eroya
08. Lord Beginner - General Election
09. The Lion - Kalenda March
10. Tunji Oyelana - Omonike
11. Shake Keane And His Highlifers - Baionga
12. King Timothy - Gerrard Street
13. West African Swing Stars - E.T. Mensah's Rolling Ball
14. Ambrose Campbell - Ashiko Rhythm
15. West African Swing Stars - Omo Africa
16. Gwigwi Mrwebi - Nyusamkhaya
17. Russ Henderson - West Indian Drums
18. Lord Beginner - Nobody Wants To Grow Old
19. Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band - Gbonimawo
20. West African Rhythm Brothers - Sing The Blues

Download Link - Mediafire

London is The Place For Me: Trinidadian Calypso In London (1950 - 1956) (Honest Jon's)

Released by Honest Jon's record label this collection is one of the better compilations evident of the spread of Calypso into the Western culture during the early to mid 50's.

From Honest Jon's website:

When the Empire Windrush, an old troop-carrier, arrived at Tilbury on June 21, 1948, and inaugurated modern Caribbean immigration to Britain, it also supplied calypso with its best-known image — on Pathe newsreel, Lord Kitchener singing his new composition London Is The Place For Me.

Kitch had boarded with Lord Beginner at Kingston docks, Jamaica, on Empire Day, May 24. In London they joined a milieu of fine band musicians familiar with Caribbean musical forms, and already represented on numerous recordings crucial to the development of British swing and jazz music.

Travelling with their own core audience, the Trinidadian calypsonians brought with them the vocal music of Carnival. Traditionally this ranges from social satire to sexual double-entendre, from voodoo to the most pressing issues of the day, from sporting events to competitive insult. The experiences of Britain’s growing Caribbean population were to be fabulously rich in raw material.

'... a witty and joyous testament to the creative power of popular culture and a document of more innocent times. It constitutes one of the best starting points for that rich, unfinished history of the black British diaspora and its intricate interweaving with British life that remains to be written' (Stuart Hall, The Guardian).

'... Not only is it a momentous record of real historical significance, but it comes in a finely produced sleeve with evocative photographs, background notes and recording details that bring the performances on the disc to life even more... a unique and marvellous compilation that lays open a whole era' (Chris Searle, Morning Star).

Tracklist:

01. Lord Kitchener - London Is The Place For Me
02. Young Tiger - I Was There (At The Coronation)
03. Lord Beginner - Mix Up Matrimony
04. Lord Kitchener - My Landlady
05. Lord Kitchener - Kitch's Bebop Calypso
06. Lord Beginner - Victory Test Match
07. Lord Kitchener - Birth Of Ghana
08. Lord Invader - Aguiti
09. Lord Beginner - Jamaica Hurricane
10. Lord Kitchener - Kitch in The Jungle
11. Mighty Terror - No Carnival In Britain
12. Lord Kitchener - The Underground Train
13. Lord Beginner - Housewives
14. The Lion - Some Girl Something
15. Lord Kitchener - Saxophone Number 2
16. Lord Beginner - Fed-A-Ray
17. Timothy - Bulldog Don't Bite Me
18. The Lion - Spanish Calypso
19. Lord Kitchener - If You're Not White You're Black
20. Lord Kitchener - Sweet Jamaica

Download Link - Mediafire