FORMED in 2012 Nomade Orqestra are a 10-piece band hailing from ABC Paulista, an industrial centre on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their new set Terceiro Mundo (Third World), an instrumental album, is released on the New York City label Nublu. 

The band say the album is about “the groove,” with strong jazz, funk and soul influences, featuring a powerful brass section as well as sounds from different cultures including Africa, and from immigrants who have brought their sounds to the melting pot that is the music of Brazil. 

Tracks like Mariposa Tigre combine influences from funk and reggae while Invasao de Pindorama reflects Brazil’s open mixed-race culture. The tracks were recorded live in the studio in one take with no overdubs, and feature samples of Brazilian activist Paulo Roberto da Silva Lima (aka Paulo Galo) who formed Entregadores Antifascistas, the movement that has focused on the working conditions of fast-food workers in the Brazil gig economy.

Bassist Ruy Rascassi sums up the band’s outlook: “We face reality and all the challenges imposed on us, with hope. We fully believe that music and art are necessary expressions for a mentally blocked society.” It’s cracking album too!

[[{"fid":"70602","view_mode":"inlineleft","fields":{"format":"inlineleft","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Africa Negra circa late 1970s. Credit: Courtesy of Ballentyne Communications","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"inlineleft","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Africa Negra circa late 1970s. Credit: Courtesy of Ballentyne Communications","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"alt":"Africa Negra circa late 1970s. Credit: Courtesy of Ballentyne Communications","class":"media-element file-inlineleft","data-delta":"1"}}]]Geneva-based Bongo Joe Records have released a second volume of tracks by Africa Negra called Antologia Volume Two. Hailing from the tiny islands off the coast of central Africa, Sao Tome and Principe (population 200,000), and sitting near the equator, their music blends Sao Tomean rumba, Congolese soukous, shimmering guitar and thundering bass riffs.

Originally known as Conjunto Milando, the band were formed in the early 1970s by Horacio, a butcher from Sao Tome, and his guitarist friend Emidio Pontes. After brief periods under different names, they adopted the name Africa Negra (Black Africa), despite the Portuguese colonial authorities’ prohibition of it.

The band rapidly gained popularity across the islands, and incorporated more African influences after Sao Tome and Principe achieved independence in 1975. They regularly toured Angola, Mozambique, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Lisbon and Cape Verde building a large African following. 

Volume one was released in 2022 and consisted of tracks by the band from the 1980s. This second volume is compiled by French crate-digger DJ Tom B, with the help of the band’s Lisbon-based tour manager Afonso Simoes. The album includes 13 mostly unreleased tracks from 1979 and 1990, capturing the band’s sound at the peak of their powers. Classic ’70s and ’80s African music from an unlikely source.

Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia (aka Amadou and Mariam) met at the Bamako Institute For Young Blind People in Mali in the 1970s. The couple became stars in Mali and the Ivory Coast (where they issued number of cassettes) and were spotted by talent scout Marc-Antoine Morea who helped the duo bring their mesmeric Malian music to a wider audience. 

They have a new Best Of release La Vie Est Belle out on Because Music featuring tracks from their career.

The collection also contains new material and is full of their infectious Afro-beat rhythms, desert blues and hypnotic melodies played on traditional Malian instruments, Syrian violins, Cuban trumpets and rock instruments. Their back catalogue contains an album produced by Manu Chao, sets with Damon Albarn on Welcome To Mali, and on his Africa Express project at Glastonbury with a line-up which included Rachid Taha, drummer Tony Allen, Fat Boy Slim and Tinariwen. They have also enjoyed guest appearances by David Gilmour, Fatoumata Diawara, Salif Keita, and Oumou Sangare on their albums.

As Mariam explained: “Mixing different types and genres of music is something we're really passionate about. There are no boundaries when it comes to music. We’ve matured with and through other artists.” Definitely one to check out.