Afriscape

This is the plain vanilla version

The Sudanese singer from Nyala, Darfur, with a love song I remembered from 1980s Darfur. (The name of the original singer escapes me - Zakariya?) Love the lyrics - Get me a packet of "Bahari" (Navy Cut/Gold Leaf cigarettes) and a glass of cold water, and let's go to your place, or to Khartoum (for the sugar)... Recorded in a flat in London 2006 - minidisc + Sony electret mic. This version, with added reverb, was released on the Solid Earth benefit CD "Grounded".

Joe's track from his new EP MIXTAPE CHAMPS, remixed featuring Neo of the Boxettes and the Don at the desk. From http://soundcloud.com/joe-driscoll/water-don-hendicutz-remix-ft

Sudanese guitarist Sebit Fantaz and his band ZandeJazz used to rehearse at Sajjana Youth Club in Khartoum in the late 1980s. They played African, reggae, Arabic and soul, influenced by Jimmy Cliff and James Brown. I recorded "Maalek ya Hob?" (What's Up love?") live at my place in Beyt al-Mal, Omdurman in early 1989. They dub it at 3.15; the cool rhythm guitarist does the theremin-like weirdness while Sebit does his axe-man stuff.

Third (and final) blistering instrumental from "Elixir" - Mohammed Abbass and his brothers live in Gedaref Sudan 1978. Bass player AbuBakr was 17, and lead guitarist Mo 23; the drummer 13. We used one amp for lead and bass guitars, feeding two mono speakers either side of the drumkit. No FX pedals. One recording microphone, "mixing" by moving the mic off-axis for dub emphasis, and across the soundstage (spinning it on a rope) for phasing/Lesley cabinet effect. Phew...

Alternative title "Heat Haze". The second beautifully grungy instrumental from Mohammed Abbass and his brothers, recorded live in their living room in Gedaref Sudan 1978. They bought pickups, strings and machine-heads, and made their own guitars. And held the first mixed-dancing wedding street-party in the town's history. Rrrrespect...

Gedaref, Eastern Sudan 1978: Home-made guitar and bass, tea-chest speakers and goatskins on the drumkit - with Hendrix and Santana as their idols, Mohammed Abbas and his two brothers taught themselves, hundreds of miles from the nearest musical equipment shop. Youngest bro' is 13, and drums like a pro! I strapped on the headphones and recorded them on the fly in the nice acoustics of their mudwalled room. The master tape was stolen - this is a copy from a fake TDK cassette.

Guinea-Conakry band Koumakan at the Flying V, the Gambia, 4 January 2010. Bride and groom (Mambuwe + PV) enter in matching white brocade and lead the first dance; PV clutching recorder in the melee. Name-checks for all and sundry - Happy New Year!

Two dozen Berber guys with percussion instruments in Tagemoute village, Morocco, processing in a circle around a tree, the pace building until it is rocketing along. Leads to a state of religious bliss, I'm told. Recorded 2004 - thanks to Equatorial Travel.

The red palm weevil is like something out of Qatermass story, turning palm trees into diarrhoea from the inside. Billy is repulsed.

Six women and a saxophone player on Clean the Nation Day in the Gambia, while around them women rake and burn great heaps of rubbish. (I'd love to see the rounds of our own dear binmen serenaded like this...) Recorded in January 2009 - tip of the hat to Baju of the Gunjur Environment Project in the background.

"Bubble in the past means trouble in the present" - Billy Salisbury in the Gambia, shaping up what was to become the Recession song (before he'd written the bit in Mandinka about snakes), joined by Joli and Titi from Guinea Conakry and the biggest gourd-based instrument I've ever seen. Recorded at the Flying V in January 2009. (For news of "proper" recordings and gigs check out www.undercoverhippy.com, Facebook etc)

Dedicated drummers and voluble crowd for the wrestling contest between local teams at Abene cultural festival, Casamance, South Senegal, December 2008

Billy Salisbury in Brikama, the Gambia, with RC20 loop station and featuring Messiah - March 2009.

Joe's account of his formative years, recorded live at the Flying V party in the Gambia, April 2009. Solo beatboxing and looping with acoustic guitar and a Cube practice amp.
See also: www.myspace.com/joedriscoll

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