A Dub For Mali (Eighteen Street Lounge Music ESL187, 2011)
This EP by San Francisco-based Afrolicious came out last year and nearly escaped our attention. Afrolicious plays a hot mix of Afrobeat, dub, reggae and funk.
The musician behind Afrolicious is a DJ named Pleasuremaker, also known as Joe McGuire. Afrolicious is McGuire’s first recording involving African music. The project came about as the result of the popular weekly parties that Pleasuremaker and his brother Oz McGuire, featuring musicians from Africa and the Caribbean. Afrolicious is a tribute to the rhythms, sounds and musicians from Africa.
“This release is truly a long time in the making even though we only recently decided to put out original music under the name Afrolicious,” said Pleasuremaker. “This 3 song EP features some of the amazingly talented folks who have helped make Afrolicious the eclectic and off the hook weekly party it has become.”
Pleasuremaker played guitars, bass and keyboards. The album was arranged and mixed by Pleasuremaker and Rob Garza (Thievery Corporation). The opening track, “Thursday Night Kinda Swing” features Baba Duru on percussion and scat vocals and Aaron Lebowitz on saxophone and horn arrangements. “A Dub For Mali” includes ngoni work and vocals by Yacouba Diara, and flute by Izzy Wise. “Foolin” features the vocals and lyrics of Fresh is Life from Trinidad and Will Magid and Aaron Lebowitz on horns. The last piece is a remix of Thievery Corporation’s “Vampires.”
Formerly a radio dj at University of Kansas, Joe McGuire relocated to San Francisco, where he created and cultivated the weekly parties with his brother.
A Dub For Mali is a lively musical casserole with infectious electronics, acoustic instruments and Afro-rooted vibes that will take you to the hottest dance parties in San Francisco.
CD
MP3s and samples
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
