African Rhythms 1970-1982

Comprehensive 2CD / 3LP compilation of Oneness Of Juju, led by Plunky J. Branch.

Tracing their career from the band’s earliest work in 1970 with South African exiled jazzman Ndikho Xaba in San Francisco, the compilation covers the band’s journey to New York’s loft jazz scene, forming Juju and releasing two landmark albums of hard-hitting percussive jazz on Strata-East. “I saw myself as a cultural warrior,” explains Plunky. “We studied about Africa and tried to infuse our music with an African spirit.” Moving back to his hometown of Richmond, Virginia during the mid-‘70s, Plunky drew in a superb new group of musicians and vocalists and created the band’s new incarnation, Oneness Of Juju, retaining the African influence but fusing his sound with funk and R’n’B on the classic ‘African Rhythms’ album. “We realised that, if we put a backbeat to the Afro-Cuban rhythms, people in Richmond and Washington D.C. could be drawn into it; it didn’t change anything about our message.” The change would lead to a series of enduring soul-jazz classics on Jimmy Gray’s Black Fire label, including ‘River Luv Rite’, ‘Plastic’ and ‘Don’t Give Up’ and their biggest crossover international hit, ‘Every Way But Loose’ in 1982, later famously remixed by Larry Levan. The band received renewed interest in their music during the mid-‘80s as Washington D.C.’s go-go innovators cited the band as a major influence and rare groove DJs revived their albums for London dancefloors.

‘African Rhythms 1970-1982’ reprises a compilation released on Strut in 2001 and is newly remastered by Frank Merritt at The Carvery. Both formats feature a 12” sized 4pp booklet featuring rare photos and a comprehensive interview with Plunky Branch within liner notes by Chris Menist.

2CD
Disc One
1. Oneness Of Juju - African Rhythms (Album Version)
2. Oneness Of Juju - Follow Me
3. Oneness Of Juju – Space Jungle Funk
4. Juju & The Space Rangers – Got To Be Right On It (Original 45 Version)
5. Okyerema Asante Feat. Plunky – Sabi (Black Fire Mix)
6. Interlude: Rhythms Timelessness
7. Roach Om – No Name #3 / Love Is… / My N*Gg*R & Me
8. Oneness Of Juju – West Wind (Previously Unreleased)
9. Juju – Freedom Fighter
10. Oneness Of Juju – Be About The Future
11. Oneness Of Juju – Nooky
12. Interlude: African Rhythms
13. Plunky & Oneness Of Juju – Every Way But Loose (Original Version)

Disc Two
1. Oneness Of Juju – Bootsie’S Lament (Unreleased Version)
2. Oneness Of Juju – Chants / Don’T Give Up
3. Oneness Of Juju – River Luv Rite
4. Plunky & Oneness Of Juju – Higher
5. Interlude: African Rhythms Chant
6. Juju – Nairobi / Chants
7. Okyerema Asante Feat. Plunky – Asante Sana
8. Interlude: African Rhythms Ii
9. Juju & The Space Rangers – Plastic (Original 45 Version)
10. Oneness Of Juju – African Rhythms (Original 45 Version: Part 1)
11. Juju – The End Of The Butterfly King

3LP

A1. Oneness Of Juju - African Rhythms (Album Version)
A2. Oneness Of Juju - Follow Me
A3. Oneness Of Juju – Nooky
B1. Oneness Of Juju – River Luv Rite
B2. Roach Om – No Name #3 / Love Is… / My Nigger & Me
B3. Juju – Nairobi / Chants
C1. Oneness Of Juju – Chants / Don’T Give Up
C2. Oneness Of Juju – Be About The Future
C3. Juju & The Space Rangers – Got To Be Right On It (Original 45 Version)
D1. Oneness Of Juju – Space Jungle Funk
D2. Oneness Of Juju – West Wind (Previously Unreleased)
E1. Juju & The Space Rangers – Plastic (Original 45 Version)
E2. Plunky & Oneness Of Juju – Every Way But Loose (Original Version)
E3. Okyerema Asante Feat. Plunky – Sabi (Black Fire Mix)
F1. Okyerema Asante Feat. Plunky – Asante Sana
F2. Oneness Of Juju – Bootsie’S Lament (Unreleased Version)

https://youtu.be/8NEGqElfE3M