Tag: 2002

Super tight Brit-funk album shocker! The Bongolian is one funky fella. Cosmic soul, latino space rock,Intergalactic skunk funk whatever you want to call it -this album is groovier than the Grand Canyon, Capable of making even the most un-hip of parents want to get up and shake a tail featherlThe Bongolian is the brainchild of one Nasser Bousida , he being the front manof Big Boss Man, they being Newbury’s finest funksters, and in no way related to the WWF wrestler Big Boss Man who only listens to country rock (apparently). Nasser locked himself in a studio for a year to write, perform and produced ‘the Bongolian’. Using real instruments and a pile of ancient analogue technology, the end result is a super tight album that is reminiscent of old school funk bands like the Meters or the JB’s. Complete with some shit hot percussion (this being the Bongolians speciality) and some wicked Hammond work, this album reminds me of Money Mark without the excessive psych-out squiggliness -if you like funk, you will love this! 4 STARS

Debut single from The Bongolian was a recent Scootering single of the month. In case you forgot who The Bongolian actually is, he is none other than Nasser Bousida currently with Big Boss Man, formerly with Skooby, The Loafers and many others too. ‘Bongo Head’ was the single, and it’s featured here along with funked up latino flavours that not only conjour up images of the late sixties/early seventies Boogaloo styles but also possess enough ass-kicking vibes to compete on equal terms with anything from any contemporary sphere of dance music. Unlike many The Bongolian contains absolutely no samples, these are all licks ‘n’ grooves as cut by The Bongolian, from real instruments. Funky, in your face and flying high, The Bongolian has the grooves to make you move and the vibes to keep it alive. Tracks such as ‘Rollin’ With You’, ‘Merve Plays Vibes’, ‘The Shackles of Ramm’ and 16-Valve News Reel’ are sonic soundscapes aimed at the dancefloor, sounding both innovatively fresh and comfortably retrospective at the same time. The Bongolians eponymous debut album has underground classic stamped on every single second of its captivating entirety.

SOUNDS LIKE:Tito Puente’s funk-child. Nasser Bousida, leader of modernist Berkshire groovers Big Boss Man, steps out on his own for a set of (mainly) instrumentals which shows off his keyboard and percussion skills. Blendingthe Latin soul of Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamaria with hard grooves d to lames Brown and the organ chops of Brother Jack McDuff, he adds whimsical songtitles for good measure. A backward-looking, forward-thinking effort, and one of the best British funk releases in years. Pay attention, Jay Kay. BETTERTHAN: OST, Big Boss Man CC

Nasser Bousida as “The Bongolian” performs grooves that would have sounded “space-age” back in 1966 – made from what sounds like familiar samples – but are home 24-track productions. A bongo-heavy beat-lite affair that is catchy and dancefloor-friendly, but not quite the strong meat we dine on up here. It should however, prove a big club hit with it’s percussive drive and charm. Try for yourself!

The album’s brief liner notes clearly point out that “The Bongolian” was born out of Bouzida’s interests in the percussive arts. This actually seems shortsighted, as he is also a very talented with keyboards, extending to vibes. It is this wide instrumentation in the company of the percussive rhythms that make this album stand pretty much alone in its field. Following what this writer deemed something of a lackluster introduction with the “Bongohead” single, I’ll kindly ask for some hot sauce to flavor that plate of crow I’m left to eat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to turn the album over again. 4.5 STARS

Bongo’ and ‘frenzy’ are two words guaranteed to bring a pained look to my face, but on the Bongolian’s eponymous debut album, there are also vibes, woodblocks and all manner of percussion instruments with a heavy dancefloor orientation. Part Sergio Mendes, part Incredible Bongo Band, the album was put together by someone who knows and loves his trade well. It’s not unfair to say that, if you don’t like the incessant chatter of the bongos or the whole 60s scene, then you’ll hate this. Aside from the obvious bongular activity there are frequent attempts at re-creating old breaks (try the main break in ‘Bongohead’), and it becomes clear that the Bongolian is as into new tunes as much as old ones, man. If beats are your thing, go ahead and get into it. But if you’re after something a little less, well, single-minded, you best give this one a miss.

A funky new release on Blow-Up records from Nassa of Big Boss Man. This time a solo effort from this multi talented chap. Ten funky numbers on this CD and yes you got it-bongos are heavily featured on every track. The first 3 nos kick off with breakneck speed another set of dancefloor winners followed closely by the laid back jazzy but equally danceful champagne and pizza before fings are funked up again with dirt, sweat and bones climaxing with the wonderfully weird and spooky sounding ’16 valve news reel’.

The Bongolian (Blow Up)EPONYMOUS debut bythe precocious Bongolian, aka Big Boss Man’skeyboard/ percussion maestro Nasser Bousida. Fans of the afore mentioned Big Boss Man won’t be surprised or disappointed to learn thatthis is one big funky mother of a soul/Latin super groove. All the tracks on this dancefloor-filling slice of fun have been written, arranged, performed andproduced by the man himself in the comfort of his home studio. Despite the range of fatsounds and qualityinstrumentation throughout the album itcontains not a single sample, something that may surprise and shame

“This is the percussionist from BigBoss Man’s solo excursion. And asyou may have guessed from the title,it’s a bongo-tastic blend of beatswith lots of extras like funky guitarsand howling hammond riffs. Itincludes plenty of oddly-titled yetsuperb songs like Bongohead andThe Shackles Of Ramm, but don’twaste time reading the tracklisting -this album was made for dancing to. 4 STARS”