Tag: 2007

Funky bongo action. Nasser Bouzida, better known as The Bongolian, is undoubtedly a verycreative man. Formerly with Big BossMan, not the wrestler, Nasser has created a psychedelic funk/dance albumthat features absolutely no samples.He’s particularly well known for hisbongo playing abilities and thismulti-instrumentalist wrote, arranged,performed and produced tie album byhimself. Which, given the amount ofinstrumentation used on this album, is quite impressive. But it has to be saidthat the bongos take centre stage here.Although it may seem like it novelty, itactually works quite well. The relativelack of vocals really pushes the bongosto the fore, while the use of Hammond organ and keyboards give it a slightlycheesy, retro sci-fi feel.

For the third time in six years the talented Nasser Bouzida switches to his other identity of the Bongolian for his third album, A Psychedelic Trip To Outer Bongolia, set for release on 5 November. Following on from 2001’s The Bongolian and last year’s Blueprint, The Bongolian, who as usual wrote aII the tracks and played just about all the instruments himself, has another groove laden killer on his hands. Arguably the best release to date, taking the intoxicating blend of SouI, Jazz, Funk and Boogaloo into even newer territories. Containing mainly instrumentals, the new album is aimed fairly and squarely at the dance floor, and hitting the target with each track. Elements of Mod flavoured boogaloo surface, alongside funky, wah-wah laden keyboard riffs. What’s more, despite available studio gadgetry, there’s not a single, solitary sample contained on the album for the duration, what you hear has been played. It’s wall to wall astral trippin psychedelic soul from the opening notes of Talking Synth tothe fade out of closing numberThe Gospel According To The Bongolian and all points in between. Believe each and every single ‘point’ inbetween is as strong as each other. A dance floor inclined opus that ebbs, flows and unrelentingly keeps the vibe alive throughout. Grab yourself the latest Bongolian outing on 5 November for an explosive display of how to go and get funked!

Nasser Bouzida is the Bongolian of some renown and this to all intents and purposes is his first solo musical journey heavily underpinned by an obvious interest and delight – this is serious feel-good music – in playing drums and percussion coupled with his own heavy Bongo rhythms. His debut single, the funky Bongohead was released to much critical acclaim in late 2001 and since then it seems he has been busy writing recording and touring in preparation for the next stage in the Bongo evolution / revolution. To listen to the Bongo-meister is to enter into the world of 60s chic-a-psychedelic musical trip par excellence. These spaced out heavy bongo rhythms underwritten by Latin Soul are a joy; groove-oriented delight after delight. Witness something of the space age in ‘Feel It’, a dance floor groove classic in the opener with ‘Talking Synth’ and the Mambo underscore in ‘Bongo Mambo’ is delicious in its understated authenticity. The ‘Gospel According To’ the Bongolian is a self-deprecating marvel- it’s Blues Brothers, Green Onions and a trippy jazz classic all rolled into one. Fourteen tracks in all, not a dull moment from start to finish; this is a Bongolian triumph.

Nasser Bouzida is a man with talent to spare, a multi-instrumentalist, based in London and operating under the alias THE BONGOLIAN. Outer Bongolia [BLOW UP, ], his third album, is a Latin-flavoured jazz-funk odyssey heavy on the bongos, naturally -that sounds as if it was recorded in the early’60s..

I love puns. If I had my way, it wouldbe mandatory to compose all formsof literature entirely out of groan-begetting wordplay. It’d be an artistic challenge: like writing a haiku. Keeping this piece pun free will bean effort. So -imagine my delight upon read-ing the title of this beauty. The Bongolian is the alter ego of NaseerBouzida, multi-instrumentalist with UK funk outfit Big Boss Man. Youwouldn’t know to hear it, but Bouzida plays every instrument onthis album (bar one or two guestslots), which, given the range and quality of the performances, is quitea feat. This is an appealing, funky,soulful album, featuring exotic per-cussion, some truly audacious Hammond organ, and other assortedgoodies. The sleeve proudly pro-claims that no samples were used tomake it: this adaptable musicianshipis clearly -and justifiably -a badgeof pride.There’s not much variationin style, which draws on common funk/blues motifs throughout; but what it lacks in deviation it makes upfor in bombast.

‘All you have to do is shuffle your feet’ cries the second track here ‘Feel It’, which I couldn’t help doing if I’d wanted to the whole way through this excellent release on London’s prolific Blow Up Records. I suppose you have to get this kind of music first to become excited by and enjoy the album like I did, it’s definitely an acquired taste and the trusty old Hammond organ doesn’t get everyone onto their feet. And you’ve been so busy lately that you haven’t found the time, to open like it does me! Nasser Bouzida is the cool cat behind it and as well as becoming The Bongolian in 2001 he also plays with ultra hip label mates Big Boss Man. This is now the third album since then and amazingly it doesn’t contain one sample. The talented Nasser plays all instruments (and there’s quite a few) while also producing the whole thing himself on analogue 8 track at his Ramshackle studios. Nick Terry (Klaxons, SMD) took on mixing duties at The Premises, Hackney and we’re left with a fine slab of heavy, groove led psychedelic jazz-funk. Now there’s a mouthful!! Bringing in some extra support to take the sound on tour as a full band, he’s built up a strong following around Europe, especially in France. The albums artwork has a U.F.O morphed on the front and it begins with a spaced out feel welcoming you into its realm with old school type breakbeats and a ‘Talking Synth’. The out of this world feel doesn’t last too long as the craft crashes down around Carnaby Street for some shuffling 60’s Mod vibes. ‘The Champion’ is up on his Myspace site and it’s a JTQ style groover with deep basslines and piercing organ that combines with slapping, rolling bongos and sonic bursts that make you seriously want to move. The guy can really play and he shows his percussion background with some impressive drumming on ‘Rock Me’ and only the irritating sound of a possible donkey lets down another grinding groove, progressing the album superbly. There’s a more gentle approach on the hollow, stomach turning (in a good way!) ‘Lucky Seven’ and again with layered, textured percussion on ‘All Aboard’ which throws in a deep, deep bass with whistling Hammond and comes across really familiar. The fun continues into ‘The Horn’, a spellbinding, funky French style number that keeps things moving along nice and mellow. Then it’s from France to South America later as the Latin feel begins to come across more on ‘Bongo Mambo’, the title says it all really and I’m still amazed that there are no samples on here just ass shaking beats and the best use of a Hammond I’ve heard since The New Mastersounds’ last project. The tongue is firmly in cheek and we could be in an Austin Powers movie with ‘The Wolf’. Head and pant shaking with a bark topping things off quite bizarrely. Scattered Salsa rhythms and rolling bongos take us for a ‘Marimba Down At The Hare’ and he rounds off the album brilliantly upbeat with a stuttering Hammond and more bluesy piano that recalls Film 2007 on ‘The Gospel According To The Bongolian’ It’s a stunning collection of grooves from a talented Londoner who is most definitely keeping the funk alive. I recommend you pick it up and get down! 8 out of 10

Hammond organ driven Seventies sounding (mostly) instrumental Latino soul and warm analogue psychedelia – for all you lovers of big afros and Brazilian football and Sly And The Family and sneaky wolf-creatures and spaced-out dance floor funk and bongo rhythms – the authentic real deal crafted groove, no samples or anything like that. Spot on artwork too.

Does exactly what it says on the chin. And superb to boot. I’m always a bit warey of things that call themselves a psychedelic trip. It’s generally a lazy way of describing anything that was written by people of their tits. And people who write stuff when they’re off their tits are generally not as good as they think they are (are you listening to me, Docherty? Refreshing to report, then, that The Bongolian’s curly-whirly-swirly mix of Hammond organs and ridiculously funky breaks is far more reflective of music for people who are stoned, rather than by them. A fantastic funky sixties vibe that proudly boasts no samples whatsoever (amen to that) and yet is totally evocative of the ‘swinging’ sound that is oh-so-ubercool these days. And rightly so. I’m not going to start drooling over individual tracks – it’s such a beautifully well rounded album that I’ll just leave at this’. It’s cheesy, it’s funky, gorgeously psychedelic without being in the slightest bit pretensious. What more can you ask? 4.5 STARS