Champeta w/Edna Martinez

• Diblo Dibala Special [NTS, 2024] A

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Diblo Dibala Special [NTS, 2024]
As I've noted before, champeta is a Colombian variant of what I'll sum up as soukous that arose half a century ago in the coastal drug entrepôts of Cartagena and Barranquilla. Back in 2007 I waxed enthusiastic about a Riverboat comp credited to an outfit dubbed Colombiafrica: The Mystic Orchestra called Voodoo Love Inna Champeta-Land, which I regret to report I can no longer locate in my shelves though it sounds good enough on Spotify. I discovered this hour-long NTS broadcast, which showcases veteran speed soukous master Dibala, because a friend recorded and burned it for me, and will note that it Googles readily enough via edna martinez diblo dibala champeta." Old-fashioned guy that I am, I'm delighted to have the disc, which is by no means all Dibala, whose excellent 1989 Super Soukous is considerably less relaxed. But 82-year-old that I am, I prefer the gentler approach this de facto compilation favors. Greatly enjoying my second spin since breakfast as I write. A