MOMBASA AFRICAN RHYTHMS AND BLUES vol 1

Germany-based multi-national (mostly - Americans) band's second album is original and interesting one for the year of its release and it dated well too. Band plays mostly instrumental jazz rock based on African rhythms and Latin fusion melodics. Band founder's Lou Blackburn trumpet is main instrument soloing over rhythm section, and the whole album sounds as Santana's African version with trumpet soloing instead of his guitar. Rhythm section plays important role as well, drums-percussion in combination with rich electric bass build great groovy background for soloing reeds. Compositions are all melodic and easy accessible, so all album sounds as great and pleasant listening without being cheesy.

Really interesting recordings for fans of early world fusion, sometimes very obscure.We love the Vol1

In describing the music of Mombasa which is a mixture of rhythm, jazz, folklore, blues, spirituals and worksongs, Lou Blkackburn would prefer not to use the word jazz. 'Many people ask us' he says 'how one describes our type of music. To this I can only answer that I leave It to the audience because I don't want to give it a label for me it is simply ours, Mombasa's music.'