Songs Of The African Coast: Cafe Music Of Liberia

Fascinating historic live recordings from the late 1940s in Liberia. Tracks range in sound from Calypso-ish sways to early jazz. These are old recordings, so the sound quality isn’t great, but don’t let that prevent you from playing these – they’re great fun. Mostly in English, though at times hard to understand. Many w/spoken word intros.

*1. Plinky piano, midtempo male vocal backed by female. Fun. 2:56
2. Bouncy toe-tapper about getting married. 2:38
*3. Midtempo w/a toe-tapping, early jazz sound. 3:04
4. Female lead vocal, upbeat w/a true early café sound. 2:17
5. Upbeat story song w/a playful air.3:30
6. Bouncy call-response w/sweet male lead & chorus. 2:30
*7. Midtempo w/a jazzy trumpet solo. 3:08
*8. Midtempo w/some spoken lyrics in Vai. 1:52
9. Midtempo love song w/a catchy melody. 2:51
10. Lazy and folksy w/female lead & chorus. 2:30
11. A rather violent “love song” w/a lazy bounce. 2:57
12. Midtempo song w/a biblical theme. 3:32
13. Sweetly bouncy w/a light Calypso air. 2:50
*14. Male solo vox, chorus, lazy w/amusing lyrics. 3:02
15. Mid/upbeat w/nasally female lead vocalist. 2:14
*16. Lazy w/a folksy, almost bluesy sound. 4:25
*17. Alternate version of #2. Bright & bouncy. 2:38
*18. Alternate version of #3. Relaxed & nicely fun. 2:46