Papa Yankson - Party Time

Kalita are proud to present the first ever reissue of Papa Yankson’s highly sought-after 1989 disco-infused highlife masterpiece 'Party Time'! Showcasing the late Ghanaian superstar at his very best, ‘Party Time’ encapsulates the blending of deep, rhythmic West African highlife with synthesizers and electronic styles that had exploded during the decade. Now, thirty-five years after initial release, and with original copies having reached grail status on the second-hand collector’s scene, Kalita brings this phenomenal record back to life, with extensive liner notes and never-before-seen photos detailing Papa Yankson’s musical career.

A recipient of the Grand Medal of Ghana for his contribution to Ghanaian music, Papa Yankson was a key member of C.K. Mann’s Carousel Seven outfit during the 1970s, releasing joint albums together on the infamous Essiebons label to great success.

However, it was at the end of the following decade that Papa released ‘Party Time’, highlighting his forward-thinking musical style with its numerous hypnotic and driving up-tempo disco-soaked highlife cuts. Originally released in a small run on the short-lived Marriot Promotion label, the album features the standouts ‘Wonma Yenko Po’ and ‘Mumumde’, each showcasing deep highlife melodies, heavy drum patterns and phenomenal horn performances from the ingenious Sammy Lartey Jr on saxophone and Nana Asare on trumpet to boot.

With original copies selling for eye-watering amounts on the rare occasion that they come up for sale, the time is ripe for Kalita to celebrate this true Ghanaian 80’s grail, accompanied by liner notes and never-before-seen contemporary photos of Papa Yankson. 

Tracklist:
1. Wonma Yenko Po
2. Mumumde
3. Yaa Yaa Nkoba
4. Dofo Bi Afre
5. Odo Ye Wu
6. Me Bo Me Zanku Daa

Kofi Ayivor - Adzagli (Jungle Funk)

Kalita are excited to announce the first ever re-release of ‘Adzagli (Jungle Funk)’ and ‘A Song For You (Ayawa)’, two phenomenal pieces of West African disco from Amsterdam’s Kofi Ayivor. Selected from his sought-after Nigerian 1981 self-titled debut album ‘Kofi’, at last these two recordings see the light of day once more via a loud-cut remastered 12” single. In addition, Kalita enlists fellow Amsterdam resident, DJ and producer Mendel to create his own remix of each recording, using the original multitrack session tapes to rework both for the modern-day dancefloor.

After having experienced life travelling with E.T. Mensah, as a percussionist for Afro rock supergroup Osibisa, and then as producer for Brit funk band Hi-Tension, in 1980 Kofi decided it was time to release his own solo album. With his own release, he could showcase his skills as a master drummer, combining these with the prevailing disco sound that had by this time taken over Western and West African airwaves. As he recalls, ‘all this time, especially on Osibisa's United States tour, I began to critically examine the difference between our native African music and the element of it that had been incorporated into popular Western music. And so my search began to find a modern African sound’.

Kofi was joined on both recordings by various musical superstars of the time, including Osibisa members Kiki Gyan and Jake Sollo, Eddy Grant on guitar and Theadora Ifudu on improvised backing vocals, and in 1981 the album was released on CBS’ Nigerian imprint. Unfortunately, without a touring sponsor and much label support the record soon faded into obscurity, and the record was lost.

Now, forty years later and with original copies highly sought-after and selling for triple figures on the second-hand market, Kalita unearth this masterpiece once more, accompanied by two remixes courtesy of Mendel. 

Tracklist:
1. Adzagli (Jungle Funk) (Mendel Mix)
2. Adzagli (Jungle Funk)
3. A Song For You (Ayawa) (Mendel Mix)
4. A Song For You (Ayawa)