{"title":"Jo Tongo","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"african-funk-experimentals-1968-1982-2017","title":"African Funk Experimentals (1968-1982 \/ 2017)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur hero, Jo Tongo (born Joseph Ekambi Tongo Mpondo) was born and raised in Douala Cameroon. In 1964 he headed off to Paris to begin Pharmaceutical studies. Somewhere along the way the music in his soul eventually won out and he embarked on a life of music. In the latest of our series of \"Funk Experimentals\" LPs we dig for the funk. Not necessarily the artists greatest hits but most definitely the funkiest ear benders. We proudly compile together tracks from 1968 to 3 new brand new exclusive tracks from present day 2017. And yes, they all have the funk. In spades. The album opens up with stunningly catchy Jangolo. Jo's awesomely funky bass and percussive \"jangly\" guitar. The track is underpinned by African drums, funky stabs and 70s nascent synthesiser string machines. Next up we take a trip to 1979 and \"Funky Feeling\" from Jo's \"Those Flowers\" album. Here the beats are big, the strings are sweet and the clavi is into overdrive. We then jump back to 1976 for the evergreen, horn-puncher, funk stomper \"Piani\". Before the sweet smooth funk of \"Those Flowers\". Next up is \"American Lady\" with the bright strings, jangly guitars and driving keys. All locked on to maximize the groove. We then take a trip back to 1968 for Jo's second single the ever so funky and ever so ahead of its time, \"Dig It Babe\". Soul, horns, groove and punch all in two perfect packages. Part 1 and Part 2. Next up it is the funk boogie afro swingers \"Ewande\". Bringing things up date we jump forward to 2017, present day. Jo has been making music more or less non-stop and here we are lucky to premier three brand new tracks. The drums are punchy, the guitars ooze the funk and the locked on keys tie the tracks together in one tight-as package. Jo is on the production and at the controls for the mix. \"Lion Roar\" is first with its driving clavinet and all-out-assault funky drums. The brass is big and this song is Bold with a capital \"B\". \"It's The D Day\" is next with swinging soul style groove before \"Mystic Power\" features a ballsy brass-laden beat and jazz funk overtones.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany thanks Jo for choosing the music. Nearly 50 years at the top of the game.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Africa Seven","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50435739386187,"sku":"1018652","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50435739844939,"sku":"1018653","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/2af62fca-34ce-498b-8251-0aad71682c73_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1726907040"},{"product_id":"sa-discossa-et","title":"Sa Discossa","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pioneering force in African music, Jo Tongo has always been on top of the game. Since the late 60s he has been recording music under his early Jojo L'Explosif moniker. His debut album \"Jo Tongo\" was released 1976 on Fiesta\/Decca and features classic tracks like Jangolo and Piani. Now, after decades of underground influence and global recognition, his second album Sa Discossa (1980) is re-released for the first time. Being an electrifying fusion of African rhythms, disco, makossa, reggae and funk it is reflecting his lifelong journey of musical exploration and cultural storytelling and claims its place as an essential recording in the Afro-disco movement. Jo Tongo’s music is inseparable from his life’s story—a journey that spans continents, struggles, and victories. From his early years as a leading African musician before the global rise of Afrobeat, to his deep roots in classical training, and his time performing in France and Germany, his sound is shaped by a rich blend of influences. Sa Discossa is more than just a disco record. It embodies Jo Tongo’s philosophy of resistance, identity, and celebration. The title itself is a blend of “disco” and “makossa,” reflecting the seamless fusion of African groove and the dancefloor energy that defined the era. Tracks like Bunya, sung in his native language, carry messages of love, gratitude, and resilience—sentiments that remain as relevant today as they were nearly 50 years ago. Tongo’s musical journey also took him through the world of reggae, inspired by his exposure to American and Caribbean artists. Despite taking a step back from the stage in recent years, he remains open to new possibilities. \"Music is like a fire—it never truly dies. I have a lot to say, and music is the best way to say it.\" For Jo Tongo, music is more than entertainment—it’s a language of truth, a testament to history, and a bridge between cultures. The rhythm of Sa Discossa lives on, stronger than ever. With Sa Discossa returning under the African Edge series on The Outer Edge label, Jo Tongo’s legacy continues to resonate, proving that real music never fades.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Outer Edge","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":51603143065931,"sku":"R5722-4970","price":27.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/EDGE031.jpg?v=1744107473"},{"product_id":"those-flowers","title":"Those Flowers","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFollowing the acclaimed reissue of \u003cem\u003eSa Discossa\u003c\/em\u003e earlier this year, Jo Tongo’s third solo album \u003cem\u003eThose Flowers\u003c\/em\u003e returns to the spotlight. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOriginally released just a year and a half after \u003cem\u003eSa Discossa\u003c\/em\u003e, this 1982 gem came out on the small Context label and, in Tongo’s own words, the two records are “like twins.” Recorded with many of the same musicians, Those Flowers continues the vibrant fusion of disco-funk and reggae — this time dedicating one side to each, leaning slightly more into his Western influences.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut there’s more than groove beneath the surface. Tracks like “People Need Peace” and “We Human Beings” channel his enduring themes of resistance, identity, and freedom. The synthesizer at the beginning of the song mimics the ominous drone of warplanes, and lyrics speak directly to global struggles — reminders that his music is both deeply personal and powerfully political. “I paid for these ideals in my career,” Tongo reflects, alluding to the personal costs of his outspoken stance against colonialism and injustice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStill, \u003cem\u003eThose Flowers\u003c\/em\u003e carries joy at its heart. Songs like “Ain’t No Man Like A Real Friend” celebrate trust and loyalty, while the title track offers a tender ode to love and kindness — “picking flowers from the soul,” as Tongo puts it. These songs reveal the inner world of a man who has always viewed music as a mirror of life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis reissue marks the second installment in the African Edge series from The Outer Edge label. Fully restored and remastered, \u003cem\u003eThose Flowers\u003c\/em\u003e is now set to bloom again — another vital chapter in the legacy of Jo Tongo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Outer Edge","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":53583385035083,"sku":"R2855-7410","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/a3404153514_10.jpg?v=1760272553"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/jo-tongo.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}