Pasteur Lappe - Na Man Pass Man

Release Date:07/07/2017;Notes:Vinyl LP pressing. Following on from the Pasteur Lappe compilation African Funk Experimentals LP, we are really pleased to be re-visiting Pasteur with a repress of his second album from 1979, Na Man Pass Man. The story begins in the '60s with a charming 19 year old Nicolas "Pasteur" Lappe becoming a sensation on Radio Adele in Douala, Cameroun. His second album Na Man Pass Man is made in 1979 with the backing band and production collective called the Zulu Gang, which include Douglas Mbida (who went on to release several top flight albums himself) and Jacob Desvariaux (who went on to form Kassav). The album is full of diverse sounds from driving funk, sweeping disco grooves, syrupy ballads, reggae, Jackson-five-esque pop to finger-lickin' soul. At it's core though is the custom "Sekele" groove... a movement to encompass the dance, grooves and vibes from his native Douala. The album opens with Africa Seven favorite "Na Real Sekele Fo' Ya" which takes stabby moog bass synth to a whole new level of grooviness. "Follow Me To My Dreams" takes proceedings on a reggae tip as the Zulu Gang show us just how reggae they can go. It's sleezy Rhodes and sax led jazz funk of "Mbale". Followed by "Missosi" a cautionary tale from our hero. Side B opens with another slice of slick African Reggae with "Babette D'O (Rastawoman)" - the Caribbean chops of Jacob Desvariaux getting a full exercise here. It's then "Back To Funky" with some dance funk. It features Maryse Lappe guesting on vocals too. The "Lead" track from the album "ABC" is next with it's stomping afro, pop funk delightfulness. A 12" version was actually released in 1979 with a fine painting of our hero on the front cover. We close off the LP with the title track "Na Man Pass Man (Na Iron de Cut)". This features Pasteur singing and professing his tale of the trials of Africans and African Music over a rolling bass guitar groove. The nostalgic poet, with Africa at his essence Pasteur Lappe, we salute you.