The Lafayette Afro Rock Band started out as US funkateers the Bobby Boyd Congress in 1970 but found the overcrowded funk scene stifling and relocated to Paris’ North African Barbes district the following year, where they became house band for producer Pierre ‘Berjot’ Jaubert at his Independent Parisound studio. Renaming themselves Ice they recorded several insidious vocal tracks including the wah-wah funk of ‘Time Will Tell’ and slow-burning ‘There’s Time To Change’: one of the bonus tracks on this expanded version of Strut’s original 1999 album release.
Then came Manu Dibango’s ‘Soul Makossa’, the African-flavoured funk bomb which profoundly influenced dance music while prompting Ice to change their name to the Lafayette Afro Rock Band, releasing two albums in the 70s [Malik and Soul Makossa/Voodoounon], highlights of which are presented here along with vocal outings for the Japanese market under the names Crispy & Co and Captain Dax. Lafayette tracks like ‘Congo’ and the panoramic ‘Hichache’ are uplifting Afro-jazz exercises with funky, percussion-heavy undertow and towering brass arrangements. The list of those who’ve sampled their rich seams of groove and melody include Wu-Tang, Biz Markie, Coollio, De La Soul, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Masters At Work and Jay-Z, which gives an idea of the immaculate pedigree on show in this fascinating set.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs
