Opika pende : Africa at 78 RPM

"This four-CD anthology features 100 tracks from 78 rpm discs that have never before been on compact disc. The Dust-to-Digital label excels in producing elaborate box sets of rare and culturally overlooked music, and to say that this is no exception is an understatement. All of the recordings originated in Africa and boast an astonishing diversity in not just time and place, but also in musical style. The performances span 1909 to the mid-'60s, about three-dozen countries, and genres from the most ancient and traditional folk music to cuts that verge on modern Afro-pop ... A box that is amply challenging and rewarding for anyone interested in African music, or indeed interested in world music in general".

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"With the four-disc box Opika Pende, [Jonathan] Ward has compiled one of the most encompassing, enterprising and literate collections of African music ever assembled. Exhaustive in scope and zealous in detail, the 100 songs span 1909 through the mid-1960s and traverse performances from more than a dozen countries ... Ward's glorious descriptions and histories, paired with period images and record-sleeve photos scattered through the included 112-page book, function as incisive tour guides".