v/a- AFRICAN STEEL LP

Includes an insert with full lyrics and contextual notes.

Following in the footsteps of 2019’s African country-western compilation BULAWAYO BLUE YODEL, Olvido Records presents a compendium of top-notch slide guitar songs from the golden era of 78rpm recordings from southern, central and eastern Africa.

Featuring fourteen gorgeous and unique adaptations of traditional and popular regional styles for the acoustic “steel” guitar, with intriguing influences from southern American country and blues recordings, to the Hawaiian origins of the instrument. African Steel includes more recognized singer-guitarists such as George Sibanda, Charles Sonko and Adou Elenga with more obscure artists such as The Blind Guitar Player and the Nongomo Trio.

Ranging from up-tempo dance numbers featuring multiple slide guitars and percussion, to plaintive bottleneck-blues style ballads, to a Ugandan cover of a Jimmie Rodgers classic, each song is a highly memorable glimpse into the early years of the Hawaiian guitar’s incorporation into these great artists’ repertoires and creative work.

Audio restoration and re-mastering by Michael Kieffer of Origin Jazz Library, with artwork by Gordon Ashworth and Cybele Collins.