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LP
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WWSLP 108LP
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Wewantsounds continues its Algerian music reissue program with the release of Freh Khodja's sought-after 1975 LP, Ken Andi Habib. Recorded in Paris with Les Flammes, a group of immigrant musicians, the album is now reissued for the first time. Selected by Paris-based DJ Cheb Gero, who recently compiled the Sweet Rebels Rai set and curated the Abranis LP release for Wewantsounds, Ken Andi Habib is a masterful blend of Arabic music, jazz, Carribean/Latin grooves and funk. Featuring original artwork, audio remastered by Colorsound Studio, and a two-page insert with new liner notes (French/English) by Algerian journalist Rabah Mezouane. Originally released in 1975, Ken Andi Habib is an important document of North African music recorded during the 1970s. Born in 1949 in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria, Khodja developed an early passion for music, studying saxophone and theory before moving to Paris in 1968 to continue his training at the École Normale de Musique. Alongside his musical education, he experienced the difficult reality of immigrant life in France. In Paris, Khodja became a member of Les Flammes, a group composed largely of musicians from the African diaspora, particularly Cape Verde. With Les Flammes providing the musical backing and the vocal group El Salem handling background vocals, Khodja recorded Ken Andi Habib in 1975, in a Parisian studio. The album blends North African melodies with jazz, funk, and Caribbean influences, reflecting the diverse musical environment of the city at the time. Released by the Algerian label La Voix Du Globe, Ken Andi Habib was distributed mainly within North African immigrant communities in France and Algeria. While it received limited attention at the time of its release, it later became highly regarded among collectors and DJs interested in rare Arabic grooves and North African recordings. The album stands out for its synthesis of Arabic music with contemporary styles without losing its distinct identity. Rabah Mezouane places Khodja's work within the wider context of musical innovation by North African artists in France during the 1970s.
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