CRY LAUGHTER (2016 RSD RELEASE) by JOE MENSAH

Joe Mensah was a huge name in Ghanaian music and was integral in helping Soundway license and procure some of the tracks on the Ghana Soundz compilatons released back in 2002, just one year before his death in 2003.Strictly limited to 1000copies for Record Store Day it is pressed on 180g Vinyl and housed in a tp-on sleeve.He had been an actve and well-loved personality throughout the 1960s through the 70s and into the 80s when he moved to the USA. He founded his career singing in numerous highlife and soul bands in the '60s before startng his solo career and subsequently helping to found the Musicians Union of Ghana. This album, one of West Africa's very rarest, was recorded for the Decca label in Lagos and only ever released in tny numbers in Nigeria in 1975. It was his debut solo recording and was made with members of the famous Sweet Talks band from his home town of Tema on the coast of Ghana just 25 km from the capital Accra. Two of the tracks have appeared on previous Soundway compilatons but this is the frst tme the album has been available in it's original format since the mid 1970s. A rich mixture of poly-rhythmic afro-soul, jazz, highlife and afrobeat it has an undeniable Ghanaian favour with Joe's arrangements, key-board-playing and vocal style adding an extra sophistcaton to proceedings.