Muslims & Christians [LP], Kamal Keila, Vinyl

Vinyl LP pressing. Coined the James Brown or Fela Kuti of Sudan, Kamal Keila's Muslims and Christians is the first in a series of releases covering the Sudanese jazz scene on Habibi Funk. Recorded in a pair of sessions in August 1992, the 10-track collection stands as a hearable testament how Kamal Keila stuck to a sound aesthetic from decades ago, while incorporating current events into his lyrics. Some of the songs were already written in the 1970s and have been part of Kamal's sets ever since, with only small changes for some contemporary references in the lyrics and musically sometimes adopting to "new" sounds here and there. Musically you can hear the influence of neighboring Ethiopia much more than on other Sudanese recordings of the time, as well as references to Fela and American funk and soul. His lyrics, at least when he sings in English, which indicates more freedom from censorship, are very political.