EL REGO – EL REGO
El Rego was originally formed in 1966, fronted by Benin’s Theophile Do Rego – better known as El Rego. For decades they were giants of the West African music scene, with a funk blend of Latin percussion, fat bass-lines, wah-wah guitar and tribal rythms – a formula that many others would follow with great success. While the band did record 13 albums (some cassette only) over the years, El Rego is a collection (put together by Afro beat collector DJ Frank Gossner) of El Rego’s best 45’s (singles to you young folk) from the 60s and 70’s. Clearly displaying all the above elements that made them a dance-hall favorite, the band work up a tight, cold-sweat, El Rego himself is a clear blend of Afro beat guru Fela Kuti and the Godfather of Soul James Brown (hear those yelps and guttural groans) – and a snappy dresser to boot. This is the sort of material that is now being unearth and distributed to a wider audience thanks to technology, and for that we should be eternally grateful.
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