Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss
The horns, the percussion, the vocals, the funky melodies and countermelodies...lord have mercy this is one hell of an album. If you like afro/latin jazz, you owe it to yourself to check this out.
Favorite track: For All It's Worth.
OQ
Having discovered the niece of Franco Luambo on Tru Thoughts Covers 3, I felt driven enough to buy the whole album after watching the music video of Nalingi Mobali Te. Who am I to say that she got off on the wrong foot? But very few (if not none) of the great artists she admires tried to juggle as many styles on a single album.
Favorite track: Nalingi Mobali Te.
A1 Juanita Euka - Alma Seca
A2 Juanita Euka - Mboka Moko
A3 Juanita Euka - For All It's Worth
A4 Juanita Euka - Sueños De Libertad
B2 Juanita Euka - Baño De Oro
B3 Juanita Euka - Nalingi Mobali Te
B4 Juanita Euka - Motema
B5 Juanita Euka - Blood
Includes unlimited streaming of Mabanzo
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 3 days
Purchasable with gift card
£20GBPor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
1. ALMA SECA
2. MBOKA MOKO
3. FOR ALL IT’S WORTH
4. SUEÑOS DE LIBERTAD
5. NALINGI MOBALI TE
6. BLOOD
7. BAÑO DE ORO
8. MOTEMA
9. CAMARADES
10. WAR IS OVER
11. IRRESOLUTE
12. ALMA SECA
Includes unlimited streaming of Mabanzo
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 3 days
Purchasable with gift card
£12GBPor more
Streaming + Download
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Strut present the debut solo album Mabanzo by Congolese vocalist, Juanita Euka. A familiar face to many from London’s vibrant live music scene over the last decade, Juanita has fronted London Afrobeat Collective’s dynamic live shows, the fusions and cross-pollinations of Animanz and maverick Cuban collective Wara. As a solo artist, she broke through in early 2020, performing her single ‘Alma Seca’ in series 3 of blockbuster series Killing Eve.
Originally from DR Congo and brought up in Buenos Aires, Juanita’s upbringing involved many different musical influences, not least her uncle, Congolese rumba giant Franco Luambo Makiadi. “In Argentina, I listened to a wide range of styles from African-American artists to Dominican stars like Juan Luis Guerra, the Congolese greats like my uncle and Papa Wemba and various artists from Argentina including Mercedes Sosa. Some of my main inspirations were (and still are) international Afro-Cuban artists like Celia Cruz and La Lupe.” Moving to the UK aged 14, she joined Afro-Peruvian band Malambo and immersed herself in London’s own sounds, from Soul to Jazz to Funk.
With her new album Mabanzo (meaning ‘Thoughts’), Juanita brings together her many and varied musical influences into play and pulls no lyrical punches. Killer dancefloor single ‘Nalingi Mobali Te’ is pure contemporary Congolese guitar gold, ‘Mboka Moka’ channels ‘80s boogie and Quincy horn stylings on an anthem for personal struggle and ‘Baño de Oro’ brings a heavy Afro-Cuban workout. Elsewhere, the epic ballad ‘Sueños de Libertad’ is an impassioned call for freedom and the lilting ‘For All It’s Worth’ champions love over materialism. Recorded entirely at home studios during lockdown, the album was painstakingly constructed by producer Greg Sanders with all musicians recorded remotely. “I have always written songs and poems since I was young,” reflects Euka. “I met Greg, a multi-instrumentalist and producer, while I was in Wara and we started the journey towards a solo project. Greg has that knowledge and vision of different sounds and it is the perfect way to celebrate my music journey. I have tried to bring all of the musical heritage that I have experienced into my album.”
credits
released March 25, 2022
Juanita Euka: Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Greg Sanders: Guitars, Bass Guitars, Keys, Synths, Programming
Sara Farina: Bass Guitar
Tom Herbert: Upright Bass
Chris Williams, Leo Richardsdon, Sam Rapley: Saxophones
Eliane Correa: Keys
Will Fry, Ernesto Marichales, Leandro Mancini-Olivos, Richard Olatunde Baker, Lya Reis Guerruero: Percussion
Flora Curzon: Violin
Kareem Dayes: Cello
Fabio De Oliveira, Ben Assiter, George Bird: Drumkit
Graeme Flowers: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Kieran McLeod, Landy Diaz: Trombone
Jonathan Whitten: Hammered Dulcimer
All tracks arranged & produced by Greg Sanders
All tracks mixed by Lester Salmins
Recorded in home studios during lockdown, March – September 2020
Mastering and vinyl cut by Matt Colton at Metropolis
Brought up in Buenos Aires and immersed in London’s vibrant scene, Juanita Euka’s influences range from soukous, son and
soul to hip hop and jazz. She has fronted top UK Afro-Latin bands London Afrobeat Collective, Animanz and Wara and is also the niece of Congolese rumba legend Franco. After appearing on the BBC’s Killing Eve, she has now completed her debut solo album for Strut Records...more
This is Greg Sanders 's band Teotima. Greg has beautifully produced my debut album 'Mabanzo'. In . One of my favourite bands ever!! you must listen to both Albums! Juanita Euka
Eliane Correa is a young brilliant composer & bandleader. I have worked with Eliane for a very long-time and I am extremely proud of the work she has created ' Signo de Fuego' is a killer album! Juanita Euka
Pao Pestana is a unique & creative Artist & producer that I deeply admire. Pao is based in London & she is from Maracaibo Venezuela, her music blends of electronic,latin, Jazz & Hip- hop. Juanita Euka