GPiA is a 2CD DELUXE DIGIPAK album with The Soul focussing mainly on the timeless songs and performers of the ‘60s & ‘70s. The accompanying The Spirit set is all about now, taking in names such as Masters at Work, Bugz in the Attic, Dennis Ferrer, Carl Craig & Blaze.

After the huge success of Gilles Peterson in Brazil the man travels back to the source with Gilles Peterson in Africa. When he was a regular guest at the peerless, mythical Mambo Inn, Afro Funk and Afrocentric influences, especially Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango, were always in the mix. And both Fela and Manu are represented here, together with some of their disciples.

Gilles came to African music via his love for Jazz, Funk and Fusion not via koras, mbiras, djembes and ‘world music’. So this compilation is for groove lovers, and if that’s where you’re coming from GPiA will tickle parts that other compilations don’t know exist.

Gilles Peterson in Africa touches down in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Sierra Leone, and the Cape Verde islands with considerable contributions from giants of the contemporary club scene and remixing royalty such as Masters at Work, Carl Craig, Dennis Ferrer, IG Culture and Blaze alongside purveyors of 21st Century Afrobeat such as Antibalas and Wunmi.

Artists featured such as Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora and Abdullah Ibrahim will already be known to many while tracks by Letta Mbulu, Mulatu and Peter King are either totally new or totally obscure, as is the way with Mr. Peterson.