Senegalese drummer Mor Thiam arrived in the US in 1968, at the invitation of pioneering African American choreographer Katherine Dunham. By the time he recorded this extremely rare (and phenomenally expensive) collector's item in St Louis five years later, he'd hooked up with members of the AACM and the Black Artists Group. This session picks up on the Art Ensemble of Chicago's inclusive concept of “great black music ancient to the future”: ‘Ayo Ayo Nene (Blessing for the New Born Baby)’ collides buoyant soul-jazz with joyous “washer women by the river” vocals; ‘Kanfera (Return of Fisher)’ is a deep Afro-jazz modal banger with heavy percussion and whistles; while ‘Kele Mubana (‘Overpain’ and ‘Struggle to Black’)’ mixes Lester Bowie's fruity trumpet parps with full-throated grunts and shouts coming on like an African James Brown. Fast forward to the 21st century to discover that the rapper Akon is none other than Thiam's son. Vinyl sold in 2010 for $1,125 at ebay.com