Luaka Bop
Luaka Bop is a world music-oriented record label established by musician and record producer David Byrne,[1] former lead singer and guitarist for the art rock–new wave band Talking Heads. Originally established in 1988, the label has been wholly independent since leaving V2 Records in 2006. Previously the label had distribution relationships with Warner Bros. Records and Narada/Virgin/EMI Records.
| Luaka Bop | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | David Byrne |
| Distributor(s) | Warner Bros. Records (1988–2000) Narada/Virgin/EMI Records (2000–2005) V2/BMG Records (2005–2006) |
| Genre | World music, rock, pop, jazz, Bubu, soul, funk, folk, psychedelic |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | New York City |
| Official website | www |
Luaka Bop has released compilations representing sounds from around the world, as well as full-length albums, EPs, and singles from individual artists, including Byrne himself. Brazil Classics, the label's first compilation series, consists of seven albums surveying genres ranging from Samba to Tropicália, as well as individual artists. Cuba Classics and Asia Classics followed a similar pattern. The label branched out into Afro-Peruvian and "Afropean" music with albums by Susana Baca and Zap Mama, respectively. World Psychedelic Classics is a series of five albums including artists such as Shuggie Otis, Os Mutantes, and various West African musicians of the late 1960s.
Name and branding
Byrne took the phrase "Luaka Bop" from the inner packaging of a specialty tea which is sold in England. Luaka is the name of a tea importer. Their "Broken Orange Pekoe" is packaged in a silver foil block; when the sleeve is removed, it reveals a white label that reads "Luaka BOP".
In 1989 Byrne hired Yale Evelev as president of the record label.[2]
The Luaka Bop logo design was conceived by David Byrne and illustrated by Tibor Kalman.
Kalman also designed the first two Brazil Classics albums and began the tradition of the split-color spine, which was altered with every change in distribution. Other designers from Kalman's M & Co., including Stefan Sagmeister, Scott Stowell and Stephen Doyle, have provided the label with distinctive album art. On this topic Byrne said, "We don't do covers that look like folkloric records or like academic records of obscure material of interest only to musicologists and a few weird fringe types… we work with the designers to come up with a graphic statement that says 'this music is relevant to your life…'"[3]
Artists
Notable artists who have recorded for the label include:
- A.R. Kane
- Atomic Bomb! Band
- Susana Baca
- Waldemar Bastos
- Bloque de Búsqueda
- Cornershop
- David Byrne
- Delicate Steve
- Doug Hream Blunt
- Floating Points
- Los Amigos Invisibles
- Javelin
- Shoukichi Kina
- King Changó
- Kings Go Forth
- Los de Abajo
- Mimi
- Nouvelle Vague
- Os Mutantes
- Shuggie Otis
- William Onyeabor
- The +2’s
- Silvio Rodríguez
- Si*Sé
- Geggy Tah
- Jim White
- Zap Mama
- Tim Maia
- Tom Zé
Discography
| Artist | Title | Catalog Number | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various Artists | Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical | 25805 | 1989-01 |
| David Byrne | Rei Momo | 25990 | 1989-10 |
| Various Artists | Brazil Classics 2: O Samba | 26019 | 1989-11 |
| Tom Zé | Brazil Classics 4: The Best of Tom Zé | 26323 | 1990-11 |
| Various Artists | Brazil Classics 3: Forro etc.: Music of the Brazilian Northeast | 26323 | 1991-03 |
| Silvio Rodríguez | Cuba Classics 1: The Best of Silvio Rodríguez | 26789 | 1991-03 |
| Various Artists | Cuba Classics 2: Dancing With the Enemy | 26580 | 1991-06 |
| David Byrne | The Forest | 26584 | 1991-06 |
| A.R. Kane | Americana | 26669 | 1992-01 |
| David Byrne | Uh-Oh | 26799 | 1992-03 |
| Vijaya Anand | Asia Classics 1: The South Indian Film Music of Viajaya Anand: Dance Raja Dance | 26847 | 1992-04 |
| Vijaya Anand | "Dancing Is Beautiful" (12") | 40636 | 1992 |
| Various Artists | Cuba Classics 3: Diablo al Inferno | 45107 | 1992-11 |
| Zap Mama | "Bottom" (single) | 41002 | 1992 |
| Tom Zé | Brazil 5: The Return of Tom Zé: The Hips of Tradition | 45118 | 1992-11 |
| Zap Mama | Adventures in Afropea 1 | 45183 | 1993 |
| Djur Djura | Adventures in Afropea 2: The Best of Djur Djura: Voice of Silence | 45211 | 1993-10 |
| Zap Mama | Sabsylma | 46486 | 1994 |
| Shoukichi Kina | Asia Classics 2: The Best of Shoukichi Kina: Peppermint Tea House | 45159 | 1994-05 |
| David Byrne | David Byrne (album) | 46605 | 1994-05 |
| Geggy Tah | Grand Opening | 45254 | 1994-05 |
| A.R. Kane | New Clear Child | 45253 | 1994-09 |
| Various Artists | Afro-Peruvian Classics: The Soul of Black Peru | 45876 | 1995-05 |
| Original Soundtrack | Blue in the Face | 45921 | 1995-09 |
| Cornershop | Woman's Gotta Have It | 46018 | 1995-10 |
| Cornershop | "W.O.G. – The U.S Western Oriental mixes" (single) | 43648 | 1995 |
| Various Artists | Adventures in Afropea 3: Telling Stories to the Sea | 45669 | 1995 |
| Geggy Tah | Sacred Cow | 46113 | 1996 |
| King Changó | King Changó | 46288 | 1995-10 |
| Paulo Bragança | Amai | 46334 | 1996-08 |
| Zap Mama | Seven | 45537 | 1997 |
| Jim White | Wrong-Eyed Jesus | 46472 | 1996-10 |
| David Byrne | Feelings | 46605 | 1997-04 |
| Susana Baca | Susana Baca | 46627 | 1997-09 |
| Cornershop | When I Was Born for the 7th Time | 46576 | 1997-09 |
| Waldemar Bastos | Pretaluz | 46481 | 1998-03 |
| Los Amigos Invisibles | The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera | 46839 | 1998-03 |
| Mimi Goese | Soak | 46651 | 1998-05 |
| Cornershop | "Sleep on the Left Side"/"Brimful of Asha" (single) | 44524 | 1998 |
| Los de Abajo | Los de Abajo (album) | 46974 | 1998-08 |
| Tom Zé | Fabrication Defect | 46953 | 1998-09 |
| Mimi Goese | "Piece of Cake" | 6 80899 5003-2-6 | 1998 |
| Bloque | Bloque (album) | 47060 | 1998-10 |
| Various Artists | Beleza Tropical 2: Novo! Mais! Melhor! | 46275 | 1998-11 |
| Tom Zé | Postmodern Platos (EP) | PRO-CD-9561 | 1999-05 |
| Os Mutantes | World Psychedelic Classics 1: Everything is Possible: The Best of Os Mutantes | 47251 | 1999-06 |
| Zap Mama | A Ma Zone | 7243 8 48412 2 5/V2-48412 | 1999-10 |
| King Changó | Return of El Santo | 7243 8 50307 2 7/V2-50307 | 2000 |
| Various Artists | Luaka Bop 10th Anniversary: Zero Accidents on the Job | 7243 8 48922 2 7/V2-48922 | 2000 |
| "Clinton" | Disco and the Halfway to Discontent | ASW 48792 | 2000 |
| Los Amigos Invisibles | Arepa 3000 | 6 80899 0041-2-1 | 2000 |
| Susana Baca | Eco do Sombras | 6 80899 0042-2-0 | 2000 |
| Jim White | No Such Place | 6 80899 0043-2-2 | 2001 |
| Si*Sé | The Rain (Where Do I Begin?) (EP) | 7243 8 11667 2 7/V2-11667 | 2001 |
| David Byrne | Look into the Eyeball | 7243 8 50924 2 8/V2-50924 | 2001 |
| Jim White | Gimme Five | 6 80899 5002-2-7 | 2001 |
| Geggy Tah | Into the Oh | 6 80899 0044-2-8 | 2001 |
| Shuggie Otis | World Psychedelic Classics 2: California Soul: Inspiration Information | 6 80899 0045-2-7 | 2001 |
| Si*Sé | Si*Sé (album) | 6 80899 0046-2-6 | 2001 |
| Los de Abajo | Cybertropic Chilango Power | 6 80899 0047-2-5 | 2001 |
| Susana Baca | Espiritu Vivo | 6 80899 0048-2-4 | 2002 |
| Si*Sé | "The Rain (Where Do I Begin?)" (single) | 7243 8 38802 2 5/V2-38802 | 2002 |
| Moreno + Two | Music Typewriter | 6 80899 0049-2-3 | 2002 |
| Various Artists | The Only Blip Hop Record You’ll Ever Need, Vol. 1 | 6 80899 0050-2-9 | 2002 |
| Various Artists | Cuisine Non-Stop: Introduction to The French Nouvelle Generation | 6 80899 0051-2-8 | 2002 |
| Various Artists | World Psychedelic Classics, Vol. 3: Love's a Real Thing | 6 80899 0052-2-7 | 2004 |
| Domenico + Two | Sincerely Hot | 6 80899 0053-2-6 | 2004 |
| Los Amigos Invisibles | The Venezuelan Zinga Son, Vol. 1 | 6 80899 0054-2-5 | 2004 |
| Zap Mama | Ancestry In Progress | 6 8089-90056-2 | 2004 |
| Zap Mama | Push It To The Max | 6 80899 5005-2-4 | 2006 |
| Tom Zé | Estudande O Pagode: Na Opereta Segregamulher E Amor | 6 8089-90062-2 | 2006 |
| Various Artists | Luaka Bop Remix | VVR1041052 | 2006 |
| Os Mutantes | Os Mutantes Live | 6 80899 0068-2-8 | 2007 |
| Various Artists | What's Happening In Pernambuco: New Sounds of the Brazilian Northeast | 6 80899 0065-2-1 | 2008 |
| Jim White | A Funny Little Cross To Bear Live (EP) | 6 80899 5016-2-0 | 2008 |
| Jim White | Transnormal Skiperoo | 6 80899 0069-2-7 | 2008 |
| Yonlu | A Society In Which No Tear Is Shed Is Inconceivably Mediocre | 6 80899 0070-2-3 | 2009 |
| Susana Baca | Seis Poemas | 6 80899 5017-2-9 | 2009 |
| Marcio Local | Says Don Dree Don Day Don Don: Adventures In Samba Soul | 6 80899 0071-2-2 | 2009 |
| The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! | I Love You I Love You I Love You and I’m In Love With You! Have an Awesome Day! | 6 80899 0073-2-0 | 2009 |
| Javelin | No Mas | 6 80899 0074-2-9 | 2010 |
| Kings Go Forth | The Outsiders Are Back | 6 80899 0075-2-8 | 2010 |
| Tom Zé | Studies of Tom Ze/Explaining Things So I Can Confuse You (box set) | 6 80899 8001-1-2 | 2010 |
| Tom Zé | Estudando A Bossa (Nordeste Plaza) | 6 80899 0072-2-1 | 2010 |
| Kings Go Forth | Don't Take My Shadow: The Tom Moulton Mixes (12") | 6 80899 4508-1-2 | 2010 |
| Javelin | "Coleridge" b/w "Colleagues" (7") | 6 80899 4511-1-6 | 2011 |
| Delicate Steve | "Butterfly" b/w "Albatross" (7") | 6 80899 4510-1-7 | 2011 |
| Delicate Steve | Wondervisions | 6 80899 0076-2-7 | 2011 |
| Susana Baca | Afrodiaspora | 6 80899 0077-2-6 | 2011 |
| Javelin | Canyon Candy | 6 80899 5019-1-0 | 2011 |
| Bright Moments | Natives | 6 80899 0078-2-6 | 2012 |
| Javelin | EP 1 & EP 2 | 6 80899 5020-3-0 | 2012 |
| Delicate Steve | Positive Force | 6 80899 0081-1-2 | 2012 |
| Janka Nabay & The Bubu Gang | En Yay Sah | 6 80899 0080-1-3 | 2012 |
| Tim Maia | World Psychedelic Classics 4: Nobody Can Live Forever – The Existential Soul of Tim Maia | 6 80899 0067-1-2 | 2012 |
| Javelin | Hi Beams | 6 80899 0082-1-1 | 2013 |
| Various Artists | Adventures in Afropea 3: Telling Stories to the Sea | 6 80899 0021-1-0 | 2013 |
| William Onyeabor | World Psychedelic Classics 5: Who is William Onyeabor? | 6 80899 0079-2-4 | 2013 |
| Doug Hream Blunt | My Name Is Doug Hream Blunt: Featuring the Hit "Gentle Persuasion" | 6 80899 0083-2-7 | 2015 |
| Floating Points | Elaenia | 6 80899 0085-2-5 | 2016 |
| Janka Nabay & The Bubu Gang | Build Music | 6 80899 0086-2-4 | 2017 |
| Floating Points | Reflections: Mojave Desert | LBOP5041 | 2017 |
References
- "Luaka Bop". Retrieved 2014-08-01. (official website)
- Interview with Yale Evelev, Dust and Grooves, August 2012
- "Welcome to Luaka Bop / Luaka History / The First Ten Years". Retrieved 2014-08-01.
