Centrafrique Musique Gbaya/Chants a Penser (Ocora 558524) Central African Empire

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Centrafrique Musique Gbaya/Chants a Penser (Ocora 558524) Central African Empire field recordings

Performed by Etienne and Raymond Doko, Martin Kayo, Pascal Minang, Daniel Ngadike, Etienne Ngbozo, Joseph Samba, Martine Senouane, Aron Singa, and Robert Tarapai.

Recorded, in Ndongue, Kpokorta, and Galo, Central African Empire, in february and march 1977.
President Bokassa declared himself emperor in 1976, changing the country's name from Republic to Empire.

This Issue: Front cover has Ocora's classic black, shiny surface. Album title in white letters, on two lines, above photo of wall with handprints. Left corner, on two lines: "Musiques traditionelles vivantes" and "l. Musique du tradition orale." Right corner has Ocora logo in grey and white.
Inside gatefold, left side: mostly french text (by Vincent Dehoux) with photo of three musicians. Right side: english text with photo of Aron Singa.

Back cover, also shiny, has white background with four columns. Most of first two have french text; photo of Etienne Ngbozo takes up nearly bottom half of second and third columns. Rest of back has track list, recording date and location, all production information, and translation credits.

Upper-right corner, on two lines: "558 524" and "HM 54". Lower-right corner, on three lines: "(P) Juillet 1978, Paris.", "(P) Reedition Decembre 1980, Paris.", and "(P) Reedition Aout 1985, Paris." At very bottom: Radio France and Harmonia Mundi logos.

Center Labels and Runouts: ?Grey background with blue-and-white Ocora logo around center hole. All text in black letters. At very top, upside down: "MADE IN FRANCE". Then, just underneath, on three lines: "558.524", "33 T. STEREO", and "FACE A" (or "B"). Left of hole: "(P) 1977". Below hole, in large letters: "EMPIRE CENTRAFRICAINE". Below that: album title, then recording credit and, then, track list. Statement of rights/restrictions in circle around perimeter.

?Side A: [stamped] 558524 A T1 L Side B: [stamped] 558524 [crossed out]BX T1 L

Condition of Record: NM. No spindle wear or other marks of any kind. Record is very clean; played twice.
Condition of Cover: Front still has great sheen but, even with gentle wiping, faint smudges and short score lines can be detected if cover tilted. (I love European covers for their smooth surfaces, but they do reveal smudges.)

No marks or wear; photo of handprints great. One (less than half-inch) chip at top-right corner. Back cover has no smudges or other marks. Small price sticker, upper-right corner, carefully removed, left a rough spot. Spine perfect, open-end edges of gatefold also fine. No bumped corners; no shelfwear on horizontal edges (another advantage of shiny covers).

I'm the original owner of the record. I have carefully kept it stored upright on a shelf, away from sunlight, in its original plastic-lined paper sleeve and cover.

I'm an independent seller divesting his own record collection. I'm not selling from a store or warehouse, with multiple copies of titles, or on behalf of a professional collector.

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N A record known to have never been played. A CD that has never been removed from its jewel case.

NM A record or CD known or assumed to have been played. LP may have a surface fingerprint smudge or other minor blemish; it may have slight spindle wear. CD might have been played, but it and its booklet, and its case (or box), show little if any wear. Otherwise, item appears same as N in all respects.
VG++ More handling marks than on NM but should play like new. VG+ Some wear may affect play or there may be a few minor blemishes.
VG More than a few blemishes; may have a scratch. If so, will be described in detail.