'Afro-Exotica' percussionist/vocalist Chaino
(pronounced “Cha-EE-no”) was born Leon Johnson in Chicago, Illinois in 1927.
As a bongo-playing nightclub performer in the 1950s, he encountered record producer Kirby Allan, who sought to make records capturing the feel of traditional African rhythms he'd heard while visiting Kenya.
- Follow link to Space Age Pop.Com for a Chaino bio page.
- Follow link to the liner notes from Chaino's 'Jungle Echoes' LP
for some of the 'Tarzan in Reverse' version of his bio that was presented to the press.
Beginning in 1958, Chaino and Allan recorded a series of albums that were released in rapid succession by different labels.
The tracks on the 45 posted here appeared on the '59 'Africana' LP, but it looks like they were left off of Chaino CD reissues.
Listen to:
Chaino - Afro Cha Cha
(Terra Records 45, circa 1959)
(click for audio)
Listen to:
Chaino - Congo Serenade
(Terra Records 45, circa 1959)
(click for audio)
See also:
- Bio, discography and more at Kirby Allan's Exotica & Beyond.
- Chaino listed at AllMusic.Com
- Stills and audio from Chaino's appearance in the 1961
horror film 'Night Tide', at Dwrayger Dungeon's Music From
The Monster Movies site.
- As of this writing, music from Chaino's
'New Sounds in Rock & Roll' is available at Xtabays World.
- More music from Chaino can be found at Last.fm.
'Afro-Exotica' percussionist/vocalist Chaino
