The Ethiopiques series is an amazing series of re-issues of Ethiopian nightclub music from the 60's and 70's.
Something special was going on in Addis Ababa, in the swinging 60's and 70's. Ethiopian musicians were mixing American Soul, Funk, Jazz, R 'n B, and their own Ethiopian musicianship into a unique creation. The music is somehow familiar and exotic at the same time, most of the music features (at least to western ears) atypical, time signatures, scales, horn arrangements, and vocalizations. But the music is still swinging soul and funk ala, The Meters, James Brown, and Herbie Hancock. If you have any preconceived notions of "World" and "African" music, this CD will definitely challenge those ideas.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this as a starting point to anyone who's been curious about this series; it will blow you away and open your mind!