Howard Roberts – Lord Shango on vinyl LP. Played once, near mint, RSD reissue. Rare 1972 funk-soul soundtrack. Ships from Germany.
About Lord Shango
A limited Record Store Day reissue of a rare and unusual 1972 conceptual funk-soul-jazz soundtrack, unlike anything else from its era.
Lord Shango is the original motion picture soundtrack composed and conducted by Howard Roberts for the 1975 film of the same name, though the recordings themselves date from 1972. Blending gospel, African drumming and jazz-funk to reflect the film’s distinct settings, the soundtrack stood apart from the sex and violence-driven scores typical of the Blaxploitation era. This listing is a played-once, near mint Record Store Day reissue pressing from a Berlin based eBay seller.
- Who was Howard Roberts
- About Lord Shango
- What makes this soundtrack distinctive
- Pressing details and buying advice
In Brief
- Composer Howard Roberts was an American trumpeter, singer, composer and conductor who worked with Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Aretha Franklin.
- Film Lord Shango was a 1975 supernatural drama that stood apart from typical Blaxploitation films of the era in tone and subject matter.
- Sound Three distinct musical styles run throughout: gospel around the church setting, African drumming in the Yoruba village, and jazz-funk in the real world scenes.
- Rarity A genuinely rare, hard to find soundtrack, reissued via Record Store Day after decades out of print.
- This copy Played once, near mint condition, includes OBI strip and inner sleeve, shipped from Berlin, Germany.
Howard Roberts – Lord Shango (LP, RSD, Ltd, Reissue, Near Mint)
Limited RSD reissue vinyl LP, includes OBI and inner sleeve
Played once, near mint condition Record Store Day reissue of Lord Shango, including OBI strip and inner sleeve, sold by a Berlin based eBay seller with 100% positive feedback.
Pressing Specifications
Who Was Howard Roberts?
This Howard Roberts is not to be confused with the famous Los Angeles jazz guitarist of the same name; this Roberts was an accomplished trumpeter, singer, composer and conductor best known for choral records blending easy listening and soul, and for his work as a session and arranging collaborator with artists including Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Aretha Franklin. His 1968 album Let My People Go, which set traditional African-American spirituals to African percussion, served as a direct creative precursor to the approach he would later bring to Lord Shango.
About Lord Shango
Lord Shango was a 1975 supernatural drama that, unlike many films of the Blaxploitation era, leaned toward contemplative and spiritual themes rather than crime and violence. Roberts built the soundtrack around three distinct musical worlds mirroring the film's settings: gospel choirs and doo-wop backings around the church, hypnotic Yoruba drumming and call-and-response chants in the African village scenes, and jazz, R&B and funk in the film's real world sequences. Contributors included Gospel All Stars member Ella Mitchell, percussionist Chief Bey, and free jazz drummer Milford Graves, who supervised the African drumming, reportedly performed by a pair of African priests. Long out of print and difficult to find, the soundtrack has since become a prized rarity among soundtrack and deep funk collectors, eventually reissued via Record Store Day.
- Near mint condition, played only once, includes OBI and inner sleeve
- A genuinely rare and hard to find soundtrack finally reissued
- Distinctive blend of gospel, African percussion and jazz-funk
- Features notable contributors including Milford Graves and Ella Mitchell
- Used copy, not sealed
- Stylistically varied across the record, which won’t suit listeners wanting a single consistent sound
- Fixed shipping cost from Germany
What is Lord Shango by Howard Roberts?
It is the soundtrack to the 1975 supernatural drama Lord Shango, blending gospel, African drumming and jazz-funk, recorded in 1972.
Is this vinyl copy new or used?
The listing describes this copy as played once and near mint (NM or M-), including the OBI strip and inner sleeve.
Is this the famous jazz guitarist Howard Roberts?
No, this is a different musician, a trumpeter, singer and composer known for choral and soul records, not the well known LA jazz guitarist of the same name.
Why is this soundtrack considered unusual for its era?
Lord Shango took on spiritual and contemplative themes rather than the crime and violence typical of Blaxploitation films, and its soundtrack reflects that variety across gospel, African percussion and jazz-funk.
Does this listing ship outside Germany?
The seller is based in Berlin and lists a fixed shipping cost; check the current listing for up to date international shipping options and rates.
Where To Buy This Pressing
The Verdict
- A genuinely rare and stylistically distinctive Blaxploitation-era soundtrack
- Near mint Record Store Day reissue, played only once
- Best suited to soundtrack and deep funk collectors
Lord Shango remains one of the more unusual and sought-after soundtracks of its era, and this listing offers a near mint RSD reissue from a highly rated German seller.