African Music

[Van Basten II]

Interesting indeed Found a site that seels it cheap without going gimmicky

http://www.systemrec...-p-1048028.html

Also Amazon Canada sells it 74 $ but they are out of stock

Edited August 15, 2010 by Van Basten II

[Chalupa]

Tracey's African music recordings now on display

JOHANNESBURG – Hugh Tracey came to southern Africa in the 1920s to become a tobacco farmer but ended up compiling the largest known archive of traditional African music, recording performers from Congo to Zimbabwe over nearly five decades.

Now hundreds of CDs featuring Tracey's recordings are on exhibition in South Africa along with traditional instruments he collected from across the continent, from Malawian gourd resonators to ingalaba drums played in Uganda.

The Hugh Tracey archives are a valuable resource that could contribute to dignity and restoration of African culture, said Luvuyo Dontsa, an arts and culture professor at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa.

"White colonialists saw our music as being heathen and they tried to kill it because they did not understand our culture. The recordings of Hugh Tracey are a valuable resource that could explain the missing parts of our culture," says Dontsa.

More...

[John B]

Not sure if he's been mentioned yet, but I'm a big fan of Bambino (sometimes "Bombino" on records). His output is pretty diverse; here are a few samples:

I've heard that he signed with the Cumbancha label (located in Vermont) and will have a new album out next summer. It's also likely that a U.S. tour will follow.

I'm really hoping that comes to pass as his album on Sublime Frequencies is excellent.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

seems Analog Africa has another:

ANGOLA Soundtrack

[Van Basten II]

Most of you were probably aware of it but Amazon UK sells a bunch of Fela Kuti's album in one big boxset, too bad did not know about it, when the Pound was taking a pounding

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0042FXINK/ref=s9_newr_gw_ir03?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1S7DBJQR5ZSRPYF8HWZW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

[Alexander Hawkins]

Just discovered this - some Brotherhood I'd never heard before...beautiful!

[Van Basten II]

Did you all catch this?

Ordered it for 74 $, should receive it before Christmas.

[Van Basten II]

Did you all catch this?

Ordered it for 74 $, should receive it before Christmas.

Still waiting for it

Meanwhile digging this baby real good:cool:

[Van Basten II]

Found this at the used CD store among other titles of this series, I've noticed you can find them at abordable prices on Amazon

Can't say yet about the other titles but this was terrific music , some old Youssour N'Dour with his band prior he became a solo star, they seem to have really digged up some rare quality stuff , sound is a bit uneven but that's a minor problem. Can't wait to pick up the others.

Here's the track list.

Disc: 1 1. STAR NUMBER ONE: Faran Tamba (4:38) 2. XALAM: Daïda (7:27) 3. SUPER DIAMONO DE DAKAR: Maaduleen (4:50) 4. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: Nijaay (3:38) 5. STAR BAND DE DAKAR: Guethe (4:49) 6. STAR NUMBER ONE: Senegal Jambar (6:10) 7. GUELAWAR: Relen te Contan (8:31) 8. WATTO SIITA: Jambar (4:22) 9. STAR NUMBER ONE: Suma Dom Ji (5:27) 10. ETOILE DE DAKAR: Tolou Badou Ndiaye (6:58) 11. STAR BAND DE DAKAR: Gossando (4:55) 12. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: Sey (5:26) 13. ETOILE DE DAKAR: Footane (6:59) Disc: 2 1. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: Xarit (6:19) 2. STAR BAND DE DAKAR: Senegambia (5:38) 3. STAR NUMBER ONE: Mory (7:51) 4. N'GUEWEL: Xadim (4:56) 5. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: Kelen Ati (3:38) 6. IFANG BONDI: Xalel Dey Mag (4:54) 7. OUZA: Sénégal 80 (6:28) 8. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: Juana (5:07) 9. ETOILE DE DAKAR: Hombre Misteriosoy (4:33) 10. ETOILE 2000: Boubou Ngary (6:46) 11. DIARAMA DE ST LOUIS: Xaste Waroul (8:42) 12. STAR NUMBER ONE: Kery Goro (3:58) 13. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB: El Carretero (5:24)

Edited January 17, 2011 by Van Basten II

[Chalupa]

Did you all catch this?

Ordered it for 74 $, should receive it before Christmas.

Still waiting for it

Meanwhile digging this baby real good:cool:

I've been trying to score that on vinyl w/ the extra tracks.

Have you heard this one?

[Van Basten II]

Nope, looks tasty though.

Here's a bit of info Like most stories involving aliens this one seems, well, made up. For a few years in the late 60's to early 70's worlds collided and aliens walked among us. And made music. Psycho African Beat is the complete recorded output of this amazing group and their unprecedented music that combined elements of American soul, funk, garage rock and psych with African rhythms and melodies. This magical moment lasted for 3 short years producing only 3 releases: 1 - 4 song EP + 2 - 7"s. Today, these 3 original releases are the most sought after and most elusive African funk records. It took Frank Gossner (Voodoofunk.com, Soulpusher, DJ Franco) 4 years, 9 visits to Ghana, and dozens of newspaper ads and radio announcements to track them down.

Found a favorable review here http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6102

[Van Basten II]

Still African music but way less groovy but still with great rhythm , there will be probably unfair and uninformed comparaisons to Cesaria Evora, they are a lot of differences between them, they called this style of music maloya which is one of the main musical styles of La Réunion , although what she offers may be a slicker version of this music. Still fascinating to listen.

http://www.myspace.com/salemtradition

[kh1958]

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe and His Nigerian Soundmakers--Sound Time.

Prior attempts to appreciate Nigerian music/highlife has failed for me; this fine anthology, recorded from 1970-85, ends that drought. It appears to be out of print though.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AREW/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0MER1Q3PP0RY07ER7DV8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

[seeline]

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe and His Nigerian Soundmakers--Sound Time.

Prior attempts to appreciate Nigerian music/highlife has failed for me; this fine anthology, recorded from 1970-85, ends that drought. It appears to be out of print though.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005AREW/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0MER1Q3PP0RY07ER7DV8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

This is a fave of mine - kinda old school, I think. (As far as I'm aware, that is...)

Have you tried listening to any Ghanian highlife - E.T. Mensah, for one? The style started in Ghana; their version is a lot mellower than the Nigerian version, I think.

Also: http://highlifeturntable.blogspot.com/

This blogger really knows his stuff!

Edited January 23, 2011 by seeline

[kh1958]

E.T. Mensah? No but I've put him on my list. Thanks.

[seeline]

De nada - I've come to like a lot of older Ghanian pop music over the past couple of years, and Mensah is a favorite. (Also a pioneer of the style.)

Retroafric has a couple of nice comps of his recordings...

Edited January 24, 2011 by seeline

[kh1958]

Did you all catch this?

Ordered it for 74 $, should receive it before Christmas.

Still waiting for it

Meanwhile digging this baby real good:cool:

I'm really enjoying this one. Amazing. The question is, where to next--this Soundway compilation perhaps? Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro-Sounds: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WM8IAU/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3I8R29Q3FV3P6

Edited January 29, 2011 by kh1958

[Chalupa]

Hmmmm......

I own quite a bit of albums issued by the Mississippi Records label.

http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Classics/Kayes.html

[riverrat]

....where to next--this Soundway compilation perhaps? Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro-Sounds: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WM8IAU/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3I8R29Q3FV3P6

IMO that one is the best of the three similarly named releases in the series. But the other two are worth hearing, for sure.

[kh1958]

....where to next--this Soundway compilation perhaps? Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife Afro-Sounds: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WM8IAU/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A3I8R29Q3FV3P6

IMO that one is the best of the three similarly named releases in the series. But the other two are worth hearing, for sure.

I ordered Modern Highlife Afro Sounds Nigerian Blues, it arrived today, and I'm liking the first disc just as much as the other compilation.

[kh1958]

I'm really impressed with the CDs from Kanaga Systems Krush, a small label based in California dedicated to contemporary music from Mali.

http://systemkrush.com/store/index.php

Only nine CDs in their catalog, but the three I've heard so far are stellar.

This morning, listening to Madou Sidiki Diabate, Traditional Kora Music from Mali. Wow--what a stunning and beautiful recording.

The label also has two recent releases from Lobi Traore, an acoustic CD (two guitars, with percussion on some tracks), and an electric band (Raw Electric Blues from Bamako)--both are fantastic records.

On order now, Zani Diabate.

[seeline]

I'm really impressed with the CDs from Kanaga Systems Krush, a small label based in California dedicated to contemporary music from Mali.

http://systemkrush.com/store/index.php

Only nine CDs in their catalog, but the three I've heard so far are stellar.

This morning, listening to Madou Sidiki Diabate, Traditional Kora Music from Mali. Wow--what a stunning and beautiful recording.

The label also has two recent releases from Lobi Traore, an acoustic CD (two guitars, with percussion on some tracks), and an electric band (Raw Electric Blues from Bamako)--both are fantastic records.

On order now, Zani Diabate.

They're doing a great job - to date, I'm mostly familiar with their ensemble percussion albums (for me to learn from), but I love both Lobi Traore (who died far too young, last year) and Zani Diabate, so I'll be ordering those discs in due course. (Interesting that Lobi's session for them is acoustic, since he mostly played electric on gigs.)

There's some fine material on Lobi in Banning Eyre's book In Griot Time (out of print, but you can get it from Banning directly at http://www.banningeyre.com/pages/igt_index.html ).

[kh1958]

There's another acoustic Lobi Traore recording, which may be his last recording. It's a solo recording--he thought the label was going to record his electric band but it was a misunderstanding--as a compromise, he was recorded solo--it's also a wonderful record--Rainy Season Blues (Glitterhouse). The liner notes give a poignant taste of his life--his eagerness/desperation to record his music--after recording this album in a single sitting--he left to perform at a wedding--then a midnight/all night engagement with his electric band at a local club.

[seeline]

Wow, didn't know that - thanks for the info.!

There are lots of videos of him on Youtube, touring with a European blues guitarist. That's not really my cuppa.

[A Lark Ascending]

There's some fine material on Lobi in Banning Eyre's book In Griot Time (out of print, but you can get it from Banning directly at http://www.banningeyre.com/pages/igt_index.html ).

That's a fine book. Read it a few years back on Seeline's recommendation. Only just got it back after lending it to my sister who took it to Zambia with her for a few years! Will read it again.