African Music

[king ubu]

yeah, but then I guess Britney found it terribly important to be seriously commercial in our rotten US (and yurpeen dependencies firmly in hand of US corporations) mainstream music world...

[Niko]

i just got out my sole cd of african music again and liked it a lot... i must admit i know next to nothing about african music... so, does anyone else like it? is this the real thing ? if not, what is (the real thing but in a similar vein if that question makes sense)?

Kaloum Star - Felenko

actually what i like even better than the cd is a cassette of that band at the Moers festival i taped off the radio in ca 1997...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

i just got out my sole cd of african music again and liked it a lot... i must admit i know next to nothing about african music... so, does anyone else like it? is this the real thing ? if not, what is (the real thing but in a similar vein if that question makes sense)?

Kaloum Star - Felenko

actually what i like even better than the cd is a cassette of that band at the Moers festival i taped off the radio in ca 1997...

Yes, Kaloum Star is the real stuff. It was the main Federal band for Conakry, the capital of Guinea Conakry. The band recorded first for Syliphone records in 1973. Made several singles which appeared on compilation LPs. I have one of their singles, "Maliba" on the "Discotheque '74" CD. It was one of only five of the Mandinke big bands to survive the death in 1983 of Sekou Toure (Guinean president), who had used these bands to foster a climate of opinion in which the Mandinke maintained a hegemony over the other tribes in Guinea.

I don't have that album "Felenko". If you like that band, you'll probably enjoy most of the other Mandinke big bands of the era. The big names are:

Bembeya Jazz National (later Bembeya Jazz)

Orchestre de la Pailote (later Keletigui et ses Tambourins)

Orchestre du Jardin de Guinee (later Balla et ses Balladins)

The Horoya Band

Camayenne Sofa (later Camayenne Sofa International)

Syli Authentic

Les Amazones de Guinee

All of these bands recorded for Syliphone, which was the Government record company. They were generally paid by the Government, too, and expected to promote the Party (PDG), which they did.

In Germany, I imagine it might not be impossible to find original Syliphone LPs. They are VERY sought after by collectors. Quite a few have been reissued on CD - one or two in Germany on the Popular African Music label. Syliphone records aren't sought after for their Deep Grooves but because the music was THE most innovative and the best that was being done anywhere in Africa at that time. Anything of anyone (with the exception of Mirim Makeba) on Syliphone is worth buying, whether it's a big band or a solo singer or whatever.

Here's a Syliphone discography. Graeme Counsel, the author, is doing a good deal of work with Sterns lately getting this stuff reissued (on compilations, unfortunately - no equivalents of OJC ).

http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Discographies/Syliphone.html

The Government of Mali also sponsored big bands. The best known Mandinke big band from Mali is Rail band. An offshoot, in Cote d'Ivoire, was les Ambassadeurs. But there are Bambara big bands that are just as good - Super Biton de Segou and Kene Star Sikasso are two I play a fair bit. The main label for this material, and it's small compared with Syliphone because the Malian Government doesn't seem to have had the same kind of agenda as Sekou Toure, is Mali Kunkan. Here's Graeme's discography of that label.

http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Discographies/Kunkan.html

MG

I should have mentioned that Syliphone 45s are also very sought after, because much material was only issued on 45.

[Niko]

i just got out my sole cd of african music again and liked it a lot... i must admit i know next to nothing about african music... so, does anyone else like it? is this the real thing ? if not, what is (the real thing but in a similar vein if that question makes sense)?

Kaloum Star - Felenko

actually what i like even better than the cd is a cassette of that band at the Moers festival i taped off the radio in ca 1997...

Yes, Kaloum Star is the real stuff. It was the main Federal band for Conakry, the capital of Guinea Conakry. The band recorded first for Syliphone records in 1973. Made several singles which appeared on compilation LPs. I have one of their singles, "Maliba" on the "Discotheque '74" CD. It was one of only five of the Mandinke big bands to survive the death in 1983 of Sekou Toure (Guinean president), who had used these bands to foster a climate of opinion in which the Mandinke maintained a hegemony over the other tribes in Guinea.

I don't have that album "Felenko". If you like that band, you'll probably enjoy most of the other Mandinke big bands of the era. The big names are:

Bembeya Jazz National (later Bembeya Jazz)

Orchestre de la Pailote (later Keletigui et ses Tambourins)

Orchestre du Jardin de Guinee (later Balla et ses Balladins)

The Horoya Band

Camayenne Sofa (later Camayenne Sofa International)

Syli Authentic

Les Amazones de Guinee

All of these bands recorded for Syliphone, which was the Government record company. They were generally paid by the Government, too, and expected to promote the Party (PDG), which they did.

In Germany, I imagine it might not be impossible to find original Syliphone LPs. They are VERY sought after by collectors. Quite a few have been reissued on CD - one or two in Germany on the Popular African Music label. Syliphone records aren't sought after for their Deep Grooves but because the music was THE most innovative and the best that was being done anywhere in Africa at that time. Anything of anyone (with the exception of Mirim Makeba) on Syliphone is worth buying, whether it's a big band or a solo singer or whatever.

Here's a Syliphone discography. Graeme Counsel, the author, is doing a good deal of work with Sterns lately getting this stuff reissued (on compilations, unfortunately - no equivalents of OJC ).

http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Discographies/Syliphone.html

The Government of Mali also sponsored big bands. The best known Mandinke big band from Mali is Rail band. An offshoot, in Cote d'Ivoire, was les Ambassadeurs. But there are Bambara big bands that are just as good - Super Biton de Segou and Kene Star Sikasso are two I play a fair bit. The main label for this material, and it's small compared with Syliphone because the Malian Government doesn't seem to have had the same kind of agenda as Sekou Toure, is Mali Kunkan. Here's Graeme's discography of that label.

http://www.radioafrica.com.au/Discographies/Kunkan.html

MG

wow thank you so much, this is the priceless answer i had hoped for! will do some exploring in the near future! (that kaloum star record i got when we still had a world music shop in town, i just said what i wanted and they had it in stock... but the internet has its advantages, too..)

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Syliphone material has been reissued on the Syllart, Bolibana, Dakar Sound, Popular African Music and Sterns labels, if you're looking for stuff on Amazon, Niko.

MG

[aparxa]

Enjoying the music of Ray Lema before his coming in the French Alps next week.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Have a good time. I have one Ray Lema album, from 1990, which I haven't played for some time. You've reminded me to dig it out.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Caiman just disgorged the newest album from Ivorien group Magic System.

I'm going to have a little walk into Tonyrefail, with it on the walkman. (Or maybe I'll be dancing into Ton...)

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I had a nice walk, very bouncy!

Very interesting album in many ways. As the group has become more popular, many of the tracks have had a pounding bass or bass drum playing on the beat, as if to make it clear to all the white people where the beat is. And there is a bit more Zouk in this than before. So these are the bad points about this.

On the other hand, the vocals are even denser, and more anthemic, than ever with an exultant joy conveyed by the way the group voices - and their multiple tracking until they are a huge choir - are arranged; not quite harmoniously, because I doubt that they're using our scales.

And there are a couple of very experimental tracks in which there are attempts to incorporate the broken beat ideas being worked on by some London DJs into Zouglou mid-paced 6/8 rhythms. Unfortunately, these experiments have involved the beat, particularly its broken elements, being adhered to rigidly, thus losing the flow and inspiration that their music has had in the past. This is very disappointing for me, because I can almost imagine how this idea could work and be glorious. But in popular music these days, even a failed experiment is worth a hell of a lot.

So this is an album on the edge - and pulled into the past as well as into the future. Sure is interesting to listen to!

MG

[WorldB3]

An old friend I haven't seen a long time just gave me this. Its been on constant rotation all week. I was never a big Trilok Gutu fan (he can be great but also very mechanical at times) but this is some the prettiest stuff I have ever heard in my life.

Farakala - Trilok Gurtu & Frikyiwa Family

From Amazon:

Recorded in southern Mali in the village of Farakala, Trilok Gurtu’s new album is a unique and surprising production. Having explored for some time the similarities between Indian and African music, this is the first time that he has actually recorded in the sub-Saharan bush. The result is a subtle and deep Afro-Indian combination arrived at through combining south-Malian percussive styles with the rhythmic influences of his own Indian heritage. The originality of tracks like "Santour", "Di Blues", "Dougoukolo", and "Roots No Fruits" testify to the success of this mix.

Edited January 30, 2008 by WorldB3

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

An old friend I haven't seen a long time just gave me this. Its been on constant rotation all week. I was never a big Trilok Gutu fan (he can be great but also very mechanical at times) but this is some the prettiest stuff I have ever heard in my life.

Farakala - Trilok Gurtu & Frikyiwa Family

From Amazon:

Recorded in southern Mali in the village of Farakala, Trilok Gurtu’s new album is a unique and surprising production. Having explored for some time the similarities between Indian and African music, this is the first time that he has actually recorded in the sub-Saharan bush. The result is a subtle and deep Afro-Indian combination arrived at through combining south-Malian percussive styles with the rhythmic influences of his own Indian heritage. The originality of tracks like "Santour", "Di Blues", "Dougoukolo", and "Roots No Fruits" testify to the success of this mix.

I've not interested myself in Gurtu either. But this looks like a possible. What label is it on?

MG

[seeline]

Looks like it's on Frikyiwa (just a wild guess, MG ).

[jostber]

Here are some classic African records that I have not seen mentioned yet:

Put this on and you'll heart will be moved. Ali Farke Toure and Toumani Diabate do the Kora.

and Cheikh Lo:

Just great! "Senegal-Brasil" will move your party!

Salif Keita:

That voice on "Laban" is really something.

Edited January 30, 2008 by jostber

[WorldB3]

Here are some classic African records that I have not seen mentioned yet:

Put this on and you'll heart will be moved. Ali Farke Toure and Toumani Diabate do the Kora.

and Cheikh Lo:

That has been on my list for a long time. I will pick that up soon. Thanks.

[jimi089]

Just bought this one, as well as Toumani Diabate/Baba Sissoko New Ancient Strings, and Toumani's Boulevard de l'Independance. Looking forward to some good listening.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

"New Ancient strings" is wonderful. Have you got the original? It's by Batrou Sekou Kouyate (the main player), Toumani's father and Djeli Moussa's (he's not Baba) father, with N'Fa Diabate? Also a wonderful album, reissued on CD on Buda (with a couple of bonus cuts from another LP).

MG

[jimi089]

I don't have the original but now that I know it exists I will add it to my list. Thanks for letting me know!

-D.

[analogak]

Fela tracks do often have a certain similarity to each other, but then so do a lot of hard bop jazz tracks. If I never got to hear another Fela cut my life would be much the poorer, and I've heard a ton of them.

if i never hear another hard bop track, i will be OK too!

[seeline]

Here's some info. (in French only, but with links) about Cordes Anciennes, the disc MG mentioned a few posts back. It's on a French label, Buda Musique - info. here.

EDIT: English translation at this link.

If you like kora music, you might want to check out David Gilden's Cora Connections site. He has lots of great info., and he sells a lot of rare and hard-to-find recordings. (I don't know him personally, and I'm not trying to push his store over others - but the titles he's got cover a *lot* of ground, from traditional griot music to more contemporary explorations of the instrument and its possibilities.)

Edited February 2, 2008 by seeline

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Here's some info. (in French only, but with links) about Cordes Anciennes, the disc MG mentioned a few posts back. It's on a French label, Buda Musique - info. here.

What's in the link is the sleeve notes to the CD. Actually, the notes are bilingual and very interesting.

MG

[seeline]

[What's in the link is the sleeve notes to the CD. Actually, the notes are bilingual and very interesting.

MG

You beat me to the punch! I've got the CD, too, but it was *very* late here and.... I clearly didn't do any doublechecking.

Edit: Click for English translation of liners,

Edited February 2, 2008 by seeline

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I've been discovering Hiplife music - new stuff from Ghana this afternoon. Thought I'd start a separate thread.

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...c=39361&hl=

MG

[jostber]

Another great record by Ballake Sissoko:

[jimi089]

Listening to In The Heart of the Moon now. It really is a beautiful record.

[John L]

This thread is great. I checked out Ba Cissoko and Tinariwen for the first time based on recommendations here. Beautiful stuff! Thanks!

Among older African pop, one of my favorites has always been Doctor Nico from Nigeria. I find the pure melodic beauty of his guitar to always be extraordinary.