African Music

[kh1958]

 

[kh1958]

2025 was a good year for live African music for me, thanks entirely to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

The festival featured:

Afrobeat from Seun Kuti and Eygpt 80. 

Thrilling music from Senegal with the great Youssou N'Dour.

Intense Afro-rock from Benin International Musical.

North African/electronica fusion from Zar Electrik.

Hopefully 2026 will be equally fruitful (though the cancellation of Orchestra Baobab from 2026 Big Ears Festival bodes ill).

In the meantime, a short concert from Jupiter & Okwess..

 

[kh1958]

I left Etran de L'Air off my list of African concerts in 2025.

NOJHF 2025 featured:

Afrobeat from Seun Kuti and Eygpt 80. 

Thrilling music from Senegal with the great Youssou N'Dour.

Intense Afro-rock from Benin International Musical.

North African/electronica fusion from Zar Electrik.

Sahara desert blues from Etran de L'Air.

 

Some worthy African music releases from 2025:

Mulatu Astatke, Mutalu Plays Mulatu

WITCH, Sogolo

Ballake Sissoko, Vincent Segal, Emile Parisien, Vincent Pierani, Sou Kora

Jupiter & Okwess, Ekoya

Youssou N'Dour, Eclairer le Monde (Light the World)

Salif Keita, So Kono

Mdou Moctar, Tears of Injustice

Ballake Sissoko and Derek Gripper

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80, Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head)

Mulatu Astatke and Hoodna Orchestra, Tension

 

[Dub Modal]

I haven't seen Malian Mami Diarra mentioned in this thread. The young lady's singing is a force of nature. Here's the track Bagnaigo: 

 

[kh1958]

1 hour ago, Dub Modal said:

I haven't seen Malian Mami Diarra mentioned in this thread. The young lady's singing is a force of nature. Here's the track Bagnaigo: 

 

I like that; thank you. I could not find any recordings of this band in my usual sources, though.

[Dub Modal]

This album streams. First heard her on local radio recently and had no idea she was so young.