CD Suggestions
from Afro Hoosier Intl
March 25, 2001
At the request of several of our fans, we have selected our favorite
CDs available in the US, that should be musically accessible to
people new to African pop while giving a broad spectrum of styles. The
focus is on dance music (so, no Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Miriam Makeba,
etc.) Single-performer CDs seemed preferable to collections - but we
have included some collections that we like as well. And many wonderful
groups have no CDs of their own. For this list, we have divided the
music into a small number of very general styles for grouping purposes.
Now what if you can only buy a few CDs? Which should come first?
We suggest the ones marked with *.
CONGO STYLE
-
*Kwassa Kwassa (Kanda Bongoman) Rykodisc USA HNCD
1343 (1988) Many hot soukous hits recorded in Paris (Congolese). This
record has the marvelous Diblo Dibalo on lead guitar.
-
*Congolese Soukous. (various) An excellent selection of
recent Congolese dance tunes, by Rough Guide. RGNET 1050.
-
Sikinde (Mlimani Park Orch) Africassette
AC-9402 (1994) -A wonderful large band of 20-25 players from 1980-85.
The group is centered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania but the style has many
similarities to classic congolese style. Multiple vocalists, several
vocal groups, many horns, etc.
-
*Sangonini (Quatre Etoiles) Sterns Africa STCD 1049
(1993) Congo (Kinshasa) - 90s soukous; really catchy, danceable stuff.
Mike's favorite African CD.
-
Africa Worldwide (Tabu Ley `Rochereau') Rounder
CD-5039 (about 1990) Rerecordings of many of his outstanding hits since
the 60s. Great music. (Congo)
EAST AFRICAN STYLE
WEST AFRICA - WEST
Ne La Thiass (Cheikh Lo) Nonesuch 79471-2 (1996) -
quite accessible and typically Senegalese style
Amen (Salif Keita) Mango PSCD-1097 (1991) (Mali)
Great examples of Keita's fusion of Western pop and Malian styles.
Set (Youssou N'Dour) Virgin Records 2-91426
(1990) (Senegal) N'Dour's big band sound. Accessible to Westerners, but
with N'Dour's cool, very un-Western voice and the talking drum.
Baayo (Baaba Maal) Mango 162 539 907-2 (1991)
(Senegal) - He does Senegalese pop too, but this album is more
traditional-style Pulaar (Fulani) songs accompanied by acoustic guitar.
Original Sufferhead (Fela Kuti and the Africa 70)
WEST AFRICA - EAST
*Juju Music (King Sunny Ade) - his wonderful hit
record from the 70s. 162-539-712-2
Ghanaian music. We still need suggestions from Sam Obeng!
SOUTH AFRICA
*South African Rhythm Riot (various)
Stern's/Earthworks STEW38CD A great collection of modern pop sounds
mostly from the SA in the mid-90s. Very `modern' - several rap pieces,
but interesting stuff.
UNIQUES
African Marketplace (Dollar Brand) Discovery 71016
(1980). South Africa. - Early work by the composer and pianist (who
later became Abdullah Ibrahim). Sounds very much like New Orleans.
Bibiango (Tarika) Xenophile GLCD 4028 (1994)
Madagascar - One of Madagascar's best-known groups. Lots of vocal
harmonies Malagasy instruments.
*African Ambience (various). Shanachie (1999) An
excellent collection of dance classics from many areas of African - from
the '80s and '90s. In includes Thomas Mapfumo's `Nyoka Musango' that is
in the AHI repertoire and King Sunny Ade's `Ja Funmi'.
Soul Makossa (Manu Dibango) (Camaroun)