Djali Madi Tounkara & Rail Band du Mali (1979)

(Kosmo KS230).

This tape is a senegalese 1983 reedition of a rare malian LP released in 1979 by Disco Stock (DS7918).

Yusef Lateef in Nigeria (African tradition + jazz experiment, 1983)

(Landmark LLP-502).

Flute and tenor sax player Yusef Lateef (1920-2013) just passed away, so here's a post dedicated to this real sound explorer (before being a jazzman), who integrated eastern or african influences in many of his recordings. Famous for his deep, free and spiritual music all along the 60's and 70's in the US, he also directly enriched his open-minded approach spending years in Nigeria in the early 80's.

Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister - Erin Goke (Fuji music, 1987)

(Omo Aje, OLPS1338).

Fuji is a kind of smooth transe music...

Presence Africaine Catalogue (1980)

Here's a particular Muzzicaltrips post for book diggers and african literature lovers... Just to have an idea on what was Presence Africaine catalogue in 1980. This Paris-based editor has been since its creation by Alioune Diop in 1947, a real amplifier for african and diasporic written forms of expression, novels poetry, or essays.

This booklet proposes list of titles, list of 2nd hand books, list of authors, list by theme and list of librairies in Africa where you can find Presence Africaine books. A very interesting document for research and to discover new authors, as many titles have not been reedited.

The book store still exists, and always great books to find.

Discover Ahmadou Kourouma's Suns of Independences here.

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyate and David Neerman (Afrojazz, 2012)

Kouyate-Neerman, Palmwine Mandingo Party, Nuits Sonores 2012.

This unique musical experience is based on a duo: Kouyate, balafon player from Kangaba in Mali, and Neerman a french vibraphone player. More than a cultural meeting, the dialogue between this two cousin instruments is here pretext to creative explorations in rhythm and melody. Taking roots in both jazz and mandingo tradition, the created atmosphere is definitely modern: although recorded in an analog studio, the second album integrates the balafon with breaks and vibraphone effects research. The title "Skycrapers and Deities" reflects perfectly the approach, linking up modernism and tradition, concrete and mysticism, human and god. 

Dikongue-Pipa - Muna Moto (Cameroon, OST from 1975 masterpiece)

A small budget movie imposes to be creative, and few dialogues can reinforce power of images (and sound).

L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International (2 LPs recorded in Abidjan, 1979)

(Sacodis LS-24).

(Sacodis LS-25).

Ahmadou Kourouma - Les Soleils des Independances (1970)

A special post for this record, taking part of a valuable RFI collection focussed on black literature. Ivorian writer Ahmadou Kourouma (+2003) explains his approach and background, particularly on one of his most famous novel published in 1968: The Suns of Independences, which corresponds to this confused post-colonial period where many changes took place but also many disillusions appeared.

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and his international brothers (Juju music, 1972)

(DECCA WAP38).

Juju music takes his roots in Yoruba secular rhythms, adding electric guitar to the talking drum. It became popular in Nigeria from the 50s and is rather related to nigerian christians (in parelel to Fuji music more in muslim environnement). It was performed live in "ariya" (ceremonies to celebrate weddings, birthdays, funerals...) but also for wealthy audiences in the hotels as modernized style of the time.

Balla Onivogui - Paulette (Orchestra Balla et ses Balladins from Guinea, 1980)

(Syliphone SLP75).

To recall Balla Onivogui's memory who left us few time ago (march 2011), lets share one of Balla et ses Balladins late LP from 1980.

Cora Funk (Fred Wesley and Lamine Conte, 1978)

(Eboni ER-00005).

The introduction of cora and djembe in an american disco-funk production is not always easy to achieve coherently, but here the blend of influences works pretty well, with strong african influence, thanks to top class musicians involved:

Francis Bebey - Africa Sanza (Cameroon, 1982)

(OZIL 3312).

Guitar player, singer, composer, writter... Francis Bebey (1929-2001) takes a trip back here to the roots of his african music, playing only sanza (instrument on the picture), flutes and drums on this album. Although, exploring these traditional patterns allows him to produce universal sounds, which was one of Francis Bebey aspirations.

Jazz et Vin de Palme - Emmanuel Dongala (1982)

Jazz et Vin de palme (Jazz and Palm wine) is composed by 8 novels from congolese writter Emmanuel Dongala who lived in the US during the 60s.

Unidentified "jungle sax jam" recordings from Casamance (Senegal, 2000s)

Spending entire afternoons listening to music in small music shops, you can sometime fall into crazy sounds that even the guy from the shop is not able to name. This track comes from one of these CDs...

Les Espoirs de Coronthie (Tradition and modernity in Guinea, 2010)

I had opportunity to meet Les Espoirs de Coronthie last week as they were having a concert at Satellit Café (Paris).

Francis Bebey - La Condition Masculine (Cameroon, 1975)

(Disque F.Bebey 17FB756).

Here is an UFO from the 70's, amazing keyboard, incredible lyrics dealing with the impact of feminist ideas on evolution of man/woman daily relation. In a humorous way, Cameroon's pluri-artist Francis Bebey here talks about his "oppressed male condition".