![]() NEW WORLD
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![]() AFRICA
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![]() OLD WORLD (inc Asia, Arabia) | ![]() African Discographies |
Greetings, Platterbugs!
Updated 1 July 2024New & WorthwhileNigerian Guitar Roots, the latest 2CD compilation from Yoshiki Fukasawa, who gave us Ghana and Congo comps, is available in Europe from Far Side music. Special Discount for readers of Muzikifan: at checkout enter the code "Nigeria" to get 15% discount (offer lasts until the end of July)New from Kokoko! "Butu" (on July 5; I think the bassist is channeling Joy Division) Carnatic violin and orchestra by Ganesh Rajagopalan Etrain de l'Air from Sahara announce 100% Sahara Guitar new music from Timbuktou "Lalla Haoua"by Asmaa Hamzaoui; her album available from Glitterhouse
via Ted Jaspers
via John Beadle reissue on budget vinyl of Les Filles de Illighadad from Niger: "At Pioneer Works" Afro-Colombia roots by Sexteto Hijos de Benkos Iranian movie music: Chess of the Wind by Sheida Gharachedaghi & Mohammad Reza Aslani
via Tony Pitt, old but neglected! (the music, not Tony)
Fifteen places to legally download music online (via Internet Archive) Coming soonAfrica Negra Antologia vol 2, all previously unreleased tracks! August 2Hunter's music from Mali: Tribute to Toumani Koné by Nfaly Diakite; there's also a video Real World Records found some unreleased Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan material in Peter Gabriel's closet: Chain of Light will come out in September
via Tony Pitt & also, Chicago Sound System, with Nicole Mitchell (flute) featuring Ballaké Sissoko (kora) On TourOkwy Osadebe and Highlife Soundmakers InternationalCal Plaza, Grand Performances, Down Town Los Angeles, California Sat 27 July 8 p.m. FREE Freight & Salvage Berkeley July 25 8 p.m. Ivorian singer Dobet Gnahoré (Joe's Pub, Jul 2; Freight & Salvage July 18) releases new video "Ayoka." Her new album "Zouzou" on Cumbancha is available on bandcamp. (Further out) Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas (Ghana) will tour USA, including UC Theatre, Berkeley on October 18 Emel Mathlouthi, revolutionary Tunisian-American singer-songwriter (Freight & Salvage Sept 8)
Videoa lovely topical song by Fred Kish "Alesi"; Congolese guitar at 78 rpm, from Matthew in the Jazz Bunker, which was part of his recent, unmissable Unboxing African 78s video
R.I.PMansour Seck, Malian singer/guitarist. Seen here on a memorable tour with Baaba Maal
Denyse Plummer, calypsonian from Trinidad
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KANKOU KOUYATE | ||||||||||||||||
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GABI GUEDES E PRADARRUM | ||||||||||||||||
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BAKARY KAMASO | ||||||||||||||||
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ORQUESTA OLIVIERI (Vampisoul VAMPI 301)The expression "low-rider soul" conjures up a lot of images — to do with hot summers in the city, car radios, bongos in the back, and much more. This album, a one-shot by a band and label who vanished as soon as they appeared in 1972, features a gem of the genre, "There's no other girl." It appeared as a single and then had organ overdubbed for the album to deepen the soul quotient, which pours out of the speakers with a smoky slow groove, the horns punctuating the laid-back groove, which has boogaloo backing the sweet vocals. Then we head to the first of three guaguancós, "Cuando llegué a Borinquen," which likewise balances bouncy percussion on timbales and congas with punchy horn lines. Bobby Marin was the producer and you'd think this would have taken off, but it was the time of the Fania revolution and many little labels came and went in their shadow. Alternating between ballads and driving, spiced-up tracks may not have pleased listeners who might have preferred grouping the hot tracks together. Who knows? The B side kicks off with a cha-cha-cha "María Isabel," which sounds dated. They cover "Tibiri tabara" and end with another soulful ballad, but I reckon it was their first single that clicked, and that will bring DJs to this disc. |
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Year to date(click on maps at the top of the page to get to continent of choice)
June 2024
Okwy Osadebe & his Highlife Soundmakers' Ifunanya is filed in Nigeria pt 3
May 2024
Les Belgicains is filed under Congo Classics part 2
April 2024
Franco & OK Jazz compilation from Les Editions Populaires is under Congo Classics 2
March 2024
Ngwaka Son Système with Iboto ngenge is filed in Congo part 4
February 2024
Afrika Muye Muye! Tanzanian Rumba 1968-70 is filed in Kenya/Tanzania part 3
January 2024
Mama Sissoko Live is filed in Mali part 6
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PAST TOP TENS BY YEAREssentially the best of this website in condensed form:
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MY BEST-SELLING BOOK!"Essential reference guide to the Congo guitar king" — SONGLINES 64 **** (four stars)"I do not know anybody who has such immense knowledge of African music. Congratulations." — Gerhard G (a purchaser) BACK IN PRINT (Second edition, November 2012)![]() A DISCOGRAPHY OF DOCTEUR NICO
Poltroon Press, 2012, expanded to 88 pages; list price $19.95. |
LETTERBOX
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CURRENT MOON |
all of the writing on this site is copyright © 2004-2024 by alastair m. johnstonYour comments are welcome. Or join the discussion on facebook If you are not already a subscriber, send me an e-mail to be notified of updates, or fill in the box above. Please note none of the music discussed on the site is for sale by me. Also we will not use or share your mailing address for purposes other than the monthly notification of updates. You can reach me at contact[at-sign]muzikifan[dot]com
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