MetaFilter posts tagged with Africa and music

Love, sayang, pyaar, bhalo bashi, amore...

divabat — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:54:49 -0800

All you need is love - from 156 countries, all at the same time. Join in the chorus; each video leads to a 5-cent donation from Starbucks to the RED Global Fund for AIDS in Africa.

The Ultimate Dr. Sir Warrior

ocherdraco — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:37:40 -0800

Forty years ago, just after the Biafran War, Nigeria was home to a cultural boom that paralleled its skyrocketing oil revenues. These heady days not only produced afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, but also, in the genre of music called highlife, created a star known as the Ultimate Dr. Sir Warrior (born Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna) a member of the nebulous Oriental Brothers International Band. Listen to the music of Dr. Sir Warrior and the Oriental Brothers International Band. Warrior's popularity rose as the boom ended and Nigeria's troubles increased, inspiring devotion which hasn't faded:

once I was in Ghana and in the cab I boarded I was surprised that the music of my favourite musician, Warrior was playing, so surprisingly I inquired on the cab driver, a Ghanaian if he understood the language of the lyrics, the driver who never stopped moving his head for once in response to music said no but he was told that the man is advocating for peace and orderliness to return to the world. The man looked at me again and inquired from me on the availability of the Great Sir Warrior; my response as I danced to the music of warrior was that he had died long ago. The Ghanaian looked at me with a grief and surprise and asked me when, as I drew closer to my point of destination, I began to imagine just how I could miss hearing the music of Warrior with which I had been thrilled, but I had no option than to set-down, so I did, leaving the rest of the passengers to continue to derive pleasure from warrior’s fine tune.

Sir Warrior was a musical prodigy, who started at age 11 in an ensemble of Ese singers who accompanied traditional Igbo drum music. Highlife, the genre he's most associated with, developed in Ghana in the late 1940s, in the years leading up to its independence in 1957. It derives its name from the nightclubs that originally catered to the European upper class but that were beginning, with the end of colonialism, to cater to an African clientele.

'We urgently wanted an indigenous rhythm to replace the fading foreign music of waltz, rumba, etc,' [\[Ghanaian highlife pioneer E. T.] Mensah told the writer and highlife archivist, John Collins.* 'We evolved a music relying on basic African rhythms. A criss-cross African cultural sound, so to speak. No one can really lay claim to its creation. It had always been there, entrenched in West African culture.'

Though it started in Ghana, highlife spread across West Africa through the fifties and sixties. Dr. Sir Warrior's brand of highlife took the guitar-driven music and combined it with traditional Igbo proverbs, making it a distinctly Igbo form.

The James Koetting Ghana Field Recordings

Kattullus — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:01:28 -0800

The James Koetting Ghana Field Recordings has 142 reels of Ghanaian music, almost all of which have more than one track, collected by ethnomusicologist James Koetting. There is a glossary of musical terms should you want to know a bit more about Ghanaian music and Koetting's notebooks should you want to know a whole lot more. All the music is wonderful but here are a few that stood out to me. Here are two tracks featuring postal workers whistling over a rhythm beat with scissors and stampers. Flute and drum ensemble. Brass band blues. And finally, twenty teenage girls singing over some nice rhythms. [requires RealPlayer]

Alekpehanhou, and the funky moves he inspires

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:36:54 -0800

Just in case you were wondering, yes, indeed, it is the people who dance to Zinli music in Benin who have the coolest, freshest dance moves on the planet. Once you get past the extended a cappella intro, and that delicious slow groove kicks in at the 3:26 minute mark, this video will treat you to some of the most undulating funky moves EVAR. Now, whether you wanna try some of these gyrations yourself, or whether you just dig a nice, slow, cooly percolating West African groove for listening, go here for more from singer Alekpehanhou the "Roi du Zinli Rénové". More clips from Alekpehanhou: agbon hou agbon mi no ko di hèss Awo mèwito

Joyous juju from the king

madamjujujive — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:45:26 -0800

Me Le Se and Dance Medley - live clips of King Sunny Ade and his African Beats in Seattle last month just before being inducted into the AfroPop Hall of Fame. More clips from the show ... More clips from KEXP: Iyi Ti Odidere Ni Oluwa No'o Jeun Kan / Sijuade Mori Keke Kan Also, hear his 10 minute interview with Jon Kertzer and view a clip from the Afropop Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In a 2005 interview, KSA talks about how as an actual king in his native Nigeria, he had to defy his family and break with tradition to become a musician. So good he persisted - he and his 20+ band of talking drummers, guitarists, vocalists & dancers were early pioneers in bringing Afropop and juju music to the world at large. More stuff: Juju Music - a 4 minute trailer for a documentary, which features KSA among others Ja Fun Mi (not live) - his signature song, which means "Fight for me" Afropop - a great resource for African music nickyskye's awesome post on glimpses of the African Rock n' Roll Years -You really can't go wrong with surfing any of the africa+music tags on Mefi!

africa fills the void

artof.mulata — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:57:23 -0800

chimurenga is an art and culture journal out of africa. they do internet radio, too. it's called the Pan African Space Station. and it bumps.

Township got soul

Megami — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 03:03:28 -0800

Motownship, the combination of Cape Town township music, traditional African instruments and motown tunes, is the topic of this Radio 4 documentary. While purists - both of the African music and motown persuasion - may think this is just a gimmick, it is hard not to have a smile on your face when you listen to the tunes on Abavuki's album Africa Got Soul. What is even more amazing is the background of these musicians - kids who grew up in one of the most deprived townships in South Africa, Langa. To check out the band for yourself, see them playing at the legendary Mama Africa club, via youtube (this is not a motown tune from the album).

glimpses of the African Rock n' Roll Years

nickyskye — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:45:01 -0800

Clips from the BBC documentary, The African Rock n' Roll Years - Part 1 l Part 2 l Part 3 l Part 4 l Part 5 l Part 6 - a six-part series mixing interviews with key artists, concert footage and news archives, the series examines and explains the "styles that make up the continent's music, and the political and social pressures that led to their development." BBC documentary details. Found in YouTube member, Duncanzibar's, good collection of mostly African music videos. Details of the full documentary: "Episode 1: WEST AFRICA: Praise Singers and Superstars This is the story of how the musical caste lost their monopoly, taken over by state intervention and a craze for Cuban music, which helped to create one of the most exciting music scenes in the world today. Featured artists include Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal, Salif Keita, Orchestra Baobab, Rokia Traore, Ali Farka Toure and Daara J. Ep 2: SOUTH AFRICA: Rhythms of Resistance South Africa's vibrant music scene developed in the apartheid era, when songs were used as a way of hitting back against repression. Featured artists include Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Thomas Mapfumo from Zimbabwe and newcomer Thandiswa. Ep 3: COASTAL SOUNDS: Sierra Leone to Cameroon This programme explores the effect of calypso on the 'palmwine' styles that developed in Sierra Leone and Nigeria. It tells how music from Sierra Leone and elsewhere affected the massively popular highlife dance styles of Ghana, and how palmwine music was also to influence the makossa dance scene in Cameroon. Featured artists include Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Osibisa, Alpha Blondy, Angelique Kidjo and Manu Dibango. Ep 4: CENTRAL AFRICA: Congo Jive Some of the most infectious dance music in Africa came from Kinshasa on the Congo river, as guitarists and band-leaders mixed local and Cuban influences to create the rumba and soukous styles that shook up dance floors across Africa and beyond. Featured artists include Franco, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Ray Lema, Pepe Kalle, Konono No 1 and Corneille. Ep 5: LUSOPHONE AFRICA: The Lisbon Legacy Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde were cut off from neighbouring states because the language of their colonisers was Portuguese and not French or English. The musicians developed distinctive styles; from the high-energy rhythms of Angola to the sad-edged blues and European-influenced ballads of the Cape Verde islands. Featured artists include Cesaria Evora, Manecas Costa, Mariza, Bonga and Mabulu. Ep 6: NORTH AFRICA: Rai Rebels and Desert Blues The programme follows the careers of rai stars like Khaled and the Arabic rocker Rachid Taha, and also the great female singers who have emerged from Islamic North Africa and from further east in Christian Ethiopia. Featured artists include Tinariwen, Khaled, Rachid Taha, Souad Massi, the musicians of Jajouka Amina and (from Ethiopia) Gigi and Aster Aweke." Each clip is about 1/7th the length of the original series but still worth watching. Lots of music, examples, so one can seek out music by those musicians and very listenable music history.

Music Is the Weapon: Fela documentary from 1982

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:57:57 -0800

Fela: Music is the Weapon is a documentary film from 1982 featuring a wealth of live concert footage (from his club in Lagos, "The Shrine") as well as interviews with the legendary Nigerian singer, bandleader and social critic. Here's part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Here's a snooty and poorly written New York Times review of the film, which aired on PBS in 1985. Not especially worth reading, necessarily, but included here for historical purposes. The film is available for purchase as part of this 2-CD, 1 DVD set, or from Netflix.

happy endings

nickyskye — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:40:05 -0800

Soukous Radio is an online radio station that plays/streams this energizing, joyous, African fusion music, known for its bright guitar sound and rumba/salsa beat. The name, Soukous, is derived from the French word secouer, to shake. A popular, recent Soukous video by two Ivory Coast singers, DJ Eloh and DJ Mix, The Bobaraba (which means “big bottom” in the local Djoula language), celebrates booty shaking. Just makes you want to get up and dance. Those who are less amply proportioned have been looking to create a bobaraba. Girls do it, guys too. Kedjevara's version. A selection of CDs from Soukous Haven. Soukous on Wikipedia. This latest Soukous dance, the Bobaraba, is pronounced bob.araba.

music videos from West Africa

nickyskye — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:28:51 -0800

#1 African Music Website. Africa Hit offers an extensive and varied selection of great music videos from West Africa. Africa Hit news, in French and English, mostly music biz news in West African countries: Cote D'Ivoire, Congo(R.D.C), Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, Mali, Guinée and Senegal. Happy New Year!

Batá drum and dance of the Yoruba, Nigeria, West Africa

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:52:01 -0800

Learn about the powerful, complex Batá drumming and dance tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Check these 6-to-8 year old Batá drummers laying down the groove. Then theres the Egungun action going on over in Ibadan, to the accompaniment of Batá drums, of course. Slaves brought the tradition to Cuba, where it has thrived, with, of course, some stylistic changes along the way. Here's an example. And here.

Healing power

nicolin — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 06:26:20 -0800

A day in the life of Abdullah Ibrahim, South-African composer and performer who creates hypnotic and softly singing grooves. To me, his recent piano trios are the highlights of his work, because they are both swinging and soulful. But his compositions do not sound bad in a big band setting -(or in an arrangement for guitar). His music is quiet and meditative but powerful, and has sometimes been used as a banner for freedom and equality. Now he likes to withdraw once in a while to the smallest scenes (french commentary with some english underneath), putting strong emphasis on necessary simplicity. Written portrait.

Voodoo Funk - 11 African funk mp3 mixes

algreer — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 13:01:07 -0800

Voodoo Funk - 11 African funk mixes from a vinyl archaeologist in Guinea

Papa Kourand: Roots of Konono No. 1

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:33:44 -0800

The full-on, amped-up sanza sounds of Konono No. 1 have been celebrated here at MeFi not once but twice, and they are indeed wonderful. Björk's been working with them a bit lately, too. But let's go back a few decades, and take a listen to the unplugged version of this type of music: mesdames et messiurs, Papa Kourand, the grand old man of the sanza! By the way, that video clip from the Kourand link: in case it's slow-loading or no-loading, I also found it in one other place, a tacky little website where you'll get a pesky little popup window, but once you've sent the window on its way, click on the WATCH VIDEO button. There you'll find the same clip, a video of his song "Tout Restera Ici Bas".

Oliver Mtukudzi, pride of Zimbabwe

flapjax at midnite — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:26:43 -0800

Let's pay a visit to Zimbabwe's Oliver Mtu kud zi, or Tu ku, as he's affectionately known to his fans. His voice has a touch of that sweet soul gravel reminiscent of Georgia's Otis Redding, or Jamaica's Toots Hibberts, but his mellow fingerpicking guitar style and relaxed, loping grooves are African all the way. His earlier stuff is certainly worth going back to as well! And, hey, it's unlikely you'll hear too many other pop stars who sing lines like "Call the mother of my childfren. I am hurt. I was injured while training the ox." Though it's a bit out of sync, and the sound isn't the greatest, here's a YouTube clip by an audience member at a live show in Washington DC, and another, similar, from a live show in Virginia. London MeFiers take note: he'll be in your town soon, providing those visas get sorted... Those interested in checking out some of the younger artists coming out of Zimbabwe can get some info here at Zimvibes.com

Balafon! Balafon! Balafon!

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 21:06:09 -0800

The YouTubes have the African balafon you need. Alya Dioubate. Coulibaly Samadou. Kanazoé. Epizo Bangoura. Koeta Hakiri. Bala. Man and child. Danse Moderne Balafon!

Awesome Tapes from Africa

roll truck roll — Tue, 15 May 2007 22:45:28 -0800

Awesome Tapes from Africa (via)

traditional music of Africa

flapjax at midnite — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:05:41 -0800

Spend a blissful 59 minutes and 7 seconds traversing the continent of Africa through her traditional music. This excellent stream (featuring just the right amount of background info) from the folks at Afropop Worldwide [previously] features plenty of the kind of effortlessly rolling, lilting rhythmic vibes that make African traditional music some of the most sublime in the world. "So don't expect over-the-top ethnography, just relax and enjoy acoustic Africa."

An orchestra of clown horns!

geos — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:16:43 -0800

Por Por: Squeeze-bulb horn music of Ghana[pdf].

The Society for Leisure Lovers and Elegant Persons

maryh — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 22:40:52 -0800

To be a Sapeur in Kinshasa is to treat every trash-strewn alley or muddy street as a fashion catwalk. Inspired by Congolese rumba star Papa Wemba* and his Société des Ambianceurs et Persons Élégants* (le Sape), urban peacocks cheerfully adopted "Religion Kitembo”, literally the worship of clothes. "The Pope of the Sapes" himself appears to have undergone a conversion since his recent legal troubles. Photo gallery by Héctor Mediavilla. *sound

How to Guest-Edit a Major British Newspaper

bardic — Wed, 17 May 2006 15:06:15 -0800

Bonofilter: Yesterday, May 16, U2 front-man Bono was a guest "editor" for the UK newspaper The Independent. Called the "RED Edition," half of this issue's proceeds went "to help fight HIV and AIDS among women and children in Africa." Highlights included US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice offering her take on "The Ten Best Musical Works" and an interview with Eddie Izzard on immigration in Europe. Is there a downside to celebrity editing, or is it a win-win-win for Bono, The Independent, and some people in need?

Congotronics

Robot Johnny — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:55:03 -0800

Congotronics! Mawangu Mingiedi, 72, a musician and truck driver from Kinshasa, was simply trying to allow the music of his street band, Konono No. 1, be heard over the traffic and street noise, but when he fashioned home-made amplifiers out of junkyard parts he created something raw and distorted with a sound all its own (quicktime). (via MonkeySARS, where an MP3 awaits you)

The Dark Continent

klangklangston — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 15:17:06 -0800

No Condition is Permanent. World music, and African music in particular, often falls into two categories: pleasant and inoccuous, or the fetishized other. Even speaking of "African" music is misleading. Senegalese mbalax doesn't sound that much like Camaroonian makossa. And I don't say this as some great authority; I'm still just at the beginning of the learning curve. So come along with me. There's the broad Benne Loxo du Taccu, the sidebar of Mudd Up!, the great (and self-explanitory) African Hiphop, Stern's Music (this link going to a more accessible Thione Seck), Aduna (for Francophones— my middle-school French gets me by, but I'm really there for the music), Du Bruit (more Francophones, with an emphasis on vinyl sharities), and Worldly Disorientation (which covers all sorts of world music, but has some excellent African stuff). Have I missed anything great? Recommend it in the thread. I tend to prefer the psychedelic and dubby stuff more than straight folk styles, but that's me.

Only sing about it once in every twenty years...

stupidsexyFlanders — Thu, 19 May 2005 13:00:55 -0800

Live Aid redux planning underway. Goal this time is raising awareness, not money. Sweet, unquantifiable awareness.