Yehouessi Leopold & T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo: Volume 4
https://amf.didiermary.fr/yehouessi-leopold-poly-rythmo/
The T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou was formed in 1966. Their output has been extremely prolific numbering upwards of 50 LPs and a hundred 45s. Here’s an album with Yehouessi Leopold (drummer) from 1978, that was rereleased in 2021.
King Sunny Ade live
https://amf.didiermary.fr/king-sunny-ade-live/
The King of Juju Music, King Sunny Ade live!
Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye (born September 1946), known professionally as King Sunny Adé, is a Nigerian jùjú singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
He is regarded as one of the first African pop musicians to gain international success, and has been called one of the most influential musicians [...]
#80smusic #FullAlbum #JujuMusic #LiveMusic #Nigeria #OldAfricanMusic
Ismaël Lô – Jelebi
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ismael-lo-jelebi/
Jelebi is found on Ismaël Lô’s solo album Diawar in 1989. Ismaël Lô is a Senegalese musician, born in Dogondoutchi in Niger in 1956.
“Jeele Bi” with Super Diamono in 1988 on cassette “Jigeenu Ndakaru.”
Journeys Into Psychedelic Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/journeys-psychedelic-africa-1972-1977-afro-psych/
Afro Psych (Journeys Into Psychedelic Africa 1972 – 1977) is a compilation, presenting the music style that emerged after the Biafra war and “the feelings of confusion and anger permeating Nigeria’s music, giving way to heavier, trippier sounds.”
#70smusic #Compilation #Nigeria #Psychedelic #OldAfricanMusic
Ogyatanaa – Yaa Amponsah
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ogyatanaa-yaa-amponsah/
In the 1930s, Sam’s Trio, led by Jacob Sam, was the most influential of the high-life guitar-bands. Their “Yaa Amponsah”, three versions of which were recorded in 1928 for Zonophone, was a major hit that remains a popular staple of numerous high-life bands.
The Ogyatanaa Show Band, aka Burning Fire Show Band, was one of […]
Amadou Ballaké et les 5 Consuls – Renouveau
https://amf.didiermary.fr/amadou-ballake-consuls-renouveau/
From compilation “Bambara Mystic Soul – The Raw Sound of Burkina Faso 1974-1979”, where Amadou Ballaké appears with Orchestre Super Volta too.
Formerly known as Haute Volta, Burkina Faso’s sound was organized and nurtured during the country’s time as part of a vast patchwork making up French colonial West Africa.[...]
#AfroFunk #AfroLatino #BurkinaFaso #Compilation #OldAfricanMusic
Super Diamono de Dakar – Soweto
https://amf.didiermary.fr/super-diamono-dakar-soweto/
A song by Omar Pene and Super Diamono de Dakar, Soweto was released as a single in 1987.
Senegalese vocalist Omar Pene was at the height of his powers when, with his group Super Diamono, he arrived at Real World during the 1995 Recording Week and gifted a live session that blew everybody’s hair back. […]
Ebo Taylor – Heaven
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-heaven-ghana-soundz/
Ebo Taylor’s hypnotic track “Heaven” comprises modern jazz elements, and the song’s vocals borrow their format from a Ghanian nursery rhyme style, whereby children would repeat the final word of each sentence.
Originally released in 1977, Ebo Taylorʼs self-titled album is a rarity that truly exposes the genius of the Ghanaian producer and arranger. [...]
Maravillas de Mali – Rendez-vous chez Fatimata
https://amf.didiermary.fr/maravillas-mali-fatimata-mory-kante/
Old tunes can have a 2nd life… Here, “Maravillas de Mali” featuring Mory Kanté in “Rendez-vous chez Fatimata” revisited in 2018. Check the original version!
Before Buena Vista Social Club was conceived, another exemplary – though little-documented – example of pan-continental fusion had taken place, namely Las Maravillas de Mali. The story of [...]
Tshala Muana – Malu
https://amf.didiermary.fr/rip-tshala-muana/
Tshala Muana, la célèbre artiste originaire de la province du Kasaï occidental en RDC, aussi nommée “Mamu Nationale“ ou “La reine du Mutuashi“, est décédée en décembre 2022 à Kinshasa. Les fans pleurent toujours sur les réseaux sociaux.
Contrairement à la plupart des zaïrois qui chantent en Lingala et jouent la Rumba (ou […]
Charlotte Dada – Don’t Let Me Down
https://amf.didiermary.fr/charlotte-dada-dont-let-me-down/
Charlotte Dada (sometimes spelled Dadah or Daddah), the “Girl with the Golden Voice,” is probably best known in the West for her soul cover of The Beatles’ song “Don’t Let Me Down” below, but she was on stage during the famous Soul to Soul concert in Ghana in 1971.
She started off her career with […]
Thiossane, last Damel of Cayor
https://amf.didiermary.fr/thiossane-last-damel-of-cayor/
L’artiste sénégalais “Thiossane” Ablaye Ndiaye, est parti à l’âge de 86 ans.
Je lui avais consacré un article, sur mon défunt blog KoToNTeeJ, lors de la sortie de son “1er” album en 2011.
Je le reprends et adapte ici.
Thiossane, last Damel of Cayor’s first album
C’est une tendance que je crois avoir déjà évoquée dans […]
Burger Highlife
https://amf.didiermary.fr/burger-highlife/
The first ever compilations focussing on the phenomenon of “Burger Highlife”, a crossover of West African melodies with synthesizers, disco and boogie that took over Ghanaian airwaves during the 1980’s and beyond.
The 1970s had witnessed an increased Western airtime and physical presence in Ghana introducing funk, soul and disco sounds [...]
#80smusic #90smusic #AfroFunk #Compilation #Disco #Ghana #Highlife #OldAfricanMusic
Nana Kwame Ampadu – Yaa Amponsah
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nana-ampadu-african-brothers-band-yaa-amponsah/
Nana Kwame Ampadu (31 March 1945 – 28 September 2021) was a Ghanaian musician and composer credited with numerous popular highlife tracks and he is known to have composed over 800 songs. He was the lead singer, chief songwriter, and founder of the “African Brothers Band”. He is regarded as a pioneer of highlife music […]
Bembeya Jazz National
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bembeya-jazz-national/
Tout au long de sa longue carrière, jusqu’aux années 90, le Bembeya Jazz a compté dans ses rangs de nombreux grands musiciens : son fondateur et chanteur Aboubacar Demba Camara, le grand guitariste Sékou “Bembeya” Diabaté (aka “Diamond fingers”), et le chanteur Sékouba Bambino qui y débuta à 19 ans. […]
Tribute to Almamy Samore Lafiya Toure
Guinean band Bembeya Jazz National commemorated Samori Ture (Almamy Samore Lafiya Toure) in their 1969 release "Regard sur le passé."
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tribute-almamy-samore-lafiya-toure/
The album draws upon Mandinka Djeli traditions and consists of two epic recordings recounting Ture’s anti-colonial resistance and nation-building. […]
Cameroon Garage Funk
https://amf.didiermary.fr/cameroon-garage-funk/
“Cameroon Garage Funk” is a compilation of “obscure” tracks from 1964 to 1979.
Yaoundé, in the 1970´s, was a buzzing place. Every neighbourhood of Cameroon´s capital, no matter how dodgy, was filled with music spots but surprisingly there were no infrastructure to immortalise those musical riches. The country suffered from a serious lack of proper […]
Toure Kunda – Labrador
https://amf.didiermary.fr/toure-kunda-labrador/
Labrador, title track from Toure Kunda‘s album Amadou-Tilo in 1983.
It’s a cover of the track that appeared on their first album and as a single.
Amadou-Tilo is dedicated to Amadou Toure, brother of Ismaila and Sixu-Tidiane and former member of the band who tragically died on-stage in 1983. […]
Orchestra Baobab – Pirates Choice
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orchestra-baobab-pirates-choice-full-album/
Réédité en 2001, puis en 2015 pour les 50 ans d’Orchestra Baobab, c’est l’occasion de redécouvrir Pirates Choice, enregistré à Dakar en 1982. […]
Manu Dibango – New Bell (Hard Pulsation)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/manu-dibango-new-bell-hard-pulsation-1972/
New Bell (Hard Pulsation) was released as a single in 1972 (B-side: Hibiscus), as the B-Side of an unofficial release of Soul Makossa in the US, and is of course part of the tracklist on the original Soul Makossa album.
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès – Na Binta
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dieuf-dieul-thies-na-binta/
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès, 3 singers Assane Camara, Bassirou Sarr and Gora Mbaye together with their chef d’orchestre and guitar player Pape Seck (an ex-member of Guelewar) compose traditional rhythms from all the regions of Senegal, with fuzz guitars, horn sections and hallucinatory percussion. The result is an explosive mixture of an Electric Psychedelic sound [...]
Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès – Short documentary
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dieuf-dieul-thies-promo-documentary/
The band Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès did not manage to release any of its recordings for 30+ years. Here’s a short documentary for the release of “Aw Sa Yone Vol. 2” in 2015, after Vol. 1 in 2013.
On Vol. 1 the tracks were well divided among three singers: Assane Camara with his unique style, […]
Kabaka International Guitar Band
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kabaka-international-guitar-band/
Kabaka International Guitar Band, lead by G. Kabaka Opara, who was part of the legendary Oriental Brothers Band International, but walked out of the group in 1977, to set up his own band. […]
Hi-Lifes You Have Loved
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hi-lifes-loved/
Hi-Lifes You Have Loved is an old compilation (1972) of early African highlife tracks, featuring Stargazers Band, ET Mensah & His Tempos Band, Black Beats, Broadway Dance Band, The Rhythm Aces, etc. […]
Ebo Taylor – Palaver
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ebo-taylor-palaver/
“Palaver” is a long-lost, previously unreleased 1980 album from Ghanaian guitarist and songwriter Ebo Taylor.
“This was done with my touring band, pretty much the same guys as on the Essiebons records I was making back then,” Ebo Taylor says […]
