hossam ramzy
presents azza - music of the sudan (Arc music)
Some of the most affecting music on the African continent
comes from the Sudan. Due to its unique geographical location,
sandwiched between Egypt and other African nations, its music
reflects the pulse of the Middle East wedded with the rhythmic
fluidity of African rhythm and call and response.
oliver mtukudzi collection
- the tuku years (Putumayo)
Oliver Mtukudzi is Zimbabwe's most popular
performer. The singer/guitarist adds a deep-throated soul
sound to his chimurenga based style. His guitar playing, alternately
chirpy, funky and folksy is instantly recognisable. "The
Oliver Mtukudzi Collection- The Tuku Years" (Putumayo)
collates 10 songs from 6 of Oliver's releases.
pape sirinam kanoute
- griot from senegal (Arc Music)
A conservatory trained musician he spent
10 years performing with the Senegalese National Orchestra
in Dakar. He has also performed with the internationally
renowned salsa group Africando and recorded with
Sicilian world music group Agricantus...
Seckou
Keita - Mali (Arc Music)
A step closer to an African tradition
dating back to the 14th century is not one to a drum orchestra
but rather to the sophisticated music of the kora, the marvellous
Mandinka harp. Seckou Keita who hails from Casamance in Southern
Senegal is on the strength his release Mali (ARC Music Productions)
right up there with Toumani Diabate and Kaouding Cissoko.
an afro-Portuguese odyssey
- Various artists (Putumayo) Some of the most addictively lyrical
music from the mother continent emanates from the former Portuguese
colonies of Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Angola and Mozambique.
While the colonists certainly left their cultural stamp over
four centuries, it is a tribute to the African musical genius
that wherever the currents flow from they have become the
grist for a vast, varied creative mill of poetry...
Afrobeat No
Go Die
Trans-Global African Funk Grooves (Shanachie)
Kanda
Bongo Man - balobi kanda
Whatever happened to Kanda Bongo Man? Each successive
recording of late seems to have less and less of his vocal
contributions as he deigns to pass the baton to his accompanists.
His previous CD Sweet which was reviewed last year
was good even if it didn't recreate the supercharged soukouss
glories of yesteryear. On his latest recording Balobi Kanda
seems to have relegated even more musical and vocal duties
to the rest of the band.
Salif Keita - The Early
Years (Wrasse)
Those of us who have despaired of finding the early music
of Salif Keita can now relax with the release of The Best
Of The Early Years (Wrasse Records). Although 'the golden
voice of Mali' has forged a highly successful international
career with a powerful hi-tech jazzy style that has undeniably
produced some very exciting music, it is to these recordings
which date from the mid to late 70s that any self-respecting
Afrophile should direct her/himself.
african groove - various
(Putumayo)
The influence of Africa on contemporary
clubland and electronica is total. The basic premise of
vocals, instruments, bass-lines over rhythms and even elementary
call and response is unthinkable without the input of black
music.
music of the nile
- various artists (ARC Music)
Music Of The Nile (Arc Music) is
actually the companion source album to African Sanctus and
contains the original field recordings of African traditional
music which were used in that ground-breaking work, a fusion
of multiple traditions with the Latin Mass.
