The Best of Africa

[Rorschach]

This is clearly a ridiculous idea, trying to cram an entire continent into a playlist.
However, I know sod all about African music and I'd like to make an idiot's guide. Can anyone help?

[Mike Boom]

S.E Rogie
Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana

[Rorschach]

S.E Rogie
Dead Men Don't Smoke Marijuana

I hope that not every suggestion sends me down a rabbit hole like this one.
What a terrific guitarist.
I think the song you've suggested goes on a bit long (though I love the title) but I'm listening to a bunch of his stuff and there's loads to love.

Thank you for introducing me to this!

[fange]

Jeez, ask a hard question or what, Rorschach??

I'm no expert by any means, but just a few of my favourites are Fela Kuti, Youssou N'Dour, Taby Lei Rochereau, Hugh Masekela, Ebo Taylor and Sir Victor Uwaifo.

There are some BRILLIANT compilations of African music that are terrific gateways to the many countries and styles you can investigate.

[Rorschach]

Double post

[Rorschach]

Jeez, ask a hard question or what, Rorschach??

I know! What am I like?!

I'm no expert by any means, but just a few of my favourites are Fela Kuti, Youssou N'Dour, Taby Lei Rochereau, Hugh Masekela, Ebo Taylor and Sir Victor Uwaifo.

I've heard a few tracks by the ones in red and that's the sort of thing I'm looking for. Commercial stuff rather than 'deep', traditional stuff.

I know what I mean...

There are some BRILLIANT compilations of African music that are terrific gateways to the many countries and styles you can investigate.

Such as?

[fange]

The Nigeria 70 series by Strut is killer.

[Rorschach]

The Nigeria 70 series by Strut is killer.

I've had a quick flick through a couple of them and they look interesting, but too much for me to listen to all of it in the sort of time frame I have for these playlists.

Suggestions of specific songs would be most welcome.

P.S. I just found You Are My Heart by Rex Williams off one of those Nigeria 70 discs and that's definitely in.

[Mike Boom]

Bhundu Boys

[fange]

The Black Hippies - 'Doing It in the Street'

[mudshark]

Check out King Sunny Ade's Juju Music.
And Tassili by Tinawaren, a band of Tuareg musicians.

[Santa C]

.

Four Brothers from Zimbabwe








Johnny Clegg (with Savuka) - born in Bacup, Lancashire, England and moved to Zimbabwe when he was 6 months old and then South Africa when he was six years old
Known as Le Zoulou Blanc - he did a tremendous amount to break down apartheid through his music.






With Nelson Mandela

I had the pleasure of seeing him live twice in the 80s



.

[LMG]

Snap Skipper!!

My long time hero of many years, the late and much missed Johnny Clegg.







One of many favourite JC stories was that when he was aged fifteen he was found in a township club raided by police. The police assumed he was being held for ransom until he explained he was learning dance and guitar - itself illegal under apartheid laws.

He was let off because it was assumed he was mentally ill.

[Walk In My Shadow]

Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa

[Mike Boom]

Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba

[Walk In My Shadow]

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan


If you want to include Pakistan that is.

[LMG]

Johnny Clegg introduced us to Jonah Moyo, a guitarist and singer from Zimbabwe he brought to London to open his shows with his band.



Also his tune Mbilu Ya Wena

[Santa C]

Snap Skipper!!

My long time hero of many years, the late and much missed Johnny Clegg.







One of many favourite JC stories was that when he was aged fifteen he was found in a township club raided by police. The police assumed he was being held for ransom until he explained he was learning dance and guitar - itself illegal under apartheid laws.

He was let off because it was assumed he was mentally ill.

A great man Chris

A hero indeed

And a great dancer!




.

[mudshark]

I wish to amplify on my early King Sunny Ade recommendation.
Juju Music is a fantastic album that always makes me happy when I play it. But it's also a sentimental favorite, so I may be overestimating it.
Way back when in 1982 I lived and worked in Cote d'Ivoire for a few months, on the offshore platforms of Philips Petroleum Company. A nice and understanding Belgian prostitute took me to a King Sunny Ade concert, which was in support of his new album, Juju Music. Imagine, if you will: Abidjan, outdoors, probably 100F in the shade, some 65,000 people surrounded by some 6,500 heavily armed soldiers who're not exactly gun-shy (I've seen some horrible examples which still pop up in my dreams sometimes), dancing 'like they've never danced before', to paraphrase FZ. Blood, Sweat, Elation, Joy, Sex, Sweat. It's in my top-10 of life experiences.

[Hugh]

I wish to amplify on my early King Sunny Ade recommendation.
Juju Music is a fantastic album that always makes me happy when I play it. But it's also a sentimental favorite, so I may be overestimating it.
Way back when in 1982 I lived and worked in Cote d'Ivoire for a few months, on the offshore platforms of Philips Petroleum Company. A nice and understanding Belgian prostitute took me to a King Sunny Ade concert, which was in support of his new album, Juju Music. Imagine, if you will: Abidjan, outdoors, probably 100F in the shade, some 65,000 people surrounded by some 6,500 heavily armed soldiers who're not exactly gun-shy (I've seen some horrible examples which still pop up in my dreams sometimes), dancing 'like they've never danced before', to paraphrase FZ. Blood, Sweat, Elation, Joy, Sex, Sweat. It's in my top-10 of life experiences.

I bought Juju Music in 1982 and it remains one of my favourite albums. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have seen him live at that time.