Putumayo Presents Cape Verde...various artists compilation

Cape Verde presents the music of the islands just 300 miles off West Africa's Senegalese coast. Drawing from Portuguese and African influences, the music of Cape Verde is most often rooted in a sensually languid and rhythmically complex cousin of the blues called morna. Largely popularized on the international scene by the meteoric popularity of Cesaria Evora (who contributes here with "Cabo Verde Manda Mantenha"), Cape Verdean music has enjoyed a wider listenership. This collection, however, cleverly balances the alluring minor key of morna with the lesser-known merry festivity of coladeira, the Cape's party music, and a jazz-tinged dance music called funana. 

Mysteriously bewitching, Cape Verde is a gorgeous melange of elegant piano, acoustic strings, rousing horn sections, propulsive drumming, flamboyant keyboards, and superb vocalists. 

1 Ana Firmino With Tito Paris– Chico Malandro 4:18

2 Boy Gé Mendes*– Cumba Iêtu 5:04

3 Nana Matias– Pays Sol 5:18

4 Teofilo Chantre– Nha Fe 4:08

5 Cesaria Evora– Cabo Verde Manda Mantenha 3:59

6 Bana– Cabinda A Cunene 4:59

7 Maria Alice– Sol Na Tchada 5:03

8 José "Zeca" Neves– Injuria 3:30

9 Fantcha– Cinderela 4:09

10 Zeca Di Nha Reinalda, João Cirilio And Blick Tchutchy 

        – Tchon Di Massa Pé 2:35

11 Dulce Matias– Nha Cumpadre Faustine 4:57

12 Djurumani– Galo Bedjo 3:07

 CAPE VERDE

Nigeria Soul Fever..Afro Funk, Disco and Boogie...West African Disco Mayhem!

Soul Jazz Records' Nigeria Soul Fever is their first release to explore the vast wealth of Nigerian music recorded in the 1970's. The album comes with introductory sleeve-notes by Bill Brewster (author of Last Night A DJ Saved My Life).

Packed full with Afro-Funk, Disco, and Boogie all from Nigeria, this set brings together a stunning collection of diverse West African sounds. Whilst a small handful of the artists featured (Joni Haastrup, Tee Mac, Christy Essien) have seen the light of day outside Africa, this is essentially a collection of killer tracks by an array of artists completely unknown outside of Nigeria. Artists include such as Don Bruce and The Angels, Akin Richards and The Executives, Angela Starr, and Jimmy Sherry and The Music Agents. It's no surprise that these records are extremely rare and expensive to buy individually so this album will save you going broke trying to find them.

These recordings were made at a time when Nigeria's trade restrictions banned imported records. Whilst new musical trends (such as American soul, funk, disco etc.) entered and influenced the country, the local music scene remained just that - local. Consequently, these recordings remain practically unknown to anyone outside of the country.

Nigeria Soul Fever 1 

Nigeria Soul Fever 2 

Ali Farka Touré...Niafunké...West African blues..a traditional album concerning Mali

Ali Ibrahim "Ali Farka" Touré (31 October 1939 – 6 March 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues. The belief that the latter is historically derived from the former is reflected in Martin Scorsese's often quoted characterization of Touré's tradition as constituting "the DNA of the blues". Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and number 37 on Spin magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".


As the first African blues man to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent, Touré was often known as "the African John Lee Hooker". Musically, the many superpositions of guitars and rhythms in his music were similar to John Lee Hooker's hypnotic blues style. He usually sang in one of several African languages, mostly Songhay, Fulfulde, Tamasheq or Bambara as on his breakthrough album, Ali Farka Touré, which established his reputation in the world music community.

Niafunké was released in 1999. The title reflects the name of the village in Mali where it was recorded. It is largely a traditional album concerning Mali.

Niafunke

Within the album liner notes Touré discusses his motivation for creating the album and how the music might relate to its audience. "This record is more real, more authentic. It was recorded in the place where the music belongs - deep Mali. We were in the middle of the landscape which inspired the music and that in turn inspired myself and the musicians. My music is about where I come from and our way of life and it is full of important messages for Africans. In the West perhaps this music is just entertainment and I don't expect people to understand. But I hope some might take the time to listen and learn." — Ali Farka Touré,

Niafunké marked the first of a series of albums he recorded towards the end of his career in his home town. The album was released around the same time he retired to his farm in a remote region of Mali.

find out more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Farka_Touré

official website: http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Ali_Farka_Toure

The Rough Guide to West African Music

If you haven't been exposed to West African music, then this is the perfect introduction. Some of the songs are absolutely captivating, Oumou Sangare and Ali Farka Toure especially. The selections aren't limited to bongo drums and acapella chants either, with other artists such as Super Rail Band, Toumani Diabate, Kante Manfila, Bajourou, Orchestra Baobab and Mansour Seck. A brilliantly sourced and produced album. 

 click here for more information

Visit my other blogs and pages here:

Blues Jam Session Blog

The Aussie Music Blog

The Blues and Roots Music Blog

The Jazz Music Blog

This Jukebox Rocks

Soundtrack Heaven

The Vintage Music Blog

Music from Our World

Facebook

Twitter