Tu Nokwe – African Child
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tu-nokwe-african-child/
Hailing from South Africa, Dr. Tu Nokwe taught herself to play the guitar as a young woman. She eventually landed a spot at the Manhattan School of Music and went on to perform around the world. She describes her music as a spiritual new age African sound with influences of jazz and funk. Tu Nokwe […]
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kaleta-super-yamba-band/
With Afrobeat & Juju veteran Leon Ligan-Majek (aka Kaleta) —a native of Benin Republic— on lead guitar, the Brooklyn-based Afro-Funk band Super Yamba Band explores the psychedelic sounds from Benin & Nigeria.
“Mèdaho” is the debut album from Brooklyn based afro-funksters Kaleta & Super Yamba Band [in 2019]. Fronted by Afrobeat and Juju veteran Leon […]
Dr Victor Olaiya & his All-Stars
https://amf.didiermary.fr/victor-olaiya-all-stars/
Dr Victor Olaiya is considered the bridge between Ghanaian Highlife and what would become Afrobeat.
His musical style was influenced by James Brown, with horn parts harmonized in Brown’s style, as opposed to the mostly unison lines of Afrobeat. The music includes the swinging percussion of Tony Allen, but not the syncopated style that [...]
Orlando Julius, titan of Nigerian music
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orlando-julius-titan-of-nigerian-music/
African music pioneer, titan of Nigerian music around the world, mixing highlife and other African styles with American influences, Orlando Julius helped Fela Kuti form his early band Koola Lobitos and collaborated with Hugh Masekela & Lamont Dozier.
Orlando Julius made his debut as a musician in the 1950s in [...]
#AfroFunk #FullAlbum #Highlife #LiveMusic #Nigeria #OrlandoJulius #AfroBeat
André-Marie Tala – Hot Koki
https://amf.didiermary.fr/andre-marie-tala-hot-koki/
Connaissez-vous la petite histoire autour de la chanson “Hot Koki” ?
André-Marie Tala est connu pour ses “Bend Skin Beats,” une évolution urbaine du Mangambeu, rythme et danse camerounaise qui a ses origines dans les traditions Bamileké dans l’ouest du Cameroun.
André-Marie Tala, musicien Camerounais, perd sa mère à 4 ans, son père 12 […]
Blay Ambolley – Simi Rapp
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gyedu-blay-ambolley-simi-rapp/
A major force in Afro-funk since the early 1970s, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is considered the godfather of Hiplife, transforming the Highlife genre by adding elements of Hiphop, Funk and Jazz, as can be seen in this amazing and influential “Simi Rapp”.
This song was originally released in 1996, as part of the album “Blay Ambolley – […]
Kamal Keila – African Unity
The music of Kamal Keila, known as the “James Brown or Fela Kuti of Sudan,” recorded some time in the 90s, although probably composed in the 70s (read below), got finally released in 2018.
“Muslims & Christians” features Ethiopian, Sudanese jazz, funk, blues and soul sounds with powerful lyrics. […]
Africa Funk – The Original Sound of 70’s
https://amf.didiermary.fr/africafunk-original-sound-70s/
Both these Africa Funk compilations collect African music from many artists’ standout tracks to make you dance till the end of night… No contest, some are clear dance floor fillers if your audience is ready…
#70smusic #AfroFunk #Compilation #FullAlbum #OldAfricanMusic
The Mixed Grill – A Brand New Wayo
https://amf.didiermary.fr/the-mixed-grill-brand-new-wayo/
“Brand New Wayo – Funk, Fast Times & Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979-1983”, 15 pulsing Nigerian boogie tracks on a 2xLP compilation, released in 2011.
The years between 1979 and 1983 were Nigeria’s Second Republic, when democracy finally returned after 23 years of uninterrupted military dictatorship. It was also Nigeria’s oil boom era. [...]
K. Frimpong backed by Vis-A-Vis
https://amf.didiermary.fr/k-frimpong-backed-vis-a-vis/
The legendary K. Frimpong on this reissue of a fantastic rare album, recorded in 1978 at Ghana Films Studio in Accra. Here he’s backed by the famous Vis-A-Vis band. […]
K. Frimpong and his Cubanos Fiesta – Me Da A Ɔnnda
https://amf.didiermary.fr/frimpong-cubanos-fiesta/
Me Da A Ɔnnda is a classic and essential Hi-Life & Afro Funk album from one of the greatest Ghanaian singer and composer, recorded in 1980 by the legendary K. Frimpong and his Cubanos Fiesta band.
K . Frimpong was born on July 22nd, 1939 at Ofoase in the Ashanti – Akim district and entered right […]
#80smusic #AfroFunk #FullAlbum #Ghana #Highlife #OldAfricanMusic
Manu Dibango – Africadelic
https://amf.didiermary.fr/manu-dibango-africadelic/
“The Panther” is the main AfroFunk track found on “Africadelic,” an album released in 1973 by “Manu Dibango And His African Pop Group”.
In fact, this album was released a year before as part of the Mondiophone collection, a “library of recorded background music”…
Music design by Papa Manu, what else?
Gnonnas Pedro et ses Dadjes
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gnonnas-pedro-dadjes-dadje-von-o-von-non/
Gnonnas Pedro [with or without his Dadjes band] had always excelled in many styles of music but if one had to associate him with a particular genre it would be Agbadja. Agbadja is a rhythm hugely popular in Togo, Benin and Ghana. Its based […]
#60smusic #70smusic #AfroCuban #AfroFunk #Agbadja #Bénin #Compilation #GnonnasPedro
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
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/poly-rythmo-minsato-le-mi-dayihome-marionnettes-typiques/
A nice old video with characteristic puppets from the West African region, with Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou in the classic “Minsato Le, Mi Dayihome.”
By the late 60s the earlier synthesis of western popular music and African idioms, purveyed by such luminaries as E.T. Mensah, Bobby Benson, the Star Band and Alfa Jazz was wearing […]
Seigneur Tabu Ley Rochereau – Haffi Deo
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tabu-ley-rochereau-orchestre-afrisa-haffi-deo/
The title track of Tabu Ley‘s 1985 album “Haffi deo” is a daring crossover to a smoother boogie funk sound. Scattered among his discography which spans over 100 albums, there are a few tunes that sound quite different from the usual rumba. On the flip [side of the Bandcamp release below] is a previously unknown […]
Dibango 82 (live)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dibango-82-live/
“Dibango 82” an unreleased live recording by Manu Dibango, taped in Marseilles, Dec 1982 and remastered with INA‘s help. [INA is the acronym of Institut national de l’audiovisuel, a repository of all French radio and television audiovisual archives.]
The electrifying live performance features the African legend alongside his stellar 8-piece group, blending funk, jazz, and […]
Sinkane – Ya Sudan
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sinkane-ya-sudan/
Sinkane (born Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab) is a Sudanese-American musician who blends prog rock, electronica, free jazz and funk rock with Sudanese pop.
Sudanese music is already an amalgamation at the intersection of Arabic, Ethiopian and West African musical styles. But Ahmed Gallab, the lead singer and mastermind behind the band, also has [...]
Marijata – No Condition Is Permanent
https://amf.didiermary.fr/marijata-no-condition-permanent/
Marijata was a group made up of three members – Kofi ‘Electric’ Addison on drums, Bob Fischian on organ and Nat Osmansu on guitar, hailing from Ghana. ‘This Is Marijata’ is the groups first LP; released originally on the Gapophone label – it is pure, rootsy, raw, driving African funk music of the highest order, […]
Sahara All Stars of Jos
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sahara-all-stars-band-jos/
The Sahara All Stars of Jos were based in the Havana Nightclub, in the central plateau town of Jos, a city in the North-Central region of Nigeria, far from Lagos. Dan Satch Ayo who led the band, had played with Dr Sir Warrior, a Nigerian Igbo highlife musical prodigy, guitarist, one of the pioneers of […]
Nigeria Disco Funk Special
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nigeria-disco-funk-special/
“Nigeria Disco Funk Special: The Sound Of The Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-79” is a compilation released in 2008.
Harari – Party
https://amf.didiermary.fr/harari-party/
This single by Harari, “Party” (the 7″ release), entered the US Disco Top 100 in 1982.
Honoré Avolonto – Lonlon Simpé
https://amf.didiermary.fr/honore-avolonto-lonlon-simpe-orchestre-black-santiago/
Vinyl released in 1978. Composed and arranged by Honoré Avolonto with Orchestre Black Santiago.
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley – Simigwa-Do
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gyedu-blay-ambolley-simigwa-do/
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, the versatile, irrepressible singer, songwriter, producer and Ghanean “musical- life-force” exploded on the music scene in 1973, with a jazzy Highlife sound he called “Simigwa-Do”.
Ambolley taught himself to play the flute as a first instrument in his early years of musical interest dating back to the age of eight, when he began […]
Ambolley – Simigwa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ambolley-simigwa/
Simigwa is a legendary Ghanian album – with one of the most iconic covers ever! – that fuses Highlife, Afrobeat, Folk and Funk. Ambolley’s debut solo album originally released in 1975, written and produced with Ebo Taylor.
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley grew up during the peak of Highlife in Ghana and was a key figure in […]
