Linda Sikhakhane – Isambulo
https://amf.didiermary.fr/linda-sikhakhane-isambulo/
Linda Sikhakhane is a musician, improviser and composer born in Umlazi, a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. His roots are located in KwaNongoma where Sikhakhane cites his upbringing soundtracks into his modern journey. This is predominantly a rural area which is better known as the home of King Goodwill Zwelithini, the late hereditary traditional leader […]
Herbie Tsoaeli
https://amf.didiermary.fr/herbie-tsoaeli/
The quintessential South African jazz man, Herbie Tsoaeli is a largely self-taught bass virtuoso from Nyanga East, in Cape Town – one of the more politically charged black locations in the Western Cape.
Coming from this community at the forefront of producing South Africa’s rich jazz legacy, rooted in his biographical experiences, his music is a […]
Cheick Tidiane Seck – Guerrier (2013)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/cheick-tidiane-seck-warrior-guerrier-2013/
Cheick Tidiane Seck is well known across the African music industry, as a composer and arranger, since the 70s, when he played with Super Rail Band. Multi-instrumentalist, he has written for and played with African artists including Fela Kuti, Mory Kanté, Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour and for jazz bands, Wayne Shorter, Carlos Santana, Hank Jones […]
Asher Gamedze - War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKRwc75MJds
A Semblance: Of Return
https://ashergamedze.bandcamp.com/album/a-semblance-of-return
TRUE STORY – Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O
https://amf.didiermary.fr/true-story-malcolm-jiyane-tree-o/
While the Tree-O’s previous outing UMDALI presented a snapshot of an inspired few days of spontaneity, TRUE STORY is a more deliberately crafted opus. Recorded in Johannesburg over three sessions between December 2020 and April 2021 and further polished for months in post-production sessions in 2023, the record is synesthetically vivid throughout, […]
Tèsfa-Maryam Kidané – Heywèté
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tesfa-maryam-kidane-heywete/
The saxophonist Tèsfa-Maryam Kidané was one of the most remarkable stylists of his generation and between 1965 and 1972 emerged as a brilliant, inspired player. Tesfa Mariam got his start with the Police Orchestra in Asmara. After his stints with the second Ras Band & The All Star Band. He left Ethiopia to study at […]
#70smusic #Ethiojazz #Ethiopia #Instrumental #MulatuAstatké #AfroJazz
Momo Wandel Soumah – Felenko Yéfé
https://amf.didiermary.fr/momo-wandel-soumah-felenko-yefe/
Momo Wandel Soumah (1926 – 2003), était un chanteur, compositeur et saxophoniste de Guinée, reconnaissable à sa voix rocailleuse caractéristique et son style de saxophone très personnel et inspiré.
Imaginez Louis Armstrong avec un saxophone en Guinée, Roi du Swing et de l’Improvisation.
“Le jazz est né chez vous, mais moi, je l’ai ramené chez […]
Kokoroko – We Give Thanks
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kokoroko-we-give-thanks/
8-piece band Kokoroko released their long-awaited debut album “Could We Be More” in August 2022.
Could We Be More is an expansive and ambitious album that speaks to the force of Kokoroko.
Each song possesses the energy which so naturally underpins the heartbeat of Kokoroko’s identity – deftly moving through afrobeat, highlife, soul, and funk across […]
Malcolm Jiyane Tree-O – Umdali
https://amf.didiermary.fr/malcolm-jiyane-tree-o-umdali/
A generous sideman and bandleader, multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Jiyane stands at the vanguard of his prodigious generation of jazz musicians. Operating from the centre and the fringes of the South African jazz scene, the trombonist (and pianist) is an enigmatic yet charismatic galvaniser of his contemporaries, able to put them through their paces in his own […]
Hugh Masekela- I Am Not Afraid
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-i-am-not-afraid/
Before listening to a revisited version of Hugh Masekela’s “In the Market Place,” released on the trumpeter’s 1974 album “I Am Not Afraid,” here’s side 1 of this Chisa Record, produced by Stewart Levine, with Hedzoleh Soundz as backing band. […]
Hugh Masekela – Night In Tunisia
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-night-in-tunisia/
“Night in Tunisia” est l’un des morceaux extraits d’une compilation dédiée à Hugh Masekela “Township Grooves”, qui reprend des compositions datant des années 1965 à 1974.
C’est bien sûr une reprise de Dizzy Gillespie “A Night in Tunisia”, composition de 1942, ici enregistrée en live en 1981. […]
One Night in Pelican
https://amf.didiermary.fr/one-night-pelican/
“One Night in Pelican” is a compilation that features all the key groups and players of a special time and place. It captures the musical dreams escaping from Soweto’s first nightclub.
Ten seminal tracks journeying through Jazz, Funk, Fusion and Disco, detailing the incredible story and sounds behind the Soweto nightclub during the height of […]
#70smusic #AfroFunk #Apartheid #Jazz #SoulJazz #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Introducing Hedzoleh Soundz
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-introducing-hedzoleh-soundz/
Leader Stanley Todd Kwesi assembled a monster ensemble of musicians from the Ghana Arts Council, intending to form a new Afro-Rock group, known as Hedzoleh Soundz, that would be more traditional & African in sound, and hopefully surpass Osibisa in popularity (alas it was not to be).
Hedzoleh Soundz were a band from […]
Sathima Bea Benjamin – Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sathima-bea-benjamin-africa/
Beatrice “Sathima Bea” Benjamin(17 October 1936 – 20 August 2013) was a South African vocalist and composer, based for nearly 45 years in New York City.
Originally recorded and released in 1976 on Rashid Vally’s As-Shams (Sun) label.
Zoe Modiga – Inganekwane
https://amf.didiermary.fr/zoe-modiga-lengoma-tubatsi-mpho-moloi/
Inganekwane (“Zulu fairytale”), the second album by Zoe Modiga, released in 2020, is inspired by the theme of self-reflection to reveal messages of identity.
Zoe Modiga born and raised in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, is the quintessential artist who represents the present and future of South African music. Drawing from the human experience, identity and […]
Ezra Collective - Only Love Feat. Pa Salieu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ziixar3gqI
First single to their upcoming fourth studio album, "Here Because of Hope."
https://ezracollective.bandcamp.com/album/here-because-of-hope
Dele Sosimi – Turbulent Times
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dele-sosimi-turbulent-times/
“Turbulent Times” is an album by musician and producer Dele Sosimi in 2002. Since mid-90s is based in London and words of the new generation of musicians, bands, and collectives emerging there (Kokoroko, Onipa, Keleketla!, etc.)
Dele’s career began when he joined Fela Kuti‘s Egypt 80, where he played keyboards for seven years (1979-1986). [...]
#AfroFunk #FelaKuti #FemiKuti #Jazz #Nigeria #Remixed #AfroBeat #AfroJazz
Mehdi Laifaoui – Sidi El Hakem
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mehdi-laifaoui-sid-el-hakem/
Mehdi Laifaoui is an Algerian author, composer and performer. His repertoire includes original compositions and some revisited Rai standards of the 70s and 80s. His music mixes Bedouin and Trab modes, a pentatonic music that gives Algerian Rai music its uniquely African flavour.
Listen to his “Opus & Trab Project,” a repertoire rooted in the […]
Abdullah Ibrahim – Mannenberg
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abdullah-ibrahim-mannenberg/
Filmed in 1987, Abdullah Ibrahim describes in this interview how the iconic track “Mannenberg” came into being and performs it live. Taken from the BBC Arena film “A Brother with Perfect Timing.”
“Mannenberg” is a Cape jazz song by South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim, first recorded in 1974. Driven into exile [...]
#AbdullahIbrahim #Apartheid #Documentary #Jazz #Madiba #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Mike Aremu – Coat of Many Colours
https://amf.didiermary.fr/doxology-coat-many-colours/
“Coat of Many Colours” is an album by saxophonist Mike Aremu released in 2013. His music style is a sort of funky Gospel Jazz, and he received awards as innovative Saxophone composer at TOMA (Today’s Gospel Music Awards) and AMEN.
Saxophone Jazz from Moçambique
https://amf.didiermary.fr/saxophone-jazz-mozambique/
Moreira Chonguiça is a Mozambican jazz saxophonist, who started a jazz festival, Morejazz, in Maputo in 2010. He collaborated with Manu Dibango on M & M, an album which was released in 2017.
United across the generations… the album came about from a 15 year friendship that started in 1999/2000. Moreira […]
Eyo’nle Brass Band – Africa Night
https://amf.didiermary.fr/eyonle-brass-band-africa-night/
Le groupe Eyo’nlé Brass Band (“Réjouissons-nous” en Yoruba), créé par Mathieu Ahouandjinou avec certains de ses frères (une famille avec de nombreux musiciens inspirés par leur père), a fait le chemin inverse du Gangbé Brass Band. D’abord fanfare, dont la motivation est de valoriser la musique béninoise hors des frontières du Bénin en produisant une [...]
Prince K. Musarurwa – Nyamatsatse
https://amf.didiermary.fr/prince-kudakwashe-musarurwa-nyamatsatse/
RIP Prince K. Musarurwa (December 5, 1988 – February 15, 2020), also known simply as Prince, who was a Zimbabwean African Jazz singer, songwriter and producer. He played the guitar and mbira.
“Nyamatsatse” was released on his last album before his death at 31.
Musarurwa was born and raised in Zimbabwe. His career began within the […]
Dollar Brand – The Children of Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dollar-brand-the-children-of-africa/
The Children of Africa (aka Banyana) by Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), recorded in NYC and released in 1976. [...]
#AbdullahIbrahim #FullAlbum #Jazz #SouthAfrica #Vinyl #AfroJazz
Reza Khota Quartet – Liminal
https://amf.didiermary.fr/reza-khota-quartet-liminal/
Cape Town-based guitar player Reza Khota is Artist in Residence in the Centre for Humanities Research at the University of the Western Cape. Reza Khota Quartet released “Liminal” in 2018.
