Abraham Mennen
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abraham-mennen/
Abraham Mennen is a South African saxophonist, improvisor and composer.
He regularly performs and records his original compositions with his quartet and released two albums in 2019, The Really Revered Whole Story and Three Improvisations.
Bembeya Jazz National live 70s
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bembeya-jazz-national-live-tv/
2 performances en direct à la TV en 1979 (en noir & blanc, donc) du Bembeya Jazz National, orchestre guinéen inoubliable.
Au lendemain de la décolonisation de la Guinée, le nouveau président Sékou Touré s’affirme comme le promoteur d’une réhabilitation de l’authenticité africaine face au déni colonial des cultures colonisées.
Dans une perspective d’unité nationale et […]
Guinean Jazz Big Band…
https://amf.didiermary.fr/guinean-jazz-big-band/
Bembeya Jazz National (originally known as Orchestre de Beyla) is a Guinean jazz group that gained fame in the 1960s for their infectious Afropop rhythms.They are considered one of the most significant bands in Guinean music. Many of their recordings are based on traditional folk music in the country and have been fused with jazz […]
The Jazz Epistles – Verse1
https://amf.didiermary.fr/the-jazz-epistles-vary-oo-vum/
Verse 1 by the Jazz Epistles in 1960 is “a genuine hard bop session, swinging and persuasive, coming out of South Africa in an era when black musicians weren’t making any recordings, let alone forward-looking modern jazz albums.”
[They] were South Africa’s first important (albeit short-lived) bebop band, inspired by Art Blakey‘s [...]
#60smusic #AbdullahIbrahim #HughMasekela #Jazz #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Abdullah Ibrahim – Blues for a Hip King
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abdullah-ibrahim-blues-hip-king/
Abdullah Ibrahim composed this “Blues for a Hip King” for King Sobhuza II of Swaziland in 1989.
The eponymous album contains recordings gathered from several sessions in 1974, 1976 and 1979 and was first released under his “Dollar Brand” name.
#70smusic #AbdullahIbrahim #Jazz #SouthAfrica #Swaziland #AfroJazz
Hugh Masekela & The Union of South Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-union-south-africa/
Jonas Gwangwa (1937 – 2021) was a genius trombone player from Soweto, South Africa. That’s him in the middle between 2 other South African geniuses, the late Hugh Masekela on the left, and Caiphus Semenya (born 1939), on the right, for their band Union of South Africa. The album, released in May 1971, is an […]
Nina Simone – Liberian Calypso
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nina-simone-liberian-calypso/
Nina Simone (1933 – 2003), here playing “Liberian Calypso,” which was inspired by her stay in the West African country from 1974 to 1977.
Explore her biography to know more about her time in Africa.
In this song, she revisits “Run Joe” from the album “Miss Calypso” by Maya Angelou released in 1957. […]
Sons of Kemet live
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sons-of-kemet-live/
Sons of Kemet live in this full set for “From the basement”.
Brass and drums, Jazz with African influence… Powerful!
Tracks from Sons of Kemet’s album “Black To The Future”. […]
The Pacific Express
https://amf.didiermary.fr/the-pacific-express/
Pacific Express was a South African funk/jazz outfit that has been regarded as “Cape Town’s answer to ‘Earth Wind and Fire’”.
Originally formed in the 60’s by bass player Paul Abrahams and guitarist Issy Ariefdien (who were previously together in a soul outfit called The Pacifics), it was after the arrival of pianist Chris Schilder […]
Space Jungle Luv – Oneness of Juju
https://amf.didiermary.fr/space-jungle-luv-oneness-juju/
“Space Jungle Luv” is a classic 1976 album by Oneness of Juju.
When bandleader James “Plunky” Branch created Oneness Of Juju in 1975, he had spent five years working on both the West and East coasts of the U.S. The group’s previous incarnation, Juju, had become a fixture within New York’s avant-garde jazz scene. […]
Modern Africa (1984)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/modern-africa-1984/
From “Modern Africa” (BRR20) “Contemporary Brass, Woodwind, Rhythm and Percussion” by Teddy Osei, Mac Tontoh, Aaron Harry & Martin Luther Owusu in 1984, musicians forming the core of Osibisa. This is pure music/soundtrack design.
Hugh Masekela – Mace and Grenades / Riot
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mace-grenades-hugh-masekela-riot/
Here’s “Mace And Grenades,” a 7″ released on Chisa in 1969, directed by Stewart Levine and written by Masekela.
Is this the soundtrack of an ongoing revolution?
#60smusic #Apartheid #HughMasekela #SouthAfrica #Vinyl #AfroJazz
Blue Lab Beats – Motherland Journey
https://amf.didiermary.fr/blue-lab-beats-motherland-journey/
Blue Lab Beats are a London-based music duo, nominated since 2021 for multiple awards. They won a Grammy award in 2022 for their production on Angelique Kidjo’s Mother Nature.
Here’s their contribution for Blue Note Re:imagined in 2020, with a remix of vibist Bobby Hutcherson’s 1975 classic “Montara.”
Their third album was released in February […]
The Boy’s Doin’ It (1975)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/boys-doin-it-1975-masekela-fela-kuti/
The Boy’s Doin’ It is the 17th studio album by South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, recorded in New York City and in Lagos, and released in June 1975.
So many incredible musicians on one album, dedicated to Fela Kuti and the women of the world: Okyerema Asante, Orlando Julius, the rhythm brothers Stanley & Frankie Todd, [...]
#FelaKuti #HughMasekela #Jazz #OrlandoJulius #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz
Sikiza Matshikiza – Pat Matshikiza
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sikiza-matshikiza-pat-matshikiza/
Pianist, singer and composer Pat Matshikiza (10 November 1938 – 29 December 2014) will go down in the annals of South African music as one of the jazz pioneers who played a pivotal role in the birth and evolution of jazz in the country.
Born in Queenstown in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province in 1938, […]
Somi revisits Pata Pata
https://amf.didiermary.fr/somi-revisits-pata-pata/
This cover of Pata Pata is from Zenzile, The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, released, at the end of 2022, in which Somi reinterprets 17 songs of Mama Africa with a jazzy approach.
At regular intervals, we hear excerpts from an interview with Mama Africa who explains in no uncertain terms what apartheid is.
Somi brought […]
iPhupho L’ka Biko – Azania EP
https://amf.didiermary.fr/iphupho-lka-biko-azania-ep/
iPhupho L’ka Biko describe themselves as “children of Biko” and their music as Afrikanist Experimental Jazz. Azania is their first EP.
iPhupho L’ka Biko Feat. Siyabonga Mthembu & Kinsmen – Abaphezulu was part of the Indaba Is compilation.
In the bustling city of Johannesburg, black classical music comes alive through the sounds of the powerful […]
Nduduzo Makhathini – Amathambo
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nduduzo-makhathini-amathambo-ikhambi/
South-African pianist & healer Nduduzo Makhathini will release his next albums on Blue Note Records.
Award-winning pianist, improvisor, healer and scholar from South Africa.
A recipient of prestigious awards such as the Standard Bank Young Artist Award, multiple South African Music Award (SAMA) and AFRIMA among others that have made him an influential figure. [...]
Abdullah Ibrahim – Solotude
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abdullah-ibrahim-solotude/
Solotude, My Journey, My Vision, is an album by Abdullah Ibrahim, recorded at Hirzinger, Riedering, Germany on October 9th, 2020.
Each year on October 9th, Abdullah Ibrahim [used to perform] a solo piano concert at the Hirzinger Hall in South Germany in order to celebrate his birthday. Due to lockdown restrictions [due to Covid], this […]
François Nyombo – I’m Cool
https://amf.didiermary.fr/francois-nyombo-im-cool/
To be quite franck, I’d never heard the name François Nyombo and there’s little information about his life and music outside of Discogs. But, if you love Funky Jazz and incredible guitar playing, this album is a “must listen.”
In 1963, when he was 15, Mantuila François Nyombo signed a contract to tour Europe with […]
Nubiyan Twist Live
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nubiyan-twist-live/
Nubiyan Twist live rendition of Mongo Santamaría’s “Afro Blue” live at the Jazz Cafe in 2016.
A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hiphop, afrobeat, latin, soul, reggae and dance music – expect ultra-tight musicianship and a powerful 9 piece, big […]
Nubiyan Twist – Jungle Run
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nubiyan-twist-jungle-run/
Now one of the leading lights in the UK’s new generation of soulful, genre-fluid artists, Nubiyan Twist, the Leeds-born and now London-based 10-piece collective have created their finest recordings to date, effortlessly weaving together elements of jazz, soul, hip hop, African styles, Latin, dub, hip hop and electronics in a flow of thought-provoking and [...]
Letta MBulu – What Is Wrong With Groovin’?
https://amf.didiermary.fr/letta-mbulu-what-wrong-groovin/
Letta MBulu’s “What Is Wrong With Groovin’?” is a single released in 1967 and written by Hugh Masekela.
Letta is a South African jazz singer who left the country in 1964 to escape apartheid, with her husband Caiphus Semenya.They left South Africa for Los Angeles and worked […]
340ml – Fairy Tales
https://amf.didiermary.fr/340ml-fairy-tales/
340ml was a very popular Mozambican band, mostly based in Johannesburg. The quartet started in 2000 in Maputo and later moved to South Africa. Their music is a mix of ska, punk, jazz and reggae. Fairy Tales is from their album “Sorry for the delay” in 2008.
