Nairobi Matata Jazz
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nairobi-matata-jazz/
The Kenyan genre known as benga (“beautiful thing” in the Luo language) developed in East Africa in the early 1970s as a rhythmic, incisive style, with roots in Cuban music and Congolese rumba. Unifying various characteristics of Kenya’s musical past, it quickly crystallized poetic traditions of the country’s disparate communities, with lyrics conveying [...]
70s & 80s Kenyan Benga & Afro-Cuban Rumba
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kenyan-benga-afro-cuban-rumba-70s-80s/
Kenyan Benga & Afro-Cuban Rumba playlist from the 3-LP set from Soundway Records’ release “Kenya Special – Selected East African Recordings from the 1970s and ’80s”. There’s also a second volume with tracks from the same period. [...]
#70smusic #80smusic #AfroCuban #Benga #Compilation #Kenya #Rumba
Bankolo Miziki – Masters of Congolese Rumba
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bankolo-miziki-wendo-alongwi-kinshasa/
Bankolo Miziki (“Masters of Music” in Lingala), subtitled “Les Pionniers de la Musique Congolaise de Leopoldville à Kinshasa” (Pioneers of Congolese Music from Leopoldville to Kinshasa) is a series of 3 compilations (anthology of sort) with multiple artists / pioneers of Congolese Rumba in the 50s. [...]
#50smusic #70smusic #Compilation #Congo #FullAlbum #Rumba #OldAfricanMusic
Youlou Mabiala – Carte Postale
https://amf.didiermary.fr/youlou-mabiala-carte-postale/
Born Gilbert Youlou in the French Congo on the 3rd of March, 1947, Youlou sang with various groups in and around Brazzaville, but was still a comparative newcomer when “Le Grand Maitre” Franco heard him there at a club in 1966. Franco was in exile from his native country, the Belgian Congo, soon to be […]
The Cranes, everyone’s grandfathers
https://amf.didiermary.fr/the-cranes-band-uganda/
Après plus de 40 ans d’absence, The Cranes, le groupe ougandais, gloire des années Idi Amin Dada, est réapparu sur scène en 2019 au Nyege Nyege Festival, suite au travail et aux recherches d’un réalisateur néerlandais pour son documentaire sur la disparition, puis assassinat, d’un des musiciens sous le règne d’Idi Amin Dada.
"They came with guns, he only had a guitar."
[…]
Bantous de la Capitale – Osala Ngai Nini
https://amf.didiermary.fr/bantous-de-la-capitale-osala-ngai-nini-alphonsine/
Passy Mermans, guitariste des Bantous de la Capitale, est décédé le 28 décembre 2022 à l’âge de 80 ans, quelques jours seulement après Ignace Makirimbia, batteur principal des Bantous.
Les Bantous de la Capitale, premier orchestre congolais créé en 1959, est né à la veille de l’indépendance du Congo. […]
African Melody – 50 ans
https://amf.didiermary.fr/african-melody-50-ans/
Au Tchad, l’un des groupes musicaux mythiques du milieu des années 1970, African Melody (ou Melodie), a célébré son cinquantenaire en fin d’année 2024.
African Mélodie a vu le jour en novembre 1974 au bar la Concorde à N’Djamena. Sous l’influence de groupes congolais comme OK Jazz de Franco ou Afrisa International de Tabu Ley, […]
AfroCubism
https://amf.didiermary.fr/afrocubism/
AfroCubism was a dream project: the original intention for Buena Vista Social Club was to be a stellar collaboration of musicians from Mali and Cuba.
The original plan finally came to life in 2010, with an incredible line-up including Eliades Ochoa, Bassekou Kouyaté, Djelimady Tounkara, Toumani Diabaté, Grupo Patria, Kasse Mady Diabaté and Lassana Diabaté. […]
Tchico Tchicaya – The Golden Voice of Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tchico-tchicaya-golden-voice/
“The Golden Voice of Africa” is the nickname of Denis Pambou Tchicaya (aka Tchico Tchicaya), Congolese songwriter, guitar player and arranger, born near Pointe-Noire.
Between 1972 and 1976, he’s part of Les Bantous de la capitale, one of the main orchestras during this period, where he’s one of the solo singers. [...]
