From the category archives:

Africa

Guinea: the old (part 1/2)

25 January 2012

I’ve just been listening to a track by the Bembeya Jazz National (see the video on the right). A track from the 1960s needs some context so here goes: it was following Guinean Independence in 1958 that saw Guinean pride soar to new levels and numerous bands sprang up throughout the African country. Of those [...]

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Africa 50 Years of Independence 1960-2010

25 January 2012

If you didn’t buy the compilation of 2010, “Africa 50 years of Indepdence 1960-2010” you are forgiven only as long as you are ignorant of this album, and you have just lost that right by reading this post (sorry about that!).
In fact I’m opening a new category just for this album because it is one [...]

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Cheikh Lo’s Jamm…Chill, and enjoy the groove

2 December 2011

I can’t believe I missed this one, but miss it I did, and so for some of the readers this might be old news. But as I am trying to document the best in World music, I will not be deterred from writing about one of my favourite Senagelese artists, who’s album releases are a [...]

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Fatoumata Diawara – Ivory Coast via Mali with lots of influence

30 November 2011

The latest album to arrive with me is one of those gems that I find myself driven to writing about and sharing with all the readers of this blog. Fatoumata is (at the time of writing) a 30 year rising star of world music. Her singing is a mix of Malian grooves, some more reminiscent [...]

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Ali and Toumani – their finest collaboration

6 May 2010

I’ve just bought an album that has to go down as one of the most spectacular of the year, and it’s been carried off by two of my favourite artists: Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate. But you’re probably asking the question, how can Ali return from the grave to record an album? Well, this [...]

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Best of Bonga – Angola rocks the house

27 February 2010

Review of Angola’s Bonga Best of Album.

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