Best Music of Soukous
Released originally in the late seventies, before juju and fuji became Nigeria's predominant styles, the tracks collected on Aki Special collectively mark one of the most fertile periods of African music--with tribal rhythms and proverb-studded vocals combined with Western pop harmonies to create ecstatic dance music for both the body and, as suggested by "Free Education in Nigeria," the body politic.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'VE BEEN LISTEN TO THISE MUSIC VERY LONG TIME AND I CAN'T STOP LISTING TO THEM."
"The honest, heartfelt lyrics of 'Sweet Mother' were initially rejected by the larger Nigerian record companies that dismissed it as a nursery rhyme. Nico voices what a naturally emotionally inarticulate gender always wishes it could say to mother, and he says it to an infectious, open and joyful dance rythm."
"Highlife music of West Africa is always a crowd favorite, but this one will also take you long distances in the car, and cheer you up on low days. I am a reggae collector and fan, and listen to jazz, blues, bluegrass, motown, nawlin's r&b, and various latin musics, but this thing slides right to the top of the pile, everytime!"
"Prince Aki's gift is that he captures the dynamic energy of Nigeria in a lyrical formate."
"The upbeat style of sound exhibited on this track, as well as the other tracks, forces you to get up and dance not knowing what has overcome you."
"A refugee from Africa whom I befriended brought this record over to my house."
"This is dense with exceptional tracks."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Recorded between 1972 and 1974, at the height of President Mobutu's Authenticite movement, the album is a collection of hit singles ranging in style from Congolese rumba to electrified folklore. The album features several serious songs including song "Mabele" (the Earth) Franco and Simaro's meditation on the nature life and death; how man comes from the earth, and in the end return to the earth. "Kinzonzi Ki Tata Mbemba"- Wisdom of Mbemba, "Mambu Ma Miondo"- Problems of Land, "Monzo"- a persons name, and "Luka Mobaali Moko"- Look for a Man. Unfortunately, Sonodisc doesn't include any liner notes with the CD, much less song translations. To find out what is going on in the songs, you have to seek out other sources."
"Recorded between 1972 and 1974, at the height of President Mobutu's Authenticite movement, the album is a collection of hit singles ranging in style from Congolese rumba to electrified folklore. The album features several serious songs including song "Mabele" (the Earth) Franco and Simaro's meditation on the nature life and death; how man comes from the earth, and in the end return to the earth. "Kinzonzi Ki Tata Mbemba"- Wisdom of Mbemba, "Mambu Ma Miondo"- Problems of Land, "Monzo"- a persons name, and "Luka Mobaali Moko"- Look for a Man. Unfortunately, Sonodisc doesn't include any liner notes with the CD, much less song translations. To find out what is going on in the songs, you have to seek out other sources."
"This was the early 70s, just pre-disco and pre-soukous when people grooved to live dance bands. I cut high school for the first time to dance to a live band at a night club."
The American psychedelic movement was bound to produce unexpected progeny--including the 1970s, which began as a mainstream attempt to absorb the "free love," recreational drug use, and sartorial eccentricities of the previous decade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I won't say this is the best "world music" CD I've ever heard, or even the best Luaka Bop production, but it is very good and very unusual."
"Great album."
"Great return into Classics."
"It's rare afrobeat punk...ofo and the black company kills it!"
"Makes you want to dance."
"You will put its songs on mix tapes and people will think you're awesome for having found these rare but outstanding songs!"
"If you're into this type of music at all, you're going to love this CD."
"This is a great CD."
Best Music of Sudan
The three tracks that comprise this disc, all lengthy improvisations, showcase El Din's remarkably fluid technique and his Nubian roots, whether on the traditional "Song with Tar" or "I Remember," which was originally performed by Egypt's greatest diva, Om Kalthoum .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could listen to it all day."
"I don't know anything about traditional Nubian music, nor do I know much about the oud, having only a few CDs of Arabic oud music in my collection; I just know I really like this recording. It has three songs: The title track "The Water Wheel" is a musical description of oxen turning a water wheel to irrigate the fields; the combination of Hamza El Din's playing and singing are enchanting."
"I suspect this rich and beautifully resonant tone is partly due to Hamza's amazing musical skills and partly due to a great recording engineer who just really knew how to capture Hamza's tone. Don't let that discourage you if you don't like tambourines, I think they make that comparison about the construction of the instruments because the tar doesn't really sound like a tambourine."
"The Nubians, who played a vital role in Egyptian history from pre-dynastic times into the Christian era, have long inhabited the lands in southern Egypt/northern Sudan for as long as anyone can remember, and cling fiercely to their proud history."
"The second track is lovely, but the (long) first track is terrific: a mini-drama of life in a village along the Nile, where a little boy is responsible for tending the oxen who turn the water wheel, but falls under the spell of its rhythm and loses himself in it."
"The winding and mysterious River Nile informs both music and musician on this wonderful exploration of sound and image."
Best Music of Angola
This program features traditional and contemporary African music, including Juju, Highlife, Soukous, Taraab, Marabi, Mbanqanqa, and Bikutusi.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"BEFORE THIS COLLECTION I HAD SOME JOHNNY CLEGG CD'S (GREAT) AND ANOTHER AFRICAN COMP WHICH WAS OK AND I HAVE TONS OF CUBAN MUSIC WHICH HAS AN AFRICAN ELEMENT TO IT, BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST BOX SET OF AFRICAN MUSIC AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT."
"I had recently returned to the U.S. after a nine month treck through Africa and, as a film student, needed to produce some great montages of the footage I had taken there."
"Not only is this one of the most fabulous and indispensable compendiums of music I have ever bought, I see the previous customer reviews are also wonderful to read."
"Great collection of phenomenal music and musical styles totally unknown to Western listener."
"This is my all-time favorite African music CD, and I found it so fantastic that after I bought it, I began my collection of some 200 CDs of African music that form part of my library."
"Africa is a vast continent, the second largest in fact, and home to an infinite variety of languages, cultures and ethnic groups; each with their own style of music. We get Arabic-tinged taarab from Zuhura Swaleh of Kenya, Zulu isicathamiyalmbube from Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Nigerian Fuji music by Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Moorish dancing music from Mauritania's Dimi Mint Abba, Mbalax from Baaba Maal of Senegal, Malagasy music from Tarika Sammy of Madagascar, Algerian Rai from Bellemou & Gana el Maghnaoui, Ethio-pop from Seleshe Demassae and so much more. The focus is on pop, but you get a good helping of traditional and folk styles like the Mande music of Mali, polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, Sufi music from the Gnawa musicians of Morocco and traditional dances from Uganda's national performing troupe. Its one of the few compilations that covers EVERYTHING, from the Arabic tinged music of the Sahara to the the neo-traditional songs of South Africa, from traditional drumming in West Africa to modern pop styles from the Congo and Swahili coast."
"I have maybe 25 CDs of music from the continent, and this is still far and away my favorite."
"If you're interested in listening to some African music and don't know where to start, you can't do better than this."
Best Music of Ghana
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A great collection of seminal Afrobeat music from the 70's."
"This release will get you moving to the groove."
"I thought this well of funkalicious goodness would run dry, or that there would be a reasonable lowering. of the quality after a while, but Analog Africa just keep on pulling them in, buckets loaded with high. grade funk, afrobeat and highlife. Afrobeat Airways 2 is not as awe-inspiring as African Scream Contest, The Orchestre Poly-Rythmo. compilations or Legends Of Benin, but it's still very good and you'll find four great songs among the. first five tracks. Childeren Don't Cry by Ebo Taylor Jr. is a great reworking of one. of his fathers best tunes, and The Cutlass Band's "Obiara Wondo" is a fat and greasy cooker."
Best Music of Benin
Angelique shares the stage with several celebrity musicians including Brandford Marsalis and Alicia Keys("Djin Djin"), Carlos Santana and Josh Groban ("Pearls"), Joss Stone("Gimme Shelter") , Peter Gabriel ("Salala"), Ziggy Marley ("Sedjedo"), and African music legends Amadou and Mariam ("Senamou (C'est L'amour)").
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have several of her CD's."
"Goodwill Ambassador for the UNICEF, four-time Grammy Award nominee, and worldwide renowned singer, composer, and performer, Angelique Kidjo came back with her new Album Djin Djin, produced by the maestro Tony Visconti and distributed by Razor &Tie Records/Starbucks Entertainment. From African-influenced hymns typically sung during traditional ceremonies in Sub-Saharan villages, to salsa infused tunes, to afro-pop sounds, to classical music resonance, Djin Djin is a beautifully harmonious integration of culturally diverse sounds. From the throaty and powerful melody "Papa," to the soft and salsa influenced tune "Alala," Kidjo's amazing performance was exhilarating as the fire exuding from the lyrics equaled Angelique's stage presence."
"Super mix of 'african beats.'."
"Because it is familiar, on first listen Kidjo's version of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" stands out with its pulsing energy, the layered guitars and Joss Stone joining for the great "It's just a shot away" chorus."
"I am continually surprised, pleasantly i must stress, that she has the range not only vocally, but as a visionary as well, to weave a musical tapestry that expresses her unique style and imbues all of her music, and whatever music she is performing with a certain spirit that seems to come through more powerfully with each CD."
"A very popular production tool these days, letting top musical performers invite other artists to join in the making of a new album by contributing diverse talents, unique styles, etc."
"Angelique Kidjo is a wonderful artist, this a great album featuring a lot of talented artist from Alicia Keys to Joss Stone and Peter Gabriel."
Best Music of Kenya
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Listen to the interweaving of guitar riffs, the trade off between the rhythm and lead guitarists, that forms the heart of so many great African sessions."
"But the best way though is to have someone buy direct from the street vendors back home and send them over.Otherwise you might wait forever before you can get the chance to kick back, pop open a cold one and let these "carols" take you back to another place in time where life was much simpler and "Sigalame" was a household name."
"Keep pestering people in the business and maybe you'll find a copy of the the best Rumba record ever made from Kenyan artists in the USA. Find Robert from Worldtunes dot NET (go to his web site and email him) and maybe he is still ordering Sonodisc records from France. Also there are a couple of USA based African musican dealers but you are gonna have to find these yourself."
"This compostion of Les Wanyika is incredible.Anybody who's a solid fun of this group from it's humble beginnings until the release of this collection will agree with me that it reflects how talented they truly are.It's entertainment at it's level best.However,the only regret is leaving out the track "shida" out of this meaningful collection."
"Music of this quality knows no age."
"it is a good music but i have been struggling for weeks without success to make an order.How do i do it?"
Best Music of Zambia
Zambian Acapella.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love African acapella music and this one is a great addition to my collection!"
"The Zambian Acapella Choir and also the Zambian Acapella Boys Choir are amazing!"
"They bring. their deep love for our lord and savior Jesus, in there. music."
"This CD will literally give you chills as you hear this group proclaim their love for Christ."
Best Music of Uganda
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"shipped fast."
"Beautiful melodies and haunting rhythms."
"The music is fresh and raw, yet refined."
"Every song is amazing."
"For a listenner addicted to the raw guitar sounds of Mali (for example Habib Koite and the regal Ali Farka Toure) this more polished "Windam Hill," Africa-Merican album, (by a Ugandan who now calls the U.S. his home,) is a welcome surprise. I highly recommend it as a gift to a young child, or for anyone looking to open up to other worlds of music."
"Although purists may be put off by the Windham Hill Touch (a heavy touch) Will Ackerman, Philip Aaberg and Patti Cathcart add more texture to the music."
"at Christmas time and was so impressed with his music I had to go out and order it the next day."
"Unfortunately on this CD his distinctive sound gets swallowed up and lost amid all of the electric pianos, guitars and synthesizers."
Best Music of Zimbabwe
(Vinyl LP) Reissue of classic album from Yusef Lateef (sax, oboe, flute) recorded in 1961.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good music!"
"Eastern Sounds is one of my favorite cd's by Yusef ."
"What a musician."
"Yusef's ability to offer a perfectly executed musical note, one that resonates to the depths of your soul, is in itself evidence of the Creator's handiwork."
""Chinq Miau" features Lateef's tenor as he makes use of the chinese scale lending it's name to the track's title, constructing another thoughtful effective solo with an eastern flair. The supporting cast is solid whith Lex Humphries on drums and Ernie Harris on bass and rabat, a stringed instrument which sounds like a plucked rubber band stretched around a kleenex box."
"I defy any jazz fan to find a more beautiful improvisation than Lateef's oboe flights on "Love Theme from Spartacus." The arrangments are all top-notch and progressive (tunes in unusual meters such as 5/4 and 6/8), the rhythm is often tabla rather than drums, bringing even more of an 'eastern' feel to the proceedings."
Best Music of Tanzania
This program features traditional and contemporary African music, including Juju, Highlife, Soukous, Taraab, Marabi, Mbanqanqa, and Bikutusi.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"BEFORE THIS COLLECTION I HAD SOME JOHNNY CLEGG CD'S (GREAT) AND ANOTHER AFRICAN COMP WHICH WAS OK AND I HAVE TONS OF CUBAN MUSIC WHICH HAS AN AFRICAN ELEMENT TO IT, BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST BOX SET OF AFRICAN MUSIC AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT."
"I had recently returned to the U.S. after a nine month treck through Africa and, as a film student, needed to produce some great montages of the footage I had taken there."
"Not only is this one of the most fabulous and indispensable compendiums of music I have ever bought, I see the previous customer reviews are also wonderful to read."
"Great collection of phenomenal music and musical styles totally unknown to Western listener."
"This is my all-time favorite African music CD, and I found it so fantastic that after I bought it, I began my collection of some 200 CDs of African music that form part of my library."
"Africa is a vast continent, the second largest in fact, and home to an infinite variety of languages, cultures and ethnic groups; each with their own style of music. We get Arabic-tinged taarab from Zuhura Swaleh of Kenya, Zulu isicathamiyalmbube from Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Nigerian Fuji music by Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Moorish dancing music from Mauritania's Dimi Mint Abba, Mbalax from Baaba Maal of Senegal, Malagasy music from Tarika Sammy of Madagascar, Algerian Rai from Bellemou & Gana el Maghnaoui, Ethio-pop from Seleshe Demassae and so much more. The focus is on pop, but you get a good helping of traditional and folk styles like the Mande music of Mali, polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, Sufi music from the Gnawa musicians of Morocco and traditional dances from Uganda's national performing troupe. Its one of the few compilations that covers EVERYTHING, from the Arabic tinged music of the Sahara to the the neo-traditional songs of South Africa, from traditional drumming in West Africa to modern pop styles from the Congo and Swahili coast."
"I have maybe 25 CDs of music from the continent, and this is still far and away my favorite."
"If you're interested in listening to some African music and don't know where to start, you can't do better than this."
Best Music of Sierra Leone
Backed by the great British double bassist Danny Thompson and guitarist Alfred "Kari" Bannerman, Rogie conflates country, blues, and gospel in laid-back, deep-grain tracks such as "Koneh Pelawoe (Please Open Your Heart)," the country ballad "A Time in My Life," "African Gospel," and the dank title track.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I bought this when it was first released but lost my copy."
"Just great music overall....kinda like african folk. with hints of blues & rock...i like the fact that. lyrics are mixed english and other..."
"Musically, the album is also a pleasure, thanks to ace guest musicians such as Danny Thompson. Amazon's main review sums up the sound and influences on this album very succintly, but some songs have arrangements that remind me slightly of the magical Congolese sounds popularized by musicians such as Tabu Ley and Franco."
"Put on this CD, grab a beer and settle back in your hammock out in the yard."
"Although I do not understand one word that Rogie is singing, his sweet, knowing voice brings a smile to my face every time I hear it!"
"While looking for something to listen to on the radio, I came upon this station that was play one of his songs from his album."
"This record will break your heart as it fills it with joy.... every time."
Best Music of Mauritania
This program features traditional and contemporary African music, including Juju, Highlife, Soukous, Taraab, Marabi, Mbanqanqa, and Bikutusi.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"BEFORE THIS COLLECTION I HAD SOME JOHNNY CLEGG CD'S (GREAT) AND ANOTHER AFRICAN COMP WHICH WAS OK AND I HAVE TONS OF CUBAN MUSIC WHICH HAS AN AFRICAN ELEMENT TO IT, BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST BOX SET OF AFRICAN MUSIC AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT."
"I had recently returned to the U.S. after a nine month treck through Africa and, as a film student, needed to produce some great montages of the footage I had taken there."
"Not only is this one of the most fabulous and indispensable compendiums of music I have ever bought, I see the previous customer reviews are also wonderful to read."
"Great collection of phenomenal music and musical styles totally unknown to Western listener."
"This is my all-time favorite African music CD, and I found it so fantastic that after I bought it, I began my collection of some 200 CDs of African music that form part of my library."
"Africa is a vast continent, the second largest in fact, and home to an infinite variety of languages, cultures and ethnic groups; each with their own style of music. We get Arabic-tinged taarab from Zuhura Swaleh of Kenya, Zulu isicathamiyalmbube from Ladysmith Black Mambazo of South Africa, Nigerian Fuji music by Chief Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Moorish dancing music from Mauritania's Dimi Mint Abba, Mbalax from Baaba Maal of Senegal, Malagasy music from Tarika Sammy of Madagascar, Algerian Rai from Bellemou & Gana el Maghnaoui, Ethio-pop from Seleshe Demassae and so much more. The focus is on pop, but you get a good helping of traditional and folk styles like the Mande music of Mali, polyrhythmic drumming from Ghana, Sufi music from the Gnawa musicians of Morocco and traditional dances from Uganda's national performing troupe. Its one of the few compilations that covers EVERYTHING, from the Arabic tinged music of the Sahara to the the neo-traditional songs of South Africa, from traditional drumming in West Africa to modern pop styles from the Congo and Swahili coast."
"I have maybe 25 CDs of music from the continent, and this is still far and away my favorite."
"If you're interested in listening to some African music and don't know where to start, you can't do better than this."
Best Music of Cape Verde
Cesaria Evora did not begin to record in earnest until she was forty-seven, but to hear her sing is to hear the voice of Cape Verde, her people and her history.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The two CDs are chuck-full of Evora classics I can listen to all day...and I do that most weekends."
"This 2 CD set is wonderful, there isn't a song on it that I don't like, and I find myself carrying it in and out so I can listen to it both at home and in the car."
"Something different from all the sound-alike stuff around."
"great artist with a soulful voice and beautiful stories to tell."
"Great product and service was remarkable."
"Incredible voice!"
"This woman has such a compelling voice!"
"This is an unbelievably great cd!"
Best Music of Senegal & Gambia
Young and old ears will delight in the magical sounds of mbira, balaphone, kora, a capella vocals, guitar, bamboo flutes, dundun, and talking drum. The lyrics sing of folklore, family, and village life in the traditional languages of the Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, and South Africa. Commencing with the bewitching Zulu harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo , "Thula Mtwana" sets the tone, creating an atmosphere of warmth, safety, and peace, and is followed by a baker's dozen that reflect the gentle rhythms of an abundantly diverse continent.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Beautiful, soothing, and unique - I highly recommend this as a baby shower gift or for the parent looking for a good bedtime music choice for their infant/toddler."
"I buy this music for all my new mom and dad friends!"
"I have lived this album for almost a decade."
"Bought as a gift."
"Two for me - one to give my kids one day in the far future."
"One of the more profoundly underrated compilations in music history."
"Beautiful soothing music."
"I played this music for my children when they were babies and they continued to ask me to play African Lullaby tape at bedtime until they were 6-7 years old."
Best South African Music
We didn't restrict ourselves to straight rock songs, and we were completely open to new ideas," says singer/guitarist Shaun Morgan. Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces is virtually interchangeable with any previous Seether disc, as well as pretty much anything by the likes of Nickelback, Shinedown, and other "post-grunge" rock bands. Witness the gauche "FMLYHM," which borrows from lyrical ideas that sounded novel when Trent Reznor sang them in "Closer" more than a decade ago but now just sound juvenile and unnecessarily angry.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's a fantastic listen start to finish, with the highlights being the humorous (and rude) "Fake It," radio-ready relationship song "Breakdown," and memorable "Walk Away From the Sun." The cry for divine help comes out more honest and meaningful than any scripted spiritual regurgitation you'll find on a religious record, but such Christian sentiment feels out of place on a foul-mouthed album like this."
Best Congolese Music
Like the luscious drink itself, the tunes come in many intensities and flavors, ranging from a light-as-air ditty from Peru, to the more complex vocal stylings of Colombia's Claudia Gomez , to Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca 's earthy Afro-Cuban Congolese rumba.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"DO NOT PASS THIS CD UP!"
"This CD came and a host of other CD's via the Putumayo collectioncame in a timely manner and this one inparticular is simply lovely to listen to.I do not have a favorite due to all of the songs are great.For me to not understanding he language makes it even more interesting to listen to.The beats, rhythms, collaborations are simply EXCELLENT!!"
"Good Putumayo CD. Several very good tracks on this CD."
"CD was in great condition."
"My favorite CD."
"You will be hard-pressed to find such soulful, diverse, colorful sounds on a compilation CD."
"The cd was in very good condition, however the music wasn't what I expected it to be."