Let’s stick with African acoustic guitar music for another post, but this time we’ll move ahead a few decades to Pape & Cheikh in present-day Senegal. My buddy Laurent grew-up with these guys in the Siné Saloum region of south-central Senegal. Supposedly they’re pretty nice, but either way they put on great concerts and I love their music.

They sound a lot like Youssou N’Dour crossed with Cheikh Lô, maybe with a pinch of Dave Matthews. (Incidentally, I saw Dave Matthews and Trey Anastasio play with the Orchestra Baobab in Dakar a few months ago for some VH1 special they were filming here. Trey held his ground on the guitar but Dave looked and sounded like a small child afraid of the mic, awkwardly sharing the stage with the uber-confident Senegalese salsa superstars.) Indeed, Pape and Cheikh themselves cite artists such as Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and Joan Armatrading as musical influences for their music. They mix a folky Western protest feel with traditional serer rhythms and singing and come out with a very modern but still Senegalese style.

The duo’s political leanings are obvious in their lyrics. What some might not know, however, is that their hit song “Yatal Gueew” (Widening the Circle) available on their 2002 album, Mariama, was adopted by opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade as his campaign theme song in the 2000 Senegalese presidential elections. It’s a great tune about how efforts must be made to reunite Senegal’s diverse ethnicities and political bodies. And hey, Wade scored a come-from-behind victory in the elections so the song’s gotta be doing something right. Have a listen below.

Pape & Cheikh – Yatal Gueew

When made well, palmwine can be really, really good. Before you know it you’ve had a litre and suddenly standing up becomes a serious problem in the afternoon heat. The real good stuff is tapped directly out of the palm tree where it has already partially fermented and then mixed with a bit of fresh honey. Making me thirsty just thinking about it..

Before the electric guitar-infused world of highlife took English-speaking West Africa by storm in the early to mid-60s, a lighter, more acoustic style was en vogue. Palmwine jazz from Ghana, sometimes called palmwine highlife, was the precursor to highlife as most of us know it. It was very popular in its day, however a lot of the good recordings were either lost or pressed on now-unlistenable 78 vinyl.

Between 1983 and 2000 Accra-based producer and musician Professor John Collins got together three of Ghanaian palmwine highlife’s greats and recorded their music at his 4-track Bokoor Studios. Kwaa Mensah, Koo Nimo and T.O. Jazz all laid down some great songs, this time recorded in quality conditions.

The result of these recordings is the fantastic 2003 album Vintage Palmwine.

ps- I’m looking for music by Sierra Leonians S.E. Rogie and Abdul Tee-Jay . I can’t seem to find their albums in Dakar. Anyone up for a trade?

T.O. Jazz – Waytime Ama
Koo Nimo – Dabre Obia Awuo (When you die someone will not sleep)

Lately I’ve been on Zimbabwe kick if you haven’t noticed. While indulging in this latest craving I stumbled upon George Sibanda, arguably the first music star in sub-Saharan Africa. He was famous from South Africa to Kenya during the late 40s and early 50s. In newly industrialized African countries he spoke to labourers with his simple lyrics about common problems sung over folky, jangling acoustic guitar.

What’s really funny (or sad) about this “superstar” is that no one ever took his photo and no one is exactly sure when he was born or when we died. If you look at the liner notes of a recently released collection of his music you’ll find pictures of the things he sings about but none of the man himself.

George Sibanda plays really, really happy music. Cute, even. Despite all this happiness, however, he managed to drink himself to death by the late 50s (like any good music star). Before this unfortunate end he played innumerable gigs up and down southern Africa for cash and drinks. During his travels he bumped into Hugh Tracey, a white Rhodesian passionate about recording African musicians, and put down a bunch of tunes, two of which you’ll find below.

The Hugh Tracey recorded album I’m referring to, The Legendary George Sibanda, is highly recommended. It’s well produced and perfect for a Sunday hangover or a Wednesday-night poker match.

George Sibanda – Guabi Guabi
George Sibanda – Dali Ngiyakuthanda Bati Ha-Ha-Ha

During the late 1970s and early 1980s the famous band from Zaire, Zaiko Langa Langa, was in serious trouble. Key members were defecting due to infighting and Papa Wemba’s efforts to steer the group in controversial new directions. The product of all this fighting, however, were several splinter groups that rose from the ashes of the formerly great Zaiko.

One of the better and more successful forks was the Langa Langa Stars. They were started by Isifi Lokole and Yoka Lokole of Zaiko and only lasted from 1981 to 1984. During this time, however, they became legendary, thanks to their amazing 7-part male vocals. The lead vocalists, led by Evoloko Jocker, called themselves the “7 Patrons” (seven bosses or chiefs) of Langa Langa Stars.

I think that the song I’ll post today is by the Langa Langa Stars as led by Evoloko Jocker, former vocalist for Zaiko Langa Langa. One of my readers, Bill, sent me this great tune in hopes that I’d be able to identify it and then post it so that others could help him on his quest to find more like it. If I’m wrong in my guess please let me know.

As far as other albums like it, I suggested this one. Wonderful harmonies.

Evoloko Jocker and the Langa Langa Stars?

The mbira isn’t just an instrument. For Zimbabweans it’s traditionally used in ceremonies to connect with their ancestors so that they can offer advice and guidance. It’s used in something like southern African trance music, a repetitive chiming over light percussion and sometimes a bit of chanting. Traditionally used by the Zezuru tribes of the Shona people, it has 22 to 28 keys mounted on a wood soundboard. The instrument is then placed in a gourd so that the sound can resonate.

Girls aren’t supposed to play mbira; it’s traditionally a guy-only deal in Zimbabwe. Women who pluck the metal with their thumbs are called “loose” and criticized or rejected by their community. Stella Chiweshe didn’t care. She was determined to “talk” mbira no matter what and went on to become the most well known player of the instrument outside the country.

Chiweshe first picked-up the mbira in 1964 and by 1974 had released a hit-single. She went on to record numerous singles and albums before leaving the trouble that is present-day Zimbabwe. She now lives in Germany where she still plays and records.

Today’s track is off her latest album, Talking Mbira, and is a good example of the simple, repetitive and beautiful sounds that you find in her music.

Stella Chiweshe – Huvhimi

Alright. It’s time to answer some of those requests. First up, Super Mama Djombo.

Guinea Bissau borders the country I live in but unfortunately I’ve only ever looked at the border and never actually crossed it. Last time I was in south-western Senegal there were reports of banditry on the road I would’ve had to take across the border so I didn’t take the risk. This is no surprise since Bissau is a somewhat lawless place and one of the absolute poorest nations on the planet. It must also be the unsuccessful coup attempt capital of the world.

You can blame a lot of this on the Portuguese, Africa’s foremost crappy colonials, who didn’t let go of the country until 1974. Another reason that things are so bad there is a brutal civil war that happened in 1998-99 to unseat the country’s just as crappy as the Portguese if not worse dictator, Joao Vieria. Since then there’s been another coup and recently a mutiny of sorts. Things aren’t exactly looking up.

But man, oh man, in 1974 people were pumped for freedom. The group that sums up this spirit – in fact the group that pretty much was this spirit as embodied in its music – is Super Mama Djombo.

They only got one chance to properly record their music when in 1980 they went up to Lisbon and recorded something like five albums worth of songs and produced one full-length LP in a very short period of time. Suddenly they were African superstars. But then, like all other hopes in Bissau since independence, they gradually faded away after the 1980 coup that started another slow decline of their beloved country.

Their hit self-titled album was remastered and rereleased in 2003. One of the songs on that album, Pamparida, is said to have caused several spontaneous riots when played in public places. I’ve also posted a second track that I like because when it breaks I get shiver down my spine.

Super Mama Djombo – Pamparida
Super Mama Djombo – Pansau Na Isna

Judging by the over 25GB you’ve downloaded so far in October and the many e-mails I’ve received, people seem to like this site. Thanks – I appreciate it.

I’ve received a couple hesitant requests over the last few days. Requests are more than welcome. They give me some direction and ideas when I go music shopping at the markets and sometimes introduce me to bands I might not otherwise buy or know. For those who have already requested, I haven’t forgotten about you: some Zaiko Langa Langa, Super Mama Djombo and late-70s Thione Seck is on the way; I found them at the market yesterday and will be posting them this week or next.

I always appreciate comments or e-mail and am open for trades, requests or suggestions. Cheers.

I was poking around Amazon last night and stumbled upon a couple of amazing free MP3 downloads by the Mthembu Queens of South Africa. I don’t know much about this group except that they’ve released only one album, Emjindini in 1989, and that they play a kind of South African pop music called mbaqanga.

The second song listed, Wadiliza Umuzi, is particularly great. Listen about half-way through the song when the male lead almost descends into a fit of throat singing.

http://artist.amazon.com/mthembuqueens

I watched the debate last night because I get to vote in this year’s US election thanks to a brief stint in Michigan from the age of 0-3. The debate left me feeling better about Kerry but quite sour about American politics in general.

So in honour of my home and greater land, Canada, I thought I’d post a track by a Canadian-Guinean today. The choice is especially appropriate this week since Canada recently decided to completely forgive debts owed by the world’s poorest nations, many of them in West Africa.

Alpha Yaya Diallo was born in Guinea-Conakry but now lives in the land of rain and Starbucks, Vancouver. While still in Guinea he played with the popular Bembeya Jazz National band. Before moving to Canada he spent some time in Amsterdam where he joined Fatala on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label.

Diallo’s guitar playing is great and despite his deep-rooted Western influences he still manages to produce a music distinctly and authentically West African. And in a distinctly and authentically Canadian way this new resident was awarded the country’s highest musical honour, a Juno, for his album The Message in 1999.

Here’s a track from that album. I’ve also included a track today by Diallo’s old group, the Bembeya Jazz National, that I particularly like.

Alpha Yaya Diallo – Badenma
Bembeya Jazz National – Mami Wata

Oops, did I say that this site was all about West African music? Wait, wasn’t it Senegal week? Forget about it. Some guy on a moped cut me off on the way to work today so forget Senegal. In fact, forget West Africa. We’re heading south today where we’ll find some rock n roll meets traditional Zimbabwe.

Regardless of which colour is ruling the country, Zimbabwe seems forever entrapped in dictatorships and misfortune. It just can’t get it together despite being one of Africa’s potentially richest nations. Racial hatred, power-hungry oligarchs and widespread corruption continue to cripple the country.

Activists like Thomas Mapfumo have taken the constant struggle that your average Zim national faces and turned it into a form of music. He mixes traditional Shona mbira music with politics and Western sounds to come up with his own musical style, chimurenga, which means ‘struggle’ in Shona.

Mapfumo, the “lion of Zimbabwe”, is an amazing musician. He tours often so you may be able to catch a live show. In the meantime give the tracks below a listen. You can find both of them on the excellent best-of album, Chimurenga Forever.

Thomas Mapfumo – Hwahwa (beer)
Thomas Mapfumo – Zvandiviringa (I am in trouble)