After 1959 most African nations started gaining independence. Portugal, then ruled by super-fun dictator Salazar, wasn’t so quick to free its African colonies. In fact the opposite happened: despite numerous uprisings by rebel groups Portugal upped its troop levels in Angola to 40,000 by 1964 and began a massive campaign of intimidation and repression. Angola became a police state in various stages of war for over a decade. To give you an idea of the scale of the conflict, up to 40,000 Angolans died fighting or as a direct result of the conflict between 1961-64.

It wasn’t until 1974-75 when Portugal itself fell apart that Angola managed to gain indpendence. It was never really granted to them, but rather Portugal just ceased to control the area. With such an organized hand-off one can only expect the best: various ethnic and rebel groups competing, often violently, for power of the new “nation”, and a political and economic situation rapidly becoming worse than it was pre-indpendence.

For many, however, independence marred by violence, civil war and disorganization was better than no independence at all, so they did what any sensible person would do: picked up some guitars and drums and started rocking out. In the late stages of its colonial control of Angola, Portugal had also actively encouraged local music and culture as a last-ditch effort to placate the masses. The resulting pre-independence mini-music industry combined with the excitement of freedom produced a whack of great musicians and original musical styles from the mid 1960s to the mid 70s.

This all came to a big halt when May, 1977, the new Angolan government silenced the arts community that it felt was critical of the new regime. Several well-known musicians and artists were murdered, including the two featured today, Urbano de Castro and David Ze. For years many of the records of the 1965-75 Angolan golden age were lost. Luckily, recent re-releases like the one featured today have brought the music back.

Both tracks today come off the 2 CD compilation, Soul of Angola, that features Angolan guitar music from 1965-1975. You can grab a copy on Afropop or Amazon. Thanks again, Zim.

Urbano de Castro - N’vula
David Ze - Mona Ku Jimbe Manheno

Yeah, it’s been just over a year since I started this audioblog deal. 160 posts and over 34,000 words, not to mention all the great feedback. I think things have gone pretty well. We average about 1000 unique viewers a day and easily plough through 100gb of transfer per month. I’ve learned a lot, met loads of interesting people, and grown my African music collection exponentially. Thanks to all of you who have read, listened, donated and spread the word. I look forward to another good year.

I’ve been away and/or too busy to write for the last couple weeks, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been collecting some great tracks to post on the site. I wanted to come back with a b-bang, so today we’re going to hear some rocking late 70s Chadian music to get us back on track. It follows nicely after the Ernesto Djedje stuff we listened to recently. ..and I’ve lined up about 10-20 posts for the next couple weeks, so stay tuned.

Though today’s track was recorded in Abidjan, its singer, Maître Gazonga, is actually from Chad. His style incorporates Nigerian/Cameroonian/Chadian quick drum rhythms into that oh-so-sweet late 70s / early 80s Ivoirian pop sound.

Like the song, Abidjan must have been a pretty incredible place to be around 1980. The place was just starting to really boom with the first oil and gas discoveries, plus a maturing cocoa sector. The city was growing almost too quickly, and people from all over the continent were heading that way. Pop-styles were being fused en masse with traditional sounds brought to the city by the thousands of migrants seeking work or fun.

Today’s track comes courtesy of Zim - thanks a lot. Great stuff. You can get it on the 2005 re-release compilation, Golden Afrique Volume 1 on the Network Medien label..

Maître Gazonga - Les Jaloux Saboteurs

Various thoughts at 12:49am in Paris that led to this post:

Lisa, I know that you’re just part Japanese so I couldn’t resist posting this song after having dinner at your place.

Irish-made, exotic grain-based dishes accompanied by seaweed-wrapped spiced eggplant delicacies.

A selection of make-you-remember urban rock a-la-Pavement, mixed with new French techno classics.

Various renditions of Apache filling my ears on the metro ride home, courtesy of Soul Sides.

MF Doom followed by CK Mann filling the office as I grind through numbers and troubleshoot machines all day.

Why does it bother me that most Egyptians I meet feel that their country is “not African”?

Do I really like kwaito or just the concept? And what will be the next West African urban music sound?

The result,

Great contemporary Nubian-Egyptian music by the late Ali Hassan Kuban, who said: “I perform because I love art. I love entertaining people. As long as you’re going straight, what’s there to fear?” From his 2001 album, Real Nubian.

…and some Wassoulou-based modern Malian sounds from “Techno-Issa” Bagayogo. This track is off his 2000 release, Sya.

Ali Hassan Kuban - Sanose It’s Japanese
Issa Bagayogo - Gnangran

Readers of this site will know that I have a soft-spot for afro-cuban salsa (and the sweaty, whisky-tinged nights that I associate with it.) Many a long workday has been made right by an evening of salsa, either on the stereo or the dancefloor.

The rhythm brings back memories of the ever-lovely K in a sundress, Ed striking a culturally shocking breakdance move, and of out of tune bands at Fouquets, Hotel de la Poste and various nightspots in Dieupeul and Castor. Ah, Dakar, tu me manques.

Today I’m yet again working late, watching the sun cheekily set outside my office window. Let’s turn to Djeli Moussa Diawara for salvation, yeah?

Diawara is a Guinean kora player who used to play in the Rail band during the 1970s and later recorded some stuff with Mory Kanté. Does this guy have any solo albums? None that I have/could find, so please educate me in the comments if he does.

I grabbed today’s track off an easy to find (to offset all the recent rather obscure posts) and well put together compilation, Salsa Africa. The album is worth buying, especially if you don’t already have a copy Bantous De La Capitale’s El Coco.

Djeli Moussa Diawara - Salda Hora

A lot of people have been sending me some great, harder to find stuff lately. Benn loxo fan and nice guy, Dominique, ripped a copy of his Super Jamono de Dakar Geedy Dayaan LP the other day and sent it my way. I spliced the album up into tracks and picked my favourite to post for you today.

Super Jamono is another Dakar-based mbalax band from the 1970s and 80s. I’m 90% sure that’s Omar Pene on vocals, and most of the other band members also played in Super Diamono at the time. You might have been able to guess that if you can pronounce a French-spelled Wolof dia-. The sound is classic early mbalax, though this album has a hint of psychedelia tossed in on a few tracks.

One of these days I’ll make it out to one of the Parisian Sunday mbalax parties, but up until now I’ve at least danced a couple sabars at the Jokko and others, Flag in hand.

ps- my Wolof is a bit rusty now. What does muugn mean?

Super Jamono - Muugn

I got an e-mail from Benn loxo listener Robert the other day about a post I did way back in April. Thanks to this I’m once again awash in memories of Lagos and it’s diesel-fumed, Yoruba-infused energy. Thanks, Rob. Here’s what he said:

“Back in April you posted the opening track from Adewale Ayuba’s Formula and asked if anyone knew the title. Well, having now acquired the cassette version, I can pass on the complete track listing:

Side One: Good Time (the track you posted)/Papapa/Everybody Come And Dance/London Experience; Amuludun Of Remoland/Arole of Sayindo (sagamu)
Side Two: Who Got The Rhythm?/Keep On Dancing/European Tour 2002/O Seun Olorun/Chief Oyekanmi Adisa Olowabi/Femi Sotire; Mastay Dollar/Jay Jay

While tracking this one down in the Nigerian supermarkets of Deptford High Street in south London, I was alerted to the latest big fuji release — a triple cassette album, no less, from the man who now calls himself King Wasiu Ayinde K-1 The Ultimate, but whom everyone seems to refer to just as “Wasiu”. The album is called Flavours, with the three cassettes labelled Flavour 1, Flavour 2 and Flavour 3. The sleeve note on the back of the cardboard outer pack is dated July 2005, so it can’t have been out long. I enclose two tracks so you can have a listen. Enjoy!”

I’ve re-posted the Were transformed track from April, and also included the two tracks that Robert so graciously sent my way. Great stuff, particularly Ayinde’s Awa De Oo. I actually have some more K-1 stuff tucked away somewhere, so if I can track it down I’ll post it later this week.

Wasiu Ayinde - Awa De Oo
Wasiu Ayinde - Ori