Oct 3/06
More Momo
Many of you wrote comments and e-mails praising the music from August 21st post on Momo Wandel Soumah. Thanks to several offers, I got my hands on a copy of his 1990 release, Matchowé.
The whole album is fantastic. Wandel’s West African-infused jazz sextet handles the fusion of musical styles perfectly, and his strange but lovely voice ties it all together. Among others, their cover of John Coltrane’s Afro Blue and the first recording of the song I featured last time, Toko, are gems.
I have a million things to do today so I can’t say much more, but if you’re curious about Wandel or his music check-out this article over at Afropop.
Momo Wandel Soumah – Bokme
Momo Wandel Soumah – Afro Blue
Momo Wandel Soumah – Toko
Posted this on the birthday thread, but I’ve put the whole album on rapidshare (http://rapidshare.de/files/35083436/matchowe.zip.html) so anyone can get it while it lasts (I think the link’ll go dead after a month with no downloads). I wouldn’t normally do this, since ‘world’ music artists often need the economic support of buying the CDs… but the album’s out of print and Momo Wandel’s dead, so who’s to complain?
I’ve been searching around for his albums ever since reading the first Momo post here. Thank you.
Hello Matt,
First of all congratulations with the 2nd birthday of your fantastic blog.
Googling through the net found some more info about Momo Wandel (from http://www.radioafrica.com.au), just quote here some:
“Momo played in the60s/70s in Syli Orchestre National, which contained Guinea’s elite musicians. The orchestra represented Guinea at international festivals held in Helsinki (1962), Algiers (1969), and Tunis (1973), as well as performing in Berlin, Lagos and Cuba. The first chef d’orchestre was Kanfory Sanoussi (accordion, banjo and vibraphone), with other musicians including Kerfala “Papa” Diabaté (guitar), Balla Onivogui (trumpet), Keletigui Traoré (tenor saxophone), Pivi Moriba (trombone), Momo Wandel (saxophone), Kerfala Camara (bass), and Jean Fanga (drums).”
“Momo has a track called “Tam-tam sax” on a 1976 LP from Syliphone (#SLP 54 – Musique sans paroles, various artists album)”
If anybody has any from the music listed on http://www.radioafrica.com.au and is able to share it please don’t hesitate.
SeeYA, ReadYA, Frans
“other musicians including Kerfala “Papa” Diabaté (guitar), Balla Onivogui (trumpet), Keletigui Traoré (tenor saxophone), Pivi Moriba (trombone), Momo Wandel (saxophone), Kerfala Camara (bass), and Jean Fanga (drums).”
Wow – that is some guinean super group – would love to have heard some recordings of that.
By the way if folks like momo, the other discs they may want to check out are the dexter johnson “serie sangomar” reissues on the dakar sound label.
He did some early work on n’dardisc with laba sosseh, played in the star band de dakar, and also if I’m not mistaken on an LP with the rail band – one of the great african sax players
Afro Blue is actually by Mongo Santamaria, Coltrane himself covered it (and possibly popularized it).
I love that tune!
What a crazy cover too– it’s hard to even tell where the harmony is coming from, what instruments it comprises.