There hasn’t been enough North African music on Benn loxo. Living in Paris it’s hard to avoid the sounds of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia- the languages, concerts, restaurants, cultural centers and quartiers are all around me. Several prominent North African musicians live full or part-time in Paris. L’Institut du Monde Arabe is one of my favourite contemporary Parisian buildings. Tajine and couscous are standard fare.

On that note, Abderrahmane Abdelli is an Algerian-born singer and oud-lute player. He’s from Kabylie, home of the Kabyl, an ancient Berber tribe, but has lived in Belgium since 1986.

I usually avoid the term “world music” but today’s find is nothing but: Abdelli’s 2003 release, Among Brothers, was recorded over three years on four continents with musicians from all over. The music mixes Berber singing and instrumentation with elements of Cape Verdian, Azerbaijanian and Burkinabe music, plus influences from other parts of the Magreb.

A lot of the lyrics on this album speak of exile and the injustices committed against the Kabyl people in Algeria. Don’t be fooled by the title of today’s track, Asiram. It translates into “hope” but the subtitle reads, “The loss of hope one feels when confronted with the lack of justice.”

I love the beginning and build of today’s track, and the accordian before the break in the 2nd minute goes well with my recent listening theme. The flute also got me thinking about those early Jethro Tull listening sessions years ago with my father.

Abdelli – Asiram

Today we have another urban Angolan guest post by Benn loxo listener, DJ Chief Boima:

“So Kuduro. It seems to be making some waves on the international scene. And reflections on why lead me to thoughts on post war youth expression. Young people who grow up seeing humanity at it’s worst feeling the need to create something put something in the world, blow it up, and not themselves. Youth, fueled by emotions: anger, sadness, jubilation, create.

When the war is over, the world takes a peak into a society that many times is left for years, isolated to deal with its issues on its own.

So now we have Kuduro. Another ghetto expression where dancing replaces shooting. While the roots of Kuduro go way before the war was over, it is now that it’s getting some international attention. As for reasons why it’s getting attention, I would like to speculate on some deep emotional connection to violence that is counteracted by music, or go off on how many times the internet creates bandwagon trends, and then leaves when they find the next it thing, but the explanation could be as simple as the fact that so many people become displaced from a country and it’s culture during conflict times that their culture gets dispersed throughout the world in the diaspora. People living abroad want to connect to home, especially if they can’t go back, so they bring a part of home with them. The original international distribution is migration.

I don’t know a lot about the history of Angola, so I won’t go any further on what’s going on there now. All I can say is I love this music. It resonates with me, and always gets the crowds movin’. It’s crazy danceable with a clave backbone, (we are close to Congo here, and as hinted in my previous post I know, there’s a Rumba/Soukous/Kuduro Connection) an electronic 808 thump, created on the computer and ready for internet distribution, some hand claps for those disco/house throwbacks, (percolator eat your heart out!) and a fast orgulloso lyric that represents “where you’re from.” With all these ingredients, you have a mix for great music.

If you want to pick some of this music up a good starter is Frederic Gaillano’s CD available on Calabash. Buraka Som Sistema available on iTunes. Dog Murras is available on various Portuguese mail order sites, Puto Prata, Os Alameda, and Se Bem have also made some great tunes.

And if you’re in the states and you don’t know someone that just visited Africa who can sell you CD’s at three times the cost, these are two sites for music called CaboVerdeOnline, and Acheio.com. I’m not gonna vouch for them because I haven’t used them, but if you’re dying to get your hands on some hard copies here’s a start. Also if you’re in Europe FNAC Portugal carries Kuduro CD’s and DVD’s. I don’t think they have a ton, but you can order them online. Some of these groups are touring and Kuduro is spreading through Europe by way of Portugal, so just look around your town to get involved. Watch Kuduro dancing on You Tube.

These are my favorite Kuduro songs that I’ve heard so far. Nao Reipeitao Neh has the best beat I’ve ever heard. Hand claps I can’t get enough of! And Meu Povo’s drum intro and Angola Chants make me jump everytime I hear them. Enjoy…”

Amazing, as usual. Thanks, Boima.

Alameda – Nao Reipeitao Neh
Dog Murras – Meu Povo

Maybe it’s my Ukrainian ancestry bubbling to the surface of my music taste, but I love a good accordion. Squeezyboy, you know what I’m saying.

Régis Gizavo plays a mean accordion for a group called Vaovy from Madagascar. The band is led by Jean Gabin Fanovona, a prolific Antandroy singer and composer, who has only recently risen out of obscurity on the world music scene.

I love the mix of sounds, rhythm and harmony on this album. The Antandroy violin sounds amazing over the multi-part harmonized vocals, traditional percussion and rather Western-sounding harmonica and accordian.

Music from Madagascar has a tendency to drive me a bit nuts, but I find I can listen to this album over and over.

Doesn’t the harmonica on Mafé sound a bit like an African Blues Traveler?

You can grab Vaovy’s two album over at Calabash.

Vaovy – Vamba
Vaovy – Mafé

Last week I got back from an 11-day trip in Cuba. I spent about a week in Havana plus a few days time in the west of the country, seeing Pinar del Rio, Vinales and finally the beaches and underwater life at Maria la Gorda.

It goes without saying that Cuban music, both old and new, is amazing. I heard the tourist-ringed but high-quality live salsa and rumba on every corner in Havana Vieja, Santaria rumba with the Conjunto folklórico, Afro-Cuban jazz at La Zorra y El Cuelvo, late nights, hard reggaeton and I-wish-I-could-dance-like them action at numerous clubs in Miramar and Vedado, sub-par big-name salsa at La Casa de la Musica and much more.

I try my best not to get political on this site, but let me say that visiting Cuba is a bit like going to a maximum security prison on the beach, snapping pictures of friendly inmates as they go about their business.

Most Cubans aren’t allowed to travel at all, even inter-city within their own country. The average monthly cash take-home is about 15 Euros a month. Prostitution is a disturbingly tolerated practice on a scale that outstrips Nigerian oil bars and Senegalese nightclubs. There are no boats on the water or in the harbour aside from patrols and tourists, not even for fishing. The vast majority of people aren’t allowed to own a car or pretty much anything else. If you’re a Cuban and have a relationship with a foreigner living in Cuba you will usually kiss your chances of getting a travel permit goodbye. The whole system is setup to reward those who play by the rules and punish those who don’t. Never question Fidel and you might get a TV. Organize enough anti-US parades and you might just get a job at a hotel… and the tips that come with it.

As I said to a friend earlier today, Cuba is a beautiful, fascinating… and ultimately very sad place. Any positive things I had thought about certain aspects of Fidel’s Cuba, such as good medicare, innovative urban agriculture policies, etc, went out the window. All of that is worthless if you have absolutely no freedom. And for all those who keep telling me “it was good you went before he dies” – no hurry, it’s not going to change anytime soon. If anything, rules are tightening these days. State-appointed company heads are being replaced with pro-Revolution activists by the dozen and authorities are cracking down on previously overlooked practices. I saw a bunch of “Viva Raul” signs around Havana, albeit small ones not quite ready for the prime time.

Anyway… very glad I went.

And as this is an African music web site I thought I’d post a song by a Congo-born Angolan who has been heavily influenced by Cuban music, salsa in particular. We can all thank Benn loxo listener, CC Smith of The Beat Magazine in San Francisco, for today’s music. I’ll share some real Havana Afro-Cuban later in the week.

Ricardo Lemvo combines salsa, soukous and some Afro-Portuguese elements into his music. He’s lived in the States since he was 15, but was born in Congo to parents of Angolan descent. He normally records with Makina Loca, but he’s also done some work with Africando.

Lemvo’s latest album, Isabela, was released this month. I’ve had it on repeat this afternoon while I cook a spicy, end of winter chilli con carne.

Ricardo Lemva & Makina Loca – Kasongo Boogaloo

Benn loxo listener Chief Boima comes through with a great Afro-Portuguese hiphop guest post today:

“I don’t know why but I too have become infatuated with Afro-Portuguese music. Maybe it’s because I’m Sierra Leonean and the Portuguese were the first to colonize before the British, and some Portuguese words survived in Krio like “sabi.” Or, maybe it’s because I speak Spanish not French and the it is much easier for me to get the general meaning behind the Portuguese lyrics than songs in other languages. Or, maybe because when I first heard Kuduro it blew my mind, and as a dj I became obsessed with the music that moves your booty like the Chicago House I used hear to at our middle school dances, but has roots in music like the dance tunes I knew from the African parties of my parents’ generation. But, here I am today collecting anything I can get my hand on from Bahia to Lisbon to Luanda and beyond.

Here are two hip hop tracks that also blew my mind when I first heard them. They are from two hip hop artists from Angola.

The first is Das Primeiro whom I heard the first time on some hip hop compilations when I took a trip to Portugal, he also has a track on the Rough Guide to African Rap. I think that he lives in Europe somewhere now, (Amsterdam?) but he reps Angola, and has a monster flow, with the confidence and delivery that could stand up to any of the greats in any language. I like his use of samples and really seems to be aware of his cultural roots while maintaining a strong hip hop identity. I chose the song Mana Maria because it has a real nice guitar sample that reminds of some of the Kizomba tunes or the other guitar based tunes that I’ve heard from Angola.

The second is Sonho Africano from Hemoglobina two Angolan MC’s, who live in South Africa now. (?) I heard them first on DJ Edu’s show on BBC 1xtra. This song is my favorite African hip hop song, because it reps a bunch of different nations, as well as the dope lyric content about what a gwan in Africa. It also has a beautiful guitar sample, and the beat drops heavy! I haven’t tracked down their album yet, but writing this has reminded/inspired me to do so. If any one knows where I can get it, hit me up: boima [at] ironmilitis.com. There are ton of great rappers in Portuguese out there, not just from Angola and who all use cultural influences to make their own brand of hip hop, like Sir Scratch, Rappin’ Hood and Marcelo D2. Check em’ if you get the chance.”

Thanks, Boima.

Das Primeiro – Mana Maria
Hemoglobina – Sonho Africano

Benn loxo listener and frequent behind the scenes contributor, Henri, introduced me to Sara Tavares the other day. It’s been raining drizzle as only Paris can lately.. plus I have a nagging cold. This calm, Luso-guitar couldn’t have come at a better time.

Sara Tavares is a Portuguese Cape Verdian from Lisbon. She’s been getting a lot of attention lately, including a nomination for the BBC’s 2007 World Music Awards.

Tavares’ voice reminds me of The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler. Remember them? Their 1992 album, Blind, is a classic of the rainy-day-indie genre.

Today’s track comes off her second album, 2006′s Balancê. Tavares wrote, arranged and produced the whole thing.

As Henri pointed out, the rest of the album isn’t quite as strong as this track but it’s still worth a listen. In particular, “Lisboa Kuya” has a nice sound but I’ll leave that for you to discover.

Sara Tavare – Guisa

Today we continue with the Luso-African theme with a guest post by Benn loxo listener, Ian:

“Joao and Ramiro Mendes, otherwise known as the Mendes Brothers, are probably the most influential artists in the Lusophone African world–despite their lack of name recognition. In 1978 the brothers immigrated from Fogo, Cape Verde to Brocton, Massachusetts, the epicenter of the Cape Verdean diaspora in the US. Shortly afterwards, they formed a band to play traditional Cape Verdean and Angolan styles like coladera, tabanka and semba. During the ’80s, the Mendes Brothers band built a following in the local Cape Verdean community.

In 1991 the brothers started their own label, MB Records, to produce and distribute their own and other Cape Verdean artists’ music. Brother Ramiro enrolled in the prestigious Berklee College of Music to study film scoring and commercial production, graduating in 1993. While Ramiro was still in school, the brothers produced an award-winning song for Saozinho. This lead to production work for big-name Luso-African stars, including Waldemar Bastos and Cesaria Evora. (In fact, Ramiro Mendes penned “Angola,” which became one of Evora’s biggest hits and her signature tune.)

Musically, the Mendes Brothers are interesting in that they have acted both as standard-bearers and pioneers. Their earlier albums are mostly straightforward CV pop; they share the slick production values common to most popular African music of the ’80s and ’90s but use distinctly Cape Verdean and Angolan rhythms. Along with their production work, their early albums are credited with popularizing these previously under-represented sounds on dancefloors both in Africa and around the world.

More recently, the brothers’ style has broadened to incorporate some of the feel of hip hop and R&B. Their latest record, “Cabo Verde/Kabu Verdi,” from which the songs below are taken, eschews the synthesizers and drum machines of much Afropop for the more subdued, naturalistic production characteristic of acts like india.irie or Les Nubiennes.

Given the sound of “Cabo Verde,” it’s not surprising to learn that Ramiro, based in Los Angeles and working under the moniker “Dr. Ra,” now produces hip hop, reggaeton and R&B tracks for a variety of new artists. One of them, an American-born Cape Verdean rapper/crooner named Anthony “TC” Cruz, is trying to popularize something he calls “three-step,” which, he claims, “brings hip hop back to the motherland” by fusing it with the 3/4 feel of Cape Verdean bandera.”

Thanks a lot, Ian. Great music. You can grab your own copy over at Calabash.

Mendes Brothers – Cabo Verde / Kabu Verdi
Mendes Brothers – Angolamania
Mendes Brothers – Madjon Di Djarfogu

I’ve been on this Portuguese-African kick lately, partly inspired by Benn loxo listener, Ian. You’ll hopefully be hearing from him soon.

In the meantime here’s a great tune by talented Cabo Verdian singer Terezinha Araújo. She has a unique pan-Portuguese West-African style, incorporating elements of Angolan, Portuguese, Cabo Verdian and Guinea-Bissauian music.

Araújo was discovered when she was just a little girl by none other than Miriam Makeba. She was performing in Conakry where her family was living in exile from Cabo Verde when she caught Makeba’s ear. By the age of 17 she was singing across West Africa and the communist bloc countries. There’s this great photo of her at the time in the album booklet sporting a wool sweater straight out of a 1970s French ski slope, singing her heart out at a Moscow conference centre.

Following Cabo Verde’s independence she eventually moved back to Cabo Verde where she still lives today. Her first solo recording, Nôs riqueza, was released on Nocturne in 2004.

Terezinha Araújo – Minino di criaçôn

Yesterday I realized that in 322 posts about African music we’ve never heard any Bonga on Benn loxo. For the sake of completion and out of respect for Angola’s most famous musician, here you are.

One thing I just learned about Bonga is that after exiling himself from Angola following his role in fighting for independence, he became a professional football/soccer player for Lisbon’s Benfica club and also a champion 400m runner. Talk about multi-talented. His status as professional athlete allowed him to travel easily throughout Europe.

What most would consider his best recordings were made in Paris during the early 70s. He recorded several solo albums and performed with high-profile African musicians living in Paris at the time like Manu Dibango. He’s still recording today having released successful albums right up to 2005, though they sound a bit too polished for my taste.

You can find today’s track on Bonga’s legendary 1972 recording re-released by Lusafrica ten years ago.

Bonga – Balumukeno

I was wading through the mediatheque a few weeks back and stumbled upon a re-issue of a 1973 record by Cabo Verdian guitarist, Humbertona. Great find. The music immediately transports you to the Cabo Verde islands, and the original recording’s sound has been nicely cleaned-up.

The people behind this release are Morabeza Records, a label devoted to promoting Cabo Verde’s musical heritage, both old and new. Morabeza is actually a revival of a great label that existed during the 1960s and 70s in Portuguese-speaking Africa. Most of Morabeza’s recordings were bought or re-released by the more famous Lusafrica.

You might not know Humbertona directly but he played with Bonga (who, strangely, I’ve never featured on Benn loxo) on celebrated recordings in 1972 and 1974. The man was also a prominent figure in the struggle for Cabo Verdian independence. They didn’t get their independence until 1975 so albums like this, released in 1973, were part of an effort to assert an independent culture. Needless to say, when originally released this album was confiscated in his country by Portuguese authorities.

If you’re curious you can find some more info and clips here.

Humbertona – Tchop Tchop