A little more from Iceland today.

Have any of you ever tried ice climbing? Seriously fun.. I was like a Canadian stereotype, up there on the ice.

I also happened to have a Cuban cigar in my pocket. There’s nothing quite like blowing smoke rings on top of a glacier, looking out at the sea.

Today we’ll hear a track by Seabear off their 2007 Morr Music release, The Ghost That Carried Us Away.

I remember hearing these guys on the audioblogosphere a year or two ago. I like their simple, acoustic, happy sound. It’s good music for days like today when it’s raining outside and the sun is rising later and later.

You can grab it pretty much anywhere. Thumbs-up.

They also apparently have another album coming out later this year. I’ll keep an ear out.

Seabear – Seashell

Today we’ll hear a couple tracks off Original Music’s compilation of Zambian miners’ songs, From The Copperbelt. The recordings were all made by the amazing Hugh Tracey.

I’ve always had a thing for southern African, mid-20th century music. George Sibanda and The Forgotten Guitars of Mozambique compilation were early favourites.

From The Copperbelt covers a range of styles present in the Zambian mines in 1957, all based around the European acoustic guitar. Most of the musicians are bards who traveled from mine to mine, entertaining the miners. Others are by the miners themselves. All are great, if you’re into this kind of thing.

Zambia occupies an interesting part of the continent. Its geography influenced its inhabitants’ music, especially at this early stage of “modern” African musical development, such that some music sounds distinctly South African, while much of the rest sounds very Congolese.

You might have already heard some John Lushi, who appears on this compilation, on Original Music’s Africa Dances release.

Isaac Matafwani – Eko Bali Mukanina Bamayo
William Siwale – Mayo Mayo
Four Pals – Nifwe Ba Four Pals

Wow, busy week. Feeling a bit tired this morning. A little Zambian “you’ve done me wrong” acoustic by George Kazoka lifts me out of bed and into my mug of coffee.

Today we’ll hear music from yet another Original Music release that explores the various forms of music that were spawned by the acoustic guitar as it spread across Africa: Guitar Songs From Tanzania, Zambia & Zaire.

You know, I never was good at the guitar. Something about stringed instruments has always eluded me. Piano, percussion, horns, no problem. But for whatever reason my fingers could never quite work the frets the way they should. It’s a shame, really, because it’s such a portable and almost universal instrument. In my next life, I guess.

George Kazoka – Ulayinda Kubota

One of my favourite strands of music from across the African continent is a variety of styles that employ the European acoustic guitar. Original Music’s compilation, African Acoustic: Sounds Eastern and Southern, as the name implies, explores just that in eastern and southern African countries.

My two favourite tracks are both from the East so we’ll hit some southern acoustic another day.

The first is by the Kikuyu Kenyan duo, Peter Kimuri and Patrick Roy Roger. The track’s title apparently translates into “Kirinyaga is Our Good”, refering to a legendary tribal founder.

The second track is by Somalian steel guitar player, Amin Xaaji Maxamed. We don’t get to hear Somalian music too often, and Maxamed’s oud-like guitar playing and Arab-influenced singing is great.

Patrick Roy Roger & Peter Kimuri – Kirinyaga Ni Igai Retu
Amin Xaaji Maxamed – Dakhtar

Nacio Makanda’s growling on the track Kerestina sounds like I feel this Monday morning. A pinch of grumpy, a dash of missing the weekend, with its beer, fish and wine.

Another Original Music post today on my quest to post it all. Today’s tracks come from the 30th OM release, Kerestina: Guitar Songs Of Southern Mozambique 1955-1957. It doesn’t get much more niche than that.

I’ve always liked music from Mozambique and the songs on this release are no exception. Easy going and jangly, plus I love the sound of the languages spoken in that part of the world.

Mozambique is on my places to visit short list so hopefully I’ll be able to bring you more Mozambican music first hand sometime in the future. In the meantime, five bucks to anyone who can pronounce the first track’s name five times fast.

Mahikwani Makhuvele – Hayilolosa Amale Ye Matshangana
Nacio Makanda – Kerestina

Bob Brozman released a great album a few months ago called Lumière.

Every piece is based on an improvisation – he starts with a simple melody and builds on the idea, adding layer upon layer of various forms of stringed instrument. Styles range from classic American blues to calypso to music from the far east.

Normally I wouldn’t like such an ambitious fusion of styles, but he pulls it off on this record. He’s an amazing guitar player for starters, and if you’re at all into instruments the album is a great showcase of a variety of stringed sounds.

As we know here at Benn loxo, no “world music” tour of guitar music would be complete without a nod to Malian blues. I’m left wondering, however, why soukous was left off the list. I guess Bob is too laid back for that arpeggio wall of sound of Congolese electric guitar!

Bob Brozman Orchestra – Bamako Blues

I’m not too tired tonight.. might stay up late. Slept well after days in the sun in Marseille last weekend.

This song from Sublime Frequencies’ Bush Taxi Mali album is perfect for the mood.

From a review at Dusted Magazine,

“Bush Taxi Mali: Field Recordings From Mali is an aural tour through this West African country, a series of audio snapshots, made by Tucker Martine during 1998 as an attempt to capture one of Africa’s greatest cultural legacies. Martine has also been responsible for documenting the sounds of broken-hearted dragonflies in Southeast Asia, which appeared on the same label.”

Thanks again, Alex.

Autorail

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

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