The Official Blog of Afropop Worldwide

Mohamed Wardi dies in Khartoum

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:53:00 +0000

In the modern history of Sudan, no musical figure stands as tall, or cuts as deep as singer/composer/bandleader and political activist Mohamed Wardi, who died in Khartoum on February 18, 2012. Wardi’s legacy is complex and multifaceted. He famously befriended Louis Armstrong, and helped to introduce jazz and other contemporary influences into Sudan’s national music. In effect, he took the brass bands left behind by British and Turkish interlopers and taught them to swing, but in a uniquely Sudanese way. Wardi composed over 300 songs, many of them classics, and many of them courageous for their social and political import. Sudanese historian Ahmad Sikainga called Wardi “the largest giant of Sudanese music,” noting that he was detained and jailed for his outspokenness numerous times during the 60s and 70s, and driven into an extended period of exile with the rise of a repressive, Islamist regime in the 1980s. Wardi later returned to Sudan, and news of his death riveted Sudanese everywhere, creating a moment of unity in a profoundly divided nation.

Wardi traces his heritage to the northern Sudanese (and southern Egyptian) kingdom of Nubia. A profound force in this region’s ancient politics and culture, this Nile River kingdom was substantially dispersed and flooded out by the construction of the Aswan High Dam during the 1960s. Since that time, Nubian melodies and rhythms have carried a particular poignancy—a nostalgic link to lost African greatness. Wardi sang the traditional melodies of Nubia, and played the oud (lute) and the tambour, a frame drum linked to his own Nubian family lineage. Another legend of Nubian music, the also-late Hamza el Din, once described Wardi as “a monumental composer and singer… a true fountain of inspiration.”

Wardi was born Mohamed Osman Wardi in 1932, on Sawarda, an island in the Nile in the Sudanese north. He began as a teacher, traveling extensively in northern and central Sudan, absorbing a rich variety of local traditions and musical idioms. He moved to Khartoum in 1957, and began singing and recording, quickly acquiring a reputation, in particular for his powerful and mellifluous voice.

Early on, Wardi used his art and fame to denounce oppression and tyranny in Sudan. He was first jailed in 1961, then again for two years in 1973. On the eve of another imprisonment in 1983, he was smuggled out of the country. But his fame only grew. At a 1990 concert at the Itang refugee camp in Ethiopia, Wardi enthralled a huge crowd of Sudanese refugees, estranged from their civil war-torn country. A 1994 concert in Addis Ababa had to be held in a football stadium to accommodate the massive audience.

Wardi’s stature and musical prowess gave him access to the very best Sudanese musicians, an expansive and brilliant ensemble he called The African Birds. In 1999, Wardi brought his musicians to Los Angeles and recorded 18 of his most essential songs under the direction of veteran producer Dawn Elder. This recording has yet to be commercially released, but hopefully, one result of Wardi’s sad passing will be a new impetus to bring this historic recording to the public.

Mourning Mohamed Wardi in Sudan

Describing his band during that 1999 recording session, Wardi said, “These Sudanese musicians and singers have been working in the struggle to bring democracy back to Sudan. They deserve to be shown and written about, because all of them are political refugees. I would like to show the American media, which displays all the wars and the famine and all the difficult things, that there is cultural life, too.”

Wardi finally returned to his beloved homeland in 2003 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Khartoum in 2005 in recognition of his 60-year career, and his status as an immortal of Sudanese art.

You can hear some of Wardi’s music, including a track from the unreleased 1999 session, on Afropop Worldwide’s program, Sudan a Musical History.

- Banning Eyre

Remembering Bouba Sacko

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Bouba Sacko, Bamako 1993

At the end of 2011, while much of the world was on holiday of some sort, one of Africa's greatest guitarists, Bouba Sacko, died in Bamako. Bouba was a virtuoso and a pioneer. If his name is less known than those of other African 6-string maestros, that is only because he mostly recorded behind brilliant Mande vocalists such as Ami Koita, Kandia Kouyate, and his late wife Djessira Kone. Djessira's death a couple of years ago presaged a long decline for Bouba, who never really emerged from his grief. His last years were difficult, but he leaves us profound memories and spectacular recordings.

I first met Bouba in 1993 on my first trip to Bamako. I knew him from the sensational, 1992, acoustic Bajourou CD, a collaboration with Djelimady Tounkara. I found Bouba in his Bamako compound, surrounded by gadgetry, and playing high-tech Mande guitar music (bajourou) with pedals and loops. This was his element. Bouba had a particular feel and arranging aesthetic, one he would use on many productions. When I asked him to describe his sound, he had few words, but his playing said it all.

Among musicians, Bouba Sacko was one of the most respected guitarists in Mali. When he started playing guitar in the 1960s, the concept of a “griot guitarist” barely existed. The famed praise musicians of West Africa’s Mande people mostly worked with the kora (21-string harp), ngoni (spike lute) and wooden-slatted balafon. Bouba’s father Ibrahim Sacko was director of the state-sponsored Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, so the traditional repertoire and lore of Mande griot heritage surrounded him from the start. Just the same, Bouba stuck with the guitar, developing a powerful capacity to evoke traditional instruments using his axe.

Djelimady Tounkara, Bouba Sacko, 2005

In 1977, Bouba became the first guitarist to perform with along with kora, ngoni, and balafon in the chamber-music-like setting of a great griot chanteuse, Fanta Damba. While other Mande guitarists, like Djelimady Tounkara of the Super Rail Band, moved into the realm of electric dance bands, Bouba stuck with the jelimusow (female griot singers). Over the years, he has accompanied some of the greatest, including Ami Koita, Kandia Kouyate, and his wife, Djessira Kone. Most of these artists’ recordings have not found their way to the international market, perhaps because they rely so much on lyric content, and appeal most powerfully to a local audience.

I stayed in touch with Bouba, and was privileged to spend time with Djessira and him in New York and in Middletown, Connecticut, during an extended visit they made in 2003. They were an extremely happy couple, and dynamite together on stage. They performed memorably at Wesleyan University, for an Afropop fundraiser we will never forget, and at a number of private celebrations for New York's Malian community. At one of those events, in a hair salon on 125th st, I provided a PA system, and joined in on guitar on a number of songs. When I met Bouba again in Mali in 2005, he excitedly told me that the gig had earned him a 4-wheel-drive SUV, as a gift from the groom's father. The car sat in the driveway. Sadly that amazing and happy moment was the last time I ever saw him. But he lives on in so many memories, and in the hearts of all who love Malian music, and virtuoso guitar. Rest in piece, old friend!

- Banning Eyre

Dirck Westervelt, Djessira Kone, B. Eyre, Bouba Sacko, 2003

D'banj Live in NYC: Good Business

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Contributing Afropop producer Wills Glasspiegel saw Nigerian superstar D'banj's U.S. debut at Irving Plaza in NYC this past weekend. Here's his report:

"D'banj isn't Afropop." That's what a young journalist from Sierra Leone told me in the photo-pit at Irving Plaza as we waited for MTV Africa's Artist of the Year to take the stage. D'banj is from Nigeria and reportedly sold 7 million copies of his last record. He signed recently to Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label -- West even gifted D'banj a gold chain on stage in London. D'banj has his own reality TV show in Nigeria, and a host of other ventures including a line of mobile phones preloaded with his music. "Uncle Snoop," D'banj's nickname for Snoop Dogg, flew out to Lagos last year for a video collaboration.

If you're West African or have lived in West African metropolises like Lagos and Accra, you probably know D'banj's R&B and hip-hop-infected pop. But if you're not African -- even if you're a fan of Afropop, world music or hip-hop -- D'banj may not be on your radar. Apart from myself and Jon Caramanica taking notes on his blackberry, Irving Plaza was mostly packed with Anglophone Africans. It didn't quite seem like D'banj was "crossing-over." This was an upwardly-mobile/upscale African market in Union Square, and it was a hell of a party.

"I'm an entertainer. I came to entertain," D'banj sings in one of his stock-phrase English hooks that makes the front-row girls scream. This music, which for me is too commercial to be palatable in any type of intimate listening environment, came to life at Irving Plaza. D'banj's band (drums, bass, guitar, dancers, keys and backup rappers) was tight and the songs were simple -- they left room for improv. D'banj called out to his Nigerians audience, his Ghanaian audience, and his Liberian audience -- those who filled the room, paid for the expensive tickets and dressed impeccably for the occasion.

D'banj's music is grounded in a cosmopolitan African-pop aesthetic. The DJ's opening performance set that context: Drake and Lil Wayne played beside Magic System; the crowd knew every word to songs by Demarco, Serani, Khago Na and Bracket. It's a new African global-pop canon. This mix winds through languages, dialects, riddims, reality TV and fancy clubs throughout the continent and the Diaspora. This is the community that makes D'banj a global pop star even if he'll never make the cover of Rolling Stone or put out an album on Putumayo.

Later in the set, the crowd marveled when D'banj broke out his harmonica, his signature (and only) instrument. It's a gimmick, but it's a charming gimmick. It's entertaining. It's heartfelt. It's something to blog about.

As his Wikipedia entry notes, D'banj often professes his love for another Nigeria legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti (Wikipedia says Fela was D'banj's mentor, which isn't true). D'banj imitates the Chief Priest-- he often poses triumphantly on stage with raised arms just like Fela. But D'banj is not the new Fela. He has no counter-culture in him. Perhaps because of ties to big money in Nigeria, D'banj is notoriously
hesitant to address the current upheavals in Nigerian society related to oil and the Christian / Muslim divide. Fela's art was grounded in revolutionary politics and social commentary. D'banj is an entertainer and a businessman. He's good at what he does.

And the Road March Winner: is... Machel Montano - "Pump Yuh Flag"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:57:00 +0000

With Ash Wednesday comes the end of Carnival and, for soca fans, the identity of this year’s Road March winner. This year the title, along with the lucrative International Power Soca Monarch ($2,000,000) and Groovy Soca Monarch ($500,000) all went to a single performer: Machel Montano and his massive tune, “Wave Yuh Flag,” which was played a total of 233 times.

Machel is one of the most successful soca performers, having also won the "Road March" title last year, as well as in 2007, 1998, and 1997. Yet despite this popularity, how was it possible for him to have achieved such a clear domination of the Soca field? In this case it took a song trilogy, and an unceasing drive to utterly reform, nay, to supposedly totally “revolutionize the very concept of flag-waving” as it had heretofore existed.

In a case of such a massive triumph, it seems best to get out of the way, and let the man (or at least his production company) speak for himself. Here are some gems from his ridiculous, but fun press release for "Pump Yuh Flag:"

"Pump Yuh Flag” also affectionately known as P.Y.F., is the first segment of a road-march ready trilogy. The song will be released as tri-factor that consists of: 

1. The “Original” - Designed to ignite the Carnival masses 

2. The “758 Re-Mix” – Orchestrated to elicit unbridled euphoria in the fetes .

3. The “Road Mix”. Meticulously engineered to increase the blood-flow (A complete physical or medical clearance, is recommended before crossing the stage to this mix).

This musical trilogy will build the momentum and climax unto the streets, as P.Y.F. subtly seduces 3 moods of your consciousness. A Soca syncopated progression - from radio stimulation - to fete frivolity - and segways into masquerader stage satisfaction.”

Some tune though…   Congratulations Machel!

Check out two of the three versions below:

-Sam Backer

Spotlight: Céu — "Retrovisor"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Brazilian singer/songwriter Céu just released a new video for her song "Retrovisor" off her forthcoming album Caravana Sereia Bloom. The number is a moody, piece with hints of surf guitar, jazz and samba. Really, though, this is a languid, sexy pop-song that would fit perfectly in a Bond film. It also continues to showcase Céu's flexibility as an artist and her refusal to be pigeonholed to any one genre.

The video is a perfect accompaniment to the song. With it's grainy, 8mm-type footage, deep hues and mysterious shots of Céu in various locations, the video works well with the mood of the track. We liked it so much we thought that both song and video were perfect for a post-Fat Tuesday hangover.

Enjoy:

(MTV IGGY)

Nomadic Wax Drops the Multi-Lingual "Super MC"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:50:00 +0000

Nomadic Wax, a record label specializing in hip-hop from around the globe and often times Africa, dropped a new, 7+ minute mix today called “Super MC.” The title refers to a statement Chuck D said on his radio program a few years back that “the Super MC is the one who can spit in more than two languages.”

Riffing off that idea, Nomadic Wax put together this new mix featuring seven MCs who can flow in more than one language flawlessly. Only one lives outside of North America but various languages represented make it a real international affair.

Listen or download below!

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://nomadicwax.bandcamp.com/track/super-mc-2"&amp;gt;Super Mc by Nomadic Wax&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Weekend Music Selection With Boima, Rakas, Ebo Taylor + More

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

A bunch of free music dropped this week. So much so that the small staff of Afropop Worldwide could not keep up with all of it. So here is a short roundup of free, excellent music that should keep your weekend bumping and full of good sounds.

Chief Boima – XLR8R mix

The Dutty Artz-affiliated producer/DJ is a favorite around here. His excellent African in New York EP was recently released. He also produced some of Los Rakas funky plena meets hip-hop EP, Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada. He also dropped Lone Stars, a compilation of Hipco and Gbema music from Liberia late last year. Boima is the type of smart, trail-blazing DJ bringing us new sounds from across the world that we dig. His new mix for XLR8R is a fiery energetic offering that should be on repeat around here for the next few months.

Los Rakas – Raka Love

As much as these Bay-Area by way of Panama bad boys like to front as tough guys, they’ve also been known to let their romantic side shine through. How else can you explain dropping a free, 9-song EP called Raka Love on Valentines Day?

Bonde do Role - With Blasers

Carioca-influenced electro-pop three-piece from Curitiba, Brazil will be dropping a new single and video any time now. Until then, Mad Decent let loose some b-sides and so-called “castaways” from the group’s debut With Lazers. Grab ‘Em!

Ebo Taylor – "Ayesama"

Ghanian guitarist, producer and music innovator may be well into his 70s but that hasn’t stopped him. After releasing the solid Love & Death in 2010, Taylor saw a series of his classic releases see re-issue via Strut. This year Taylor is back with a new album Appia Kwa Bridge set to drop later this year made up of entirely new material. Hear the first track “Ayesama” via Bama Soul.

What else did we miss? Let us know! Shoot us a tweet or comment below.

Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago Full of Controversy Caused By New Fees

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:13:00 +0000

Few areas take Carnival more seriously then the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago where it is the single most important event of the year and a huge tourist draw. As a result, changes to the traditional routine take on an extreme importance, affecting the economic reality of significant numbers of bandleaders, musicians, and other artisans. Despite its celebratory feel. This is a BIG business.

This year the run-up to Carnival has been characterized by divergent interests and conflict between the various parties involved. Although Carnival is officially overseen by the National Carnival Commission (NCC), the actual organization and running of the parades and competitions that form its centerpiece is handled by the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA), which receives annual funding from the government. Lead by its longtime president David Lopez, the NCBA has recently taken several controversial positions that seem to have put it in direct conflict with many of the bandleaders that it officially represents, particularly those running the largest of the Mas groups. Of these positions, the one that has received the most criticism is the imposition of new (and previously unheard of) registration fees on all performers and bandleaders.

Lopez claims that the new fees are necessary because, while the costs of organizing Carnival continue to rise, the amount of money that the NCBA receives from the government has remained fixed. Furthermore, he argues that the funds collected would also be used to help develop the “creative skills” of those from whom it is collected. Lopez has previously claimed that many of the skills and cultural creativity that make Carnival unique are increasingly threatened; in particular, he has singled out the growing trend of importing the material used in Mas costumes from China and India as a particularly damaging development. Speaking last year, he claimed that the tradition of costume making in Trinidad was “rapidly dying if not already dead…The industry is not where it was some ten years ago. Soon people will no longer need skilled labor like wire benders, metal beaters and hundreds of people who are employed in accessorizing the costumes.”

The reaction to the fees and this argument for their necessity (the latter backed up by the seemingly unlikely threat of 2000% percent tariff on the importation of all pre-made costumes by the Minister of Arts and Culture) has been met with negative reactions from the major bandleaders who are decrying it as economically unreasonable and,given the disorganized way that they were introduced, both illegitimate and unprofessional. According to Mahindra Satram-Mahara, chairman of the National Carnival Development Foundation, the organizers of Carnival have made an “annual habit of poor planning and last-minute consultations with stakeholders." Satram-Mahara continues his critique stating, "The Government is putting emphasis on globally branding Carnival but how can we brand it if we cannot get our house in order?”

While these arguments are often formulated in the terms of carnival culture, with claims made that the fees are an assault on the “freedom of expression” that is the beating heart of carnival, it is difficult not see their roots in the light of the marketplace. As bands have expanded to provide an increasingly immersive experience, promising their members food, drink, and security in addition to the traditional costumes, costs and organizational difficulties have increased as well. According to the bandleader Ronnie McIntosh, “Everyone thinks that bandleaders are making big money. They only see the launch of the bands, the costumes and the prizes…. There is a heavy cost attached to safety and security of the bands; a heavy cost attached to renting trucks, trailers, and generators; and the production costs of costumes are very high. We have to pay for production at every level - be it local or overseas. That is why we have to treat Carnival as a business and not bacchanal.”

According to this viewpoint, developments such as the importation of costumes from China and India should be understood as a necessary part of the decidedly realistic process of running a modern carnival group. If feather prices are too high in Trinidad, the next step is, just like in any other business, to buy them from China where they are cheaper. In direct opposition to this is the understanding of Carnival espoused by the NCBA, which views the effort “to export the ingenuity and creativity of Carnival through its locally produced final products” as its main aim. This clear opposition means that the friction between the two camps is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, as Trinidad and Tobago continues to negotiate the complex process of making a viable industry out of its cultural heritage.

-Sam Backer

Are FOKN Bois Fokn With You?

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Ghanian duo FOKN Bois dropped an entire18-track album for yesterday and letting you name your own price for it. Titled FOKN Wit Ewe, the album showcases their brand of offensive humor with song titles like “Laffin at Cripples,” “Strong Homosexual Guys” and “Sexin Islamic Girls.”

If you are familiar with FOKN Bois, though, they seem like socio-conscious MCs and likely, beneath these song titles and inside their lyrics exists a creative and relevant commentary. FOKN Bois specialize in trying to push their listeners beyond their comfort zones in hopes of bringing to light what is, in their opinion, the problems and inanities of major social issues, particularly in Africa and African identity. When the duo sing about not fearing guns, not fearing knives but that they do fear “homosexual guys,” they are not being homophobic but calling out the extreme homophobia that exists in their home country.

Is this effective, though? Does the message come across clearly enough or could it easily be misconstrued? How does it compare to the intense and obvious socio-political messages of the recently covered Waga 3000?

We are still delving into the record but do find their abrasive humor engaging and worth a listen and, at least, a conversation.

You be the judge and tell us what you think. Download or Stream below:

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://foknbois.bandcamp.com/album/fokn-wit-ewe"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;FOKN Wit Ewe by FOKN Bois&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

-Saxon Baird

Spotlight: Waga 3000

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:17:00 +0000

The man behind Akwaaba Music, Benjamin Lebrave wrote up a hefty article for The Fader the other day about some seriously hot hip-hop out of Burkina Faso from an outfit called Waga 3000. As Lebrave explains in his article, Waga 3000 is "not average hip hop from Burkina Faso, and it’s very obvious, very fast." No doubt, Lebrave is right. The jagged beat off the trio's debut offering, "Dal Fo Yi Kin Dao" is cold and fires off rapidly with synth flourishes and heavy, kicking bass. MCs Joey Le Soldat and Art Melody drop right in with force and don't miss a step, letting loose their rhymes with ease and personality.

The group has an interesting background that is very much rooted in the toxic socio-political situation that has characterized Burkina Faso since the assassination of Thomas Sankara in 1987. We highly encourage you to read more on them via Lebrave's article which brings to light a number of fascinating aspects in regards to not only Waga 3000 but hip-hop in francophone Africa.

But first, bump this!

-Saxon Baird

globalFEST 2012 In Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:46:00 +0000

globalFEST, New York City's annual musical extravaganza, happened on January 8, 2012. The NPR Music globalFEST recap and discussion, which featured Afropop's Banning Eyre, has been getting a lot of play. The NPR Music site also lets you stream and download each of the 12 sets that went down over the course of a dizzying 5 1/2 hours on three stages at Webster Hall. Of course, it will take you a lot longer than that to hear it all! If you accomplish that

This week, keeping the globalFEST buzz going, Afropop Worldwide features a selection of the best songs, together with interviews with key artist, Belo of Haiti, Mayra Andrade of Brazil, SMOD a young hop hop act out of Mali, and more. Afropop's Marlon Bishop has pulled together a behind the scenes look at this uniquely rich event, and to accompany that, here's a photo essay mostly through Banning Eyre's lens with a few comments from him.

BELO

This young Haitian singer-songwriter is one to watch. He's making an interesting fusion of Haitian roots styles and global sounds. Belo recorded his third CD, Haiti Debout (Haiti Stand Up), in Paris with a number of African musicians, including Blick Bassy of Cameroon and Malian kamelengoni master (of Salif Keita fame) Harouna Samake. The lean, punchy band Belo brought to Webster Hall lacked that sonic richness, but the set had soul. And its great to hear a strong new voice coming out of Haiti.

YEMEN BLUES

This dynamic Israel-based band draws fundamental inspiration from the folklore of Yemen. But with a near orchestra-sized lineup including strings, brass, percussion backing charismatic frontman Ravid Kahalani, the influences and sonic references run deep. From folksy interludes to full on dance band blare, this group delivers passion through complex, thoughtful arrangements. Yemen Blues played the Ballroom, Webster Hall's biggest venue, and they rocked it!

by Wills Glasspiegel

CANZONIERE GRECANICO SALENTINO

This ensemble celebrates and reinvents the folklore of southern Italy, a zone beyond the normal scope of Afropop Worldwide. I walked in cold and was knocked out by the energy and dynamism of the performance. In the stretch I caught, Guilio Blanco on bagpipes was a standout.

SMOD

The name is created from the first names of these 4 young Malian musicians, starting with Samou Bagayoko, son of the amazing Amadou and Mariam. SMOD's hip hop is tuneful and mostly gentle, with some clear nods to the bluesy, strong melodies of A&M. SMOD's self-titled debut CD was produced by Manu Chao and has his strong stamp. It was kind of nice to hear the music stripped bare, with just bass and acoustic guitar backing the raps. That said, this is not the most hard-hitting of African hip hop by a mile, but it is a fresh and welcomed sound from the streets of Bamako.

SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE

The largest and most diverse group of musicians on any globalFEST stage this year was the Silk Road Ensemble, who took over the Ballroom for a wide ranging set of Central Asian music. This group grew out of the Silk Road project initiated a few years back by Yoyo Ma. What I heard was completely enchanting, though for a show like this, it might be best to let the music speak and de-emphasise the school presentation aspect of the stage show.

MAYRA ANDRADE

This Cape Verdean/Cuban singer, based in France, is an Afropop favorite. We have caught a number of her performances over the years, and featured her on various programs, including this week's globalFEST roundup, and this season's Ladies in the House program. Mayra is a complex artist, whose sets can vary in tone and stylistic direction from night to night. Her globalFEST set had more Brazilian than Cape Verdean flavor, and favored the subdued, jazzy side of her repertoire. Some felt she would have been better off with a more rootsy and rowdy selection of songs for this occasion, but there is no denying Mayra's charisma, or, above all, her liquid gold voice. Always a pleasure to behold.

DEBO BAND

Anyone who heard the NPR Music discussion already knows that my favorite act of the night was this amazing combo out of Boston, led by saxophonist, scholar, and Ethiopian maestro extraordinaire Danny Mekonnen. Debo Band's core inspiration is the pop music explosion in Addis Ababa in the late '60s and early '70s, the "golden era" so well documented in the Ethiopiques CD series on Buda Musique. What sets Debo Band apart from other acts that play classic African styles is that they make the music sound contemporary, as if it was just invented now. The energy and power is overwhelming. Jazzy, sometimes out, brass solos kick up the dynamic. And Bruck Tesfaye's vocal is over-the-top. We can't wait to hear Debo's much anticipated CD this year, on Next Ambiance, an imprint within Sub Pop. This band is going places!

Ethiopians were in the house, and diggin' it!

Danny Mekonnen and Thomas "Tommy T" Gobena of Gogol Bordello

Podcast Exclusive: The Electronic Underground of Cairo

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

On this special, web-exclusive Afropop delves into the small but vibrant world of Cairo's electronic music scene. You can stream or download the podcast below.

Also, be sure to read our interview with 100 Copies, a small boutique label based in Cairo, that releases limited edition albums of experimental and electronic music.

Spotlight: David Álvarez - " Como la Mariposa"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0000

We are slowing things down a bit today with our spotlight on Cuban musician David
Álvarez. Without a doubt, the first thing that becomes obvious about Álvarez is that he is a bit of a romantic. One listen to his forthcoming album, Clandestino reveals his exceptional ability to blend Latin styles and songs of lament, love and heartbreak with his own twist on tradition. Clandestino has both rural campesino traditions and the innovative musicianship of Pedro Luis Ferrer for a sound that is both old and new.

With legendary Cuban players ( Irakere’s sax man Alfred Thompson; tres master Pancho Amat; Buena Vista Social Club’s Roldán Carballoso Gomez) rounding out his ensemble, Clandenstino is a quiet, delicate offering that runs deep in history and emotion for those looking for something contemplative, mellow and sweet.

Sample "Como la Mariposa" below:

Clandestino is out via Tumi on March 13th.

-Saxon Baird

Spotlight: MkC - "ULA ULA"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:47:00 +0000

The always reliable Tropical Bass just dropped a premiere of Mike Cerda (aka MkC) latest single from his forthcoming album Caribbean Swagga. The track fits nicely from a slew of producers and artists from across Latin and South America that are taking old genres and styles and infusing them with a club-ready backbone.

"ULA ULA" does just this. The self-proclaimed "VENEZOLANO-Latin Urban Producer/DJ" paves the single with a heavy layer of bass underneath squeeking synths and some nice organic brass.

Let the sweat drip.

-Saxon Baird

Spotlight: Super Hi-Fi - "Single Payer"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:31:00 +0000

If you read the Afropop Blog on the regular then you know we got some mad love for Electric Cowbell Records. Somehow these guys just keep on digging out some great music from bands that really present creatively tight, sonically-rich, organic sounds that blend various styles into some goodness for your ears. On top of that they still got love for vinyl and good looking album covers. Always a plus.

This time we just got a track from the Brooklyn-based Super Hi-Fi who just dropped a new seven-inch via Electric Cowbell. Side A features a dubby Afrobeat offering called "Single Payer." The first half slowly unwinds like a Skatalites track co-opted by King Tubby before the second half picks up the pace as the brass comes in for a gorgeous conclusion.

Hear for yourself:

You can pre-order the seven-inch now via their website. It officially drops on 2.21.

Finally, if you are in New York be sure to check them out at Zebulon in Williamsburg on February 16th with Spanglish Fly. Show is free and starts at 9pm.

-Saxon Baird

Ziggy Marley Joins Cast of Fela! The Musical for Good Cause

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:51:00 +0000

This just in from the people of Fela! The Musical:

The FELA! cast and producers, in association with Knitting Factory Records is currently running a promotion with the amazing children’s charity run by Ziggy Marley, U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment). U.R.G.E. If you enter the coupon, “africaunite” with your purchase from the Fela Kuti webstore, 20% of the cost of your items will be donated to U.R.G.E. from now until February 9th. Shop for a good cause –it’s a win for everyone.

If that wasn't cool enough, Ziggy will be performing on Letterman tonight, talking about his work with Amnesty International and performing "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan according to his Twitter.

Check out the footage of Ziggy joining the cast in L.A. last month:

Free Download: Punk in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:41:00 +0000

Here's something different for your ears. Dj Zhao, a Berlin-based DJ, has put together a compilation of punk-ish tunes from bands out of Africa. The compilation mainly consists of South African bands but Mozambique, Angola, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and DR Congo are represented as well.

DJ Zhao does take some liberties when it comes to the term "punk," riffing off the style's aesthetic, approach and attitude opposed to the straight 4/4, three-chord type. Which really, is an excellent decision resulting in a highly eclectic offering that covers "rock, punk, Afro-garage, Techno, Bass Music and beyond"

Best of all the entire thing is free for you to download.

Enjoy:
PUNK IN AFRICA official selection mixed by dj zhao by Punk In Africa

-Saxon Baird

Ana Tijoux Drops New Album Stateside

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Chilean by way of France rapper Ana Tijoux released her third full-length La Bala stateside yesterday. Judging from the video for the first single, "Shock," the album will be heavy with socio-political commentary much like her last full-length offering 1977.

The album comes during an pivotal time in Chilean politics where much of 2011 was marked by protests catalyzed by a massive student movement advocating equal access to education. The level of the protests are causing a level of upheaval that hold similarities to those the nation experienced during its return to democracy in 1990.

We were fortunate to catch Tijoux at the Latin Alternative Music Conference in New York City a few years back. Check out the program 'Tales from the LAMC' to hear Tijoux and other awesome Latin artists. We were excited about her then and are just as excited for this new album.

Watch the video for "Shock" below and be on the lookout for an Afropop review of it in the near future. You can also stream it in its entirety via NPR.org.

Ana tijoux Shock from Eduardo Polanco on Vimeo.

New Music: Novalima - "Festejo"

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Afro-Peruvian genre-bending outfit Novalima just dropped a new LP titled Karimba. The group is known for effortlessly blending traditional Afro-Peruvian sounds and rhythms with modern styles of music from electronic and dub to afrobeat. The lead single off the new record, "Festejo," is a dreamy Latin-dub that showcases the outfit in full form.

Check it out:

You can buy the new album via the ESL website. Stream it in its entirety this week over at AOL Music.

Also, check out our live footage of the group performing at GlobalFest in NYC early last year. Wait for it at 1:13!

Afropop Dance Party @ NJPAC

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

AfroPop Dance Party with DJ Prince Segue Segue

When: Fri, February 24, 7:30pm – 10:30pm
Where: NJPAC (map) in Chase Room

Ready to party? Get your hips in gear for some old-school Afropop—rumba, soukous, salsa, samba, Afrobeat, chimurenga, juju, Manding swing and mbalax—as well as some of the newest music that’s catching heat with the new generation—coupé décolé, kuduro, baile funk, and more. DJ Prince Segue Segue (aka Sean Barlow) is the creator of the nationally syndicated Afropop Worldwide and Afropop.org.

Presented as part of NJPAC's Cheza! Festival of African Music.

Cash bar and refreshments will be available.

$16 at the door

New Jersey Performing Arts Center

One Center Street, Newark, NJ 07102

Administrative Offices: (973) 642-8989 -- Box Office : 1-888 GO-NJPAC

Tickets + More Information

A Special Dinner with Angelique Kidjo

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Afropop Worldwide, Mitchell Harwood and Fran Janis cordially invite you to an

Afropop Dinner Party with

Angelique Kidjo

Leap Night, February 29th, 2012

Not only is Angelique Kidjo a charismatic, Grammy Award winning artist, she is also a renowned chef. Angelique will prepare a sumptuous, sit-down West African dinner for a limited number of guests in what promises to be a special, memorable evening.

At the home of Mitchell Harwood and Fran Janis

To benefit public radio's acclaimed Afropop Worldwide series and Afropop.org connecting Americans to Africa and the African Diaspora through music since 1988. We are proud that Angelique along with Youssou N'Dour and other luminaries serve on Afropop's Board of Directors.

The tax deductible contribution is $2,500 per couple.

RSVP via Afropop Worldwide:

718.398.2733

email: Saxon@afropop.org

NY Times Op-Ed Speaks to Hip-Hop's Revolutionary Power in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

An op-ed in the New York Times today exposed the growing trend of hip-hop as a vehicle for expressing political and social discontents across Africa. Written by Sujatha Fernandes, an associate professor of sociology at Queens College, the op-ed points out that many styles of African music, from West African griots to Afrobeat to the Chimurenga of Thomas Mapfumo, have a long tradition of questioning their political leaders. Fernandes also points out that the oratorical style of hip-hop cuts through the “political subterfuge” that has ultimately made some rappers, like Keurgui Crew from Senegal (see our October coverage of them), across the continent become “voices of clarity and leadership.”

Afropop Worldwide has been on top of the growing trend that Fernandes points out for awhile now. In our "Trans-National Hip-Hop Train" program, Moroccan female rapper Soultana pointed out last summer to us that, “in Arab countries, hip hop is the reason why there is revolution” (read full interview). While Malian rapper Amkoullel spoke about the importance of including social criticisms in his lyrics in our interview with him in 2011. And in our forthcoming third Hip Deep installment on the music of Egypt, “Cairo Underground,” we will talk and listen to Egyptian hip-hop groups and MCs such as Arabian Knightz (see video below) who played vital roles in last year’s revolution.

The extent that hip-hop permeates Africa is enough to showcase the power of its influence. However, watching (and listening) it grow out of New York City in the 80's and eventually transform into a vehicle for expressing and inspiring real social and political change across the world is a revolution unto itself. As we continue to watch hip-hop take hold across Africa as a mic for critical and poignant expression, the question logically arises: what will American rappers learn from their African hip-hop counterparts?

We eagerly are watching, listening and waiting to see.

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-Saxon Baird

Youssou N'Dour Barred from Running for the Presidency in Senegal

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:15:00 +0000

Less than a month ago it was announced that legendary Senegalese singer/songwriter Youssou N'Dour would be running for president against 85-year old incumbent Abdoulaye Wade, who is seeking a third term.

This weekend saw a series of riots and protests erupted in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, after it was announced that Wade would run for a third term but that N'Dour was left off the list of candidates by Senegal's Constitutional Council. The council stated he had not gathered the required 10,000 signatures of support. In response, N'Dour called on his supporters to prevent the elections from going ahead.

"We will never allow Abdoulaye Wade to take part in the election," he said, speaking on his own TFM television channel. "The decision to keep me out had nothing to do with the law. It was a political decision and we will reply with a political decision," he said, without giving further details.

Wade's decision to run for a third term challenges some readings of the Senegalese consitution. Now with N'Dour being barred from running, one of Africa's most stable democracies has suddenly been thrown into an edgy, contentious situation.

Read more on the situation HERE.

EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD - Maroni River Mashup: A Guyanas Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Maroni River Mashup: A Guyanas Mixtape by Afropop Worldwide

This week, Afropop Worldwide brings you a special treat. To go along with our new episode, “Getting Down in the Guyanas”, we’ve decided to release a mixtape of some of our favorite music from Suriname and French Guiana.

From the first time I turned on the radio in Paramaribo, Suriname, I was blown away by the music I heard. It’s related to all sorts of African-rooted music on both sides of the Atlantic, but it has its own particular swing that it totally unique. There’s bits of soca and dancehall, bits of merengue and bolero, snippets of Dutch bubbling and American R&B, African kuduro, French Carribean zouk and compas. But it all mixes up in a way that is hard to pick out the individual parts, and is insanely good.

Part of that is because the Guyanas, up in the corner of South America, are everywhere and nowhere all at once. It’s not quite Latin America, and not quite the Caribbean, but right between both those regions. At the same time, the people of the Guyanas come from all corners of the world, speak countless languages, and worship all sorts of religions. And they live inside or right on the edges of one of the world’s most pristine wildernesses, the vast forests of the Amazon.

On this mixtape, you’ll hear everything from Hindustani trance music from Suriname to French Creole zouk (sung in Dutch creole) to dance-band music from the jungle interior. It’s named after the Maroni River – the river that divides Suriname and French Guiana, the place where all these sounds meet, and the lifeline of the Bushi-Negue people.

Enjoy!

- Marlon Bishop

Tracklist:

Lieve Hugo - "Langra Bere"
Dropati - "Gowri Pooja, Gowri Pooja"
Kees & the Troubadours - "Mi Na Kunta Kinte"
Ajatray - "Mi Dren Ju"
Kenny B - "Wang San E Dangr A Deng"
Rico - "Otiamba"
Zware Guys - "Mo Faja"
Gambusi - "Sukru Sani"
Unknown Artist - "Kawina"
DJ Chuckie - "Chipi Naka Pokoe"
Florieda - "Ie Kan Sjie Deng"
Naks Kaseko Loko - "Gron Winti"
New Combinatie - "Big Up"
Prince Koloni - "Luku A Meisje"

Produced by Marlon Bishop and mixed by Geko Jones

Live from Tahrir Square, One-Year Later

noreply@blogger.com (Afropop Worldwide) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Cairo-based Afropop contributor and scholar Kristina Nelson was in Tahrir Square for the one-year anniversary of the revolution. Check out her photos and the brief description of the scene.

From Nelson:

Nobody expected the numbers for the marches coming from all over Cairo to Tahrir-tens of thousands and these were all against the military's handling of the transition. the Islamists were all in Tahrir, "celebrating", but at one point, even they started chanting, "down with the army". The numbers exceeded last year's protests-many people couldn't even get close to Tahrir. The bridge coming into the square was solid and unmoving-no more room in the square. All the entrances to the square were packed with people stretching back several kilometers. And it was all peaceful (until the evening when many had left the square and some women were badly and sexually assaulted. The good thing is that they've talked to the media and the whole issue of attitudes to women is being discussed.), no police, no army in sight, anywhere.

For a blow by blow narrative check out the report from Ahram.org.

For even further reading, check out this article on the musical spring that has erupted post-revolution.

Here's our web, exclusive podcast "A Summer Walk Through Tahrir Square" produced last year by Afropop's Banning Eyre and Sean Barlow:

A Summer Walk through Tahrir Square by Afropop Worldwide