Awesome Tapes from Africa

Hailu Mergia and His Classical Instrument

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:28:00 +0000

The next Awesome Tapes From Africa LP release is by Hailu Mergia, the Ethiopian one-man-band accordion/keyboardist extraordinaire. Hailu made his name in Walias Band and later went on to do some visionary solo recordings. Hailu Mergia's beautiful and surprising 1985 foray into traditional Ethiopian songs via analog synth, electric piano and accordion has been remastered and will be available June 25 on LP/CD/MP3/C60.

Massinko—DJ Mengie (NYC) & DJ XL Yafet

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Side A
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6
Track 7

Side B
Track 8
~~Track 9~~
Track 10
Track 11
Track 12
Track 13

OK here's something you don't hear every day. In Bahar Dar I came across this NYC house-meets-Ethiopian traditional music cassette. I had to buy two copies, this one was so surprising. Blessed with Amharic club diva vocals, masinko riffs and an excellent I-don't-give-a-fuck creative swagger, this is one of those unique recordings that keeps me interested in this Awesome Tapes From Africa project.

If you're like me and you still cherish your 90s drum n bass/jungle mixtapes and/or you ever went to a rave back in the day, this tape might be extra compelling.

Groupe El Badil—Cassette 3

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Side A
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3

Side B
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6

Islamic chants as a vehicle for a varied and compelling array of rhythmic directions. Every song is different. I dance to the electronic super-charged second-cousin of drum n bass joints, I sway to the more acoustic, chorus-focused songs. I am going to be listening to a lot of this.

Groupe El Badil have some recordings available.

Tafese Tesfaye—1989 Zemana Getem Derasi

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:17:00 +0000

Side A
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6

Side B
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10

In observance of Great Lent, here is begena (bass lyre, King David's harp) music from an Ethiopian Orthodox monk, circa 1996 (1989 according to the Ethiopia calendar). Contemplate your sinning ways and get with the minimally stark low-end rumble of this ancient instrument.

BTW—Dur-Dur Band Volume 5 (ATFA004) comes out next week, March 19, on LP, CD, MP3 and limited edition cassette. Get yours here.

ALSO—Go deep into Sudanese, Somali, Ethiopian and Eritrean music videos and Ghanaian TV sit-com, Nigerian cinema, tons of African TV advertisements and more at ATFA-curated weekend of YouTube videos on Network Awesome.

Kompilation Moytoul—Hip Hop contre le Sida

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Face A
Nexuma (Manu)
Mariano (Bibson / Maxi Krazy)
Xolu Chando (Gaston / Bouks)

Face B
Yaye Balma (Billy Joe / KT)
Xippi te Xoi (Laye B)
Nit Ki (Big D / Fatim / Pacotille)

Year 2000 Senegal rap-ragga-dancehall all-star compilation to raise awareness about AIDS.

Madiodio Gning—Sultanu Arifine

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:40:00 +0000

Face A
Sultanu Arifine
Kuy Def Lou Bakh
Doom Dou Bakh
Lamdou Lamdoubi

Face B
Andou Diamonodji
Nila Waramel
Kerssa
Firouma

Powerful female singer from Senegal seeking listeners to vibe to this. Inquire within.

M.C. N'Djoll—Djeliya

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:23:00 +0000

Face A
Djeliya
Bonga
Rap Guinéen
Le Bon
N'na Fanta

Face B
Nimakénama
Fria Kira
Rap Guinéen Remix
I Kanawa

Rap Guineé from the early aughties, chock full of traditional instruments and new-jack hustlin. Feeling this.

Chief (Dr.) Sikiru Ayinde Barrister—Fuji Explosion

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 03:02:00 +0000

Side One

Side Two

I love this 80s Fuji masterpiece by one of my all-time Nigerian favorites. Come for the explosive rhythms, stay for the futuristic keyboards.

The genius is well represented over on iTunes but be advised regarding multiple variations of his name so search around.

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe and his Nigerian Sound Makers International—People's Club of Nigeria Special

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:14:00 +0000

Side One
People's Club of Nigeria Part One

Side Two
People's Club of Nigeria Part Two

This is some classic shit from a classic personage of Nigerian highlife excellence. Take two of these and call me in the morning.

Also, feel free to download and vibe to this track from the upcoming ATFA release by Dur-Dur Band (coming March 19 in all formats on all continents).:

M'Hamed Dammou

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:06:00 +0000

Side A

Side B

Amazigh dreams from Casablanca by one of the long-time crucial practitioners. Dude's been playing in amazing ensembles for decades and this solo outing from more recent years is hitting me pretty hard right about now.

Anyone able to translate the album and song titles for us?

Blind Musical Flames—Flames Morale

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 10:33:00 +0000

Side A
High Morale
Tifi Sidom
Diamond
Mantaraty

Side B
Big Berin
Poda Poda
Seda Seda

Positive greetings from essential Sierra Leonean sight-impaired super-group Blind Musical Flames. Welcome to 2013. We're starting light for now here at Awesome Tapes From Africa, deeper heavies to come. Hope you like simple pleasures, some dancing and a little bit of reggae.

Okwueme '99'

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Side A
Okwueme
Eli Ikwerre Marunma
Wenyi-Mo
Mind Your Way
Owa-Marule Nai-Mahara

Side B
Oge Asomeri
Njor-Vuenwu
Chidugwayi
Eli Rumuji Wegbom

Jump for joy to Nigerian praise singing and traditional drumming, spinning in hypnotizing cycles. I'm actually feeling dizzy. Despite the balance of lilty harmony and aggressive pulsing, this tape, produced outside Port Harcourt, takes me want a siesta.

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Very excited to announce the next Awesome Tapes From Africa release. Dur-Dur Band Volume 5 comes out March 19 ~~February 5~~, 2013. The classic Somali band's 1987 recording captures some of the incredible sounds happening in Mogadishu during that era. More info soon.

Mamadou Camara dit Bikadi—Sognina

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:59:00 +0000

Face A

Face B

Modern Mandé miracles from Mali for your late morning mellow.

Hirut Bekele

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 19:33:00 +0000

Side A
Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5*

Side B

Track 6

Track 7

Track 8

Track 9

Track 10
Track 11
Track 12

*Never heard a krar sound quite so much like its great-great-grandson the banjo.

Oh dang. Happy belated Halloween. Toward that end you'll find magnificent vocalist Hirut Bekele flexing supernatural powers among a haunted organ. But this goes much deeper than cute accompaniment. There's a stunning selection of compositions here. Spare but virtuosic orchestrations via krar and aforementioned organ create psychotropic room-filling sonics captured by the rough recording.

Another lovely recording gifted by our homie in Addis named Kidus, some of you may know him.

Extra credit: documentary about Hirut Bekele. Appreciate the stunning songs and rare footage despite your rusty Amharic.

Kouchouam Mbada—Swèga Menzui

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:18:00 +0000

Face A
Swèga Menzui
Ton Ngoùla (Jolie Jolie)
Lendè-Lec

Face B
Bin-Lânam
Adonis
Nouda
Zuit Tchap

These cyclical ruminations surely spell elation for many a Cameroonian social function.

Finekeba Fali Camara—Raconte la Vie de Madou Hakilidouman de Fana Vol. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Face A
Face B

Vibe to griot tales from Mali today. The excellent instrumental and vocal accompaniment to this makes for a deep chill-out record. Settle in for the long haul. Ah, the life of Mr. Madou Hakilidouman. He apparently hails from Fana,which lies in a particularly culturally fertile part of Mali. Let that subtle, on-point guitar/n'goni work sneak up on you and feel thankful this gem made it to magnetized polyester.

FAC Alliance—Mariama

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:01:00 +0000

Face A
Telephone Love
Conakry By Night

Atente
Louganyi
Bee Labe Labe

Mariama*

Face B
Marche Doucement
Guiggol Maayata
N'kolon
Pauvrete
Nanfera
Sokho

*—Super warbly tape alert. Apologies for the awesome, nearly unlistenable effect.

Rap from Guinea, steeped in that quintessential urban West African stew of hip-hop, soul, dancehall and traditional rhythms and sounds (FAC Alliance lists Fulani, Susu and Mandinka inspiration on their website). There might be a touch too much reggae at times for me but I'm captivated by the overall vibe Nondi K, Pap G and Mista X are repping here. Frank Bessem's great encyclopedia has some more background here.

Awalom Gebremariam—Desaes

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 10:36:00 +0000

Side A
Track 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Track 5
Track 6

Side B
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10
Track 11

Thanks to my pal Patrick Seabase—celebrated fixed gear bike athlete—for this cassette from Eritrea, which he picked up while filming Asmawa, a documentary about a beautiful and challenging bike trip down there. This is a highly addictive take on Eritrean Tigrinya-language Bahlawi music. Legit modern sounds culled from relatively ancient means. Patrick says he heard this tape over and over again while traveling in Eritrea. I have been playing it on repeat myself and I am thoroughly obsessed.

National Youth Choir of Namibia—Namibian Images & Sound

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:36:00 +0000

Side 1
National Anthem of Namibia--Namibia Land of the Brave
Nkosi sikelel i' Afrika (Sung in Xhosa and Herero)
Ti ≠hanuba oa (Religious Nama/Damara Song)
Hare !khub ti (Religious Nama/Damara Song)
Endeni (Religious Ovambo Song)
Jesus om 'na gwa Kalunga (Religious Ovambo Song)
Sia bonga Jesus (Religious Xhosa Song)
Tukokende (Religious Kemian Song)
Singabahamba yo tina (Xhosa Song)

Side 2
Tula Baba (Xhosa Lullaby)

Kaise !nuse hâ (Nama/Damara Song)
Sibiri (Tswana Song)

Mâse Daba Kha (Nama/Damara Song)
Omweya po (Ovambo Greeting Song)
Re Tsamaya (Traditional Tswana Song)
Salem Salem
Dumela Kaufela (Traditional Kavango Song)

Widely celebrated for performing songs from across Namibia with young singers from diverse backgrounds, the National Youth Choir of Namibia will be a highly boring tape for many of you. It's interesting and wonderful at times and for that we'll focus our gaze for a moment.

Boubou Tounkara—Tara

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 09:58:00 +0000

Face A
Tara
Douga
Alpha Yaya

Face B
Bajuro
Albala
Bangasako
Na Kadija

In my mind Sahelian music doesn't get much better than this. You're welcome to disagree. But that damn n'goni might knock you over... if the one-two of the tinkly keyboards and Mr. Tounkara's vocalizations don't KO you first.

Jean Claude Bamogo—Panaki Panazoe Mix 2

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:19:00 +0000

Face A
Ting-Tang *
Ténè
Tinga Nooma
Laalé *

Face B
Mam Nonga Foo
Panaki panazoe *
Sougri
Panaki panazoe

*—Focus tracks

Here is a late period album of intricately rendered dance jams and low-key phone-ins from Burkina Faso's Jean Claude Bamogo (who was in old school awesome band l'Orchestra Super Volta). It is what it is, even legends don't make 100% perfect tapes. The good tracks are really good.

Getatchew Mekurya

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:14:00 +0000

Side A

Track 2

Side B
Track 6
Track 7
Track 8
Track 9
Track 10

Definitely don't sleep on brilliant Ethiopian sax man Getatchew Mekurya. He has recently been touring and recording with the Ex and, of course, is featured in the earth shattering Éthiopiques series.

General Kollington Ayinla & His African Fuji Eaglets Lakukulala

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 10:56:00 +0000

Side 1
Tiwa Laye Nfe
Olorun Lo Jona Mo'le
Lakukulala
Tiwon Oto, Tolorun Oto

Side 2
Bi General Gborin Tuntun De
Basorun Abiola
Karaye Ma Se Damu Awa
Abere Ajesara
The Late Journalists
Alh. Sulaimon Oyegbemi

I can't get enough Nigerian fuji music these days. Here is a particularly deep one from a king among men. 1991 wishes you a blessed day.

Yedenou Adjahoui et son Groupe Folklorique d'Avarankou R.P. Benin

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Shimkovitz) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Face A

Face B

Traditional music from the Béninoise vodoun sound extraordinaire Yedenou Adjahoui.