Marimba rhythms from Colombia Pacifico

Marimba traveled from Africa (balafon) to Central America and the Caribbean several centuries ago. This percussive and melodic instrument had time to spread and can be found along the Pacific shore from Mexico to Ecuador, where it became an integral part of local folklore (and even national pride in Guatemala).

Carnaval in Santiago de Cuba (1960s)

(Le Chant du Monde, LDX 4250).

Carnavals tour stops for sure in Cuba, through the release of this LP by french label Le Chant du Monde. Liner notes from the cuban writer Alejo Carpentier remind the historical background of original african and Spanish influences blending in Santiago, the second city founded in Cuba.

Unidentified "jungle sax jam" recordings from Casamance

Spending entire afternoons listening to music in small music shops, you can sometime fall into crazy sounds that even the guy from the shop is not able to name. This track comes from one of these CDs... 

I've been told this comes from Tionk Essil, a village in Casamance (southern part of Senegal) where many traditions and various ethnical influences are still alive.
It seems to be a live kind of ceremony including drums, choirs, in a diola style, but also including a solo sax playing with the traditional rhythms. A good example of fusion between a very traditional non-urban african music (which could exist centuries ago) and an occidental instrument played in a jazzy but african way. Modernity and how traditions evolve in time is a key subject in black thought; this music is a great example of modernity integration without any dilutive effect.
This is 20 minutes of deep and hypnotic jam, but i guess this last up to dawn...