Yusef Lateef in Nigeria (1983)

(Landmark LLP-502).

Flute and tenor sax player Yusef Lateef (1920-2013) just passed away, so here's a post dedicated to this real sound explorer (before being a jazzman), who integrated eastern or african influences in many of his recordings. Famous for his deep, free and spiritual music all along the 60's and 70's in the US, he also directly enriched his open-minded approach spending years in Nigeria in the early 80's.

Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Barrister - Erin Goke (Fuji music, 1987)

(Omo Aje, OLPS1338).

Fuji is a kind of smooth transe music...

Presence Africaine Catalogue (1980)

Here's a particular Muzzicaltrips post for book diggers and african literature lovers... Just to have an idea on what was Presence Africaine catalogue in 1980. This Paris-based editor has been since its creation by Alioune Diop in 1947, a real amplifier for african and diasporic written forms of expression, novels poetry, or essays.

Djali Madi Tounkara & Rail Band du Mali (1979)

(Kosmo KS230).

This tape is a senegalese 1983 reedition of a rare malian LP released in 1979 by Disco Stock (DS7918).

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyate and David Neerman

Kouyate-Neerman, Palmwine Mandingo Party, Nuits Sonores 2012.

This unique musical experience is based on a duo: Kouyate, balafon player from Kangaba in Mali, and Neerman a french vibraphone player. More than a cultural meeting, the dialogue between this two cousin instruments is here pretext to creative explorations in rhythm and melody. Taking roots in both jazz and mandingo tradition, the created atmosphere is definitely modern: although recorded in an analog studio, the second album integrates the balafon with breaks and vibraphone effects research. The title "Skycrapers and Deities" reflects perfectly the approach, linking up modernism and tradition, concrete and mysticism, human and god. 

I saw them live in 2011 as a great opening for Randy Weston, and this month during Palmwine Mandingo Party, which allowed them to fully and freely express their original transe music in front of a highly charged dancefloor... 

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyaté and David Neerman before the concert:

Dikongue-Pipa - Muna Moto (OST from 1975 masterpiece)

A small budget movie imposes to be creative, and few dialogues can reinforce power of images (and sound).

L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International (1979)

(Sacodis LS-24).

(Sacodis LS-25).

Ahmadou Kourouma - Les Soleils des Independances (1970)

A special post for this record, taking part of a valuable RFI collection about black literature. Ivorian writer Ahmadou Kourouma (+2003) explains his approach and background, particularly on one of his  most famous novel published in 1968: The Suns of Independences, which corresponds to this confused post-colonial period where many changes took place but also many disillusions appeared.

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and his international brothers (1972)

(DECCA WAP38).

Juju music takes his roots in Yoruba secular rhythms, adding electric guitar to the talking drum. It became popular in Nigeria from the 50s and is rather related to nigerian christians (in parelel to Fuji music more in muslim environnement). It was performed live in "ariya" (ceremonies to celebrate weddings, birthdays, funerals...) but also for wealthy audiences in the hotels as modernized style of the time. 

Chief Ebenezer Obey is a master of Juju, and in this LP he demonstrates a real "musical wizardry". As often, the cover picture is representative to the music: a stlylish example of tradition and modernity mix (african traditional clothes with brand new electric guitar and big watch).

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey - A

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey - B

Balla Onivogui - Paulette (1980)

Syliphone SLP75

To recall Balla Ovinogui's memory who left us few time ago (march 2011), lets share one of Balla et ses Balladins late LP from 1980.

This track shows  great performance of the 2 singers Manfila Soba Kante and Emile Soumah, but horns and guitars are also just perfect. I think they reached the announced objective...

Balla et ses Balladins - Paulette:

Cora Funk (1978)

(Eboni ER-00005).

The introduction of cora and djembe in an american disco-funk production is not always easy to achieve coherently, but here the blend of influences works pretty well, with strong african influence, thanks to top class musicians involved:

Lamine Konte (Senegal): voice, composition, cora
Fode Drame (Senegal): cora
Aisha Kone (Ivory Coast): bckg vocals
Amadou Doucoure: guitar
Fred Wesley: trombone
Gregg Middleton: bass
Wes Blackman: guitar
Hiroshi Upshir: keyboards
Ernie Fieds Jr: sax
Nolan Smith: trumpet
Nii Aye Yaw Aseidu: Djembe

Cora Funk - Sabuma :

album

Like several Eboni LPs, cover design is realized by M. Greenfield.

Francis Bebey - Africa Sanza (1982)

OZIL 3312

Guitar player, singer, composer, writter... Francis Bebey (1929-2001) takes a trip back here to the roots of his african music, playing only sanza (instrument on the picture), flutes and drums on this album. Although, exploring these traditional patterns allows him to produce universal sounds, which was one of Francis Bebey aspirations.

Francis Bebey - Africa Senza:

(2 senzas, 2 flutes, 1 drum)

Jazz et Vin de Palme - Emmanuel Dongala (1982)

Jazz et Vin de palme (Jazz and Palm wine) is composed by 8 novels from congolese writter Emmanuel Dongala who lived in the US during the 60s.

These differents texts represent opposition between Music as a liberation / politicians as oppression. Influenced by his own experiences, his writings also reflect the meeting of two different worlds (jazz is -supposed to be- from the US, palmwine from Africa). Jazz et Vin de Palme is the first african science-fiction novel, in which people from earth liberate from aliens invasion thanks to John Coltrane's jazz (!)

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...

Les Espoirs de Coronthie (tradition and modernity in Guinea)

I had opportunity to meet Les Espoirs de Coronthie last week as they were having a concert at Satellit Café (Paris).

This band comes from Guinea and is composed of 14 musicians and dancers. They are all Soussou (Mandingo ethnic group), they come from Coronthie, a popular  neighbourhood of Conakry, and begun to play to together since they were young... a long musical trip from 1st Conakry "nijas" (musicians word corresponding to  improvised concerts done  in as many clubs as possible in the same night) to west african and european tours...

Francis Bebey - La condition masculine (1975)

(Disque F.Bebey 17FB756).

Here is a ufo from congo, amazing keyboard, incredible lyrics dealing with the impact of feminist ideas on evolution of man/woman daily relation. In a humoristic way (sure it's humoristic?!! seems to be so natural!), congolese pluri-artist Francis Bebey here talks about his "oppressed male condition".

Francis Bebey - La Condition Masculine:


Lyrics:

Tu ne connais pas Sizana,
Sizana, c'est ma femme
C'est ma femme puisque nous sommes mariés
depuis plus de 17 ans maintenant.
Sizana était une très bonne épouse auparavant
Je lui disais : "Sizana, donne-moi de l'eau"
Et elle m'apportait de l'eau à boire
De l'eau claire, hein ! Très bonne !
Seulement, depuis quelque temps, les gens-là
Ils ont apporté ici la condition féminine.
Ils paraît que là-bas chez eux,
Ils ont installé une femme dans un bureau
Pour qu'elle donne des ordres aux hommes.
Aïe ! Tu m'entends des choses pareilles?
Et depuis, toutes les femmes de notre village
Parlent seulement de la condition féminine
Maintenant je dis à Sizana : "Donne-moi à manger, j'ai faim"
Elle ne m'écoute même pas hein,
Elle me parle seulement de la condition féminine.
Si je dis : "Sizana, donne-moi de l'eau".
Elle me répond seulement que... heu...
La condition féminine... heu...
Il faut que j'aille chercher l'eau moi-même !
Bref ! Il faut te dire que ma condition masculine est devenue très
malheureuse ici.
Alors moi j'ai dit à Sizana :
"écoute, moi je ne connais qu'une seule condition féminine:
La femme obéit à son mari, elle lui fait à manger, elle lui fait des enfants.
Voilà tout".
Tu sais que Sizana s'est fâchée?
Elle est venue me parler à haute voix ! Comme si elle était un homme !
Moi je l'ai battue hein !
Elle a crié pour appeler tout le village
Moi je lui dis seulement : "Ne crie pas, ne crie pas hein
la condition féminine, la condition féminine,
Tous les jours tu me parles de la condition féminine,
Moi je te donne maintenant la condition masculine.
La condition féminine... la condition féminine...
Hé ! Dis donc ! La condition féminine,
est-ce que c'est même plus grand que la condition masculine !?"
http://www.bebey.com/index.htm