Afro-Pop/Funk

Anyone here like Afropop/Funk.

I just got Amadou and Mariam's new CD Dimanche À Bamako. Very good, I must say. Apparantly, they are two blind musicians who met through the love of music; they are married now, and Amadou is the guitarist with Mariam as the percussionist. They've recently played at Coachella, and received stellar reviews.

I also got the Nu Afrobeat Experience-Ultimate Afro Funk Dance Grooves. Very good again! It's a collection of different artists and showcases their talents. It's a CD that we can all dance to.

The third CD I bought was Oliver Mtukudzi's The Tuku Years. It's more like a Paul Simonish folk take on Afro-Pop. The songs are all melodic and extremely catchy.

If you're new to Afro-Pop or Afro-Funk check out some of Putumayo's Collections; the have an Africa CD that showcases a bit of Afro-Pop/Funk/Rap/Jazz/etc.

I like Afrobeat/jazz/pop. I like older styles as opposed to modernised ones though.

Fela Kuti and Hugh Masekela are pretty much my top two. Fela Kuti is Afrobeat/funk while Masekela is Afrojazz/folk.

Also, check out the compilation: "Booniay!" with lots of old and obscure afrobeat acts.

Originally Posted by Chandrashekar Azad

I just got Amadou and Mariam's new CD Dimanche À Bamako.

Very good indeed. La réalité is just irresistable. Such a feelgood track, nevermind the lyrics. Manu Chao had a lot to do with this album. They are from Mali.

Originally Posted by Chandrashekar Azad

The third CD I bought was Oliver Mtukudzi's The Tuku Years. It's more like a Paul Simonish folk take on Afro-Pop. The songs are all melodic and extremely catchy.

I'll give it a try then because I really like 'Graceland'. I like Paul Simon in general.

Originally Posted by Chandrashekar Azad

If you're new to Afro-Pop or Afro-Funk check out some of Putumayo's Collections; the have an Africa CD that showcases a bit of Afro-Pop/Funk/Rap/Jazz/etc.

I haven't dug in to it really (an album lying around somewhere though), but I hear a lot of good from Putumayo. Some great links between american jazz and blues, back to the african tradition and what came from that in africa itself.
Some of my own explorations:
Salif Keita from Mali. With ancestral roots going back to Soundjata Keita, the founder of the Malian Empire in 1240, Keita was disowned by his father after announcing his plans to play music.
Habib koité, well, again from Mali. Something good going on there. Just listen to 'Cigarettes abana' from 'Muso Ko'. Wonderfull.
Then there was this congolese band from the 60's. I can't remember their name right now, damn it.
Rachid Taha (tekitoi! and an arabian cover of 'rock the casbah'), and cheb Khaled, but this is Rai influenced music of course.

Back to Woody Guthrie now. Howdjadoo?

M