Thursday 28 April 2016

Fatoumata Diawara - 2012.Sep.28 - Schimmel Center, New York

After all the 'earlier' performances by 'experienced' musicians let's listen to a fairly recent (2012) live recording by an upcoming artist, Fatoumata Diawara.
As I remember right, I first heard/saw her through a youtube video from the 2010 Afrikafestival in Hertme (can't find the one, but for your pleasure that whole performance is up on youtube now, see at bottom of post).
Anyway I was very impressed, so followed her musical adventures and collected several of her live recordings. When archiving, I immediattelly knew this is the one to enjoy in the 'Pays de Mangues'.

About Fatoumata Diawara there's a lot of info to find, if she's new to you best start here or here, and if you're curious dig further through given links there.

DIAWARA-20120928_New York (WFMU)

setlist: 1.Clandestine / 2.Nayan / 3.Sonkolon / 4.Sowa / 5.Kanou / 6.Kele / 7.Bissa / 8.Bakanoba / 9.Alama / 10.Salimata / 11.Tounkan (last three corrected from list given by WFMU)

Further info about this recording:

2013.Jan.05, WFMU Transpacific Sound Paradise:
Fatoumata Diawara is an engaging young West African actress turned singer who performs original songs blending Wassalou traditions of Southern Mali with international influences. Her debut Fatou was recently released by Nonesuch / World Circuit.
She's one of the dozen artists selected to play the prestigious annual globalFEST world music showcase at Webster Hall on Sunday 2013.Jan.13 (watch here). You'll understand why she made the cut when you hear tonight's broadcast of her triumphant New York Debut 2012 September 28 at Schimmel Center, Pace University, New York.

2012.Oct.02, schimmelblog (incl.a photo gallery of the show)
Fatoumata Diawara graced the Schimmel Center stage this past Friday, 2012 September 28, and blew away all expectations with her wondrous set. Even getting the ever-cynical New York City crowd to get up and dance, Diawara’s 90 minute set included many songs from her US debut, Fatou. Her talent seemed effortless and the band she led never faltered, making for a majestic night of music for those in attendance.

More pictures at gettyimages.

Discography (and musical adventures) of Fatoumata Diawara

prior to (since 1996) and in between her musical adventures she acted in various films and theatre performances
2006: tried audition for 'Opéra du Sahel', the world's first African opera
2007/08: collaborations with Dee Dee Bridgewater and Oumou Sangaré
2009.Jan: first concert, performing solo at the Musée Dapper in Paris (rfimusique)
2009: backing singer in Oumou Sangaré's international tour (independent.co.uk)
2010: demo EP (promo-CD to radio stations)
2010: European tour with own band (a.o.Festival Hertme - watch AFH171  - 180)
2011: Kanou EP (CD-EP, World Circuit)
2011: Fatou (CD, World Circuit)
2011/12: various collaborations, a.o.AfroCubism, Africa Express and Cheikh Lo
2013: gathered Mali's most renowned musicians for 'Mali-ko - Peace - La Paix'
2014: together with Roberto Fonseca international tour
2015: At Home - Live in Marciac [with Roberto Fonseca] (CD, Jazz Village)

Enjoy the Music! Always EAT

RAW!!!!

Tuesday 26 April 2016

Papa Wemba (1949-2016) went Prince's Way

Just reached me the news, that after Prince, another great musician has left our world, Papa Wemba collapsed on stage during a performance this weekend in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Further infos can be found here:
On his website (papawemba.info) can even be watched a video when it happened.

As a Homage I like to present you here a double BBC Session:

PAPA-WEMBA-19920819_BBC Sessions

Andy Kershaw session:
1.Lingo Lingo / 2.Le Voyageur / 3.Anna / unknown 4th track missing
John Peel session:
1.Madilamba / 2.Zero / 3.Maria Valencia / 4.Ombela
 
Both sessions recorded on same day and broadcasted in consequetive radio shows, line-up:
Papa Wemba - lead vocals / Amisi Mela - backing vocals / Patric Mazie Magdelaine - guitar / Magid Mahdi - bass / Heire Ra Kotofizinge - keyboards / Jean Philippe Dary - keyboards / Roge Raspail - percussion / Lauzent Coatalen - percussion / Joseph Kuo - drums
 
Remember (and if you wish pray for) him when listening to his music!!
 
PS: about the late Prince, started thinking if he ever did any musical collaboration with African and/or other non-western musician(s), don't remember nor couldn't find such, anybody knows of any?

Monday 25 April 2016

John Peel's World of Music #1 (11,5 years)

Got this idea about making a post of manguetic music played by John Peel in his radio shows. Today 11,5 years have passed since his sudden death 2004.Oct.25 on holiday in Peru, and as I missed all previous John Peel Days (Oct.25), today feels an appropiate date to publish this post.

John Peel pictured preparing for a radio show

In the early 2000s I found out that, where I lived then, I could listen to the BBC World Service broadcasted on FM radio. There were 2 shows I tried not to miss: Charlie Gillett and John Peel, both shows were only half an hour long. But in that short time they played a lot of very good music and gave also very good information about what they played. As all was officially released music, no sessions or special recordings, I didn't tape any of those. After John Peel's death, the BBC used his time slot for summaries of radio specials like WM Awards and Andy Kershaw documentaries, of which some I did tape to K7.
A few years later, when radio started to be streamed in decent quality on the internet, the World Service FM broadcasting was stopped by the BBC, and collecting special music transformed from K7 taping to catching internet streams.

A group of people operates the wonderful John Peel Wiki, where info, tracklists and audio is collected from many of his radio shows, sessions and other related media appearances. He had several African artists recorded for his famous radio sessions, and going through tracklists of his shows I noticed that in every hour of his shows he played at least one non-western track, selected based on the only valid criterium: his own taste!
That gave me the idea to make a tribute post with manguetic music played in his shows, put the tracks together, chronologically labelled and audio including his announcements and music related talk in between. So it can be played like a radio show called "John Peel's World of Music" (nr.1, so more can follow in the future......). The selected music comes from all over the world - UK, Nigeria, Congo, India, Pakistan, Mali, Guinee, Hungary, Colombia, etc. - with an emphasis on areas where mango's are growing and really fresh can be eaten!!

JOHN PEEL's World of Music #1
full tracklist in the download

Enjoy the Show, and don't forget:
'Our Globe is Everybody's
and the Only One We Have!'


Some Others about John Peel in relation to Manguetic Music:

PS: at the JP Wiki you can also find some, from a manguetic point of view interesting, Andy Kershaw shows and sessions!!

Saturday 23 April 2016

Bembeya Jazz 2002/03 UK recordings

After all the concerts in Holland let's cross the sea and listen to Bembeya Jazz from Guinee in two concerts of their 2002/03 return tour in the UK. Both recorded by the BBC and broadcasted on their Radio 3, I don't have  full concerts, only catched some tracks, some even doubled, from their radio streams, so may be it's not all that has been boadcasted......
(anybody who has more, please don't hesitate to comment/contact).
Bembeya Jazz at Womad 2003 (gettyimages)
About Bembeya Jazz there is a lot of info available, but when I was in Guinee (1993/94), they were considered an "old band" and in Conakry nothing to find from them in the music shops. So when I went into the country side (Mamou, Labe and Faranah) a friend, who stayed in Conakry, asked me to look out there for Bembeya K7s. I only found two copies and, as I was not familiar with Bembeya at that time, gave tiose to him when returned to Conakry. Unfortunately didn't make copies for myself then, and don't remember what I have found then.
Luckily for us Bembeya Jazz made in the early 2000s a great comeback, album and tour, and later early recordings where compiled on a fantastic 2CD called "The Syliphone Years".

BEMBEYA-JAZZ-2002-03_BBC recordings

2002.Nov.17 - London Jazz Festival (bc.2002.Nov.17 BBC R3 Andy Kershaw)
setlist: 1.Bembeya / 2.Gbapie / 3.Guitar Fo
2003.Jul.25 - Womad Festival (bc.same day BBC R3 Womad Special)
setlist: 1.Bembeya / 2.Sou / 3.Guitar Fo 3.Petit Sekou (correction, thanks NGONI!)
sources: for both BBC radio stream

More on the 2002/03 tour in the UK:
More on Bembeya Jazz:
  • fabulous discography by Graeme Counsel (radioafrica)
  • brilliant Yekeke live 1980s in Holland (video)

Profiter de la musique! Toujours MANGER

CRUES!!!

Saturday 16 April 2016

Thione Seck - Orientation Concert (2011)

In the comments to the previous post with Senegalese music, I asked Falilou Ndiaye if he may be had some live reccordings from Thione Seck. Despite his enormous collection of Senegalese K7s uploaded to youtube, he didn't, so I diggedin my archive and can present you the only one I have, a fairly recent live recording of Thione Seck at the (again) Music Meeting Festival in 2011. Here's the background info I could find:

Thione Seck - Orientation Concert:

Thione Seck at Music Meeting 2011
source: musicmeeting.nl/2011/thione-seck-orientation.html (google translation)
In collaboration with the Holland Festival the Music Meeting presents for the first time in Europe the splendid repertoire of Orientation, with in a starring role the master singer Thione Seck.
Thione Seck Ballago is one of Senegal's greatest singers and musicians in the mbalax genre, along with Baaba Maal, Omar Pene and Youssou N'Dour, although he has not achieved the same success outside of Senegal as in his own country. Seck hails from a griot family. His career began in the seventies with the internationally renowned Afro-Latin orchestra Orchestre Baobab. He then formed his own band Raam Daan, which up until now weekly performs under the artistic direction of Seck in Penc Mi, Seck's nightclub in Dakar.
The mbalax of Thione Seck has it's own sound, and is distinguished mainly by the rapid pulse of the sabar drums. Secks unique phrasing and extremely powerful phrasing are instantly recognizable among Senegalese, he is also highly regarded for his layered lyrics. In recent years he was inspired by Indian and Arabic influences, for which his album Orientiation* is a clear and very inventive example. This album was created in close artistic collaboration with more than forty North African, Arabian and Indian musicians, who know how to create a glowing fusion of their different musical traditions. Seck said that the soundtracks of Bollywood movies were a major influence on his inspiration for this album.
*my note: Orientiation first issued in 2003 on local K7, and in 2005 internationally on CD (see discography)

Thione Seck at Music Meeting 2011.Jun.13
16:30 - Mezzo - session and interview - Thione Seck, Francois Bréant & Maurice Zemmour
19:30 - Apollo - concert - Thione Seck Orientation

Musicians:
Thione Seck -– vocals / Dieynaba Koite -– vocals / Khady Mbaye -– vocals / Dara Guissé -– xalam / Abdelhoued Zaim -– ud / Zied Zouari -– violin / David Aubaile -– keyboards, flute / Maurice Zemmour -– bass, contrabass / Amar Chaoui -– percussion / Julien Tekeyan -– drums, percussion / François Bréant -– harmonica, percussion, musical direction

Listen to the first track


SECK-THIONE-20110613_MM Nijmegen

setlist: 1.Ballago / 2.Mouhamadou Bamba / 3.Djirim - Orphan / 4.Manmignoul - Ode to Color Black / 5.Yaye - Mother / 6.Doom - Child / 7.Mouhahibou - sacred text / 8.Blain Djiqueul - Death of Close Friend
bonus: aco.Siiw - Celebrity / interview

Sources:
-tracknr.1-7: NL Radio6 - 2011.Jul.26 - Radio6 Live
-tracknr.8: NL Radio Netherlands Worldwide - Hear the World 2011, prog.23
-acoustic and interview: NL Radio6 - Artists - Thione Seck

Watch:
-Thione Seck 2011.Jun.11 at Afro-Pfingsten Festival (thanks to doyadig)

More info about Thione Seck:
- discography by Toshiya Endo (last update 2008.March)
- biography on AfroPop WorldWide

Enjoy the Music! Always EAT

RAW!!!!

Tuesday 12 April 2016

Les Negresses Vertes (live and aco 1989)

Was away to a very inspiring exhibition about the painter Jheronimus Bosch (ca.1450-1516) in the small Dutch city called Den Bosch (or also s'Hertogenbosch), located along the railwayline between Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Even there I found a (small) reference to expierences in the African continent (will post about that later, when found relating music). Tried to complete this post before leaving last week, but well didn't find the time.

So now something completely different: Les Negresses Vertes, live and acoustic recordings from 1989, exact place and time unknown, I got it in the mid 1990s on K7 and still like it very much. Wondering what is the relation the the other music I've posted, here's the story:

During my trip to Guinee in 1993/94 I couldn't get a song from Les Negresses Vertes out of my head: 'Voila l'Ete', and was humming and singing it a lot of times. In Guinee I stayed in the house of a Guinean family, the children of the family liked my humming and when I told them the name of the group (meaning "The Green Negresses"), they went absolutely bonkers. They seemed to like the tune also a lot, as they requested it a lot of times: "Mangue, encore les Vertes!". I didn't have the music itself with me, so could only produce the refrain 'Voila l'Ete / Toujours l'Ete / etc.' and the melody. Promised them that when I would be back home, I send them a copy of the music. Kept my promise and together with it I send them also a copy of the first album of Oumou Sangare, which, as I had found out during my stay in Conakry, was completely unknown to them.
To my surprise, but also happiness, they send me back a return gift: a box with 6 pieces fresh and delicious mangos (actually send by mail using stamps about Olympic Wintersports!!). The most delicious mangos I've ever eaten outside of Africa!!
Now to 'Les Négresses Vertes' (adapted from wiki):
Les Négresses Vertes arose in 1987 from the alternative-music scene in Paris. The original line-up included singer Helno (1963.Dec.25 - 1993.Jan.22) (vocals), Jo Roz (piano), Stéfane Mellino (guitar), Jean-Marie Paulus (bass), Gaby (drums), Matthias Canavese (accordion), Michel Ochowiak (trumpet), Abraham Sirinix (trombone) and Iza Mellino (backing vocals).
The original members were a group of friends, many of whom had not played their instruments before forming the band. The group's name translates as green negresses; it arose from abuse hurled at the members at one of the group's first concerts. The insult is a comparison to the kitsch art of Vladimir Tretchikoff. The group was initially signed to the independent Off the Track label and released the punk protest song "200 Ans D'Hypocrisie" in response to its home country's French Revolution bicentennial celebrations.
Their music is best described as a fusion of world music and some aspects of alternative rock, tracks often feature acoustic guitar and accordion, as well as some tracks containing many other traditional instruments such as piano and brass. The group's style is fairly upbeat and energetic on the majority of its tracks, with unusual rhythms, vocals delivered with a generous dose of zeal and vibrant energy, and accompaniment melodies ranging from lilting and distant to eccentric and fast-paced. These two factors give many of the group's pieces a strong sense of direction.
In 1989, they released their debutalbum, MLAH, to good reviews in both France and the UK, where the single "Zobi La Mouche" just failed to reach the charts and where it toured and played the WOMAD festival. The group also made a controversial tour of Lebanon. By the time of the 2nd album Helno was struggling with serious heroin addiction, and Stéfane Mellino and Canavese replaced him as the main songwriters.
Helno died at his parents' house on 1993.Jan.22, after that happened several members left the band, but Les Négresses Vertes continued around the nucleus of Mellino, Canavese, Ochowiak, and Paulus. By 2000's Trabendo, the group's style had shifted to a dub-oriented lounge style.

Listen to acoustic version of 'Zobi la Mouche':


Les NEGRESSES VERTES (1989, live and aco)

Setlist (1989, unknown location):
1.Voila l'Ete / 2.Les Rablablas Les Roubliblis / 3.Les Yeux De Ton Pere / 4.200 Ans d'Hypocrisie / 5.Il / 6.La Danse Des Negresses Vertes
Acoustic Set (1989, unknown radio):
1.Zobi La Mouche / 2.Il / 3.Voila l'Ete

Discography:

I consider the 1st a CLASSIC and the 2nd okay, so only detailed those
1988: MLAH (album, LP/CD/K7)
1989: track "200 Ans D'Hypocrisie" on VA-Sang Neuf En 89 ( Eurobond Records )
1989 singles: Il / Zobi La Mouche / Voila L’ete
1990: track "I Love Paris" on "VA-Red Hot + Blue" (Red Hot Organization)
1991: FAMILLE NOMBREUSE (album, LP/CD/K7)
1992 singles: Famille Heureuse / Hou! Mamma Mia / Sous le Soleil de Bodega
Albums after changes in line-up: 10 Remixes (87-93) (comp.remixes) / An Aperitif (1994) / Zig-zague (1994) / Green Bus (1996, live) / Trabendo (1999) / Acoustic Clubbing (2001)

Shortlist of some audio and video:
1989: Voilà l'Été (watch clip) - COCORICO!!
1989: Francofolies - Zobi la Mouche (watch video)
1989: summerfestivals a.o.Roskilde DK / Reading UK / Parkpop NL (pictures)
1989.Nov.08: VPRO Nozems-a-gogo studio session (listen 3voor12)
1990.May.29: concert in Szene Vienna (download at celticfolkpunk)

PS: since I started listening this last week, again can't get the 'Voila l'Ete' out of my head, not even at the fabulous Bosch exhibition!! .......COCORICO!!

Sunday 3 April 2016

Youssou N'dour 1985/86 Amsterdam (K7)

1985.Jun.22 Paradiso
In the mid 1990s together with the Africa Soli K7 (previous post), I got a K7 with 1985/86 concerts from Youssou N'dour broadcasted on Dutch radio. There was no info about when nor where these concerts were recorded, and only a few titles of songs were given.

So dived again in the Dutch beeldengeluid archive, which brought only one hit for "Youssou 1985-1986" forward:
Backline - Youssou N'Dour / 1986.Jul.23, VPRO / medium - radio

Searching Dutch newspapers archives (delpher.nl/nl/kranten - leiden.courant.nu - utrechtsarchief.nl) online revealed:
  • on 1985.Jun.22 Youssou N'dour & le Super Etoile de Dakar performed in Paradiso, Amsterdam
  • backline was a radio program with concert recordings on Dutch Radio 3 VPRO (each wednesday 21-22hr)
  • on 1986.Jul.25 (friday) and 1986.Sep.03 (wednesday) Youssou N'dour & le Super Etoile de Dakar performed (both times) in Melkweg, Amsterdam
    pictures of the 1986.Jul.25 concert are on gettyimages

1986.Jul.25 Melkweg Amsterdam - pictures by Frans Schellekens, see at gettyimages

Furthermore in a so called "AfricanLiveMusic vine" ca.15 min. of Youssou's 1985.Jun.22 concert in Amsterdam has been send around the world on discs.
Conclusion:
  • 1985 recordings are from Jun.22 concert in Paradiso, Amsterdam
    (and probably re-broadcasted 1986.Jul.23 as a sort of promo for the concert two days later at Jul.25)
  • 1986 recordings are from one of the two concerts in Melkweg, Amsterdam
Listen here to: Alla Kassira - traditional from Mali (rec.1985.Jun.22)


NDOUR-1985-86_Live in Holland (corrected)

Setlist of 1985.Jun.22 (with help of aduna and Falilou Ndiaye):
1.Alla Kassira - traditional from Mali / 2.Immigres / 3.Xale Yi Rew Mi / 4.Sabar - Moussa Coly  / 5.Moule Moule
Setlist of 1986 (with corrections from Falilou Ndiaye):
1.Donkaasi Gi / 2.Daby / 3.Barguet

I labelled the tracks according the dates, but as the last tracks from 1985 are from the encore and the 1986 are a little mellower, I can imagine the 1986 tracks put in front or in between the 1985 tracks to get a more real complete concert feeling. Well that's upto you, whatever you like best!!

More 1980s live recordings from Youssou N'dour et le Super Etoile de Dakar:
  • 1982 concert in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (issued 1983 on LP as 'Show!!! a Abidjan') posted by aduna at his old blog, download link still OK
  • 1985/86? concert at Thiossane Night Club, Dakar - issued 1986 on K7 as 'Jamm - La Paix - Vol.12' - at likembe
  • 1986 concert at London's Town & Country Club, London: audio p.1 / audio p.2
  • 1987 Immigres (Live In Athens*) [9:37] with Peter Gabriel intro - video at vimeo
  • 1987 Sama Dome - My Daughter (Live In Athens*) [9:42]  with (same) Peter Gabriel intro and credits outro - video at vimeo
* hey what about an official release of full recordings of these concerts, think it would beat the 'Live in Athens' issue by miles!! (which is understandable as Athens was as support act)

Full discographies of Youssou N'dour & le Super Etoile de Dakar:

Profiter de la musique! Toujours MANGER

CRUES!!!


PS: that "AfricanLiveMusic vine" contained also in Amsterdam made concert recordings of Super Djata Band (1985.Dec.Nov.18, ca.14min), Super Biton de Ségou (19841986.Oct.02,  ca.18min) and Baaba Maal (1986.Sep.07, ca.20min). Ahum, VERY INTERESTED in all, so if anybody here has any, please contact............