Africa music reviews

The whole makassi album is a classic but African Typic Collection is my favourite of all the tracks. Listening to this music in the '80s was like listening to any hit song you hear on the radio for up to 5 months and it is forgotten. I didn't know the name of the artist because all we were intested in is listening to the music. Listening to it after almost 20 years or more makes me appreciate the exellent work Sam Fan Thomas delivered back in the '80s which makes it a classic yesterday, today and forever. Worth buying.

I am a fan of Sam Fan Thomas, I have listened to all his music but African typic collection is the best so far. This is a music that is easy to dance to and rich in many ways. In this music he uses a cameroonian language(Bamiliki,his tribe in cameroon), mixed with pigeon english and the french language. If you love international music you must listen to African Typic Collection.

I listen to this Cd so many times but never get bored of it. Africa typic is especially an excellent piece and very wel done. What happened to Sam Fan Thomas with his Makossa dance ?

I am honestly surprised that this album is so hard to find on the salsa shelves in mainstream CD stores. "Mandali" is one of the tightest, smoothest and most intricate salsa albums I have heard in a very long time. For those familiar with the sound of salsa, it is evident that the rhythms, instrumentation and call and response style to the coro is derived from traditional African music.

Africando is a smooth ensemble that showcases vocalists from countries including Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Cuba. We hear the vocalists singing in their native languages of French, Wolof, (Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal) and Spanish (Cuba) and it sounds divine. Along with the instruments we have come to recognize as part of Cuban-style salsa (timbales, horns, etc.) each singer (be they African or Latino) truly makes the music their own. You might recognize popular songs like "Pepita" (track 6) on this album, as well as the title cut, "Mandali."

This music will lift your soul, the beautiful vocalists with their expressive interpretations will have you hooked and it will make the rainiest of days a little more bright and enjoyable. Highly reccomended.........

Yeah, yeah, I am sweating the small details here. However, there is no way any one human can be expected to understand all of the languages spoken on this CD, certainly at least a song name translation to english would have been nice.
The fact I am upset about this should only tell you how much I want to know about the amazing music in this CD. The arrangements are absolutely incredible and having some instrumental variety, each well suited for the voice of the vocalist singing.

Over here in good 'old' Germany this CD "Mandali" by Africando is named "Africando All Stars - Betece", and it's still being played in almost every european Salsa club. All 13 tracks are VERY danceable, representing the african branch of Salsa music at its best.

If you'd like more 'oriental' Salsa music, listen to Africando's version of "Aicha" on their CD "Baloba" (2000), a well known song from the Paris-based algerian Rai-singer Khaled. And get the CD "Yo Soy" (2000) by the Colombian Yuri Buenaventura, on which he sings the song "Salsa Rai" together with the Rai-singer Faudel (both now based in Paris).

And if you visit Europe - join the multi-colored Salsa dancefloors!

I really love African rumba music, and this is one of the best CDs that is still in print. The CD is contains two albums recorded in the 1970's: Maria Tebbo (1979) and Waka Waka (1978). Sam Mangwana played with and became one of the masters of Rumba music with Franco and Tabu Ley. This is classic Rumba music, magically happy guitars, hopping horns and "let's dance sister" kind of music. Unless your heart is made of stone, you can't go wrong.

Sam Mangwana posee una de las mejores voces de la m?sica popular congolesa (y eso es mucho decir porque una de las caracter?sticas de esa m?sica es que tiene muchas buenas voces). Este disco compacto contiene todas las canciones de dos LP's que fueron grabados entre 1978 y 1979. Los arreglos musicales son exquisitos. Toda persona que quiera tener ejemplos de m?sica africana con fuerte influencia caribe?a debe escuchar este disco.

Sam Mangwana posee una de las mejores voces de la m�sica popular congolesa (y eso es mucho decir porque una de las caracter�sticas de esa m�sica es que tiene muchas buenas voces). Este disco compacto contiene todas las canciones de dos LP's que fueron grabados entre 1978 y 1979. Los arreglos musicales son exquisitos. Toda persona que quiera tener ejemplos de m�sica africana con fuerte influencia caribe�a debe escuchar este disco.

Like that one. Real, traditional African music and ambiance, all African-made. Though not one of my very favorites, the very best is Maraire's Chaminuka, or Soul of Mbira. But you won't waste your money here, that's no pseudo-African, white commercial band playing, man.

I bought this CD for my World Music Class at Canisius College. I started to play it while driving home from the record store in my car. The first song was so soothing and comforting that I actually started tearing up as I drove. I later found out that this is an "off-loading" song meant to take one's worries and troubles away. Works for me!

Af riend of mine was recently in a car accident. I sent her my original copy to help her heal; I am here to buy a replacement copy.

If you are a fan of the Mbira and its music, this is one CD not to miss. I have a few in my collection and this is one of the best. The music is so well done that you feel you are there watching and listening with the masters and masters they are. I own a small version of the Mbira they use and it is NOT an easy thing to play! Hats off to the recording engineers and the players. This is a keeper.

This album is available from World Circuit, Ltd. Cheers!

WHY OH WHY is this CD no longer available? I got it out of the library a long time ago and have attempted to order it twice. It no longer appears in music stores in the U.S. This CD is one of the most beautiful, inspiring, and passionate recordings EVER! Please. . . someone find me a copy. . .

brilliant . life changing buy it

This album is available from World Circuit, Ltd. Cheers!

WHY OH WHY is this CD no longer available? I got it out of the library a long time ago and have attempted to order it twice. It no longer appears in music stores in the U.S. This CD is one of the most beautiful, inspiring, and passionate recordings EVER! Please. . . someone find me a copy. . .

brilliant . life changing buy it

This cd has only 2 songs on it Mr.Follow Fellow that is on the Zombie cd and Who No Know Go Know from the Everything Scatter/Noise For Vendor Mouth cd.The music fine.

When it comes right down to it, I must agree that Mr. Follow Follow and Who No Know are masterpieces. Downright awesome point of view and rhythms. What a brilliant artist.

I have listened to a lot of Fela's beats, and a lot more of other jazz stuffs. Athough it is difficult to make a definitive choice, "Mr. Follow follow" is simply unique. No jazz lover can afford to miss it in a collection.

Simple acoustic guitar, lyrics written from the passion of the soul working through the agony of loved people passing, sung by a man who's been through the suffering of Apartheid and the fire of protest. This is one of the top five of my 300 CDs and every week it gives me peace and strength. Tuku's voice is husky and rich and his guitar style simple and beautiful. Buy this CD...support music that supports freedom from tyranny.

This CD just blows me away each time I hear it. Definitely one of the best CDs in my collection. This man reaches out to the very core of your soul...

This is glorious heartfelt, soulful singing and playing. Mutukudzi navigates seamlessly from one song to the next. By the time you have finished listening, you have the impression of having heard one long sweet meditation on loss and redemption; while each individual song reflects the depth of his warmth and humanity. If you are looking for a timeless acoustic performance, GET THIS ALBUM!

I'd say Rochereau and Franco had a good thing going back then. I still prefer either one on his own, but still I'd go for this cd, no question about it. This album gets a high rating as it deserves.

Some of the most rhythmically beautiful music I've ever heard. Franco's ringing guitar and sweet, high vocals intertwine with Tabu Ley's rich tenor to make music that is rapturously gorgeous. "Ngungi" and "Kabassele In Memoriam" are standouts. Whether you're a fan of African music or not, this music transcends genre.

It's about my vue regarding the main title of this CD; I was still in France a while ago, reading another review we kept talking about the said title: OMONA WAPI It's almost disgusting to see that the artist who wrote this song is being ignored by the company that's released this album: MODERO MEKANISI who is also a well known Congolese (Zairean)musician, a successfull songwritter and a leading artist; I'd personally purchased the vinyl original version of this CD, produced by SONODISC (GENIDIA) in France, the songwritter name is was MODERO on that album; now how does it come that this author's name is replaced by TABU LEY ROCHEREAU & FRANCO LWAMBO in the USA? and who's being paid for this. We are going to ask some the african artists we know if they could let the real OMONA WAPI's song- writter protect his copyrights here and ask this company handle african artist's business properly?

FIDOS BUNNY

I thought this was one of Ongala's original recordings to remind me of 'good old days' growing up along the lake shores of western Kenya. It turns out this is Ongala renditioning some of his old popular songs in the English language. Comes out as artistically weak and unoriginal in my opinion. However, if you never knew Ongala's work of the 80s, or are not a diehard fan of authenticity you may actually find this CD enjoyable.

This is a superb album for people or all musical tastes. The singing is polished and soulful. The rhythm section is exciting and compelling. But the guitar playing, in particular, is quite wonderful -- enormously complex and sophisticated, but also beautifully musical and melodic. If you like the music of Central and East Africa, you'll love this. If you've only heard West African performers, this will open a new world to you. If you've not had much experience with contemporary African sounds, this would be a great place to jump in. Get two copies, coz you'll wear the first one out!

The CD has the smooth taste of Swahili music. I recommend the CD to all East Africans abroad. As usual Remmy is at his best again.