Africa music reviews

non stop vibrations,all good,enough said.

This pricey UK import CD filled a lot of gaps in my music collection and is an excellent overview of notable music of (mostly) recent films. It's difficult to find consistently listenable soundtrack collections like this, by that I mean free from the obligitory Whitney Houston or Celine Dion caterwauling some embarrassingly bad lyrics. Usually rights issues prevent comprehensive compilations like this, too. Let me explain that while I enjoy a lot of soundtrack music, there are few complete soundtracks that I would care to own, some exceptions being Ennio Morricone scores and the About a Boy Soundtrack. While certainly most of these tracks are the actual recordings used in their respective films, I noticed that "La mamma morte" from Philadelphia is not the Maria Callas version. There might be other cases like this, I'm not sure. And "Unchained Melody" from Ghost is an orchestral version, not the pop song (but I consider this a plus). This collection seems to focus on the subtle and quirky, yet melodic music of indie films, with less emphasis on the loud sweeping orchestral scores of major Hollywood hits, but of course there are a few like Gladiator and Braveheart, which are welcome here because like I've said, I probably wouldn't listen to the whole score. I don't know how a Miramax film like "Pulp Fiction" qualifies for a Universal album, even in England? but I digress. I love the two Thomas Newman compositions from American Beauty, and it's good to see the music from films by the Cohen Brothers here. My only complaint would have to be the order of the songs. You would think they would avoid jumping back and forth between pop songs, orchestral scores, and quiet music, but it just seems thrown together by random. I would compare this collection to the excellent "Miramax Films Greatest Hits" but the makers of that album knew to group the two pop/rock songs at the end.

perhaps nobody knows but also in Italy there are many reggae bands and if you want to listen to something new, Africa Unite is one of the best band!

"Confusion Break Bones"--
formerly released on Shanachie with "O.D.O.O."
One of Fela's most strangely bewitching and moving songs.

"Confusion Break Bones"--
formerly released on Shanachie with "O.D.O.O."
One of Fela's most strangely bewitching and moving songs.

Can I go overboard here? Yes? In that case I would like to state in words as clearly as possible that Fela Anikulapo Kuti was/is/will always be the greatest pop artist of all time. This particular album is one of a string of masterpieces from the King of Afrobeat, the Beethoven of the dancefloor generation, the groove-meister, the one-and-only incomparable and unforgettable Black President. Be prepared to be funked out of your mind!!!

I picked up a copy of Philip Tabane's one and only U.S release "Unh" when it first came out 11 years ago and it still sounds as fresh and inovative today as it did then. Malombo represent an anomaly in african music.With one electric arch-top guitar(Tabane)and two drummers playing an assortment of traditional Venda percussion instruments Malombo has produced a type of african free-form jazz that sounds very traditional and at the same time very modern.Philip Tabane's guitar style has an almost minimalist quality about it(very reminiscent of Ernest Ranglin's playing on "In Search Of The Lost Riddim")His vocal's can go from wild "scat" style singing on the more up tempo selections to a smooth almost spiritual quality on the more meditative pieces."Unh" overall has a very contemplative ambiance about it.This is one of those rare recordings that seems to get better each time you listen to it.

GET THIS CD! i bought it while traveling in zanzibar, and it is by far one of the best collections of acoustic african music i have ever heard.

it was also realeased in association with Amnesty International, so you can feel good about forking over the money.

This wonderful album is a brilliant introduction to the pop music of Africa as it covers a wide variety of styles from many countries. In addition, all of the tracks are classics and the selection spans the decades.

From South Africa there's Miriam Makeba's ebullient 1960s classic Pata Pata, Hugh Masekela's languid Grazin' In The Grass, Abdullah Ibrahim's jazzy Zimbabwe, Ladysmith Black Mambazo's soulful Homeless and the beautiful Umuntu Ngumuntu by Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. Zimbabweans Thomas Mapfumo and The Bhundu Boys contribute Musanypere and Ring Of Fire.

The well-known hits include Youssou N'dour and Neneh Cherry's Seven Seconds, Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante and the huge disco hit Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango. Kanda Bongo Man and Franco contribute hip-shaking Congolese soukous whilst Femi Kuti and Fela Kuti present those funk-rock Nigerian sounds.

Baaba Maal, Cheikh Lo and Salif Keita bring us the splendours of West African music and Khaled and Rachid Taha do the same for North Africa whilst Cesaria Evora from Cape Verde charms with her lovely voice on Sodade and Angelique Kidjo impresses with her lively voice and buoyant rhythms.

Although Eastern Africa, Egypt and Sudan are not represented, this is a great compilation with timeless songs that will appeal way beyond the narrow confines of World Music.

This wonderful album is a brilliant introduction to the pop music of Africa as it covers a wide variety of styles from many countries. In addition, all of the tracks are classics and the selection spans the decades.

From South Africa there's Miriam Makeba's ebullient 1960s classic Pata Pata, Hugh Masekela's languid Grazin' In The Grass, Abdullah Ibrahim's jazzy Zimbabwe, Ladysmith lack Mambazo's soulful Homeless and the beautiful Umuntu Ngumuntu by Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens. Zimbabweans Thomas Mapfumo and The Bhundu Boys contribute Musanypere and Ring Of Fire.

The well-known hits include Youssou N'dour and Neneh Cherry's Seven Seconds, Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante and the huge disco hit Soul Makossa by Manu Dibango. Kanda Bongo Man and Franco contribute hip-shaking Congolese soukous whilst Femi Kuti and Fela Kuti present those funk-rock Nigerian sounds.

Baaba Maal, Cheikh Lo and Salif Keita bring us the splendours of West African music and Khaled and Rachid Taha do the same for North Africa whilst Cesaria Evora from Cape Verde charms with her lovely voice on Sodade and Angelique Kidjo impresses with her lively voice and buoyant rhythms.

Although Eastern Africa, Egypt and Sudan are not represented, this is a great compilation with timeless songs that will appeal way beyond the narrow confines of World Music.