Great music from countries we're supposed to despise and fear

[klook]

"Adouma" by Angelique Kidjo from Benin:

[klook]

1. How about a little Mahmoud Ahmed?

"Lale Lale" live - pure joy from an Ethiopian master!

[klook]

2. Mali has so much to offer, it's hard to choose...

but Tinariwen does a fine job of representing their home country. Here's "Lulla," from their 2009 album Imidiwan: Companions:

[klook]

3. Nigeria in the house!

Here's Fela Kuti with his monster band Africa 70, performing "Pansa Pansa":

and for good measure, let's hear some King Sunny Ade - "Gbeyo Gbeyo":

[BluesRunTheGame]

4. Congo

Franco

[klook]

6. Smokin' - thank you!

Love those hypnotic polyrhythms!

[klook]

5. Let's hear from Algeria's own

Souad Massi, with the gorgeous "Bladi":

[klook]

7. The Lion of Zimbabwe,

Thomas Mapfumo, with "Moyo Wangu":

[ornotna]

8. France, Algeria and Cote d'Ivoire

(113 is a French hip hop group with African and Caribbean roots originating in North and West Africa and the island of Guadeloupe)

[klook]

11. Killer!

Such great energy in this video, too -- thanks!

[klook]

9. Another great one from Mali,

Oumou Sangare, with the hypnotic and funky "Kamelemba":

[hatrack]

10. I'll see that and raise you one Youssou N'Dour

[klook]

13. Oh man, so great!

Love this guy -- thank you for posting this. Dancing to this would be a great way to lose weight!

[hatrack]

14. Especially at . . . oh, 150 bpm . . .

Habib Faye (bass and guitar) . . . oh, man.

[ornotna]

12. Zamrock from Zambia

[klook]

15. Lovely ballad - thanks

[burrowowl]

16. K&R!!!!!!!

[hatrack]

17. Oh, yeah, almost forgot Angelique!

[klook]

19. She's a goddess and a force of nature

I got to see her live once -- absolutely fantastic.

[hatrack]

20. You're killing me here!

My wife and I saw her on some PBS show years ago - "Sessions At West 52nd" or something like that. We both said "Damn! - I'd LOVE to see her!"

Then I opened the paper the next day and found out she'd been in town four days earlier.

[klook]

22. Happens to me all the time...

I just saw that Mahmoud Ahmed was in my area a couple of years ago. Arggh! I did see him once, and it was amazing -- but I've gotta get out from under this rock more often.

[klook]

18. The great South African jazz saxophonist Dudu Pukwana,

here in a lovely live setting with Pinise Saul on vocals and a sweet guitar intro by Lucky Ranku:

Gotta go to bed now, but I hope more will chime in -- looking forward to hearing more treasures tomorrow!

[klook]

21. And from Somalia -- the great Maryam Mursal

OK, calling it a night -- thanks all!

[ornotna]

23. Uganda

I was lucky enough to see Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa back in 2009. Great show, absolutely mesmerizing.

[klook]

24. Beautiful setting for the kora

Moving lyrics and great photos give this a deep, compassionate feeling. Very nice.

[klook]

25. Another one from Uganda - Geoffrey Oryema

I discovered this beautiful track thanks to the late, great Charlie Gillett.

[democratisphere]

26. Countries we're supposed to despise and fear?!

Only a madman would say such things. Great music throughout this entire thread! Thanks for exposure klook!

[nolabear]

27. I did this on FB yesterday. Stunning music from those cultures.

Thank you.

[klook]

29. More from Ethiopia -- Abyssinia Infinite!

Updated to note that this features the wonderful Gigi (Shibabaw) on lead vocals.

I love this track so much - "Aba Alem Lemenea":

Another gem from one of Charlie Gillett's compilations.

Edited to note that your selection comes from South Africa, not Ethiopia! I was lucky enough to see Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens live a few years back. They were wonderful - as exciting visually as they were musically.

[nolabear]

32. This is an AWESOME playlist in the making!

Can fabulous Ethiopian recipes be far behind?

[klook]

35. Let us hope!! (nt)

[meow2u3]

28. I would like to raise you some Ladysmith Black Mamabazo (South Africa)

[klook]

30. Hell yeah -- and how about some more a cappella greatness, from Congo/Belgium?

Zap Mama - "Brrrlak"

[klook]

31. And another from South Africa --

Shangaan Choir, with "Welcome Song":

I first heard them on the CD compilation "The Secret Museum of Mankind."

[thucythucy]

33. What a treat!

Thank you so much for this.

[klook]

34. You are so welcome!

And I thank the other posters who've turned me on to some great new music!

[klook]

36. It's not all happening on the mainland -- Rossy from Madagascar!

Paul Bert Rahasimanana, a.k.a. Rossy, gives us "Hamadika":

He's one of many great artists I discovered on the excellent compilation A World Out of Time, released in 1991 and curated by Henry Kaiser & David Lindley.

[klook]

37. More from Madagascar - Tarika Sammy, with

"Bozy":

[klook]

38. Nelson Mandela called him "Our Mozart."

Abdullah Ibrahim with his classic "Mannenberg":

[klook]

39. Just try to sit still when you listen to Zimbabwe's Jonah Moyo and and Devara Ngwena

performing the infectious "Taxi Driver":

[klook]

40. From Congo - Kanda Bongo Man with "My Love Elisabeth"

[klook]

41. Can't forget Haiti

and Boukman Eksperyans, here with "Ke'm Pa Sote":

[klook]

42. Merging music from despised cultures of yesterday and today:

The Afro-Celt Sound System. Here they are with "Honey Bee":

[klook]

44. And another smoking performance from this fantastic group,

"Cascade" --

They'll be playing live on the east coast of Australia on April 1st. I'm very tempted.

[enough]

43. Thank you, what a wonderful idea. NT

[klook]

45. Thanks, I'm having fun!

Listening well is the best revenge.

[klook]

46. Beautiful tribute to the great Malian bluesman, Ali Farka Toure

from Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba -- "Lament for Ali Farka":

Ngoni Ba are featured on the Bela Fleck album Throw Down Your Heart. I got to see them live together - amazing.

[jpak]

47. Amadou and Mariam! (who will be at Bonnaroo this summer)

[klook]

48. Great - thank you!

Love the kids and the Africa Space Program set! Nice tip of the hat to Abdullah Ibrahim (formerly known as Dollar Brand):



I meant to post something by A&M earlier, but somehow didn't get around to it. So here you go: "Je pense à toi" -

[klook]

49. From Gambia,

the brilliant kora player and griot, Foday Musa Suso:

Probably best known to westerners for his collaborations with Philip Glass, Herbie Hancock, and others, Suso continues to make music in the tradition of his homeland.

[enough]

50. Ayub Ogada, Kenya

https://m.

[klook]

52. Beautiful, healing tones and rhythms - thank you! (nt)

[cemaphonic]

51. Some Akonting playing from the Gambia

Most musicologists regard the West African akonting as the ancestor of the American banjo.

[klook]

53. Very cool

I love how you can hear blues elements in there, but then again it's really something different! Thanks for posting.

[klook]

54. Mali meets France: Mamani Keita & Marc Minelli

with the electrifying "Macary":

[klook]

55. More from Ethiopia: the fabulous Aster Aweke

Live TV performance of "Hagere":

... and the beautiful, haunting "Kabu," the song that introduced me to her when I heard it on the radio:

[klook]

56. Gigi from Ethiopia

Her full name is Gigi Shibabaw, but she performs sans surname. Treat yourself to the funky, driving "Gud Fella":

If I remember correctly, some of her recordings were arranged by the American jazz saxophonist Henry Threadgill -- this may be one of those records, I can't remember at the moment. Whatever the story behind it, this is one smoking track!