Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2018 Thread Once Known as World Music

3MA....I need to give this trio another listen. Supergroup with members from Mali, Morocco & Madagascar

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/opinion/beatles-of-vietnam.html?_r=0

As so many rock ’n’ roll stories do, the CBC Band’s began with the purchase of a guitar behind the back of a disapproving father.

When he was a young child in Vietnam, Tung Linh wanted a guitar, so his mother bought one for him. His father, Phan Van Pho, was a cook for French officials in Hanoi, and he wanted his children to become doctors or engineers, not musicians. When he found the guitar, he smashed it.

But his wife, Hoang Thi Nga, nurtured Tung Linh’s interest in American music, which he shared with two of his seven siblings: Bich Loan, a singer, and Tung Van on drums. When their father died in the late 1950s, Ms. Hoang went to work as a custodian on a Republic of Vietnam naval base. The family was poor, and those years were hard, but she wanted her children to be happy, so she nurtured their desire to perform American music.

Jupiter & Okwess band from the Congo for free 6 to 7 pm est Fri. the 12th at Kennedy Center in W. DC. Video streaming live (k. Ctr website & Facebook live). Video archived too.

Also, heard an advance of new Tal National. First 3 cuts are raucous African funky rocky fun

i really love tal national. i can't wait to hear the new one.

goin' to globalfest on sunday

Jupiter & Okwess rocking those rumba meets psychedelic rock grooves right now

I forget to read this thread but have we talked about 'Sweet As Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn Of Africa'? Because it's god damn incredible

Yes, talked about last year

also just discovered that and it is amazing!

I'm was thinking about starting a thread for the more recent wave of african reissues after listening to strut's fantastic Oté Maloya comp from last year. I kind of checked out of following the reissue market after picking up my nth afro-funk comp, but now that they've started to move into the 80s I think there's likely a bunch of good stuff I've missed (it's sad the reggae reissue market basically died before they got out of the 70s).

Jon Pareles in his NY Times review of GlobalFest 2018 like Congo's Jupiter & Okwess live as much I did:

But the night’s fiercest, most diverse grooves belonged to Jupiter & Okwess: the singer, songwriter and bandleader Jupiter Bokondji and his band, from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with songs that joyfully carried conscientious messages like “Protect women.” The briskly upbeat rhythm of Congolese soukous, well known worldwide, was only part of the set. Mr. Bokondji traveled extensively in Congo and learned many local, lesser-known styles that infuse his songs, giving them variety and bite. He’s also clearly fond of what a wah-wah pedal can do.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/15/arts/music/globalfest-review.html?_r=0

liked.

He reviewed many of the 12 groups including Paris-based Guadeloupean trio Delgres, Cuban artist La Dame Blanche, Brazilian post-tropicalia singer Ava Rocha and more

hello international music friends -- if you have a little extra time/goodwill, please bookmark my thread:

help me with my class?

you wouldn't have to do anything more than contribute a small portion of your existing knowledge :)

jupiter and okwess were fine; i loved iberi, jarlath henderson and miramar

Will give them a listen. Actually I have seen and heard Miramar and like their quiet boleros and ballads. Watched Brazilian singer Ava Rocha and band from their Kennedy Center gig tonight ( via video stream). She’s theatrical and kinda Bjork like at times and the band adds postpunk guitar to the Tropicalia base.

A local promoter near me who was up there visiting, loved the Guadeloupe group with guitar and tuba. The video clip he shared though had a fairly conventional blues-rock sound.

miramar was okay on tape but daaaaaang they were great in person Rocha didn't do much for me live or on tape, but it's very much a matter of taste with her i gather.

Still catching up on 2017 releases- listened for 2nd time to the trio 3MA featuring Mali’s Ballaké Sissoko on kora, Moroccan oud virtuoso Driss El Maloumi, and Madagascar’s valiha player Rajery.

Mellow and pleasant with Sissoko's wonderful harp-like kora work often taking the lead.

Oh, listened to one track from Irish folkie Jarlath Henderson whom Ulysses liked at Globalfest 2018. Not a big fan of the genre, so would have to listen more to make up my mind. But I'm probably not the person to ask re his style.

Haven't listened yet to his other fave Georgian folk Group Iberi Choir.

Listening to Blay Ambolley from Ghana's 2017 album Ketan. He's a highlife/hiplife bandleader/musician. Nice old-school sound.

Gyedu-Blay Ambolley was rather unknown outside of West Africa until Soundway Records included his seminal Simigwa-Do, which Ambolley released in 1973, on their first anthology, Ghana Soundz.

That's from Wiki.

The album has a kinda Fela feel to it

Been reading about the upcoming debut album by this Malian veteran percussionist but I haven't heard it yet--

Hama Sankaré --Ballébé - Calling All Africans

Alpha Ousmane "Hama" Sankaré (aka Pedro) is a legend. He has anchored the bands of many great artists of Mali: Ali Farka Toure, Afel Bocoum, le Troupe Regionale de Niafunké, l'Orchestre de Gao, Songhoy Allstars, and Mamadou Kelly's BanKaiNa, and he can be heard on many of the seminal recordings of Mali's music. He is the master of contemporary calabash percussion and defined it's the playing style. He has toured the world. Hama's influence is unchallenged as composer, arranger, and instrumentalist. Unbelievably, Ballébé - Calling All Africans is the first album in his own name

Looks like the Africa Express project is recording again.

It's Day 4 for @africaexpress recording in Joburg....@gruffingtonpost @THEREALGHETTS @Damonalbarn @BombayBicycle @nonkulululu @MahotellaQueens @muziou #pote #otim the productivity is incredible. pic.twitter.com/I86lbFIvEC

— Africa Express (@africaexpress) January 31, 2018

Wow, Mahotella Queens still at it

kind of amazing, right? I grew up listening to them!

They formed in 1964 I see on Wiki. In spite of the deaths of Mahlathini, Marks Mankwane and West Nkosi during the late 1990s, the Mahotella Queens continue to perform and record in the 21st century. In 2013, long-serving member Mildred Mangxola retired from the group. She was replaced by a new recruit, Amanda Nkosi.

Not sure where to put this, but I'm currently obsessed by this site where you can see what's the most streamed track on youtube in cities around the world, and listen to said tracks on the site

https://pudding.cool/2018/01/music-map/

#1 Song in Your City - Interactive, updated map for discovery
i will be curious to see if they update with January; that would make it a regular visit

The mighty Mahotella Queens rehearsing with their new band of @gruffingtonpost @nickzinner @Damonalbarn @Georgiadrumming for tonight’s show #africaexpress pic.twitter.com/fPrWsqLjEa

— Africa Express (@africaexpress) February 2, 2018

They're playing a show tonight.

#legends

https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/on-hearing-my-fathers-legacy-in-vampire-weekend/

Fanta Sylla, daughter of legendary late producer Ibrahima Sylla , on her initial enjoyment of Vampire Weekend ‘s 1st album and then goes from there to discuss Congolese music and colonialism and more.

She also links to another interesting piece https://www.cairn.info/revue-politique-africaine-2005-4-page-69.html

that Sylla piece is excellent, thanks for posting that. It should probably go on that recent tuneyards thread, but maybe that thing is best forgotten

Ha. I need to listen to that Congolese/Canadian guy Pierre Kwenders you mentioned on another thread

x-post I wonder if any members of the Makgona Tsohle Band who used to back the Mahotella Queens are still alive and able to perform?

Fanta Sylla in Pitchfork Pitch piece linked above:

Growing up, I was ambivalent about what I perceived to be a general indifference towards African music. There was a rich history, a diversity of styles, and countless brilliant artists people didn’t seem to want to explore. It felt like people could only handle African music if it was mixed or filtered with something they recognized. But rather than calling out white artists who appropriate African music, I’ve always been more concerned that the African genres and artists that inspired them were given proper credit and financial support. I’m interested in the inclusion of African music in non-African publications, and in a passionate critical approach by African writers on the sounds that color their lives (look to Cameroonian writer Achille Mbembe’s beautiful piece on Congolese music for a great example).

It's nice that Pitchfork Pitch posted this, but alas I didn't see a single artist based on the African continent in the Pitchfork best of tracks or albums list for 2017. Periodically over the years they've posted stuff by Deej and others, but nothing consistently.

ANEWAL is the new trio of Alhousseini Anivolla, lead guitarist and singer of internationally renowned desert blues band Etran Finatawa. Formed in 2012

Listened to their 2017 album. They have that sound down.

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/petite-noir-accuses-damon-albarn-project-africa-express-of-musician-exploitation/

Seems Africa Express isn't being too well received by some of the involved musicians.

Ouch. Terrible contract. No comments yet from Albarn or Zimmer or others associated with Africa Express

Zinner I mean

Here's the response:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/damon-albarns-africa-express-responds-to-claims-of-musician-exploitation/

"As we pay all the travel, accommodation and other costs for Western artists joining us on trips, we ask them to volunteer their time."

So Mr. Blur & Gorillaz's @africaexpress costs get paid for, but he can't afford to pay Africans for anything, or even promise them a specific percentage of any possible profits. Hmm.

http://www.nme.com/news/music/damon-albarn-accused-unfair-treatment-musicians-africa-express-project-2236879

Seeing complicating and contradictory comments about this Africa Express thing on Facebook . Some insisting this just relates to standard rules when recording a charity benefit album as they were apparently doing in South Africa in addition to the gigs. But the language in the contract seems problematic

well when africa express rolled thru addis 6 or so years ago, the ethiop musicians here were not happy with the way they were treated, felt disrespected in their own clubs by ppl like flea and others general dissatisfaction has been the sense i've gotten over the years, was surprised still going on

Oh. That's not good. I had seen various references to gig appearances in the UK and Africa, but until now did not know of any recordings as they just did in South Africa. Seems like Albarn and Africa Express brought a number of fellow (white) musicians like like Blue May, and Mr. Jukes in addition to YYY's Zinner to South Africa to work with young South African gqom dance folks as well as Mahotella Queens. Blue May's defense of the project on FB makes a few good points and provides a bit more info but overall it isn't that understanding or impressive.

just bought the Jupiter & Okwess album. nearly put off by the sticker on the front that mentions Damon Albarn.

Ignore that sticker.

----------------------------------

Maybe not for this thread but I just read the below articles and haven't listened to these acts yet

http://www.okayafrica.com/congolese-music-artists-new-killing-it/

I don't know any of these Congolese rappers and r'n'b acts-- Maître Gims and others

http://www.okayafrica.com/black-panther-album-south-african-artists/

Sjava and 3 others.

I don't know these folks either

I did watch the video of Ethiopian Jewish musician living in Israel Gili Yalo. Nice blend of funk, pop and Ethiopian grooves

http://www.clashmusic.com/news/premiere-gili-yalo-selam

loving the heck out of that yalo ethiojazz

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/.premium-how-racism-changed-ethiopian-israeli-singer-1.5423209

Interesting interview with Yalo from 2016

There's a Nyege Nyege Tapes night happening round the corner from me in April. I knew I moved to a city for a reason :-)

Crash Fest in Boston, Mass Feb 24th includes VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ - Malian guitarist dubbed “The Hendrix of the Sahara”
MOKOOMBA - Afro-fusion from Zimbabwe
ZESHAN B – Chicago soul singer with Indo-Pakistani roots
FLOR DE TOLOACHE - Explosive all-female mariachi band
TAL NATIONAL - High energy rock ‘n’ roll from Niger
INNOV GNAWA - Trance music from Morocco
NEWPOLI - A modern take on music from the Mediterranean
SÓ SOL - Música Brasileira with an Americana twist
KOTOKO BRASS

If I was up there I would definitely see Vieux Farka Toure, Mokoomba, and Tal National again. Innov Gnawa are pretty good live too. Don't know the others really

oh is tal national gonna tour at all while they're here? i would def go see them again.

I generated this at work at Spotify using listening data from the first day of streaming in the 13 Middle-East/North-African countries we launched in this week:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glennpmcdonald/playlist/43PAWHK47Nl6B9BW59EDxI?si=-Sywg3ZeRPqKDCpuOtlbgg

Also, if you don't already know about these, a few other ways to see what people around the world are programming or playing on Spotify:

http://everynoise.com/worldbrowser.cgi (Spotify editorial playlists)
http://everynoise.com/countrysounds.html (countries)
http://everynoise.com/everyplace.cgi (cities)
http://everynoise.com/hyperspace_house_concerts.cgi (cities, part 2)

How are the editorial playlists generated?

Oh, sorry, the editorial playlists are made by humans, that's what "editorial" means in this context.

you hire ppl in all these different countries to make these playlists? how often do they update them?

Yes, although sometimes a small team handles multiple countries. Update frequencies vary, but most of the Featured ones get new stuff daily or weekly.

and who are the ppl who make them? music journalists in those places, radio ppl, fans?

They're Spotify employees, and come from various backgrounds. You can see openings on our Jobs site, including two of these positions right now (one for Classical, one for Indonesia):

https://www.spotifyjobs.com/search-jobs/#search=senior+editor&category=shows-editorial

New Music Friday Maghreb is largely US rap and indie. Uh, thanks Spotify editorial

Welcome to Mena is more interesting

Well, my rogue efforts at globalist data-liberation notwithstanding, NMF Maghreb exists for the local audience, not for musical tourism. In North Africa by default you see that instead of the other versions, not in addition, so of course it has a lot of global artists...

Spotify Colonialism Maghreb

But I like many of the other ones

The city thing there is interesting. Had used it before but forgotten about it.

Back to Mordy's post -- yes to Ebo Taylor and the others...Thanks for reminding me

Bandcamp and Pitchfork contributor Marc M*st#rs got folks talking about African reissues and some new stuff on Facebook the other day: Here's some stuff mentioned

subscribe to the Now-Again/Rappcats thing where I get downloads every month of whatever obscure Zamrock thing they're currently doing

Dur Dur of Somalia on Analog Africa Bandcamp

All the Zamrock stuff is a blast - Witch, Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family. Ripping guitars

African Scream, vol. 2; Ernesto Chahoud presents Taitu; Editions Syliphone Conakry reissues ; The first Rikki Ililonga record (Zambia) reish on Now-Again is GREAT.; Habibi Funk; Sahel Sounds; Asnakech, by Asnakech Worku; Two Niles to Sing a Melody: The violins and Synths of Sudan on Ostinato records via Bandcamp; Shina Williams & His African Percussionists are well worth checking out. He used a lot of the same musicians as Fela Kuti. ; Electric Jive label South African 60s reissues

I missed out on that Afro-garage rocking Zambia stuff like Witch when it was first getting reissued circa 2011 I think, but have heard a bit now

i love that stuff

I need to get to the South African and Sudan reissues next.

heads up jordan, there was a new toto bona lokua album in the past year, more than that long ago actually

http://www.noformat.net/album-toto-bona-lokua-bondeko-58.html

sounds great

Sometimes Richard Bona can be a bit too syruppy jazzy, but maybe not in Toto Bona Lokua

29. Hailu Mergia - Lala Belu

From the Wire magazine album poll. Sons of Kemet won

xps to curmudgeon:

The Dur-Dur and Sudanese compilations are talked about (a bit) on this thread:
’Sweet as Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa' - THIS COMP OMG.

https://amanardekidal.bandcamp.com/album/alghafiat

Afropop worldwide podcast/radio show "Stocking Stuffers"-new,and reissued African and Caribbean and Central American and Latinx

http://afropop.org/audio-programs/stocking-stuffers-2018

Ebo Taylor, Yen Ara (Ghana)
Angelique Kidjo, Remain in Light (Benin artist covers T. Heads)
Bokanté & Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley, What Heat, (US, Netherlands, Guadeloupe)
Ronnie Moipolai, I’m Not Hear to Hunt Rabbits, (Botswana guitarist)
“Listen All Around” Double cd comp of pre-independence music from central (Congo & more0 and east Africa
Bombino, Deran (Niger guitarist)
Delgres, Mo Jodi,(Paris-based Guadeloupe meets Creole Louisiana)
Stella Chiweshe, Kasahwa: Early Singles (Zimbabwe reissue)
Toko Telo, Diavola (Madagascar)
Damily, Valimbilo (Madagascar)
Doctor Nativo, Guatemaya (Guatemalan reggae-cumbia)
King Koya, Tierra de King Coya (Colombian techno-cumbia)
Anbessa Orchestra, Negestat (Ethiopiques led by Israelis in Brooklyn)
Hailu Mergia, Lala Belu (Ethiopia)
Sidi Touré, Toubalbero (Mali)
Fatoumata Diawara, Fenfo (Mali)
Harouna Samake, Kamele Blues (Mali)
Invisible System, Bamako Sessions (Mali)
Irene Mawela, Ari Pembele - Let's Rejoice (South African old-school mbaqanga singer)
Professor Rhythm, Professor 3 (South Affrican reissue on Awesome Tapes)
Qhizzo, Gqom Plug (South Africa)
Thabang Tabane, Matjale (South African Venda roots-jazz)
Lucibela, Laço Umbilical (Cape Verde singer's debut)
Los Rumberos De La Bahia, Mabagwe (Cuban rumba)
RAM, RAM 7 - August 1791 (Haiti)
Bachata Haiti, Bachata Haiti
Sarazino, Mama Funny Day (Paris-based Algerian singer)
MHD, 19 (Paris-based Afro-trap rapper whose parents are Guinean and Senegalese)
Moulay Masters, Moulay Ahmed El Hassani, Atlas Electric (Moroccan mountains)
Tallawit Timbouctou, Hali Diallo (Malian desert )
Dur-Dur Band, Dur-Dur Of Somalia
Two Niles to Make a Melody, the Violins and Synths of Sudan.
Cheikh Lô, Ne La Thiass vinyl reissue (Senegal)
African Scream Contest 2 (Benin)
Dr. Nico, Dieu De La Guitare vinyl reissue (Congo)
Bumba Massa, V70 (Congo)
Jupiter and Okwess, Kin Sonic (US release 2018) (Congo)
Bixiga 70, Quebra Cabeça (Brazil)

yeah! i was just listening to that ep. those are always great, lots of exposure to different stuff.

A Rosalia song seems to be the token non-English language track on Pitchfork’s top 100 tracks.

33-year-old singer Jackson Aluta Kazimoto, known as Dogo Jackie or Jackie Simela, of great Tanzanian band Jagwa Music died in a car accident

https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/tanzania-jagwa-music-frontman-dies

I listened to Irene Mawela, Ari Pembele - Let's Rejoice (South African old-school mbaqanga singer)
Thabang Tabane, Matjale (South African Venda roots-jazz)

from the afropop stocking stuffers list above-- eh they're ok. Still loving Ebo Taylor from Ghana. Need to hear more from that afropop list

https://www.catrinfinchandseckoukeita.com

Folk Roots critics poll album of the year is a collaboration between a Welsh harp player, Catrin Finch and a Senegalese kora player, Seckou Keita

http://www.transglobalwmc.com/category/charts/annual-charts/

Monsieur Doumani is their top North African/ Middle East winner

I still haven't listened to Doumani. Heard a little of the Finch and Keita record -- beautiful at times, too easy listening at other times

The Afro-folk of Madagascar group Teko Telo is pleasant enough

Transglobal WM Chart Best of 2018!
BEST ALBUM OF 2018: Monsieur Doumani
2-Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita
3-Fatoumata Diawara
4-El Naán
5-Ammar 808
6-Gabacho Maroc
7-The Turbans
8-SANS
9-Vigüela
10-Samba Touré

20 = Ammar 808 Maghreb United (Glitterbeat)

This on Folk Roots poll. I like it

Monsieur Doumani did not wow me. It turns out that they are a three-piece Cypriot band

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx4cRw6TIIg

Guitarist Ronnie Moipolai from Botswana has over a million views

Check out the flashy fingerwork, people!

That Jupiter & Okwess album from Congo is a keeper. Great guitar sound, unusual arrangements, head nodding but not typical rhythms

Some albums on the Quietus list of 100 that I need to check out. Heard a little of this one and liked it:

The sheer range of what Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca and Tamer Abu Ghazaleh are trying to combine on Lekhfa - trad chaabi, mahraganat, Nile Delta psych, classic Egyptian pop, Middle Eastern jazz, smoky... ...That's a choice by the Q editor who has posted here on ocassion

Listening to Qhizzo- Gqomm Plug now. More interesting than European techno, but still the club beats can get a bit tiresome. This is from South Africa and the vocals are melodic and interesting in how the interact

Ammar 808 Maghreb United (Glitterbeat) has made a few polls

looking for Mdou Moctar bookings in florida, charleston sc, savannah, open to house shows - get at us at booking (at) sahelsounds (dot) com

didn't know you were repping Moctar curmudgeon! Hoping to see him briefly at Drom early next month.

That was from a Sahelsounds tweet. I am just trying to help Moctar and Sahelsounds out. Have seen Moctar live 3 times and he and his band are wonderful. They deserve well-paying gigs in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Jason King in his year-end piece as part of the Slate discussion among critics:

Though Africa has largely fallen off the American news radar, the music rocketing out of the continent remains straight fire. Projects by GuiltyBeatz, Aka, Fatoumata Diawara, Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti, Emmanuel Jal, Burna Boy, Muzi, Tal National, and Ammar 808 are all worth streaming. My favorite contemporary record this year, however, was I’m a Dream, the sophomore set from Gambian-Swedish chanteuse Seinabo Sey.

https://slate.com/culture/2018/12/2018-music-both-directions-at-once-coltrane.html

xp ah, okay.

https://www.stereogum.com/2027032/barack-obama-best-songs-2018/news/

Jupiter & Okwess are on it; Fatoumata Diawara too

Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2019 Thread Once Known as World Music