African Music rapidshare

sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Mila na Utamaduni
Spices of Zanzibar

Album : Spices of Zanzibar
Artist : Mila na Utamaduni
Release date : 1998
Label : Network Germany
Number of discs : 1
Total size : 162 MB
Total time : 01:11:01

Tracks:
1. Bashraf Salama
2. Mapenzi Matamu
3. Nguzo Mbovu
4. Unalo
5. Bashraf Chaguo
6. Umbo Langu Dawa
7. Hata Nawe Useme
8. Sishituki
9. Haya Maumbile Yangu

@320 Kbit/s mp3

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Stella Chiweshe
Talking Mbira

Album : Talking Mbira
Artist : Stella Chiweshe
Release date : 2002
Number of discs : 1
Genre : World
Total size : 81 MB
Total time : 01:01:16

Tracks :
1. Artistes
2. N'Garbamama
3. Maky
4. Farafina (Africa)
5. Forobana
6. Souaressi
7. Mon Amour
8. Soy Te Aw La
9. Signana
10. Mansani Cisse

@ VBR mp3

Amazon.com
Plenty of artists claim to play "trance music," but Zimbabwe's Stella Chiweshe delivers the genuine article. Portions of her repertoire come straight from the religious rituals of the Shona people, and audience members at her concerts have claimed spontaneous healings or visits from spirits in response to the beautiful melodies she coaxes from her mbira "thumb piano." Even if you don't experience supernatural effects, a few moments of Chiweshe's delicate but powerful playing will surely raise your bliss levels by a factor of 10. She pioneered the practice of blending mbiras and marimbas in ensemble performances and is the most famous woman band leader in Zimbabwe. Talking Mbira shows her in full command of her talents. The nicely balanced blend of material ranges from the tradition-based opening song "Ndabaiwa" to modern fare like "Chachimurenga," a chimurenga liberation song that gets a "Future Mix" dub-style treatment courtesy of Hijaz Mustapha of the 3 Mustaphas 3. Inspired by dream visits from her late brother, Elfigio, Chiweshe layers her meditative mbira on "Ndangariro" for a densely interwoven sound more intricate than a tapestry. "Paite Rima," a plea for world peace addressed to potent lion spirits, eschews instrumentation for stirring vocal harmonies reminiscent of Zulu songs, while "Tapera" uses deeply textured mbira and a distant chorus to lament the natural disasters and political turmoil of her home country.
--Bob Tarte.

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Salif Keita - Moffou

Album : Moffou
Artist : Salif Keita
Release Date : 2002
Label : Decca
Number of Discs: 1
Genre : World
Total time : 00:59:16
Total size : 68,5 MB

Tracks :
1. Yamore
2. Iniagige
3. Madan
4. Katolon
5. Souvent
6. Moussolou
7. Baba
8. Ana Na Ming
9. Koukou
10. Here

@ VBR mp3

Amazon.com
Salif Keita made his name with Rail Band and Les Ambassadeurs, but he gradually veered away from re-Africanized Latin tunes to explore his Mande birthright. Then, in the late 1980s, he released Soro, a potent blend of traditional sources, Western pop, and savvy studio electronica that took the international market by storm. There have been other high points since then, but on Moffou, what went before is consolidated and transformed via the depth and patina of an artist in his prime. The set opens with a slinky, accordion-laced duet between Keita and Cape Verdean diva Cesaria Evora, but quickly moves on to the soulful Malian acoustic ballads that form the heart and soul of this masterpiece. Other tunes recall the insouciant heyday of Paris-posse Afropop, but minus that era's banal production values. Keita's voice is magnificent throughout; alternately silky, sensual, and ethereal, it floats amid Kante Manfila's intuitive settings like incense.
--Christina Roden

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Antoine Moundanda & Likembé Géant
Késse Késse

Album : Késse Késse
Artist : Antoine Mountanda & Likembé Géant
Release Date : 1998
Number of Discs: 1
Genre : World
Total time : 00:48:58
Total size : 112 MB

Tracks :
1. Retraite
2. N'Sangou
3. Kouelohele
4. Bako
5. Kesse Kesse
6. Havachibora
7. Liwa
8. Wali Ti Mbi
9. Cheu
10. Mancongo

@ 320 Kbit/s mp3

Amazon.com
Congolese musician Antoine Moundanda is one of the giants of African music, and his 1950s recordings with his band Likembe Geant helped lay the foundation for the soukous revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Moundanda is a master of the thumb piano, or likembe in the local dialect, and Kesse Kesse, which was recorded live in 1997, offers ample proof that even in his late 60s his power as a musician is undiminished. Likembe Geant was one of the first groups to blend local music and instruments with imported styles like Cuban rumba. On tracks like "Kesse Kesse" and "Mancongo," Moundanda and his two bandmates weave rippling Congolese melodies and driving Caribbean rhythms into a marvelous tapestry of sound. Unlike most modern Congolese musicians, Likembe Geant eschew European instruments like electric guitars, horns, and keyboards in favor of their own native thumb pianos. They may not be as loud as a contemporary soukous band, but Likembe Geant more than make up for the lack of volume with the intensity of their singing and the passion of their playing.
--Michael Simmons

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akhilleus · Newbie

Great! More to add to the collection. Do you have Toumani Symmetric Orchestra? Can't find a good copy and my CD is scratched to hell. One of my favourite albums

sismis_bajro · Super User!!

sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Benin
Rythmes et chants pour les vodum

Album : Bénin – Rythmes et chants pour les vodum
Artist : Various Artists
Release Date : 1990
Label : VDE-Gallo
Catalog # : CD-612
Genre : Ethnic
Total time : 01:10:31
Total size : 161 MB

Tracks :
1. Polyrythmie pour Hevioso
2. Rhythme ternaire
3. Polyrythmie
4. Rythme nago/yoruba
5. Chant (gbigbo wiwe)
6. Chant (Histoire de Bonou)
7. Corège et trompes
8. Chants sur Adjahuto
9. Motifs rythmiques pour Sakpata
10. Rythme d'attente
11. Chants et rythmes après la (sortie)
12. Orchestre de Fâ
13. Légendes et chants sur Fâ

@320 Kbit/s mp3

Diverse selection of field recording made in Benin during the 70's of Vodou ceremonies. 24 page insert explains the recordings in detail and includes some rhythmic transcriptions.

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Daby Balde
Inroducing Daby Balde

Artist: Daby Balde
CD title: Introducing Daby Balde
Release date: 2005
Label: Introducing/World Music Network
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: World
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320Kbit
Time: 01:05:33
Total size: 151 MB
MPEG Video: [00:05:58] [384x288 pixels] [59,4 MB]

Tracks:
1. Mamadiyel
2. Heli
3. Kaye Waxma
4. Tamania
5. Waino Blues
6. Sora
7. Mbadi
8. Halaname
9. Fouladou
10. Douna
11. Hakurujamane
12. Mbeugel
13. Mido Waino

More info:
If there's one area of Africa where great musicians tend to get decent coverage in the west, it's the neighbouring west African states of Senegal and Mali. Surprising, then, that Daby Balde slipped through the net. He's a fine singer from Cassamance, in the south of Senegal, and though he is well known back home he is only now beginning to win international recognition.
Like Salif Keita, Balde struggled to become a musician despite objections from his noble family. His distinctive, laid-back vocals are backed by the subtle textures of an impressive acoustic band, with kora and guitars matched against fiddle work, added later in Belgium. The only problem with Balde's debut album is the lack of variety. Having discovered a gently rhythmic, easy-going style, he simply sticks with it. Taken individually, though, the songs are superb, which is why Balde deserves his second appearance of the week, providing the opening track on Sound of the World (Wrasse), the annual world music round-up by Charlie Gillett. Here, Balde appears alongside his compatriot Youssou N'Dour, and other celebrities including Mali's Amadou and Mariam. If he's this good playing live, and can vary the mood of his work, he could start to receive the same sort of recognition.
________________________________________

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Habib Koite
Afriki

Album : Afriki
Artist : Habib Koité & Bamada
Release Date : 2007
Number of Discs: 1
Genre : World
Total time : 00:45:59
Total size : 105 MB

Tracks :
01. Namania
02. N'tesse
03. Africa
04. Fimani
05. N'ba
06. Mali Ba
07. Barra
08. N'Teri
09. Nta Dima
10. Massake [
11. Titati

@ 320 Kbit/s mp3

After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Malian guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada return this fall with a stunning new album, Afriki. With more than 250,000 albums sold around the globe, an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, a duet with Bonnie Raitt on her 2001 album Silver Lining and nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world’s most prestigious stages under his belt, Habib Koité is one of Africa’s most beloved and popular musicians. Afriki, which will be released by Cumbancha on September 25th, 2007, features an appealing set of songs that reflect Habib’s unique and innovative approach to the diverse styles of Malian music.

Habib Koite is known for his unique approach to playing the guitar. He tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale and plays on open strings as one would on a kamale n'goni. At other times Habib plays music that sounds closer to the blues or flamenco, two styles he studied under Khalilou Traore, veteran of the legendary Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali. Unlike the griots, his singing style is restrained and intimate with varying cadenced rhythms and melodies. His supporting cast, Bamada, is an explosive super-group of West African rhythm section talent.

"Nobody really taught me to sing or to play the guitar," says Habib Koite. "I watched my parents, and it washed off on me." Koite was headed for a career as an engineer, but on the insistence of his uncle, who recognized Habib's musical talent, he enrolled at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako, Mali, launching his twenty-year career.

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Ismaël Lo
Senegal

Artist: Ismaël Lo
CD title: Senegal
Release date: 2006
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320 Kbit
Time: 01:01:03
Total size: 140 MB
Info: covers included

Tracks:
01. Baykat
02. Incha Allah
03. Tass Yakar
04. Jola
05. Taar Dusey
06. Manko
07. Yaye Boye
08. Plus Je Fais Ci, Plus Je Fais Ça
09. Mbindane
10. Wakhal
11. Ouvriers
12. Jiguen
13. Ma Fille
14. Tajabone

Info:
Ismael Lo possess one of the finest voices in Senegal, but he uses it sparingly. His last album of new songs was released five years back, and the one before that appeared 12 years ago. So has this been worth the wait? Well, sort of. The man once dubbed the "Bob Dylan of Africa" because of his acoustic guitar, harmonica and trenchant lyrics now sounds like a cool soul singer, with his distinctive, relaxed vocals matched against lush backing, with brass, strings and keyboards. He never quite breaks into a sweat, but his songs are for the most part a gently upbeat blend of Senegalese mbalax, reggae and ballads. The subject matter apparently covers anything from arranged marriages to democracy, but despite his fame as a lyricist, no English translation is provided.
Still, it's a classy set, even if the orchestration can be annoying. His classic song Tajabone sounded better when he first recorded it 15 years ago, without the sweeping strings.
Robin Denselow
Friday November 10, 2006
The Guardian

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Two Worlds, One Heart

Artist: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
CD title: Two Worlds, One Heart
Release date: 1990
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Sub-genre: Isicathamiya
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 192-320 Kbit
Time: 00:48:31
Total size: 60,2 MB
Info: Cover-art included

Tracks:
01. Township Jive [00:04:40]
02. Ofana Naye (Nobody Like Him) [00:04:51]
03. Bala Ubhale (Count And Write) [00:04:14]
04. Love Your Neighbour [00:04:02]
05. Leaning On The Everlasting Arm [00:04:53]
06. Rejoice [00:04:02]
07. Hayi Ngalesiskhathi (Not Right Now) [00:04:10]
08. Emhlabeni (In This World) [00:03:44]
09. Isiklahthi Siyimali (Time Is Money) [00:03:35]
10. Nami Ngaze Ngamthola (I Found Him) [00:03:43]
11. Ngomnyanga (By The Door) [00:01:51]
12. Scatter The Fire [00:03:23]
13. Cothoza Mfana (Tip Toes Guy) [00:01:17]

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Rokia Traore - Bowmboi

Album : Bowmboi
Artist : Rokia Traore
Release Date : 2004
Label : Nonesuch
Number of Discs: 1
Genre : World
Total time : 01:00:09
Total size : 138 MB

Tracks :
1. M'Bifo
2. Sara
3. Kote Don
4. Mariama
5. Manian
6. Deli
7. Nienafing
8. Kele Mandi
9. Kanou
10. Bowmboi

@ 320 Kbit/s mp3

***********
Malian singer Rokia Traore attracted a lot of attention with her 1998 debut Mouneissa and the even better Wanita in 2000. Now the singer-songwriter returns with Bowmboi, an album filled with creative aspiration but still set within the framework of traditional Malian instrumentation. As with the past efforts, the singer is again accompanied by acoustic guitar, n'goni (African lute), kora harp and balafon (a buzzing marimba). But here the stripped-down songs are darker and more mature, creating an overall vibe that sensuously haunting, particularly when she adds polyphonic multi-track call-and-response vocals. Amidst these earthy arrangements, the Kronos Quartet joins in for "Manian" and "Bowmboi." Having a western and modern classical feel, the music is a departure that nonetheless works because Traore matches their rhythms while staying within her creative vision. Indeed, her singing in her native Bamanan is the cornerstone to the album, soaring high and erupting into cadenzas or riding long wavering lines that shimmer with passion.
-Tad Hendrickson

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Gabin Dabiré
Afriki Djamana

Album : Afriki Djamana
Artist : Gabin Dabiré
Release Date : 1997
Label : Amiata Records
Number of Discs: 1
Genre : Ethnic
Total time : 01:03:14
Total size : 58,3 MB

Tracks :
01. Sénégal
02. Djilbié
03. Bibilé
04. Guidiga
05. Kjima
06. Kalé
07. Bagà bagà
08. Moso
09. Mamidi
10. Mana mana ko
11. Amadou
12. Mousso

@ 128Kbit/s mp3

Gabin Dabiré offers us an extraordinary work in which the absorbing rythm and subtile melodies of his native country, Burkina Faso, are echoed in his very organic earthbounded music.
Performed by Gabin and Paul Dabiré with the singular support of the Koteba Ensemble.

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Tinariwen
Amassakoul [2004]

Artist: Tinariwen
CD title: Amassakoul
Release date: 2004
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: African rock
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 128 Kbit
Duration: 45,55
Total size: 42 MB

Tracks:
01 - Amassakoul 'N'Ténéré [00:03:24]
02 - Tinariwen - Oualahila Ar Teninam [00:03:47]
03 - Tinariwen – Chatma [00:05:36]
04 - Tinariwen – Arawan [00:04:06]
05 - Chet Boghassa [00:03:52]
06 - Tinariwen – Amidinin [00:02:51]
07 - Tinariwen - Ténéré Daféo Nikchan [00:04:51]
08 - Tinariwen - Aldhechen Manin [00:03:54]
09 - Tinariwen - Alkhar Dessouf [00:04:55]
10 - Tinariwen - Eh Massina Sintadoben [00:04:29]
11 - Tinariwen – Assoul [00:04:06]

Background information:
Tinariwen strip rock down to its basic building blocks of rhythm, guitars, and voice. On their second CD there are no fancy studio tricks or multiple overdubs. They stick to what they've shown they do well -- keep the music raw and emotional. While there are similarities to the desert blues of Mali, these Tuareg nomads from the Western Sahara are as much as rock band as the Stones at their best, capable of conjuring up magic with a guitar riff or lick. Oftentimes, the music has the same bluesy, undulating, hypnotic rhythm of a camel crossing the sand, as on "Aldhechen Manin." But they can also crank the amps and unleash something to tingle the spine and feet, which they do on "Oualahila Ar Tesninam," as frantic and primal a piece of rock & roll as you're likely to find. There's even a touch of rap on "Arawan." But there's a complexity in their basic approach, the interlocking layers of electric guitars and the plaintive, defiant voices. To listen to Tinariwen is to believe once more in rock and its power. This is angry and passionate; it's dangerous music in the very best sense. Western bands might have forgotten how to rock as if their lives depended on it; Tinariwen can teach them. (AMG)

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sismis_bajro · Super User!!

Miriam Makeba
Sangoma

Artist: Miriam Makeba
CD title: Sangoma
Label: Warner Bros./Wea
Release date: 1990
Original release: 1988
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320Kbit
Time: 00:42:57
Total size: 98,2 MB

Tracks:
1 Emabhaceni
2 Baxabene Oxamu
3 Ngalala Phantsi
4 Ihoyiya
5 Kulo Nyaka
6 Baya Jabula
7 Mabhongo
8 Ingwemabala
9 Mosadi ku Rima
10 Angilalanga
11 Ungakanani
12 Ngiya Khuyeka
13 Nyankwabe
14 Sambuyoma
15 Congo
16 Nginani Na
17 Imam Uyajabula
18 Nyamuthla
19 Icala
20 Masakhane
21 Amaliya
22 Pata Pata 200
23 Cause We Live For Love
24 Lewawechi
25 Homeland
26 Afrika is where My Heart Lies
27 In Time

***********
A sangoma is a traditional healer, one who channels the ancestral spirits who advise the living. On this impeccably produced CD, Miriam Makeba returns to her roots, singing the songs of her childhood, and in the process seeks to heal the wounds of apartheid and 30 years of exile from her South African home. The songs here are parables, lullabies, and gathering songs, deeply spiritual and moving. They are songs of struggle and perseverance delivered by Africa's best-loved voice. Mama Africa (Makeba's nickname) is joined by a group of soulful women singers. Some songs feature understated percussion; others are gloriously unadorned a cappella. This is an essential timeless album from one of the world's greatest singers.
--Jeff Grubb

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