The SN Project – Afrikanization
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sn-project-afrikanization/
Siphephelo Ndlovu (The SN Project) is a pianist and vocalist from South Africa. In 2020, his debut album titled “Afrikanization” was released, incorporating structures of the jazz language, blended with rich harmonies reminiscent of the isiZulu culture of South Africa.
Hugh Masekela – Bring Back Nelson Mandela
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-bring-back-nelson-mandela/
“Bring Back Nelson Mandela” is one of Masekela’s composition at the time of apartheid in South Africa, as he was a clear anti-apartheid activist.
Also known as “Bring Him Back Home“, the song is an anthemic anti-apartheid protest song written by South African musician Hugh Masekela.
#Apartheid #HughMasekela #Jazz #Madiba #QOTD #SouthAfrica #OldAfricanMusic
Zoe Modiga – Inganekwane
https://amf.didiermary.fr/zoe-modiga-lengoma-tubatsi-mpho-moloi/
Inganekwane (“Zulu fairytale”), the second album by Zoe Modiga, released in 2020, is inspired by the theme of self-reflection to reveal messages of identity.
Zoe Modiga born and raised in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, is the quintessential artist who represents the present and future of South African music. Drawing from the human experience, identity and […]
Douala by Night
https://amf.didiermary.fr/douala-by-night/
“Douala by Night” est un excellent AfroJazzFunk de la fin des années 70, dernière piste de l’album “J.M. Tim & Foty” de Jean Marie Tiam (aka Tim) et Maurice Foty (décédé en 2011). L’album est paru en 1977. […]
Nobuhle Ashanti – Bait For Steps Forward
https://amf.didiermary.fr/nobuhle-ashanti-bait-for-steps-forward/
Nobuhle Ashanti is a pianist, composer, and recording artist from Cape Town, South Africa. Her debut album – “Bait for Steps Forward” (released in March 2023) – features a wide variety of Cape Town’s leading poets, instrumentalists and vocalists. […]
Oratorio of a Forgotten Youth
https://amf.didiermary.fr/oratorio-of-a-forgotten-youth/
Inspiré par le travail de grands musiciens comme Jonas Gwangwa et son Amandla Cultural Ensemble, qui a accompli un travail politique important pendant la longue lutte pour l’autodétermination qu’a connue l’Afrique du Sud, l’Amandla Freedom Ensemble est un jalon important pour la tradition du jazz sud-africain. [...]
Siya Makuzeni Sextet – Out of This World
https://amf.didiermary.fr/siya-makuzeni-sextet-out-this-world/
Siya Makuzeni is a professional South African trombone player, vocalist, lyricist and songwriter regularly collaborating with other reknown South African musicians. She’s known for her extensive musical range, vocal dexterity, experimental creativity, and passion for symbiotic cross-genre influences.
Osibisa, the “Flying Elephants”
https://amf.didiermary.fr/osibisa-flying-elephants/
Osibisa is a British Afro-pop band, founded by Teddy Osei (RIP) in London in 1969 by four expatriate African (Ghana) and three Caribbean musicians. Osibisa were one of the first African bands to become widely popular, leading to claims of founding World Music.
I discovered Osibisa when I was a teen, and this band is […]
Island Jazz from the Indian Ocean
https://amf.didiermary.fr/island-jazz-indian-ocean/
Island Jazz Feat. Monika Njava (voice – the Diva of Madagascar) & Linley Marthe (bass – Mauritius)
Manipule-Nareo: the song recounts the manipulation and crimes committed by foreigners during the colonial period.
“The Island Jazz quartet reworks traditional melodies with modern harmonies. And twists irresistible rhythms like tsapiky and jihe into [...]
Coltrane Quartet – Africa/Brass
https://amf.didiermary.fr/coltrane-quartet-africa-brass/
Africa/Brass is the eighth studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane (Coltrane Quartet), released on Impulse! Records on September 1, 1961.
Its big band sound, with the unusual instrumentation of French horns and euphonium, presented music very different from anything that had been associated with Coltrane to date.
Hugh Masekela – Grazing in the Grass (live)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/hugh-masekela-grazing-grass/
Grazing in the Grass for the Fifa Worldcup closing ceremony in 2010. For those who like a lot of cowbells in their music…
The song is found on Masekela‘s 8th studio album: “The Promise of a Future” in 1968. […]
Group Theory Black Music
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tumi-mogorosi-group-theory-black-music/
“The Group Theory Black Music” documentary follows the creative process, and intentions between drummer Tumi Mogorosi and the many collaborators on the album.
Since his international debut on Jazzman Records in 2014 with Project ELO, Mogorosi has been in the vanguard of the South African creative music scene’s burgeoning outernational dimension, [...]
#Documentary #LiveMusic #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz #AvantGarde #Opera #Jazz
Batsumi (1974)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/batsumi-apartheid/
Many years after the fall of Apartheid, Batsumi remains sublime… and transformative, and its resonance hasn’t faded at all over the years.
During the brutal era in South African history known as Apartheid, the minority-white ruling party forcibly moved millions of black South Africans from their homes to segregated areas, stripping them of their citizenship […]
#70smusic #Apartheid #FullAlbum #SouthAfrica #AfroJazz #Jazz
Dee Dee Bridgewater – Un voyage Malien
https://amf.didiermary.fr/dee-dee-bridgewater-voyage-malien/
L’album Red Earth – A Malian Journey de Dee Dee Bridgewater est sorti en 2007, mais un article sur Cheick Tidiane Seck (qui fut au cœur de ce projet) me l’a remis dans l’oreille.
J’ai découvert Dee Dee Bridgewater, comme beaucoup, avec le duo de 1989 “Precious thing” où elle accompagne Ray Charles et l’album […]
Manu Dibango – Electric Africa
https://amf.didiermary.fr/manu-dibango-electric-africa/
Released in 1985, Electric Africa is an album with Herbie Hancock, Wally Badarou & Mory Kante, produced by Bill Laswell. […]
#80smusic #AfroFunk #Cameroon #FullAlbum #Jazz #ManuDibango #AfroJazz #HerbieHancock
Sharhabil Ahmed – Argos Farfish / Zulum Aldunya
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sharhabil-ahmed-argos-farfish-zulum-aldunya/
Sharhabil Ahmed, also known as the “King of Sudanese Jazz,” was born in 1935 and is the founding father of the Sudanese Jazz scene. His aim was to modernize Sudanese music by bringing it together with western influences and instrumentation. Contemporary Sudanese music draws a lot of influences both from [...]
#60smusic #AfroFunk #Ethiojazz #Jazz #Soundcloud #Sudan #OldAfricanMusic
Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane
https://amf.didiermary.fr/sibusiso-mash-mashiloane/
Pianist Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane is a prolific artist whose academic credentials speak volume on the kind of discipline and passion he has for music. After getting his master’s degree in Jazz Performance and graduating Cum Laude from the University of KwaZulu Natal, he is now on his way to become an integral performer within the South […]
Abdullah Ibrahim – Cape Town Flower
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abdullah-ibrahim-cape-town-flower/
Abdullah Ibrahim’s live rendition of his composition “Cape Town Flower.”
This was filmed in 1999 at the Lugano Jazz Festival.
From his album released in 1997 “Cape Town Flowers.”
Cape Town Flowers is an enchanting effort from Abdullah Ibrahim, finding the pianist in a trio setting performing 11 original compositions.
Asher Gamedze - War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKRwc75MJds
A Semblance: Of Return
https://ashergamedze.bandcamp.com/album/a-semblance-of-return
Oum – Taragalte
https://amf.didiermary.fr/oum-taragalte-soul-morocco/
Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui, known as Oum, is a singer-songwriter of modern Moroccan popular music. Performing and recording both in North Africa and in Europe, she mixes multiple traditional and international influences.
Soul meets Gnaoua meets Jazz in her album “Soul of Morocco” in 2013.
Mike Makhalemele – Going West
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mike-makhalemele-going-west/
Mike Makhalemele (1938-2000), from Alexandra, South Africa, nicknamed “Ratau” (“lion”), played saxophone, here with Jabu Nkosi (keyboards) and Sipho Gumede (bass) in a reissue of a classic album.
"[He] was a force of nature with a robust yet soulful tone and seemingly endless breath. He embraced the pop music scene as an enthusiastic collaborator and […]
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela – Lagos Never Gonna Be The Same
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tony-allen-hugh-masekela-lagos-never-gonna-be-same/
“Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be The Same)” is a single taken from Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela’s very special collaboration “Rejoice“.
In this track, Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela pay tribute to Fela Kuti.
#HughMasekela #Jazz #Nigeria #SouthAfrica #TonyAllen #AfroBeat
Jimmy Dludlu – Tote
https://amf.didiermary.fr/jimmy-dludlu-tote/
Jimmy Dludlu (1966) is a jazz musician born in Maputo, who grew up in Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe and started playing guitar at 13 years old when he taught himself with a homemade guitar.
Le Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/mystere-jazz-tombouctou/
The Orchestre Regional de Tombouctou, also known as “Le Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou”, did not release a recording until 1977.
During the era of Mali’s first President, Modibo Keita (1960-1968), the government created regional orchestras and arts troupes in each of the nation’s seven regions. These groups were state-sponsored and from 1962 they competed in […]
Ahmad Jamal – Swahililand
https://amf.didiermary.fr/ahmad-jamal-swahililand/
From “Jamal Plays Jamal” an album by American jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, featuring performances recorded in 1974.
