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Awesome CD from Africa

Posted Feb 21, 2012 at 11:16 am by
Categories: Music

I spent the first $6.80 of this cab ride home from the Lower Haight trying over and over to get Shazam to tell me what this song is, but it couldn’t, so maybe somebody out there can. Or anyway, let’s all just enjoy this awesome song.

(Also, do read Awesome Tapes from Africa.)

6 comments

6 Responses to “Awesome CD from Africa”

  1. Old Mission Neighbor says:
    February 21, 2012 at 11:43 am

    did you consider asking the cabbie?

  2. En-Chu Lao says:
    February 21, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    The song is in a Kinshasa style popularized by such icons as Mose FanFan. It’s a very rhythmic style that is usually brass-free.
    It’s not Tabu Ley Rochereau, or Pepe Kallé, and if it’s Papa Wemba, he’s mellowed out.
    You could also check recent recordings of Sam Mangwana.

    If you liked this that much, you can’t go wrong with Soul Brothers “Jive Explosion”, Epée & Koum, Mose FanFan’s “Congo Acoustic”, and Samba Mapangala & Ochestre Virunga’s “Virunga Volcano”, “Ujumbe”, or “Feet on Fire”.

  3. Clay says:
    February 21, 2012 at 2:13 pm

    I was in a cab a few months back and heard a very similar style of music – it sounds very close. I asked the cabbie and he showed me the CD case. I took a photo – it was a compilation called Beleza Tropical (1989). Whether it is the same or not, this is an awesome find as well.

  4. Benji says:
    February 22, 2012 at 11:15 am

    Nah doods, this sounds like Ghanaian gospel, which itself is washed out highlife. Definitely not from Congo.

    You might enjoy these:
    http://official.fm/tracks/39895 Bradez “One Gallon”
    http://official.fm/tracks/38271 Okyeame Quophi “One Way”

    Both are hiplife, also blending in some highlife, but more rap and less singing.

    If you want to hear original highlife, here it is:
    http://official.fm/tracks/39891 Kofi Sammy & Okukuseku “Maame”

    So much more… feel free to go procrastinate at http://www.akwaabamusic.com for more.

    Oh and if you ever wonder if the music playing in a taxi is from Ghana, just yell “chale” (pronounced like you would in spanish, ie “tchaleh”). If cabbie doesn’t turn around, he’s not Ghanaian ;-) and don’t worry, it’s not a curse word hehe