Afropop.org top 10 and more for 2004

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/439

1. Youssou N'Dour-Egypt
2.Eva Ayllon-Eva! Leyenda Peruana
3. Gangbe Brass Band-Wherelo
4.Jaojoby-Malagasy
5. Mory Kante-Sabou
6. Aurelio Martinez-Garifana Soul
7. Shiyani Ngocobo- Introducing Shiyani N.
8. Spanish Harlem Orchestra-Across 110th Street
9. Tinariwen-Amasskoul
10. Thandiswa-Zabalaza

― steve-k, Wednesday, 22 December 2004 07:06 (twenty years ago)

I like the Youssou and the Tinariwen cds alot. Youssou's voice is still so impressive. Mali's Tinariwen have a powerful cutting electric guitar sound.

The Eva Ayllon cd isn't bad, but I wasn't that wowed by it. I liked her live better.

― steve-k, Wednesday, 22 December 2004 07:10 (twenty years ago)

Bump.

I know there are a few others here who like afropop, or traditional African music(however you define that).

― steve-k, Thursday, 23 December 2004 20:44 (twenty years ago)

Maybe I should see what the Dissensus board chatters think, or the specialized Afropop chat boards that I've admittedly lost track of(too many expatriate Congolese folks snearing at any non-Congolese African music).

― steve-k, Thursday, 23 December 2004 20:46 (twenty years ago)

I think Youssou's cd is high on both Michelangelo Matos's (Seattle Weekly)best of list and that of Sasha Frere Jones(New Yorker). I believe it got a vote or 2 in addition to mine in the Washington City Paper poll.

― steve-k, Thursday, 23 December 2004 20:49 (twenty years ago)

so basically it's a 2004 token pick for boring rock critics?

― caler: signel, Thursday, 23 December 2004 21:00 (twenty years ago)

my favorite disc
from africa this year was
daby toure's diam

mory kante's is
very very very good
as I prove right here

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 23 December 2004 21:10 (twenty years ago)

I also quite loved
Issa Bagayogo's disc
(not on any lists)

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 23 December 2004 21:15 (twenty years ago)

I'll have to give Bagayogo another listen. I think the press hype I read about him blending traditional sounds with programed ones led me to , in a knee-jerk manner, be suspicious of his merits just because many who try to do that, fail. But he appears to be better than that.

― steve-k, Friday, 24 December 2004 07:27 (twenty years ago)

Youssou's album has sounded good the cpl of listens I've given it but it does not seme to warrant all the praise its gotten. I have only listened to it in passing though so perhaps shld reserve judgement.

Tinirawen is great, really hope to see them live as the show is supposed to be stunning. have to pull out the Gangbe, haven't bothered listening to it yet as was underwhelmed by the first but keep hearing good stuff about this one.

have not been inspired to get issa's album as the first two were pleasant but got a lil repetitivee, another person whose live show makes a huge difference.

― H (Heruy), Friday, 24 December 2004 13:14 (twenty years ago)

I really like Daara J's BOOMERANG. Kind of baroque Afropop. Not as in harpsichords (although there may be some on there; I keep picking up on prev. unnoticed). It's just really fancy, multilingual, hip-hop, orchestral, guests (Rokia Traore, for one), panstylistic, pan-African, hip hop a near-constant element, with some electronics (past microphones, amplifiers and recording equipment, I mean), so if you're suspicious of Issa, might not want this either. Uneven, but worth a listen for sure.

― don, Friday, 24 December 2004 23:55 (twenty years ago)

I just think of the Daara J cd as hiphop, and as such it's not bad. I need to listen to the track with Rokia again. If done cleverly, I like trad instruments and vocals with programmed beats and synth sounds and rapping.

― steve-k, Sunday, 26 December 2004 00:14 (twenty years ago)

She brings the Malian "blues" cycles, like "Esperanza" (both versions) brings what gets pegged as "Latin" over here (re non-hiphop elements, as usually construed)

― don, Sunday, 26 December 2004 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Mind you, for all I know, it might be *generic African hip hop, but seems unlikely "Winners of the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for 'Best African Act,'" for what that's worth. (What would be the best North American, South American, Asian European, Oceanic Acts? Seems like a rather generalized category, eh). A bit over-produced at times, but I've got most of the tracks marked as keepers.

― don, Sunday, 26 December 2004 05:12 (twenty years ago)

One of my fave mp3 blogs, by Matt out of Senegal has offered praise for Daara J, and I get the impression from him that they are considered much more than generic hiphop (see mattgy.net), I'll have to listen to it some more. I just listened to the Issa Bagayogo cd again and while I'm not crazy about all of it, it has a number of nice cuts (that I'd say use programmed bits better than that Kompakt compilation that others drool over around here).

Ah, I see that Jon Pareles has listed Youssou N'Dour in his top 10 in the NY Times. Let cynics dismiss it as the token Afropop cd if they like, but it is a wonderful effort. The blend of Egyptian and Senegalese elements is unique and innovative, and his vocals are still stunning to me.

― steve-k, Sunday, 26 December 2004 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Pareles offers really a heartfelt description. I'll have to check that too.

― don, Monday, 27 December 2004 01:40 (twenty years ago)

So I just checked out the music forum at africaonline.com for the first time in nearly a year, and I see that's it's full of posts from Congolese folks living around the world (not that there's anything wrong with that, I'd just like to hear about non-Congolese stuff as well)

Here's a Best of 2004 list someone posted...

http://207.180.27.13:8080/forums/forums/viewthread?thread=436

Top Ten New Congolese cds – 2004

1. Choc Stars – Ratissage (Sonima)
2. Alain Makaba – Ya Ku Dominer (Sipe Music)
3. Konono No.1 – Congotronics (Crammed Discs)
4. Karma Pa – Je m’appelle toi – Love moi (Jok Music)
5. OK International – Ki Zoba Zoba (Mengue Production)
6. Frère Makolin – Rendons Gloire à l’Eternel (Frère Makolin)
7. Bana OK – Le Bula Ntulu / Procès (Solfege Universel Production)
8. Wenge BCBG & JB Mpiana – Anti-Terro (Badive Music)
9. Ballou Canta & Luciana – Rumbalolango (Deux Rives Productions)
10.Maika Munan – Congo Masters (Next Music)

Other great Congolese albums from 2004:
Madilu – Le Tenant du Titre (KTC)
Manda Chante – Onction (LK Services)
Benz Pétrole – Star Academy (Gillette D’or)

Best reissues of 2004:
Choc Stars – Hommage à Monza 1er (EPP)
Michelino & Franco – Lisanga ya Banganga (Michita Production)
Franco & Sam Mangwana – The Very Best Vol.1-2 (Ngoyarto)
Simaro Massiya Lutumba – The Very Best Vol. 1-4 (Ngoyarto)
Bavon Marie Marie & Les Negros Succes – Libanga na Libumu – Vol 1.(Esselta)

Best non-Congolese reissue of 2004 – Bembeya Jazz National – The Syliphone Years (Stern’s / Syllart)

Notes:
In 2003 Alain Makaba and Karma Pa arrived just too late for inclusion in the Best of 2003 – so here they are in 2004. In 2003 new albums from Wemba, Werrason and Koffi Olomide all failed to make the grade; in 2004 JB Mpiana creeps into the Top Ten – read into that what you like

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 06:45 (twenty years ago)

Christopher Porter, jazz times editor and the suburbs are killing us mp3 blogger, has been posting about Konono.

Several others at Africaonline have liked the JP Mpiana-Anti-Terro.

May have to check those two out.

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 06:50 (twenty years ago)

I don't think any of these Congolese cds have gotten any kind of "crossover" publicity in the US (or the UK?)

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 06:52 (twenty years ago)

3. Konono No.1 – Congotronics (Crammed Discs)

Is there a U.S. distributor for this yet charging a decent price?

― RS LaRue (rockist_scientist), Monday, 3 January 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

There is an ILM thread about that one, if you missed it.

― RS LaRue (rockist_scientist), Monday, 3 January 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

I did miss the thread and have not yet checked on a U.S. distributor.

I guess Konono are different than the standard Congolese rhumba which is beloved by some, and dismissed as the same ol' thing by others.

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'm not so interested in Konono from a "let's check out Congolese music" perspective as I am from a "This is pretty freaky" perspective. Comparisons to the Boredoms (who I like in some cases), etc.: Konono No1 - "Tradi-Modern" - This shit is unreal

― RS LaRue (rockist_scientist), Monday, 3 January 2005 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for the link. I posted a December 1 christopherporter.com blog update on the site. He writes about a live Konono cd, and how the one referred to aboved still doesn't have US distribution.

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

I mean I posted the update from Porter on that link you forwarded.

― steve-k, Monday, 3 January 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.