Sunday 29 September 2019

Republique de Guinee - A Chaque Peuple, sa Culture Vol.2 [1968]

Herewith the first of some vinyl I scored during the [long, too long?] break with this blog.

1968, 10" EP, Editions InfoGuinee #IG.10-12


The whole [pre-Syliphone?] EP is already posted by radioafrica.com.au [Graeme Counsel] at youtube , so it's no use putting a track up on soundcloud. If you want to hear something, just listen there.
BTW all 4 volumes of the serie are to be found on Radio Africa's youtube channel.

My download contains the best digitizing I could make [so far] from my dabbling and crackling copy, together with full scans and text transcripts of the sleeve.


GUINEE-1968-EP_Chaque Peuple sa Culture Vol-2

1968, 10" EP, Editions InfoGuinee #IG.10-12
Face A: a1.De Berlin a Addis-Abéba / a2.Eh M'Boré - Yo
Face B: b1.Landa / b2.Djanfa Magnyn

acc.Graeme Counsel: Recorded by the Guinean government in circa 1968, these recordings feature regional troupes and ensembles performing songs in honour of Sékou Touré and his party, the PDG.

Title of the album series almost sure comes from a speech by Sékou Touré, for example from:
  • "L’histoire est une réalité. Elle fonde l’identité de chaque peuple, la culture de chaque peuple. Il n’y a pas de peuple sans culture, sans civilisation même si elle n’est pas écrite. Elle est la résultante du combat de chaque peuple. Tout ce qui est d’une portée sociale et historique est une valeur." [date unknown]
    "History is a reality. It bases the identity of each people, the culture of each people. There is no people without culture, without civilization even if it is not written. It is the result of the struggle of each people. Everything of social and historical significance has value." [date unknown]

Full transcript of the sleeve texts [in French only]

note: I speak a little bit of French only [je parle un peu Francais], nevertheless tried to translate the song explanations. All help with further translations and/or corrections of mine are appreciated, this post will be updated accordingly.
 
Face A:
  • a1.De Berlin a Addis-Abéba
    -- Si en 1885 la Conference de Berlin a consacre le partage de l'Afrique entre des nations étrangères, en mai 1963 a Addis-Abéba, les africains auront marqué leur ferme volonté de réunifier leur continent au bénéfice de ses fils.
    -- If in 1885 at the Berlin Conference was decided the split-up of Africa between the foreign nations, in 1963 May at Addis-Abéba, the africanes made their firm wish clear to reunite their continent for the benefit of its children.
  • a2.Eh M'Boré - Yo
    -- un chant de mobilisation de la jeunesse au service de la construction nationale.
    -- a song for the mobilisation of the youth to serve the construction of the nation.
Face B:
  • b1.Landa
    -- La loi guinéenne élèvera le peuple.
    -- The Guinean law should raise the people.
  • b2.Djanfa Magnyn
    -- Le peuple de Guinée conscient veille attentivement sur les de sa Révolution qu'il ne laissera jamais trahir.
    -- The people of Guinee are aware to keep a watch over the acquirements through their Revolution, which they should never allow to be betrayed.

... Face aux autres cultures, l’Afrique doit résolument se défaire de tous ses complexes, y compris celui de la "négritude". Elle doit être fière d'elle-même et de ses richesses culturelles et morales; elle doit être orgueilleuse de son pouvoir de transformation et résolue a s’acheminer, dans l’indépendance de ses propres efforts, vers le progrès général dans la justice, la démocratie et la liberté.
Notre volonté d'être parmi les meilleurs de ce monde, doit se traduire dans le cadre des valeurs et des vertus culturelles de l'Afrique, par un enrichissement et une élevation continus de notre conscience afin que s’affirme et rayonne l'humanisme que chaque africain authentique a hérité de notre commune patrie...
A.S.T. [=Ahmed Sékou Touré]

Ballets Africains de la République de Guinée [photo on back sleeve]

Imprimé en République Fédérale d’Allemagne - Tous droits du producteur phonographique et du propriétaire de I'oeuvre enregistrée reserves. Duplication, execution publique, radiodiffusion de ce disque interdites.
Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany [BRD].


Questions:
  • Does anybody know how this could be printed [and produced?] in then West-Germany?
  • Were the relations between Sékou Touré's government and then West-Germany in the 1960s so friendly?

PS: this EP is not at the same musical level as the Malian propaganda LP recorded around the same time and posted a few month ago at lolaradio , so check that out! [incl. the "deep" discussion in its comments!]

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

Sunday 22 September 2019

Oliver Mtukudzi - 1998.Nov.06 - Music Meeting Nijmegen

2019.Nov.18: updated with links to tributes and related news [see bottom of post]

Oliver 'Tuku' Mutukudzi was born 1952.Sep.22 in Highfield, a poor neighborhood in Harare, then called Salisbury in the British colony called Southern Rhodesia.

Oliver Mtukudzi 2001.Feb.28 at the Barbican London - gettyimages

'Tuku' scored his first hit in 1977 with a group called the Wagon Wheels. Soon, he was fronting his own band, the Black Spirits, with whom he has recorded and performed ever since. His music is an innovative blend of Shona mbira pop, South African township jive, rumba, and soul. Always keen to experiment, Tuku is known for switching from mbaqanga and jazz fusion in one album to 'ancient deep traditions beats' in the next. Despite that openness, he remains a strong traditionalist.
Tuku's swinging renditions of the rootsiest beats, accompanied by his soulful voice and husky laugh, are irresistible. Tall, slim and handsome, with a big stage presence, an easy manner and a slick line in dance moves, his performances with the Black Spirits are captivating. He is also a highly socially conscious and moral artist, intensely aware of the importance of his lyrics (which are important to all Zimbabwean music). He sang the first AIDS song in Zimbabwe, and his lyrics place an emphasis on discipline.
Earlier this year, on 2019.Jan.23, Oliver Mtukudzi died at the age of 66 at Avenues Clinic in his hometown Harare, now capital of Zimbabwe, after a long battle with Diabetes.
'Tuku music' was among the most accessible and delightful African pop around. He also was a terrific songwriter, who during his carreer has released some 65 albums, so putting together a full discography I won't start now and leave for a future post.

above biography based on information from: Rough Guide to World Music, wikipedia and biography at piranha


Listen to Neria from this concert



MTUKUDZI-OLIVER 1998.Nov.06 - Music Meeting Nijmegen RNW-PRX


setlist: 1.What's Going On / 2.Dzoka Uyamwe / 3.Hear Me Lord / 4.Cheka Ukama / 5.Neria

source: Hear the World on PRX with recordings from Radio Netherlands Worldwide [RNW]
tracks 1-4: broadcasted 2010.Apr.27
 / track 5: broadcasted 2012.June
note: more of this concerts [tot.tecording 68:30min] seems to have been broadcasted by NPS on Dutch radio, I'm very interested in hearing more, so if anybody has, please let it be known in the comments under this post.


Tributes and related news about Oliver Mtukudzi



NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

Friday 13 September 2019

Salif Keita - Celebrating "50 - 70" this summer

Two weeks ago I came across recordings of Salif Keita's concert at this year's Womad Festival, unfortunately the BBC broadcasted only two tracks. So I started searching for more of Salif's supposedly goodbye tour "Celebrating 50 - 70", for 50 years being a musician together with his 70th birthday [on Aug.25].

Salif Keita 50-70 - 2019.Jul.27 at Womad Festival - source: gettyimages


I know that Salif is pretty flexible celebrating the date of his birthday, as in 2009.July I enjoyed a concert of him during which he celebrated his 60th birthday. Fantastic concert by a great band at a marvelous location, the old square on the castle hill in Veszprem, Hungary. So that's why, even some weeks later, I dedicate this post to Salif's 50 years of being a musician and his 70th birthday!
My search for more recordings of this tour was successful, I found Salif's concert at the La Mar de Músicas Festival in Cartagena, Spain, originally broadcasted live by RTVE Radio 3.
Even better at the Festival Salif received the 2019 Festival Award for his whole carreer and his activities to help make our world a better place. After receiving the award from Lucy Duran [!], Salif started with a short acoustic set, followed by concert with his whole band.

Listen to Salif performing "Tassi" on acoustic guitar at La Mar de Músicas:



SALIF KEITA - 2019.Jul.27 at Womad UK BBC

setlist: intro at Womad / 1.M'Bemba / 2.Laban / outro radio
bonus: Road Trip to Mali - by Paul Chandler
bc.2019.Aug.02, BBC Radio3 Music Planet with Lopa Kothari

SALIF KEITA - 2019.Jul.22 at La Mar de Musicas Spain RTVE

part 0: award speeches in Spanish and Lucy Duran speech
part I [acoustic]: 1.Tassi / 2.Gaffou //
part II [with band]: 3.Mama / 4.M'Bemba / 5.Tonton / 6.Yamore / 7.Laban / 8.Mandjou by Mamadou Diabate / 9.M'Bife / 10.Were Were / 11.Tekere / 12.Madan / 13.Salif acapella [cut]
bc.2019.Jul.22 live on RTVE Radio 3 Spain

line-up: Salif Keita (vocals, guitar), Cisse Abou (sequencer), Aminata Dante and Bah Kouyate (backing vocals and dance), Molobaly Kone (percussion), Mory Kante Djessou (guitar), Mamadou Diabate (kora), Oumarou Diarra (drums), Modibo Sissoko (bass) and Soumah Mohamed Lamine and Adonaide Bohui (keyboards)


Salif Keita 2019.Jul.22 solo at La Mar de Músicas Festival in Cartagena, Spain
source: efe.com / Marcial Guillén

Links to more Salif Keita for your enjoyment:

  • for his discography the best place is at radioafrica by Graeme Counsel
  • Salif Keita - Janjon (1975, scene from film "Den Muso") - youtube
    with balafon by Keletigui Diabate - see mandebala.net
  • Salif Keita - 2019.Jan.28 Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris ARTE - arte.tv and youtube
  • Salif Keita - 2019.May.05 Vrije Geluiden VPRO.NL [incl.great interview starting at 18:25min!]
    individual tracks at youtube: Yamore / Tassi / Awa (Gaffou)
  • Salif Keita 2019.Jul.22 at La Mar de Musicas - short video report at rtve.es

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

Saturday 7 September 2019

Shalawambe - 1988.Aug.23 - Peel Session

Hello All, back at the wheel of Mangue Music. Longer break than planned, but during it could score some more music to share with you all. Music that is unfortunately not new K7s, searched and asked at many places, very hard to find, nevertheless expect more concert recordings and some old [still to be digitized vinyl] to appear here in the near future.

Now let's begin again, begin the begin, let's begin again with: Shalawambe from Zambia, a country only featured once here before and again related to John Peel, as it's a session for his BBC Radio 1 show.
I couldn't find any good picture from the band,
so herewith an advert for a Shalawambe K7*
(original 1991 article about Shalawambe published
together with this advert is included in download)

Biography

Hailing from the Copperbelt in the north of Zambia, Shalawambe, a Bemba word and literally meaning "stay behind and gossip", is a 5-piece kalindula band made of three brothers. They are considered one of Zambia's top bands and in 1988 toured Europe with great success. Their style is 'Kalindula,' one of the major genres of Zambian pop music - electric, but with a high traditional content.
When not recording or performing music, the brothers make their living as farmers and can be found working the land. Their beat stands out distinctively as a rich inclusion to Zambia's collection of indigenous music that carries a national identity. This has been achieved through deep research by gifted and highly experienced musicians. Bands such as Shalawambe cannot miss out especially with contributions from band leader Dolenzy Kabwe.
sources: musicinafrica.net/directory/shalawambe [and VA-Zambiance liner notes]

Listen to "Samora Machel" (not the session version!) as played 1990.Jan.15 by John Peel [some writing by John Peel about Shalawambe at the soundcloud page]:



SHALAWAMBE 19880823 - Peel Session BBC

rec.1988.Aug.23 / first bc.1988.Sep.12 / this audio from rpt.1988.Dec.21 [festive fifty, end of the year show with listing of best tracks and sessions]
setlist: 1.Mulemena / 2.Mulamu  / 3.Samora Machel [truly only 3 tracks!]

line-up: Julius Kabwe (drums) / Claudie Kabwe (bass) / Ricky Chota (rhythm guitar) / Dolenzy Kabwe (lead guitar and vocals) / Gerard Bwalanda (keyboards) / Victoria (conga, percussion, backing vocals) / Beatrice (conga, percussion, backing vocals) / Agnes (conga, percussion, backing vocals)


Discography 

1985: Abantu Balafwa - pt.1&2 (7", Zambia, Kariba)
1985: Mulumeleni (7", Zambia, Kariba)
1986: Shalawambe (LP, Zambia, Kariba)
1986: Ka Shimutengu - pt.1&2 (7", Zambia, Kariba)
1987: Mulemena / Samora Machel (12", Zambia, Kariba)
1989: Samora Machel (LP, UK, Mondeca Records ‎#MON.002) - see hollandtunneldive
1989-various: Zambiance! (LP, Globe Style) - at globalgroovers
2006-comp: Best of Shalawambe (Supershine, Zambia)
2016: Kula Umone (Zambia NBC) - acc.local news at daily-mail.co.zm


Note: when searching for info about and pictures from Shalawambe, I came across some interesting articles and newspaper scans [incl.writings by again John Peel], which I all included for your enjoyment in the download


*if anybody has more info about this election K7 and/or some audio of it, please inform me through the comments to this post, I'm VERY VERY interested!!


NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)