Back in the 80’s, I once bought me some casettes of Youssou
N’Dour. Later I found they are quite rare so I decided to
check them last week. I didn’t play them for maybe more than
15 years, so it was great to find out they still work.
Let’s start with vol. 1, ‘Ndeetel Weer Wi’ from 1986.

tracks;

1 Ndeetel weer wi
2 Diiñat
3 Jimaamu
4 Warale
5 Yéndi
6 Touba

It was such a day today, I blew two rippings in a row and thought;
‘Okay, let’s wait a couple of hours and start all over’.

Just one post today so I made it with a special album.
This is one of the LP’s that made me fall in love with
African music. It was 1981 when Island Records threw it
in the middle of us. We danced around it like crazy, and
I still do. It is in one word ‘Superb’.
Put it on, volume up, stand in the middle of your room,
now let go…
Sound d’Afrique 2 will follow.

tracks;

1 Mekongo – Me bowa ya ( Cameroun )
2 Eba Aka Jerome – Massoua mo ( Ivory Coast )
3 Kambou Clement – Dounougnan ( Upper Volta )
4 Pablo – Bo mbanda ( Zaire )
5 Etoile de Dakar – Jalo ( Senegal )
6 Menga Mokombi – Moboma ( Congo )

For the lovers of Senegalese Mbalax, here’s the latest
Super Diamono de Dakar in my collection. It sounds quite a bit
more modern than the previous album we saw.
The music is modern and fresh, the singing of Omar Pene,
as sweet as always.

tracks;

1 Diaraf ( jaraaf )
2 Krumah
3 Soul
4 Bene
5 La mouche
6 Goune
7 Dou degne
8 Cheikh Anta Diop

This week we had such great response on Senegalese music, I
decided to spoil you Groovers a bit more.
After ‘People’ by Super Diamono de Dakar, this is ‘Mam”,a live
registration, recorded at ‘Flight Mobile Studio’ in Paris, in 1984.
Mostly I’m not such fan of ‘Live’ records, but again it was that
superb titletrack that pulled me in. Omar Pene’s sweet voice
is undeniable and touches you at heart.
So, from Reggae we moved on to Samba and via some Soul music
back to Africa, I rest my case !

tracks;

1 Rewu taax
2 Yoon wi
3 Dou wey
4 Ngem
5 Mam’

From over a decade later, this is ‘Super Diamono de Dakar’.
The group has at least two members of Super Jamano, Omar Pene
and Moustapha Fall. Mbalax grew quite a bit older and sounds
very modern here. I always loved track no. 8, live version
of ‘Mam’. Great guitarwork by ‘Lamine Faye’.

tracks;

1 Soweto
2 Mansani Cisse
3 Borom Darou
4 Lou Bax
5 Souboba
6 Artist
7 Mansani Cisse instr.
8 Mam

Okay, on special request some more old stuff from Senegal.
With a psychadelic touch this is another Mbalax group from
the Dakar 70’s, Super Jamano de Dakar. I found some discussion
on the internet about who is playing and singing on this LP.
I’ll tell you; on bass – Baila Diagne, solo guitar –
Papa Gasse, El Hadj Ousmane Diagne – Organ, Synthesizer and piano.
Aziz Seck – Drums, Omar Pene – African percussion,
Bassirou Diagne – vocals, Amadou Baye Diagne – backgr. vocals.
Cheikh H Sabidou Niasse – Trumpet, Moustapha Fall – trombone,
Ndiaga Samb and Tonia Lo on Alt Saxophone.
It was recorded at the Jandeer Night Club in Dakar, mid 70’s.
Enough talk, better go listen !

tracks;

1 Yamatee nee law
2 Indu waad
3 Cuur ngonee ngalang
4 Muugn
5 Manduleen
6 Geedy Dayaan

What we have here is something quite special.
Some time ago we had ‘Etoile de Dakar’, now an LP from
before that time. This is ‘Star Band de Dakar’, already with
Youssou N’Dour but for instance also ‘Laba Sosseh’ sings his part.
Funny thing, track #3, ‘Danguele Fasso’ was written by
Larry Harlow. Youssou N’Dour sings on track 4 & 5.
Fantastic playing by Assane Thiam on ‘Tama’.
I’m sure we got some happy Global Groovers right now !

tracks;

1 Adioupe nar
2 Laye laye kaïra
3 Danguele fasso
4 Bouna n’diaye
5 Kelendi
6 Vali n’diaye

Mbalax they call it back in Senegal and Youssou N’Dour is inventing it
on this LP. Do it like this,
Stand in the middle of your room, turn up the volume, close your
eyes, start # 1 and let the warm flow of Youssou’s sound
come over you, those drums, his voice, that baseline……

tracks;

1 Immigres / Bitim rew
2 Pitche mi
3 Taaw
4 Badou

When early eighties the first Youssou N’Dour LP, ‘Immigrès/Bitim
rew’ reached me, I was astonished. What a different sound. After
some digging I found the LP he worked on before that, ‘Absa Gueye’.
Listen and find out what a treasure this is. Years later I went to a
Youssou N’Dour concert in ‘Nighttown’ Rotterdam, It was great
and as I left the building, some of the band’s people were selling
‘tama’s’ ( talking drums )at the corridor. 200 Dutch Guilders they
asked( in those days ), quite some money I thought. They were
friendly pushing me to buy the drum and told me they were made
by ‘Assane Thiam’, Youssou’s Tamaplayer. Wow, now I got really
interested, these were fine pieces of handicraft by the great ‘Assane’.
I said ;” okay, I’ll buy one if you have it signed by Youssou N’Dour”,
and so it went. LUCKY BASTARD I AM !The guy went away
with the talking drum and within 3 or 4 minutes he was back with
it, signed on one side by Youssou N’Dour, and on the other side
by ‘Assane Thiam’. To our surprise the whole group was sitting at
the nextdoor snackbar later, having fun and in a very relaxed
atmosphere, they were giving autographs
to everybody, supernice.

tracks;

1 Dom sou nare bakh
2 Jalo
3 Absa gueye
4 Mane kouma khol thi yao
5 N’guiro na
6 Baye wali
7 Esta China
8 Tu veras

This compilation contains several African styles.
Soukous, like ‘Tchico’ for instance, Chimurenga, ‘Four Brothers’,
#’s 3-5 are from Tanzania, Afro-Cuban by ‘Etoile de Dakar
( with young ‘Youssou N’Dour’ ), Juju with ‘King Sunny’
Better start dancing already !

tracks;

1 Orchestra Makassi – Mambo Bado
2 The Four Brothers – Rudo Imoto
3 Fadhili William – Malaika
4 Pichen & Tsotsi – Pole Musa
5 Fadhili William – Taxi Driver
6 The Four Brothers – Tsiga Mureza
7 Tchico – Jeannot
8 Pablo Lubadika Porthos – Madeleina
9 African Brothers Band – Me Poma
10 Somo Somo – Mosese 2000
11 Thomas Mapfumo – Juanita
12 Orchestra Mazembe – Mbanda ya Mobange
13 Bopol – Samedi Soir
14 Rochereau – Gagner gagner
15 Miriam Makeba – Pata Pata
16 Etoile de Dakar – N’guiro na
17 King Sunny Adé – Penkele
18 Patrick Mkwamba & the Four Brothers – Vambozha Vauya