Shumba Ratshega Makhirikhiri Face A Dumelang Masa Sengweneu-gwen Sananapo Tsabama Face B Makhirikhiri Bantaloia Mmaamota AIDS Dikgafela This stuff is a big deal in Botswana. Awesome Tapes from Africa DJ sets coming up: BPM in Williamsburg on [...]
Sekouba Traore Walinyumadon Vol. 1 Face A Bèki de la Dô Walinyumadon Dankoroba - Nianza Face B Chouyala Kaban Dounouni Nakama Konianba Hunters' music from Mali par excellence. Buzzy, bluesy blackouts abound. The tape swings harder and rawer than most. I bought this tape at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in DC, 2003... KEXP captured a performance there .
Black Nature and Heavy D Wumbanma Side A Nangbanyini Sokoliki Chelmi Obaatumtum Side B Soomei Sonka Wumbanma Chilibu/Wubgibu Azuhukanbe It's been raining all day so I am not mad at bubbly rhythms and auto-tune right about now. Hiplife from Northern Ghana circa 2005.
Emperor Teddy Obinna Uwa Wu Paw-Paw Side A Onyegbula Onye-Ugwu Nsogbu-Uwa Side B Gwupiti Na Azu Uwa Wu Paw-Paw A great late period tape by the Ultimate Dr. Sir Warrior, who was captain of Nigeria's Oriental Bros. International Band. Obinna was one of the more prolific highlife figures of yesteryear with a discography to prove it.
Hamdawa Side A Track 1 Track 2 Track 3 Side B Track 4 "Special Music Ganawa" indeed. Light some incense, put dark shades on the windows and dance all night to this solid entry in the pantheon of gnawa music from Morocco.
Sourakata Koite Side A Seremende Ha-Madi Moussa Kaira Side B Djonol N'na Dioula Hadjiatu Mari n'Djaye Perfection. Special Valentine's treat for lovers (of kora music).
Iliss Ntmazirte Side 1 Side 2 This comes from the aforementioned stash of Moroccan tapes I recently received. Purposeful, driving and (at times) stark. For lovers of all things violin, vocals and verve.
A.B. Crentsil and the Osookoo Stars Side A Ye Wo Adea Oye Side B Nawa To Be Husband Only Your Voice, Julianna Ehurisi Angelina Hard-to-find tape recording of an LP by one of the most prolific and influential of the great Ghanaian highlife personages. My friend Aaron who hooked up this tape pointed out an interesting article [...]
Aby Ngana Diop Liital Face A Dieuleul-Dieuleul Ndame Yaye Penda Mbaye Face B Liital Sapaly Ndadje In lieu of that new cassette deck I am posting something special, which was sent to me by a loyal reader. His laid back assurance that "it's a good tape" might be the understatement of the moment. The first song conjures drum n' bass circa 1993 [...]
New Cassette Deck Is On The Way In the meantime: I am packing up my tapes and heading to Europe this summer to play some music. Like me to join you somewhere? Contact me via the profile link in the upper-left.
Please help me identify this tape Side 1 Side 2 I think this tape might be from Sudan. Thanks to Shawn , who found it in LA somewhere.
Empire Bakuba et Pepe Kalle Atinze Mwana Popi Face A Atinze Mwana Popi Nadi Consoler Ngai Face B Andoya Jeudi Noir It's New York City, 2010 and I'm feeling it so far. Could be more or less exciting than New York City, 1989 , when a dancing midget accompanied this band onstage, but the music is definitely still here in some form. [...]
Ragheb Alame Albi Eshekha Side 1 Side 2 Seasons greetings from all of us at Awesome Tapes from Africa. This tape, some forthcoming tapes and this recent Jil Jilala post were kindly provided by Tom, who found them in Morocco. Ragheb Alame is a giant star from Lebanon, which is not in Africa. I'm feeling festive.
Tigrean People's Liberation Front Tigray 90, Tigrean Revolutionary Songs Side A Side B This rare cassette from Tigray, Eritrea , which is part of a long series from the Tigrean People's Liberation Front , was "found in Muna's grandma's closet." I received it from Palm Wine, Italy, who asked that I note it's origin. Although the sound quality is not great—even by this site's meager standards—the tape is musically and historically [...]
Jil Jilala Side 1 Side 2 Moroccan guys in the 70s who wanted to big up traditional music in a mainstream kind of way . Much of the music on this tape is gnawa in spirit, which really just means it's sublime, occasionally trance-inducing magic. The shadowy drum machine is killing me and therefore makes Jil Jilala's effort pretty major in my book.
Alhaji Yaya Zakori Fushien Kububua Side 1 Fushien Kububua Munfisu Sani Ranan Fita Watan Million Bandasiwa Dunia Baiwa Nasa Ala Na Ba Kowa Gyiwa Tafi Gabantaroko Side 2 Dadin Dunia Shege Nde Bagori Bamei Yi She Alla Komei Nade Iyaka Satura Ne Bakaina Faruba So this is part-whatever in my ongoing obsession with music from northern Ghana. After a long while of admiring this tape I only just (like a few [...]
Issa Bagayogo Sya Face A Sya Gnangran Kanadiankan Djinew Nakan Face B Diarabi Kouloun Lanaya Madomba This cassette of atmospheric dance tracks from Malian kamele n'goni ninja Issa Bagayogo, who is very well known across the world, may not be for everyone. But I really like the way it's [...]
Wulomei Kpabi Side A Kpabi Aashola Ataa Odonkpoto Side B Ataa Oblanyo Bijou Esi Ekua Awuma Yeli People sometimes ask me why I do this blog, how did I get into African music, etc. I first heard this tape as a 19-year-old college student and it just destroyed me [...]
Shadia Side 1 Side 2 Another smokey-sweet recording from this intriguing Egyptian diva. See also this other Shadia post .
Samaya Djely dite Mah Kouyate no. 1 Vol. 1 Face A Sira Djeli Soundiata Face B Ssanga N'ngnogote Fila Djole Djala Some of my favorite Mandingo griot music from Mali. The electric kora rises to particularly gratifying heights throughout (don't you dare hate on electric kora, my dudes). Meanwhile Kouyate's voice—thick as a tree trunk, light as a feather—turns emotional straw [...]
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