Rolling Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2014 Thread Formerly Known as World

I've seen good reviews of this (from Strut news)

http://downloads.openimp.com/tid/1996970155e0d6510164b75e0cc30e20945ec04a/enercvo/cuwamkbtas/15212395650054.jpeg

Various Artists - Haiti Direct - Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978

"A fascinating document that swings like hell." Mojo ****

"The first in-depth survey of the Caribbean country’s unique and varied musical history... sure to make a huge impact." Vinyl Factory

Hugo Mendez from Sofrito presents the first ever retrospective of the golden era of Haitian music from the big band sound of compas direct in the mid-'50s to the inspired mini jazz scene of the '60s and '70s. The album covers influential bandleaders such as Nemours Jean-Baptiste and Webert Sicot and the wave of smaller bands that followed in their wake, many building ultra-loyal audiences from their local neighbourhoods. Tracks also cover the more folk-based and acoustic twoubadou style, popularised by artists like Coupe Cloue. Many bands would later make the move to the States and enjoy further success among the Haitian ex-pat communities including Tabou Combo, Shleu-Shleu and Ibo Combo. 'Haiti Direct' tells the full story.

Note: the 2LP vinyl version includes CDs containing all album tracks
Tracklisting
12" Vinyl Album (STRUT093LP)

Ibo Combo - Ti Garçon
Les Vikings - Choc Vikings
Les Animateurs - Ti Machine
Trio Select - Ensemble Select En Action
Les Loups Noirs - Pile Ou Face
Tabou Combo - Ce Pas
Les Fantaisistes De Carrefour - Panno Caye Nan Bois Chêne
Ti Paris - Cochon St. Antoine
Super Jazz Des Jeunes - Coté Moune Yo
Les Ambassadeurs - Homenaje A Los Ambajadores
Les Frères Déjean - L’Artibonite
Caribbean Sextet - Suspan’n
Les Pachas Du Canapé Vert - Désordre Musical
Bossa Combo - Line
Scorpio Universel - Ti Lu Lupe

CD Album (STRUT093CD)

Ibo Combo - Ti Garçon
Les Vikings - Choc Vikings
Les Animateurs - Ti Machine
Les Loups Noirs - Pile Ou Face
Rodrigue Milien Et Son Groupe Combite Creole - 6ème Leçon
Bossa Combo - Line
Les Fantaisistes De Carrefour - Panno Caye Nan Bois Chêne
Ti Paris - Cochon St. Antoine
Groupe Les Chleu-Chleu - Compas X
Râ Râ De Léogane - Gadé Moune Yo
Les Difficiles De Pétion-Ville - An Septième
Tabou Combo - Ce Pas
Les Pachas Du Canapé Vert - Désordre Musical
Scorpio Universel - Ti Lu Lupe
Raoul Guillaume Et Son Groupe - Mal Élevé
Super Jazz Des Jeunes - Coté Moune Yo
Pierre Blain Et Orchestre Murat Pierre - Jouc Li Jou
Ensemble Meridional Des Cayes - Calma Pèlerin
Ensemble Etoile Du Soir - Messe Quatre Heures
Nemours Jean-Baptiste - Ti Carole
Orchestre Septentrional - Baptême Ratt
Trio Select - Ensemble Select En Action
Les Ambassadeurs - Homenaje A Los Ambajadores
Les Frères Déjean - L’Artibonite
Caribbean Sextet - Suspan’n
Djet-X - Jive Turkey
Orchestre Webert Sicot - Ambiance Cadence
Orchestre Tropicana D’Haiti - Poun Paciance

Download Double Album (STRUT093D)

Ibo Combo - Ti Garçon
Les Vikings - Choc Vikings
Les Animateurs - Ti Machine
Les Loups Noirs - Pile Ou Face
Rodrigue Milien Et Son Groupe Combite Creole - 6ème Leçon
Bossa Combo - Line
Les Fantaisistes De Carrefour - Panno Caye Nan Bois Chêne
Ti Paris - Cochon St. Antoine
Groupe Les Chleu-Chleu - Compas X
Râ Râ De Léogane - Gadé Moune Yo
Les Difficiles De Pétion-Ville - An Septième
Tabou Combo - Ce Pas
Les Pachas Du Canapé Vert - Désordre Musical
Scorpio Universel - Ti Lu Lupe
Raoul Guillaume Et Son Groupe - Mal Élevé
Super Jazz Des Jeunes - Coté Moune Yo
Pierre Blain Et Orchestre Murat Pierre - Jouc Li Jou
Ensemble Meridional Des Cayes - Calma Pèlerin
Ensemble Etoile Du Soir - Messe Quatre Heures
Nemours Jean-Baptiste - Ti Carole
Orchestre Septentrional - Baptême Ratt
Trio Select - Ensemble Select En Action
Les Ambassadeurs - Homenaje A Los Ambajadores
Les Frères Déjean - L’Artibonite
Caribbean Sextet - Suspan’n
Djet-X - Jive Turkey
Orchestre Webert Sicot - Ambiance Cadence
Orchestre Tropicana D’Haiti - Poun Paciance

Yeah it's really good.

(with some Haiti Direct tracks)https://soundcloud.com/strut

Was briefly discussed upthread. Tabou Combo have a number of albums of their own that are worth checking out

http://www.afropop.org/wp/16464/benin-transforming-traditions-youtube-exclusive-music/

Was listening to that new Angelique Kidjo album again-- maybe I wasn't listening close enough as Dr. John was barely noticeable on the cut he is listed as being on; and the same for the Vampire Weekend guy Rostan Batmanglij. But she also has cuts with less known Benin singers. I am liking this. If she had a remix made by the right Afrobeatz producer she could a new audience I think.

http://newsandnoise.wordpress.com/2014/02/03/iran-vs-israel-an-interview-with-sahand-sahebdivani/

How does the music sound?

My proudest musical moment in this show is when we mix a Hebrew prayer with an Iranian partisan song. In rehearsals we realized that these songs, while completely different in feeling, have more or less the same rhythm and chord progression, so a new song was born. While Raffa and I play along, all music credit goes to our brilliant team of musicians Anastasis Sarakatsanos and Bas Kisjes.

How is the interaction with the music?

Anastasis professionally makes music for film, so he has a keen ear for when music should be there and when it should get out of the way. His interaction on Piano and Kanun is very subtle. The same goes for Bas, a jazz bassist who’s done a lot of storytelling shows with me. I also have a band with him, so as musicians we know each other very well. In fact, we met when we where the musicians for a show of two other actors.

He’s also the coolest guy I know, never says no to an idea. So when we ask him to open the show while singing a Leonard Cohen song he of course does it, even though he’s not a singer. At all.

Interesting. I have mentioned somewhere on ilx hearing Iranian (classic Persian style) vocals that reminded me of the male cantor davening at my synagogue high holy day services when I was in my teens

http://www.okayafrica.com/2014/02/03/elijah-wood-african-mixtape-earbuds/

Cool, he's got good taste. I like the tracklist:

TRACKLIST
Afro Express “Lahilah Ill-Allahu” [Nigeria (?)]
K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas “Kyenkyen Bi Adi Mawu” [Ghana]
Osakpamwan Ohenhen and His Feelings “Owman Ghe Ma Wme Ye Wmen” [Nigeria]
Cos-Ber-Zam “Né Noya” [Togo]
Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Melody Maestroes “Ekassa 28 (Ebibi)” [Nigeria]
Thierry Boco “Divorce De Cecilia” [Benin]
Bongos Ikwue & The Groovies “Baby Let Me Go” [Nigeria]
Bella Bellow “O Segne” [Togo]
Sonny Okosun “Ozzidi” “Steady & Slow” [Nigeria]
Victory Uwaifo “Destiny” [Nigeria]

Tinariwen's new one recorded in the Joshua Tree desert is out and NPR has it on first listen, and the ILM Tinariwen thread is getting comments. I haven't heard it yet

elijah with the lijadu sisters shout out, who would thunk it

for some reason they took the ester rada lp down from bandcamp, but it's back up today fyi

http://museke.tumblr.com/

African dance music site

Was more excited about that (museke) before I noticed that it hasn't been updated in more than a year...

Try this one:

http://www.afribizcharts.com/top100.php

African club dance

x-post Oh, the museke guy is gonna tweet out links to stuff he sees, plus do some blogposting here--http://mightyafrican.blogspot.com/

I'm behind on checking out audio and podcasts and blogging at http://www.afropop.org/wp/

Fantastic mix of mostly-80s African pop/synth/funk
https://soundcloud.com/fadermedia/dj-gioumannes-afro-cosmic-club/

about one of my favorite reissues from last year:
http://www.npr.org/2014/02/06/272638152/before-he-joined-congress-a-south-african-janitors-disco-past

Need to listen to that some more. I liked my one quick listen last year. Was overdosing on Angelique Kidjo's Eve as I was writing a preview of her upcoming gig. The 10 African choirs on Eve are more prominent than the Dr. John piano on 1 track, the Kronos strings on another, and the Rostam from Vampire Weekend guitar on 1 track and keys on another...Bernie Worrell is also on a track plus jazz folks Christian Mcbride and guitarist (from Benin I think) Lionel Loueke (who is a big deal in jazz circles). That Benin brass & percussion band whose name I forget is on it also. I like it.

http://www.nowagainrecords.com/announcing-musi-o-tunya-give-love-to-your-children/

Funk, Psych-Rock, and Fuzz-Guitar-lead Afrobeat from Zambia’s groundbreaking band. Contains extensive booklet with liner notes, an exclusive interview with drummer Brian Chengala and guitarists Rikki Ilionga and Wayne Barnes, photos and ephemera. Limited deluxe edition LP contains bonus disc with rare 7” tracks, never reissued on vinyl. Out now!

Finally! The legendary Zamrock band’s second album and rare 7” tracks presented a an album. We can only describe Give Love To Your Children as a medley of Funk, Psych-Rock, and Fuzz-Guitar-lead Afrobeat from this groundbreaking Zambian band. As you’ll read in our extensive booklet this album follows Now-Again’s first foray into the Zamrock genre, Rikki Ililonga and Musi-O-Tuyna’s Dark Sunrise.

Dark Sunrise hadn’t even entered production when we became aware of Musi-O-Tunya’s post-Ililonga trajectory, and its uniqueness in the Zamrock landscape. It is the corollary to Ililonga’s story. And now, that story can be told, and the music can be heard, thanks to the participation of Ililonga, Chengala and Barnes, who color the creation and release of Give Love To Your Children. This album’s grooves hold the last, sustained shouts from one of the first Zamrock ensembles: Musi-O-Tunya exploded at the height of the Zamrock movement, scattering its members everywhere, with only this last, fiery artifact to remember them by.

On last years thread I was asking about steelpan music and a month ago someone told me that Jaco Pastorius has several albums that have a lot of the instrument. Othello Molineaux is his steelpan guy and supposed to be one of the world's best.

Really? I know nothing about jazz & jazz fusion steelpan music.

That little bio video on Hailu Mergia with footage of him playing his keyboard in his taxi cab backseat and hanging at his home is pretty entertaining.

here it is. Gonna see him at Kennedy Center Tuesday night for free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKiJhJQv-mQ&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB44JHu55Zs

also i heard this on npr this morning and it's gorgeous:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2014/02/11/274686955/monastic-life-at-the-top-of-the-charts

Hailu Mergia was good but more jazzy than psychedelic with a band live last night at the Kennedy Center

Congratulations!

Thanks to you and 535 other backers, Akounak: The feature film of a Tuareg guitarist in Agadez has been successfully funded.

Awesome. Have you seen "The Last Song Before the War," a doc about the Festival in the Desert? It's pretty good, and has shown in various film fests.

i haven't. i can't really get out to movies these days bc babbies but if it's available for home viewing i'm def there

http://www.npr.org/2014/02/17/277004752/ladysmith-black-mambazo-on-a-mission-to-preserve-culture?ft=1&f=1039

due to The 'Five Years Music Game' ILM Version thread i've been listening to albums from 1984 that i've never heard before and put together a little playlist of 'outernational' (african mostly) on spotify (nb there is non-world stuff on the playlist too): http://open.spotify.com/user/mordys/playlist/1E3vWYMvNmNgqIsw5BKRuX -- i used a few sources to compile this list and not all dates were consistent so i adopted a liberal approach. if anyone cited an album as being from 1984, i included it.

relevant albums i've never heard before but caught my attention (btw so many cool album covers from this year i thought ilx could use a thread on super cool african covers from the 80s):

Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Zulu Rock (France/South Africa)
Sam Fan Thomas - Makassi (Cameroon)
Fela Kuti - Live in Amsterdam (Amsterdam/Nigeria)
Johnny Clegg & Juluka, Sipho Mchunu - Musa Ukungilandela (South Africa)
Alpha Blondy - Cocody Rock (Ivory Coast)
Ini Kamoze - Ini Kamoze (Jamaica)
Youssou N'Dour - Immigres (Senegal)
Samba Mapangala - Virunga Volcano (Congo)
Mbilia Bel - Ba Gerants Ya Mabala (Congo)
Toure Kunda - Casamance Au Clair De Lune (Senegal)
Souzy Kasseya - Le retour de l'As (Congo)
Johnny Dyani - Afrika (South Africa)
Ebenezer Obey - Solution (Nigeria)
Thomas Mapfumo - Mabasa (Zimbabwe)
Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe - Osondi Owendi (Nigeria)
Sir Victor Uwaifo & His Titibitis - No Palava (Nigeria)
Nass El Ghiwane - Maroc Chants d'espoir (Morocco)
Bopol Mansiamina - Bopol (Congo)
Simaro Massiya Lutumba - Maya: L'Album des Albums (Congo)
Super Jamano De Dakar - Geedy Dayaan (Senegal)
4 Stars - Les quatre etoiles (Congo)
Super Diamono - Ndaxami (Senegal)

a few more that are not available on spotify:
Juluka - Stand Your Ground (South Africa)
King Sunny Ade - Aura (Nigeria)
Francis Bebey - Akwaaba (Cameroon)
Hugh Masekela - Techno-Bush (South Africa)

tons of great stuff on here that i'm really digging.

acc to http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/1984.html "New Musical Express Compiled Other Lists This Year Including… African Albums" -- i'd be interested seeing that list!

will hunting for it, i did find this Vivien Goldman (i love "launderette") essay about fela kuti that NME ran originally that year:

http://books.google.com/books?id=QVjQ07b1GPAC&lpg=PP7&ots=yRZn9kZcOW&dq=%22Resurrection%20Shuffle%22%20New%20Musical%20Express%201984&pg=PA30#v=onepage&q&f=false

i guess it's not a surprise to me to find out that fela kuti was playing charity events in north london in 1984 - i know thru honest jon's really thorough compilations that the nigerian diaspora musical scene has always been pretty huge in london. the other major strand is all this african music in french which is obv a product of colonization as well (Congo particularly dramatic in this regard), but while there is some fela kuti music in english (or things that combine english along w/ other languages), nigerian artists don't seem to embrace english quite like the congolese embraced french (linguistically speaking more than musicologically). is this impression accurate, and what accounts for it? was english lingual intervention in nigeria not as impactful as french in the congo? and did paris ever have a large diaspora music scene like london did?

VA [2007] African Virtuoses - The Classic Guinean Guitar Group ----- Joyously beautiful music recorded mostly in the 70s yet utterly timeless
VA [2013] Angola Soundtrack 2 ------ mid 20th century martists recording music when it was outlawed top do so
VA [2014] From Another World A Tribute to Bob Dylan ---- the only Dylan covers album i've ever enjoyed
VA [2014] Longing for the Past; The 78rpm Era in SE Asia ---- Dust to Digital box, nuff said
VA [2013] Opika Pende: Africa at 78 RPM --- another beauty from D2D, not included on the 2013 list
VA [2013] Mirror to the Soul Caribbean Jump-Up, Mambo and Calypso Beat 1954-77 ---- Delightful; and it smells like summertime (not on 2013 list)
Lo, Ka Ping [2002] Lost Sounds of the Tao Chinese Masters of the Guqin in Historic Recordings ---- i feel smarter already
VA [2010] Noh-Biwa-Shakuhachi ---- Quite a document of traditional japanese music from 1941

Correction: this is not a VA album, it's a proper group

African Virtuoses [2007] The Classic Guinean Guitar Group

xps,

As far as i know English in Nigeria and French in Congo are in broadly similar positions - about 10-15% of people speak it fluently, another 20% or so speak a bit and the rest speak domestic languages. May be wrong, though.

France definitely had / has a big Congolese diaspora scene. I'd guess that someone like Papa Wemba was a bigger star in France than Fela was in the UK. Belgium, for obvious reasons, also has a big Congolese influence.

Re that 2013 National Wake reissue I was enthusing about upthread: more of them and a whole scene new to me:

Punk In Africa
Available on DVD on March 11th

Three chords, three countries, one revolution...

PUNK IN AFRICA is the story of the multi-racial punk movement within the recent political and social upheavals experienced in three Southern African countries: South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

In these societies, the punk subculture represented a genuinely radical political impulse, playing out against a backdrop of intense political struggle, economic hardship and even civil war.

PUNK IN AFRICA traces this until-now untold story from its roots in the underground rock music of early 1970s Johannesburg, the first multi-racial punk bands formed in the wake of the Soweto Uprising and the militant anti-apartheid hardcore and post-punk bands of the 1980s to the rise of celebratory African-inspired ska bands which sprang up from Cape Town to Maputo in the democratic era of the 1990s. Today, an emerging generation of bands continue to draw on this legacy to confront the political challenges of contemporary Zimbabwe and the uncertain identity issues of the Afrikaans minority in South Africa.

Featuring music, interviews and rare and unseen archive footage of Suck, Wild Youth, Safari Suits, Power Age, National Wake, KOOS, Kalahari Surfers, The Genuines, Hog Hoggidy Hog, Fuzigish, Sibling Rivalry, 340ml, Panzer, The Rudimentals, Evicted, Sticky Antlers, Freak, LYT, Jagwa Music, Fruits and Veggies, Swivel Foot and more...
http://www.punkinafrica.com/?utm_source=Punk+In+Africa+traces+multi-racial+punk+movement+within+political+and+social&utm_campaign=Punk+in+Africa&utm_medium=email Trailer for this doc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DzadzH1Tc0

Select Press Quotes:

"Interesting companion piece to doc hit Searching for Sugar Man...this aptly raw, energetic survey of a very DIY scene should appeal to programmers looking for an arresting intersection of music, politics and underground culture."

- VARIETY

"...bursting with the heyday of the multiracial punk scene...with a loving emphasis on the surprising - and often overlooked - role that punk music played in Africa."

- NAT GEO MUSIC

National Wake had the punk spirit and para-genre appeal (they were into ska, dub etc.), rather than hardcore purism; hopefully that will prove true of these other bands, in their own way (though some hardcore purism can work too).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ-_HIoEBE8

Misogeny, autotune and herb back in the saddle again.... oy vey

Autotune has been used internationally for a few years now. Misogyny and herb have always been around

x-post

France definitely had / has a big Congolese diaspora scene.

Yes, a big African diaspora in general, although there's a backlash now from some.

i thought it sounded very happy + upbeat and it's dreary here in philly - i did not anticipate its divisiveness!

That Haiti Direct comp mentioned upthread is fun,I'm hearing influences fela picked up plus even some garage rock in the organ sounds on some cuts

Angelique Kidjo had a great guitarist the other night live, Dominic James, who is NY-based but African-born I think and can play multiple styles like Congolese rumba/soukous, funk, and more in a non-flashy but very effective manner.

x-post- wished I had seen the reunited National Wake (with maybe 1 original member or 2) performing in DC followed by a showing of that Punk in Africa movie. Saw mixed reviews of the film but it still sounds interesting