Rolling Global Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2020 Thread (Often African bands)

RIP. Pioneering act. Saw em a few times ( although they used to come to DC every February and I got tired of em and wanted to see other South African old school acts but that rarely ever happened. Wasn’t their fault)

Fatoumata Diawara only has 2 US east coast gigs on current tour- Philly on February 19 & NYC on the 21st. Then she heads out to Chicago and west. She’s great live

Listened to the reissue of an Issam Hajali album today - Lebanese Acid Folk from the 70's with touches of orchestral pop, prog, bossa nova. Killer album, Habibi Funk is such a great label.

― Daniel_Rf, Friday, January 24, 2020 1:11 PM (three weeks ago)

this album is incredible, an absolute gem

https://pitchfork.com/news/victor-olaiya-highlife-icon-dead-at-89/

gonna catch diawara this week. she's been great everytime i saw her.

mdou moctar doing a neat late night NYC show at an extremely funky brooklyn room
https://thesultanroom.com/events/#event=91208474001

whatsapp #2 is out

https://sahelsounds.bandcamp.com/album/music-from-saharan-whatsapp-02

This month we present mother and son duo, Oumou Diabate and Kara Show Koumba Frifri (Youssouf Drame), from Bamako, Mali. Playing traditional Mandingue music, these lowkey recordings are a snapshot from a griot family home.

saw Dawda Jobarteh yesterday, feel like there should be a dedicated kora thread, what a wonderful instrument

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWsXjw37Jwg

Kora does sound great

This month, Autotune the World goes to Senegal, digging into the past decade of Mbalax & Sabar. Some deep youtube finds and some well known classics.
MBALAX

https://www.nts.live/shows/christopher-kirkley/episodes/autotune-the-world-w-christopher-kirkley-13th-february-2020

Haven’t heard that yet, or latest Afropop worldwide, or recent Sahel Sounds whatsapp related release. Shame on me

Finally listening to the Islam Hajali , Lebanese acid-folk pop album mentioned upthread. Nice, pleasant sounds for an early Monday morning

posted this on another thread but might be interesting to some here. I started a Facebook community to discuss new music from around the world https://www.facebook.com/groups/terrainsound/

X-post - ah autocorrect- that’s Issam Hijali

I listened to an Afropop Worldwide episode about chutney soca. I want to go to a Carnival in the Caribbean some year. I have done Brazil ( Rio and Salvador) which was amazing .

x-post - listened to some of the Autotune the World Senegal thing and it’s worth hearing but it’s just music, no talking like the Afropop Worldwide podcast. But maybe you knew that.

75 Dollar Bill are opening for Mdou Moctar on Monday March 23 at Ottobar in Baltimore. Not sure if they’re playing together elsewhere. A bit of a drive for me to get up there on a work night but it’s tempting

https://tuskisbetter.substack.com/p/when-and-where-music-of-guineas-authenticit?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy

Nice video at end of guinea band plus discussion of music history there

MP3 download too

Legendary Ethiopian pianist Girma Beyene just canceled US tour due to virus concerns ( especially for those who are older)

http://www.transglobalwmc.com/category/charts/monthly-charts/

Have not heard the Portuguese modern take on fado album that is #1

that’s the #2! I’m curious about the #1, Kurdish singer Aynur’s new album Hedûr.

Oops you're right. Curious about a number of these. Full list for each month goes to 40.

1. Aynur · Hedûr / Solace of Time · The Orchard / Dreyer & Gaido (-)

2. Lina_Raül Refree · Lina_Raül Refree · Glitterbeat (16)
3. Antibalas · Fu Chronicles · Daptone (-)
4. Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou · Oulad Lghaba · Ajabu! (3)
5. Nelia Safaie · Songs from Lands of Silence · Kirkelig Kulturverksted (-)
6. Sam Lee · Old Wow · Cooking Vinyl (-)
7. Ballaké Sissoko & Baba Sissoko · Sissoko & Sissoko · Homerecords.be (4)
8. Maria Mazzotta · Amoreamaro · Agualoca (-)
9. Evritiki Zygia · Ormenion · Teranga Beat (-)
10. Roberto Fonseca · Yesun · Mack Avenue (7)

That Lina_Raül Refree album is really good. I interviewed them both for Bandcamp.

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela album coming soon. A song or 2 already available

Manu Dibango was hospitalized for Covid-19 but is now home and recuperating, I see on Facebook

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51978459

Aurlus Mabele, singer/dancer from Congolese rumba/ soukous band Loketo led by guitarist Diblo Dibala. He was 67 & died from stroke complications and coronavirus . Loketo was last based in Paris.

A charismatic performer back when, I saw he & Loketo a number of times

My locally based Malian and Ethiopian musicians are laying low and not video streaming as far as I can tell. Local clubs are unable to pay employees. Musicians and promoters who are independent contractors are unable to qualify for unemployment benefits

RIP Manu Dibango. There’s a separate thread all about Mr Soul Makossa

New Hailu Mergia album is good

agreed! new tony allen hugh masekela great too.

Hailu album/EP is lovely

opener reminds me of some pop tune, maybe "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAQ6rjz-XaU

just digging into the full hailu album but the singles are one and all excellent
Need to crack the Masekela/Allen album; two gods.

I need to hear the Masekela/Allen album. Did like 1 advanced track I heard

https://www.gofundme.com/f/barbes-needs-you?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

Barbes in NYC

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bossa-bistro-community-support

Bossa Bistro in Dc go fund me and likely many homes for international music everywhere

x-post--- Kurdish singer Aynur’s new album Hedûr.

Aynur's opening track on this is beautiful-- Her slightly rough vocals over tinkling piano keys and strings

Wasn't as impressed by Masekela/ Tony Allen album as I hoped I would be

Really liking the whole recent album from Kurdish singer Aynur. Melancholy and mixes piano with traditional strings under her modern yet traditional vocals

The Hailu Mergia album is great— looks back and forward

The Hailu Mergia album is great— looks back and forward

cosign

yeah, i dug into it properly and it's wonderful.
also just watched this and would recommend it for a spin if you can find it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_A7wsQAAN8

I paid to rent Ethiopiques: Revolt of the Soul on Vimeo . Was worth it. There's a bit of a discussion on the Ethiopiques thread

glad you like it! It's a bit neatly wrapped but i felt like i learned a lot!

I also saw a pianist Girma Beyene doc that hasn’t been officially released yet. He wrote some great songs. After his wife died ( whom he had written many songs about) he gave up music for awhile and just worked at a Washington DC gas station. He finally felt comfortable with returning to music a few years ago. I saw him play here in DC once. He has now moved back to Ethiopia and his latest tour got cancelled by Covid-19

Behind on listening to Sahel Sounds What's app stuff.

Been catching up on the late Bohannon, whose 1974 Soul Train appearance doing "South African Man" sounds like Fela meets disco , and anticipates Talking Heads circa 1980 funky period

1. Tamikrest · Tamotaït · Glitterbeat

Haven't heard this latest Tamikrest album either

The Alkibar Jr ep for April 2020 from the Music from Saharan Whatsapp series is pretty good. More than just formula desert sounds. I think it’s only available on Bandcamp through Thursday on the Sahel Sounds page . It’s real cheap $

Actually they posted it in mid-April do it’s available until May 15.