realmusicworld

2011-02-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hello

I left for Lagos on the 17th of January 2011 and got back to London 2 weeks later, had a great time and the more i go to naija, the more i miss home.Its rough but enjoyable and i am actually looking to move back at some point in the near future.

I enjoyed the food shout out to white house in sabo, yaba that place was introduced to me by 'demi and not forgetting mama peju at alagomeji , designer rice at bank-olemoh street off akerele, in surulere these place are mama put joints. men, if its only for the food.. I LUV NAIJA .Finally got my self my naija pali after about 25 years or so without one.

I also discovered naija radio, not that i dont listen to it each time i come home but this time because i spent a lot of time in the car i had a really good listen to radio.Plenty station to choose from for all tastes and they has really come of age but my one gripe is most of the presenters sound foreign!!Everyone is sounding either yankee or like a britiko but one station i really enjoyed was radio continental 102.5fm and the wetin dey crew show between 3-5pm week days, fantastic ... tatafo, mama, wale and the other person who's name escapes me made me laugh o, they should broadcast on line, its a very very fun show and i can't recommend it highly enough, its simply a funny take of current affairs in nja .

Places i visited

Quintessentially on Ademola Adetokunbo really really nice membership club and where i met Osahon Omoruyi ,who gave me the number for his brother Osaze who prior to that time i had not seen for about 30 years. Osaze and I were classmates in Primary School,Surulere Baptist School. Also Spoke to Odunayo who i also had not spoken to since say 1991 Since i left IFE .

Oceanview @ Eko Hotel really good chinese cuisine

Aris Suites at Osborne Foreshore Estate inIkoyi Nice little hotel in Lagos

Soul Lounge at Shoprite Lekki Nice joint on the Island

SilverBird Victoria Island -okay didn't see what the fuss is all about though we didnt stay too long

Ozone Centre Sabo - same as above

MUSIC i brought back

Vector-State of Surprise -good album,alejo classic jay-z sound alike but good cd
MI- MI2 the movie -alejo classic,nuff said
Ruggedman-Untouchable-not feeling it at the moment
Mo'cheddah-Franchise Celebrity-havent actually listened to it
Tha Suspect-I am music-Talented dude really good cd alejo classic
Kas- aka Fimile-only like one song fimile remix or is me alone not feeling
Chuddy K-I am me - haven't really listened to it
Mr Raw Nwanne -End of Discussion-like he says end of discussion Good cd
Lynxxx-This is Lynxxx-cool what is utunu?
Bella+Frank Edwards -Higher Place-Gospel
Jah Bless-Overground-hmmmm not feeling it at moment might change my mind later after a proper listen

MI2 The movie MI

2011-02-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Happy new year and happy valentine day, its the 13th of February 2011 6.o4pm, I am listening to MI's new thing MI2 the movie from start to finish for the 1st time since i got the cd from falomo bridge in lagos on my most recent trip to naija for N150

One word, its actually really really good and probably should be filed under 'alejo classics' (coming soon is my top 20 ALEJO CLASSICS 2010.I hope i get round to actually doing it before the end of 2011

He calls it a movie and boy does it sound like a movie. productions is handled by studio magic mainly (platinum toks and headphones) i hope i am corrrect and featuring the usual suspects Jesse Jagz, Ice prince( i actually like his real name Panshak Zamani ) Brymo, 2f-ace (shout out to vector tha viper),Timaya,Waje,Flavour,Loose Kaynon,Bola,Kauna.

Musically, i think its actually better than 'talk about lt', as it sounds less programmed and more musically and appears that more live instruments were used case in point 'action film' and the use of strings which is a rarity and probably a first in its use in more recent naija music. what can you say about the hook man of the moment 'brymo',like in the words of Ice prince 'oleku'(can someone actually tell me what exactly he is saying on that track 'oleku').His hook on this song plus the strings is what does it for me

Also, the magic of this cd is also the mix and mash of styles, highlife and naija hip hop works and probably one of the best crossover songs of the year.My Ibo people would probably be bumping 'Number 1 featuring Flavour for a long time to come .check it out !! His featured artists shows growth and they all work on their various songs not over shadowing MI but they all hold their own.MI's rapping is on point and allows every one to have their moment to shine, but they all know its an MI joint and every thing comes back to him after they all have their time

Hot Joints in no particular order

Action filmcheck out the strings
Number 1 -highlife/hip hop wow
Nobody- 2face kills it
Beef- shout out to baba 70
My belle, my head o - west indian flavour
One Naira- Naija Love plus Waje kills it !!
Epic- just like it says on the tin epic y'all
Imprefect me- one can relate to this ,thanks

Its a great album and ALL songs are really good and all in all for those expecting talk about it 2, you will be highly disappointed but for those that like musically progression this is a slow burner but definitely progression musically and on point from Jude Abaga ...can't wait for the MI3

MALI LATINO

2010-10-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yet another fusion cd, the music of mali and this time fused with latino music as the name suggests.This cd is the brain child of british born pianist alex wilson and it was a labur of love after his trip to mali and meeting up with madou sidiki diabate who introduced him to multi instrumentalist ahmed fofana.
I had actually read about this cd in the bible of world music 'songlines' and thought why not give it a try and it turned out to be as good as the review in the magazine it was given 4 stars

Alex wilson's latin piano playing, madou's kora and ahmed guitar/balafon playing really really works and like one reviewer said this would certainly be on my top ten world music cds for 2010.There must be something about african music that alot of western musicians wanting to collaborate especially mali musicians.Hopefully one day i will take a trip to bamako mali and dakar senegal to have a feel of their music .

Lets hope western musicians would take a trip and collaborate with nigerian music masters like sunny ade, ebenezer obey, 9ice etc

highly recommended you can't miss with this cd

stand outs
ankaben(sounds so music like an afrobeat song like fela's look and laugh)
sangre mandinga
donkan
Bamako 2000 (reminds me of mory kante's yeke yeke)
joie au village (masterclass)
ankan tolon (happy)
voyage(three masters)
bomba bambara
remercier les trailleurs (where it all started)
enjoy!!

Lokua Kanza's NKOLO.... Congo got soul

2010-10-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

I can't believe i slept on this cd!! it was released in the spring of 2010 and i this almost passed me by and i would have been really sad.Lokua's voice is near heavenly, it really hard for me to explain,all i can say is, to really appreciate this cd, you need a really really good pair of headphones like i have on as i write or Bose wave music system and If this guy's voice does not touch your soul, then you are either dead or need a medical check up and real quick.
This is another cd that i will surely file under classique!! You dont need to understand a word of what he's saying but you will feel it... guaranteed.This cd should come with a money back guarantee bacause thats how good i think it is
Outstandings Famille, Nakozonga infact all tracks!!! There is dance, rumba, afrobeat, soul acapella you name it... Congo really got soul. Really up lifting and feel good music
you tube it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfHa7alvSJk&NR=1

Music of Senegal.. Cheikh Lo Jamm

2010-09-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

There's no need to review this cd

All i can say is put in this cd and press play sit back,relax and enjoy the ride

Probably, the best cd i have listened too, in a very long while

From the 1st to the last track ...all classics

STIMELA -Music of Hugh

2010-09-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

hello world

long time no write no hear

I haven't blogged in a long while and i was just in the mood to write and to start me off is the album of one of africa's finest instrumentalist, freedom fighter Hugh Rampolo Masekela's Greatest hits album released in the year 2000(one of the many in the market).I bought this one because it was cheap £3 to be exact and never had any thing by him in my collection outside grazing in the grass, fela and Don't go

I played it while watching Man United vs Liverpool today 19th September 2010 which we won 3-2 ,thank God ,after giving away a 2 goal Lead.Firstly, I wasn't really feeling it, except for a few songs but after a couple of repeats , it quite a really good collection, the song that stands out is STIMELA, track 14 and what a song to close this collection with, you can actually hear the pain in the song. Its basically about the longing for family and the suffering under apartheid that black miners went through at the hands of their white oppressors after they travelled from mozambique to south africa to look for work.

They are 14 tracks in total with liners with gives you brief history of all the songs(this is what is missing in the new music now), we do not get the historical background and how songs can together, call me old school but nothing makes me happy than buying a cd and it have liners and storys about the songs, which makes me appreciate the songs the more.

Of the 14 Songs,8 were written by Hugh and they are mainly freedom songs and one dedicated to his ex wife called mama and also one dedicated to nelson mandela,all in all a very strong cd which i highly recommend if you want to know about the pre free south africa music.Feel the power of his flugel horn !!!

Hugh Africa salutes you and thanks you for your contribution to music especially african music

Pon Pon Pon

2010-05-13T13:58:00.001-07:00

It really sad to hear that Da grin, Barrack O'grin is no more at the age of 24 (i hope i am right about that) or should i say he was really young but that's life.

Like they say 'no one knows the day nor the hour' we will have to cash that one cheque which never bounces or when you get that 'call' you can't say you are not ready!!

When that final call come thru it never goes to voicemail.. you pick up and go !! ......end of!!

What will you be remembered for ? well ... it's whatever you did, didn't do or should have done or could have done but that doesnt matter to you.. as you wouldn't be around to listen to it...... GOOD OR BAD (thanks to j martins)

Enough of the philosophy lesson this should be all about DA GRIN... for me i think i started to take notice of him when he had this collaboraton with kenny st brown 'turn around' then saw his 'pon pon pon video which i feel was really nice !! then my bruv folabi sends me his cd CEO (thanks bruv for keeping in tune with the naija music scene!!) Listening to it, production and beat wise really tight and would probably stand the test of time and also as one of the best cds of the year 2009 but credit should goes to sosick (naija have some really really good beatmakers who can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the best beatmakers worldwide, kanye, pharell, timbaland, wyclef etc watch your backs naija man dey come

After a few listens i liked the stand outs like ghetto stories, everyday and pon pon pon and kondo (though i feel he bite off candy stick by M and M ) but when i heard he passed,i went back (like you do when you heard a musician dies) you tend to go back to their back catalogue and re listen to their music ...case in point michael jackson.. then after that re listen, i rediscovered da grin and said ...wow... if he did this tight an album at 24, then ....one wonder what he would have done on album 3 ,4 or 5 but i guess that what life does to you, we get to the what if... phase !!

Though not the first to rap in yoruba/ pidgin english i think that should go to the king of yoruba rap, the lord of the manor... ajasa!! but DaGrin probably took it to anotha level, took it to the streets and put a bit of sawgga and street talk to it
While ajasa keeps his rap mainly funny, DAgrin was more tupac and he and sosick created a real masterpiece in the cd CEO 'chief executive omoita'

I am sure people would start to compare him to tupac... i just hope we dont start getting dozen of songs featuring post humus DAgrin or people trying to cash in after his sad passing.

ACTUALLY there is no need to review his cd CEO just listen and file under CLazzic!!

RIP akogun !! Barrack O'grin.. Kondo Master... sun re o

ps.. for a good listen to any cd i recommend STRONGLY the bose wave music system

LAGOS

2010-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hello
This is about the second blog for the year 2010
musically for me it more about naija and african music
I have now actually had a good listen to 9ice new joint 'TRADITION' though not as strong as 'GONGO ASO' after a proper 'Alejo' listen, i feel its a wicked album ,production wise i still feel Gongo Aso is better, as it sounds clearer and well balanced sonically, whereas Tradition sounds muffled , unclear in general and not as polished as Gongo Aso. This could be due to the fact that he used varied producers and not mainly Id Cabasa .

But to be fair to 9ice i don't think in a singer's life you can make two classic albums, those days and age have long gone (The days of the chief priest Baba 70, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey Oliver de Coque Chief Osadebe,Bright Chimezie,Orlando owoh ayinde barrister kollington ayinla salawa abeni etc.. (men i am really showing my age ) writing classics after classics over time though they did have a few dud albums but they were consistent over time because they were proper music men/women and had bands and not programmed sounds so they had to sit and not only write the song but write the music to the songs ) but these days it all about 'party music' and i dont think longetivity is part of the game any longer or if it is ...that has probably been pushed to the background .it's all make money,bling bling and the champange lifestyle

His word play and use of idioms and yoruba proverbs is commendable, according to 9ice he grew up with his granny who spoke to him in proverbs and yoruba wise word which put him in good stead.

STAND OUTZ

Energy-for the beats, flow and use of proverbs
Liquor- for the beats and world play
Alapomeji anhem-wow!! seriki's verse is the bomb
Pete Pete with ASA- over time classic
Gbamu gbamu-nice joint/video
Anytime-moving !!
overall really good effort

he will probably win a grammy someday

Ps is 9ice trying to carve a niche for himself?
As i feel there seems to be some chink in the coded tunes/alapomeji camp cos ID didn't have full production and it showed!!

But we all try and grow and move on !!

alapomeji for life

africa's new music

2010-03-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

Happy new year through its rather late, i havent blogged for about 6 months now, all sorts been happening but personally and musically

I have been lately listening to a lot of naija(nigerian for the un initiated) music and also music from mali.From nja there's new stuff from one of nija most prolific producers id cabasa (in my opinion ) 'ID entity',(6 stars)- 9ice's nu thing 'tradition',(a slow burner) not as good as gongo aso but grows on you after a few listen- p square 'danger' -ay.com 'pass me yur love' banky w 'the w experience' (a cracker of an album)-Da grin (real good and ghetto)- darey's un.darey'ted (classy) -terry g(hmmm),-wande coal 'mushin to mo hits (okay has a few good tracks but i have to confess i havent really given it a good listen ,so i really cant comment )-j martins 'elevated (cant really comment too )-kel 'the investment' but on the whole nija music has really come of age, not only the music but the videos which are almost comparing to mtv standard videos.

Let me start with id cabasa's ID entity personal i think its a really good album

Ten Shades of Blue.....Bona

2009-10-10T03:42:00.000-07:00

hello, music world, richard bona has done it again, this time he has topped himself and he gone 'solo' and by that i mean is his nu cd 'ten shades of blue' does not feature his usual band members but he has basically created new music on his own and 'popped round the world' (that's an ode to patrick oke a radio dj in the 80s naija radio) and explored nu beats, sounds and nuances.Ten shades is basically ten ways of interpreting the BLUES.

Where do i start from, he kicks off at the indian sub continent and experiments with indian sound and cooked up the brilliant 'shiva mantra' and boy does it work while not losing his african sensibility. 'shiva' is complete with sitar,tabla, ganijira and a beautifully work indian vocal percussion and underpinning it all bona's vocals and music. On 'Good Times' we has the vocal excellency of Frank Mc comb (one of the probably most ignored and underated singer /songwriter of this generation) and Gregoire maret(harmonica)also features on this song bringing out the essence of the blues and so giving it the stevie wonder vibe.Mbemba Mama is a tribute to mothers.all other songs are exploring the blues from all musical angles and infusing various musical instruments from fiddles, banjo tablas, organs ,harmonica,fula flutes etc.
This is probably in my humble opinion bona's best cd to date and i can say that because i have all his cds and coincidentally this nu cd marks 10 years of recorded music from him. he has come a long long way from 'scenes from my life' his first cd . musicians featured are Jojo Kuoh (Camerounian drummer from Fela kuti band) for the afrobeat effect on african cowboy and souleymane,Gregoire Maret -harmonica , shankar mahadevan, nandini srikar ,vivek rajgopatan,satyajit talwalkar on vocals and vocal percussion to mention a few
bona would be in concert at the barbican centre london on the 2nd of november 2009 and hopefully i should be there.
I have had this cd on repeat ever since i have had it, the more i listen the move i am loving it. the one song i am loving the most is track 8 esukudu what kills me is the vocal arrangement from 3.40 into this song and boy to describe it in one word .... peace

the estatic

2009-10-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

friday 2nd october 2009
bu's sleeping, wifey is out, fola and seun upstairs xboxing or something
mos def's nu cd 'the estatic on rotation
i want to try and write something about this cd while it plays and hopefully i will get some inspiration.Firstly, it sounds very middle eastern but funky. dante smith has always pushed the boundaries both in hip hop and acting and also as the host of def poetry jam, the broda is a real reniassance man, music, film and poetry.
produced mainly by madlib and his kid bruv oh no, yes you heard right oh no (black people i hear you say) and yes we also have another producer nicknamed NO ID !!
i still can't find anything to write about the cd but just to keep it short its different and i will stop there but if you like your hip hop different, cop it
guests Fela kuti , rick the ruler, talib kweli
peace
The guardian says

songs and stories

2009-10-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today happens to be the independence day of my homeland nigeria,naija or nja whateva you might wish to call it , we are 49 years old !! happy indepedence day nja

The title of this blog is songs and stories which happens to the title of GB's new cd (for the uninitiated) that's george benson!! Was at Bond street 2 days ago and dropped by HMV like i normally would browsing and this cd caught my eye, i first thought it was a greatest hits but on closer inspection found out it was his new offering and what made me actually buy it was the fact that it was co-produced by the 'superman' of bass M2, Marcus Miller and that for me was worth the £10 i paid for it.

It's essentially a cover cd featuring songs sang and written by donny hathaway 'someday we all be free', james taylor 'dont let me be lonely tonight', the troutman brothers (roger & larry popularly known as zapp band) 'nothing but a party', toto's- show me love 'christopher cross 'sailing', Tony Joe White's 'rain night in georgia and the marcus miller original 'exotica' and much more .

Honestly, i seriously think george is BACK not that he left anyway, cos i dont think he can make a bad cd, even if he tries and dont forget he's been around a long, long time and i mean like 40 years or more playing music.This cd features the complete george and what i mean is that we get him singing ,scatting and guitaring ...the 'gb way' on his ibanez guitar, and the total package is let loose on the marcus miller penned 'exotica' and also on track 11 living in high definition(lamont dozier) which too me is purely joy and not forgeting the smokey robinson gem 'one like you'.This song should be filed under instant classic and it features the great man on backing vocals

His more recent cds have really understated his genius on the guitar and i think songs and stories take us back his 'breezing' and 'masqurade' days and the george benson we all fell in love with back in the 70's and early 80's (boy i am growing old)
highly recommended and a must for gb or music lovers

please visit http://georgebenson.com/ for more information

Speech debelle

2009-09-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

I had heard of speech debelle but never really bother to listen to her debut cd until i read she won the mercury prize for best new debut album and thought i should check her music out.Took a trip to HMV in canary wharf with the wifey and i can fairly say i wasn't disappointed.
The cd is titled ' speech therapy and it's kinda of autobiographical capturing her troubled upbringing and homelessness, released on the big dada label, home to roots manuva and the rapper ty. Really laid back and thought provoking . Musically it sounds organic and sparse and does not sound over produced like most new cds . For me, i would not class it as strictly a hip hop album because yes it sounds hip hop,but has a bit of every thing in the mix

It effortlessly flows from hip hop, poetry, soul and a bit of jazz and grown folk music but my only gripe is that the tracks are damn too short, when it hits that high note.. boom.. it finishes.
but all in all a very very good debut from corryanne elliot or should i say 'speech debelle' Debelle happens to be the fashion label run by her grandma

Enjoy

Stand outs -the key, searching, bad boy finish this album (which is the first song she played for big dada executives)
I honestly hope she can keep it up and not go the lady dynamite way.make a good first album and struggle afterwards
the guardian reviews
the times online says
Album-recommended
lets see wot happens on CD 2

marcus miller day

2009-09-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

sunday 13th
Listening to marcus miller's 2005 cd 'silver rain', haven't listened to it in a minute and just decided to listen to the first to last songs, its really interesting how you have a cd for a long time and havent really listened to it that much except for stand outs.
I have had it for over 5 years and this is about the first time that i have given it a good good listen and i must say i am rediscovering how much a great little gem of a cd it is.The title track silver rain is such a classic, then followed by his cover of prince's 'girls & boys' and not forgetting marcus's take on stevie wonder's boogie on reggae woman (i think marcus seems to woship at the altar of stevie wonder).
The thing i like about SR is the fact that every track comes with come sort of history to each song and this is captured beautifully in the album's in lay.He also covers songs written by writers as diverse as Duke Ellington (sophisticated lady), jimi hendrix(power of soul)beethoven 's midnight sonata and edgar winter's frankenstein.Featuring on this album are the usual suspects poogie on drums, patches on trumpet. lalah on vocal and vocal samples, dean brown on guitars, roger byams tenor sax, kenny garrett alto sax keys benard wright then guests include kirk whalum, gerald albright,macy gray,gregoire maret and kevin hicks for his operatic chops.
all in all a very very good cd by M2

Here are some amazon reviews
enjoy

Where it all started... i think

2009-08-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 18th August 2009 9.05pm
Just chilling like i mostly do listening to an album that was recorded 30 years ago!!! men not only does it bring back sweet sweet memories but most of all reminds me how old i am or should i say how young i am (just trying to console myself).

The album is the classic (connoisseurs of jazz would understand what i am talking about ) grammy award winning, one million copies selling ONE ON ONE by bob james and earl klugh. This album takes me back to were it all started for me and how i got involved in jazz and how i still am in love with jazz and its varying off shoots 30 years on.It all started at 46 Bode thomas Street, Union Bank Sports Club and in particular a friend called Innocent Akpan (baba inno)!!.He used to have a red peugeot 305 and all he played in his car was jazz, strictly jazz. After we finished playing hockey, we will go to his car and will be playing earl klugh and humming along as it played, initially i thought the music was snubish and but as time passed i fell in love with jazz and especially earl's music.Mr Akpan was older than i was and for some strange reason we seem to get along cos at that time most people felt he was snubbish but personally he wasn't to me.
On this album 'One on One' there is a particular song called 'KARI' which in my humble opinion is probably the best jazz piece every written and that became an anthem for the hockey club back in the day (For anybody that played for the club at that time just mention Kari or play it ) and i can guarantee you that it would take them back to good good times in Lagos!! Part 2 coming soon, my daughter wants to use the laptop kids these days !!

TONY ALLEN SECRET AGENT

2009-08-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Friday 7th august 2009 21.o3 pm

listening to tony allen's latest 'cook up' Secret Agent'

Tony oladipo allen born of nigerian/ghananian parentage and co-creator of afrobeat and the man who put 'beat' in afrobeat.He was fela kuti's greatest drummer and band leader for about 20 years and played drums on fela's classic albums like zombie, jjd, kalakuta show, power show etc from the late 60's to late 70's when he left out of frustration and lack of recognition from fela.
When Dr T or Uncle T left the africa 70, legend has it that fela found it hard to replace him because tony allen sounded like four drummer playing different beats at once, the same legend has it that when James brown visited Lagos in the 70's members of the flames used to sit next to tony Allen and write down drum patterns and if you listen to early James brown records you would hear the tony Allen influence.

Tony Allen was the ONLY member of fela's band that was allowed to create his part of the music, fela basically wrote out parts for every body in the band and told them what to play and left uncle tony to just .... do his thing .Even Damon Albarn of BLUR fame paid homage to Tony Allen in one of their songs and has been a recent collaborator and even featured on Tony Allen's HOME COOKING cd which also featured TY the British/Nigerian rapper.
After he left fela's band in 1978( I think) he moved briefly to London but due to the usual visa problems he had to move to Paris,France where he lives till date.
.
Now what can i say about SECRET AGENT? classic afrobeat or future afrobeat or a mix? mostly recorded in lagos nigeria to give it that authentic afrobeat feel with new singer/song writers like king odudu, ayo, wura samba, keefee, switch and tony Allen playing drums, precussions and vocals on the title track secret and elewon po.The drum part were programmed in Paris then taken to lagos and recorded, then brought back to paris and the programmed beat were basically erased and tony played all the drum part live.
For me Stand outs are ALUTERE ( which has a samba, highlife and afrobeat kinda of feel good groove)and not forgetting wura samba use of Yoruba proverbs and idioms. CELEBRATE featuring King ODUDU on vocal. then for new kids on the block SWITCH ,which had a modern feel to it(a poetry/rap kinda African thing) but all in all it's one for the collection.This album i highly recommend
Also worth checking out from Uncle Tony are HOME COOKING, LAGOS .. NO SHAKING .. LAGOS SHAKE A TONY ALLEN CHOP UP ..anthology of tony Allen which has all his earlier classics and playing with fela's africa 70 and produced by fela himself . like the late great fela anikulapo kuti would say ENOUGH TALK lets get down into the underground spiritual game.

Buena Vista Social Club

2009-08-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

Buena Vista social club held dances and musical activities becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s Cuba .In the 90's about 50 years after they closed, Ry Cooder and especially Juan Marcos De Gonzalez got together aging veterans like Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, Rubens Gonzalez ,Omara Portuondo,Barbarito Torres, Manuel Mirabal,Eliades Ochoa to record the Grammy award winning album by the same name, an ode to Cuba's golden musical age of 1930s and 1950s

The recording of the album was filmed by wim wenders as a documentary and after the success of the album, it was taken on the road to Amsterdam and Carnegie Hall in New York.Most of the original member of BVSC had not left Cuba before and never thought it would happen, anyway because of the trade embargo placed on the USA on Cuba but sometime in July 1999 they arrived in Amsterdam before playing Carnegie Hall in New York with full line up.
The success of this album sprung solo albums for Ibrahim ferrer, Compay Segundo, Rubens Gonzalez, Manuel Ochoas and Omara Portuondo which would later be known as the BVSC series

The international success of the Buena Vista Social Club generated a revival of interest in traditional Cuban music and Musical director Juan de Marcos felt that the recordings serve "as a symbol of the power of Cuban music, and which to a certain degree have contributed to Cuban music regaining the status it always had in Latin American and world music. Sadly Compay Segundo, Reubens Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer died in 2003 and 2005 respectively but not without leaving us with Classics like 'Buena Vista Social Club CD and the award winning BVSC DVD of the same name and Buena Vista Social Club live at the Carnegie Hall New York and the BVSC series

K'naan-the dusty foot philosopher

2009-08-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Took back Vieux Farka Toure new cd 'fondo' to HMV cos i didnt really feel it on first listen, the big question was what do i exchange it for? I looked around and after about 10 minutes and a bit of confusion, i settled for K'naan's nu cd Troubadour, i had passing knowledge about k'naan and had seen his video for his song ABCs from this album on BET a couple of times before .I really did not know what to expect but this somailan broda blew me away with his skills and word play, it is a real good cd from 1st listen to repeat listens ( he sounds at least to me like eminem, the earlier version of him).You can feel that he rapping from what he saw and is NOT a 'studio' gangsta.

Production of the album is handled by track and field(themselves canadian r & b singers) and recorded mainly at Tuff Gong studio at 56 hope road famously owned by Bob Marley, guesting on the album are Mos Def,Adam Levine, Damiam Marley, Charli 2na, Kirk Hammett and 80's legend chubb rock .It mix of african sensibility and phat hip hop beats which work really well.

Standouts Waving Flags, T.I.A (This is Africa) sampling Bob Marley's 'Simmer Down', America, Then not forgetting the autobographical.. Somali, 15 Minutes away & People like me. This CD is barbeque in the park or garden music ...put the cd in, press play enjoy the music and barberque or whatever else you are having and the neighbours and people in the park are sure to ask who's that playing . Some of the songs on this cd has been used on recent video games !!

some reviews Africa is coming... T I A!!now to complete the mix i will get his first cd 'the dusty foot philosopher'

GURRUMUL

2009-07-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

I went into HMV Bond Street as i usually would do browsing around on the upper floor looking through the world music section and this cd caught my eyes, initially i just pick it up because the album cover is jet black and the guy appears aborigine, held it but didnt make much of it and walked away and look to the mali music section picked up amadou and mariam's new cd 'welcome to mali ' which was what i actually came to buy. I was about paying for the cd when i asked what the lady at the till thought about guruumul cd and she is quite good so i paid for both and keep the receipt with the mind of returning it if i didn't like it.

On my way out, i happenend to notice that gurrumul was on the cover of the latest edition of songlines magazine,so i bought the magazine to read on the way home. I discovered he was blind since birth and painfully shy and rarely gave interviews .

He sounds like eva cassidy and has that kind of pain and sorrow in his voice like he know he is dying and singing for a place of pain,peace and sorrow at the same time .
I don't think i want to review this cd but would paste lnks of varying reviews by other people but for me all i can say is it was worth every penny i spent on it
A few reviews

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/27/geoffrey-gurrumul-yunupingu-review

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gurrumul-Geoffrey-Yunupingu/dp/B0013NFQ8O

enjoy

T. I. A ....This is Africa

2009-07-31T11:52:00.000-07:00

Friday 31st July 2009 time 7.55pm

Mali's Rokia Traore's new cd Tchamantche,which is both comtemporary and distinctively african and winner best new artist 2009 http://songlines.co.uk/awards2009/index.php and which

Mojo magazine calls it 'arguably the most adventurous african artist around, strikes gold.

The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/sep/05/worldmusic.

The Independent on Sunday called it 'exceptional'. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/rokia-traor--the-natural-ascent-to-global-superstardom-1749557.html

The new york times says

This is African music at its very best mainly sang in her native bambara dialect, it is guarantee to move and stir the soul, and is what i call 'feel' music and for english speaking listeners she covers gershwin's 'The man i love' giving it an african twist that George and Ira Gershwin would be proud of .
Stand out tracks are Dounia, Zen, kounandi and the last track 'a o ni sou', which is simply stripped down AFRICAN SOUL.... Just Rokia,percussions that creates sweet sweet soul, the african way .This CD comes highly recommended.
Next stop...... Australia's Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu...and his new cd GURRUMUL

smooth jazz du jour

2009-07-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

Boney James-Send your love

Richard Elliot-Rockystead

Realmusicworld AFRICAN Listening Post

2009-07-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Buena Vista Social Club - Live at Carnegie Hall
Oumou Sangare -Seya
Oumou Sangare- Oumou
Baba Maal-Television
Rhythm Del Mundo-Cuba
Tony Allen-Secret Agent
Rokia Traore-Tchamantche
Amadou & Mariam-Dimache a Bamako
Amadou & Mariam-Welccome to Mali
Richard Bona-Bona make you sweat

Please visit www.amazon.com for reviews and samplers of these great cds

Africa Returns

2009-07-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

Hello, it's been about 3 years since i have written on this page, well, a lot has happened both personally and on the music front.
I have been listening to a lot of 'world' music because i am getting tired of listening to 'now' music, every thing seems to be and sound the same, even the videos. Personally, i think music especially black music which i frankly think has lost it soul, everybody now seems to want to be a gangster .
Its all about cars, women, sex ,moneyand drugs produced by the same old set of 'hot' producers .Once a producer, produces a hot track, everybody want a piece of that sound, nobody seems to take a chance and sing from the soul or try something different. Every thing is controlled, the music, the singers, what they say, what they do, how they dress, you name it.
So i am taking a trip back to the source of real music.... AFRICA!! Listening to music from Africa, were at least we still have people that play live music and put some passion into their music and not just programmed beats, but real music and real people, not were you have one person play all instruments.I have also pick up a passion for music from Mali, Congo and and its environ especially music of Mali's Oumou Sangare, Amadou & Mariam , Rokia Traore and Senegal's Baba Maal.I had known of them over the years , but never really checked out their music like i am these days , Rokia's guest vocalled on Daara j's (Senegalese hip hop trio) album Bomerang ,i think the song's called hip hop civilization ( please forgive me if i am wrong cos i am writing off the top of my head ) I recently got Oumou Sangare new cd 'Seya' just to have a feel of Mali and i must confess, didn't particularly like what i heard at a first listen, but just before i went to bed i put the cd in my bose player and let it play from the 1st track to the end and was i blown away boy, can the lady sing no wonder she's called KONO, songbird.
If you want an introduction to Mali music, i think oumou's cd 'seya' is a good place to start your african music journey. I now have a new appreciation of live music and music played using mainly African traditional instruments, Oumou sings in her native language wasaalu which i don't understand a word of but all i can say is that is GOOD music. we have the added bonus of have the human drum machine and co-creator of afrobeat Tony Allen playing drums on 'koroko'.For the outstanding tracks on the album listen to Koroko, Seya(the title track)sounsouma, and donso. Please if you get the chance, go out and get the cd .Highly recommended
As i write, i am listening to Baba Maal's new cd called televison, its a slow burner and it's also a good cd Also worth checking out are Tony Allen's Secret Agent, Amadou & Mariam's 'Welcome to Mali' and Diamache a Bamako , Rokia Traore's 'Tchamantche', Rhythms del mundo Cuba ( a compilation cd ) features covers of popular songs. We have singers as diverse as Dido, Coldplay,Kaiser Chiefs playing music with Cuban feel, i guess they too are all tiring of all the programmed music, we all listening to at the moment and need some soul in their music .
Ps RIP Michael JacksonReviews of the albums above coming shortly.It all started with the music of Cameroun's Richard Bona, and like Bob Marley once said one good thing about music when it hits you, you feel no pain, african music is good music and you sure will not feel any pain

Richard Bona

2006-11-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the radio 3 london jazz festival where richard bona played at the queen elizabeth room of the royal festival hall @ the south bank.
The show started at about 8.20pm and lasted for about an hour and a half.It was my first time of seeing him live, though i have known about him and his music for about 4 or 5 years and happen to have all his cds from 'Reverence, Scenes from my life, Munia-the tale and the latest 'Tiki' not forgetting his collaboration 'toto bona lokua'.
The room was made for 'live' music, acoustically prefect. His band was made up of ernesto simpson from cuba on drummers, Samuel torres (colombia)on percussion, etienne stadwijk (holland)Tom haskins trunpet (USA) and lastly john Coban( USA) on guitars.Richard himself on bass (he's from cameroun). Seeing him live was a dream come true cos he's such a show man and gave us all our money's worth!!The high point of the show was his solo preformance were he sang in his native tongue(douala which he normally does anyway) and over dubbed himself live right there, he sang a part ,recorded it there, played that part back, sang another part, stood back listen and played another, in short it was like 3 or 4 richard bonas playing different part of a song ,like you would have an acapella group play.. it was magic ....!!.he runs such a tight band and he highly recommended for those that want and love live music.
It's such a big shame that we had must more white than black people in the house!! is it me or we, as black people seem not to appreciate 'ours'! Same thing i noticed when i went to see john legend(another good show) @ the royal albert hall, we were so out numbered it was unbelievable!! like 75 to 25 percent !!maybe it's the environment or we just dont appreciated good music !!Finally all i can say to you is, if you haven't 'discovered' richard bona please go out and get all his cds, forget that he sings in a 'foreign'language, just enjoy his music and let it take you places. if you don't enjoy his music i will refund the cost of the cd to you !!

rocky dawuni

2006-11-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

I just received my copy of rocky dawuni's book of changes' and boy is it a brilliant album.It's a mix of afrobeat, roots reggae, hip hop and a bit of everything.apparently he's been around since 1996 and this is his fourth cd .The more i listen to it ,the more i am amazed at his songwriting and musically arrangement.The stand out so far for me is the 'africa for learn' wake the town and shesemane (the last two were played and licensed to the american hit series 'ER').In this days of computerized music rocky is a breathe of fresh air, maybe i am too old skul but i really enjoy reading credit on a song and love see that we still have people that still believe in music and have bass player guitarist,drummer and the whole nine and not just written and programmed by timbaland.This album comes highly recommended and for all music lover please do yourselves a favour and add this to you music collection. you can read more about him @ www.rockydawuni.com

old skul fela anikulapo kuti

2006-11-04T03:44:00.000-08:00

Got back from hmv to shop for old skul fela cds, got myself 'stalemate/fefe ne efe, confusion/gentleman
and just reminising about the good old day back in lagos nigeria.That guy was a musical genius, how many musicians do you know ,that their music still stands the test of time 20 to 30 years later ? not too many.
He rates with people like robert nesta marley, john coltrane, duke ellington,marvin gaye,monk etc were you listen to music played way ,way back and its still relevant to today.Fela sang 'shuffering and shmiling' i think it was 1980's and we all thought, he was smoking too much marijuana, but check naija too day,
what he said is all there!!, that is the mark of a genius, a man with foresight.... Take 'gentleman', the opening arrangement is nothing short of 'classic'.Fela's music was all about 'mountains and valleys, he takes you up there, bring you down gently and lifts you up once again and in the mix of it all is 'baba 70' .
For those that want to research fela i personally feel a good starting point is zombie, mr follow follow, teacher dont teach me nonesense would be a good starting point.
I think he was at his creative best in the 70's were he created classics like lady, shakara, kalakuta show.Tony allen(afrobeat co-creator & drummer )tony allen was the only person in the whole of afrika 70 fela didnt write a part to play.when tony allen left the band fela kept on changing drummers and at a time had two drummers to recreate the 'tony allen afrobeat'
Fela has created a genre that has been copy, chopped or recreated from as far a field as canada, america and europe ...Nu afrobeaters to check out are Mr Something Something, Ultra Magnus, Chicago afrobeat project, akoya afobeat ensemble, antibalas . All these nu groups come highly recommended and also not forgetting the Princes Femi & Seun kuti still keeping the flag flying!!Seun is leading his dad's old band and femi's doing his thing at the new africa shrine in ikeja lagos nigeria

realmusicworld

2006-10-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

realmusicworld
Today the 14th October 2006, just got back from atlanta on tuesday, was good fun, musically got myself the new fourplay & boney james cds 'X' & Shine respectively.Starting with the fourplay album 'my love's leavin' ( i think it's a cover of an old song) and kid zero for me are the stand outs!! all in all i think the album is wot you expect from them, polished,smooth & classy. It's a grower, the more you listen, the more you like it . i must confess i didn't like it after a couple of listens!! but after repeated play it grew on me. Last word ... RECOMMENDED. As for boney james, i still can't place it yet, so i will post a review later!!Ps i got my self the new bose noise cancelling headphone QC3, though expensive, to me, it's a music lover's dream put it on, 'cancel' out the outside interference and listen to pure music (listening to songs off my ipod i even hear nuance in song i didnt even know exsited) safety advise!! do not wear on the street

tribute show to fela

2006-09-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

hi to all fela lovers!! i will be putting together a showcase of afrobeat music plus a bit of everything.this show would take place at a newly refurbished eatery in south east london. it would mainly be past, present and future afrobeat from various artistes from all over the world. u will surprised and amazed as to howfar AFROBEATER have taken fela's music... it will be a good 1-2 hrs of pure afrobeat,smooth jazz plus a bit of this and that .... should be a good night out all in all