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Bola’s music melds sheer force of spirit with a sound not often heard by ears outside the remote Upper East Region of Ghana. This man who grew up herding livestock in the savannah, far away from the tropical coast and cosmopolitan cities of Accra and Kumasi, has aligned himself with national and international means of expression to transform his hometown sound into something downright avant-garde....

The remarkable story of South African singer and dancer Penny Penny is fit for Hollywood. A nearly homeless janitor without formal education gets a record deal, becomes a multi-platinum selling pop star, plays stadiums across Africa, then builds a career as a popular politician for Nelson Mandela's African National Congress party. Penny Penny's debut recording Shaka Bundu, recorded in 1994, is the...

A monumental career in pop music isn’t easy when the system is built against you. But South African songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist “Om” Alec Khaoli managed to do just that. As apartheid reached its violent peak, Khaoli pursued an escapist form of dance music that resonated across his complicated country, influencing countless legends and releasing recordings across the world.

From the late 1960s until the early 1990s, a vibrant music scene in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu was teeming with pop and folk musicians exploring the boundaries of regional sensibilities. With influences spanning several genres of Somali traditional music, often meshed with Western pop, jazz and Middle-Eastern elements, a swirling diversity of sounds were being created, consumed, supported and enc...

From the late 1960s until the early 1990s, a vibrant music scene in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu was teeming with pop and folk musicians exploring the boundaries of regional sensibilities. With influences spanning several genres of Somali traditional music, often meshed with Western pop, jazz and Middle-Eastern elements, a swirling diversity of sounds were being created, consumed, supported and enc...

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The seven tracks on Obaa Sima traverse a pop music landscape that encapsulates international modes--rap, techno, saccharine melodies—while reflecting contemporary Ghanaian music via highlife-style refrains, aggressive rapping and use of Twi language. Inspired by a Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five performance of “New York New York” he saw on television, Atta wanted to rap on his new project. (...

The seven tracks on Obaa Sima traverse a pop music landscape that encapsulates international modes--rap, techno, saccharine melodies—while reflecting contemporary Ghanaian music via highlife-style refrains, aggressive rapping and use of Twi language. Inspired by a Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five performance of “New York New York” he saw on television, Atta wanted to rap on his new project. (...

New song from the forthcoming album by Nahawa Doumbia, out 29 January on Awesome Tapes From Africa. Pre-order/stream http://smarturl.it/kanawa Nahawa Doumbia’s new album Kanawa concisely captures this current moment in Malian history. The singer, whose storied career spans more than four decades, reflects on the immigration crisis from the Malian perspective in the title of her new album Kanawa. A...

LP/CD/Tape/Digital out Jan 29 http://smarturl.it/kanawa Nahawa Doumbia’s new album Kanawa concisely captures this current moment in Malian history. The singer, whose storied career spans more than four decades, reflects on the immigration crisis from the Malian perspective in the title of her new album Kanawa. Across eight songs recorded in Bamako with a band including traditional and modern instr...

New song from the forthcoming album by Nahawa Doumbia, out 29 January on Awesome Tapes From Africa. Pre-order/stream http://smarturl.it/kanawa Nahawa Doumbia’s new album Kanawa concisely captures this current moment in Malian history. The singer, whose storied career spans more than four decades, reflects on the immigration crisis from the Malian perspective in the title of her new album Kanawa. A...

New album out 29 January! Nahawa Doumbia’s new album Kanawa concisely captures this current moment in Malian history. The singer, whose storied career spans more than four decades, reflects on the immigration crisis from the Malian perspective in the title of her new album Kanawa. Across eight songs recorded in Bamako with a band including traditional and modern instruments, Doumbia merges her ear...

From the late 1960s until the early 1990s, the particularly vibrant music scene in Mogadishu was teeming with pop and folk musicians whose influences spanned several genres of Somali traditional music alongside influences from abroad. Dur-Dur Band's music emerges from a time when Somalia's distinctive contribution to the creative culture in the Horn of Africa was clear and abundant--hundreds of re...

The remarkable story of South African singer and dancer Penny Penny is fit for Hollywood. A nearly homeless janitor without formal education gets a record deal, becomes a multi-platinum selling pop star, plays stadiums across Africa, then builds a career as a popular politician for Nelson Mandela's African National Congress party. Penny Penny's debut recording Shaka Bundu, recorded in 1994, is the...

By 1978, Addis Ababa’s nightlife was facing challenges. The ruling Derg regime imposed curfews, banning citizens from the streets after midnight until 6am. But that didn’t stop some people from dancing and partying thorough the night. Bands would play from evening until daybreak and people would stay at the clubs until curfew was lifted in the morning. One key denizen of Addis’ musical golden age,...

Dozens of cherished recordings were made during the legendary “golden age” of Ethiopian music, an era stretching from the early 1960’s through the mid-1970’s. Less-discussed are the songs made in the aftermath of the 1974 revolution that toppled Emperor Hailu Selassie I. The acclaimed and highly sought-after LP by Hailu Mergia and the Walias, Tche Belew, an album of instrumentals released in 1977,...

In 1985, master accordionist and veteran bandleader, arranger and keyboardist released the Hailu Mergia & His Classical Instrument cassette. In a nostalgic effort to bring back the vintage accordion sound of his youth, Hailu gave Ethiopian music a sonic makeover. He was already celebrated for his work with the groundbreaking Addis Ababa ethio-jazz and funk outfit Walias Band. With imagination and...

Out Now Teno Afrika "Amapiano Selections" https://tenoafrika.bandcamp.com

Teno Afrika "Amapiano Selections" comes out 23 Oct. Pre-order/stream https://smarturl.it/atfa040 The past five years have seen amapiano, South Africa’s electronic music movement born in the townships of the country’s Gauteng province, evolve from an underground sound to a nationwide mainstream staple. Even with its commercial success though, amapiano’s DIY ethos has continued to disrupt music crea...

1985 country-folk masterpiece from Ivory Coast "Our Garden Needs Its Flowers" lyrics below: We’re all in a mysterious dream People get up and see really What’s happenin’ Adam and Eve were created In a beautiful flowered garden But today we’ve changed it To a thorny garden Those who have succeeded bein’ there Prevent the others from bein’ there No let’s be what we are Whatever our appearances may b...

Album out now on digital platforms https://smarturl.it/atfa040

Sourakata Koite – Dioula by Awesome Tapes From Africa

Pre-order LP/CD/Tape/Digital https://pennypenny.bandcamp.com/album/yogo-yogo Reissue of Penny Penny's Yogo Yogo comes out August 14 on LP/CD/Tape/Digital via Awesome Tapes From Africa The rags-to-riches chronicle of Penny Penny’s life would be remarkable if he had only released his smash debut Shaka Bundu and packed houses for a few years. But the inimitable South African singer and dancer known f...

Pre-order LP/CD/Tape/Digital https://pennypenny.bandcamp.com/album/yogo-yogo

LP/CD/Tape/Digital visit: https://pennypenny.bandcamp.com/album/yogo-yogo