Posts Tagged Africa
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February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 126: Koffi Olomide – “Haut De Gamme”
Probably couldn’t have picked a worse time to ‘discover’ Koffi Olomide. I’d never heard his music, not sure I’d even heard of the Congolese singer and musician, if I’m honest. But in a routine-Googling to find the cover image and any background guff to add to this – I found out he’s accused of multiple sexual assaults and is generally […]Archive
January 30, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Weezer: Weezer (The Teal Album)
Weezer Weezer (The Teal Album) Crush Music/Atlantic That Weezer has survived to make a dozen albums simply means they’ve recorded nine or ten albums more than necessary. Any of you getting raged and ready to defend Maladroit or Make Believe or to say any of the other self-titled/colour albums should be saved due to a single song like Pork and Beans or whatever, […]Archive
January 21, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 119: Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck – “Djam Leelii”
Baaba Maal was a name I learned when I worked in The CD Store. I learned a lot then – world music especially. I knew some stuff already, was well versed in a bit of African, South American and Indian music – but there’s so much. Mansour Seck is a name brand new to me. […]Archive
November 27, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 103: Abdullah Ibrahim – “Water From An Ancient Well”
One of the great African jazz musicians is Abdullah Ibrahim. And I’ve been thrashing his Cape Town Revisited of late, so was nice to come across this album in the book – one I didn’t know (I only know Cape Town and know of his legacy). He’s a wonderful Ellington-esque pianist and composer. And there’s […]Archive
November 22, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The 1001 Albums Challenge # 102: Youssou N’Dour – “Immigrés”
I guess my real intro to Youssou N’Dour, perhaps as with many people, was hearing Seven Seconds – the duet with Neneh Cherry. Many years on I got to ask Cherry all about that song. From there I heard N’Dour in the context of compilations – it was great in-store play back in the day […]Archive
June 26, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Ebo Taylor: Yen Ara
Ebo Taylor Yen Ara Mr. Bongo Ebo Taylor, “Mr Highlife” – the Ghanian bandleader, composer, guitarist and singer now in his 80s – might have just made the best album of his career; certainly a highlight, one of several high points, granted. But the effortlessness, the joy, the political energy and anger, the sheer musicality […]Archive
June 25, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Angelique Kidjo: Remain In Light
Angelique Kidjo Remain in Light KRAVENWORKS Angelique Kidjo is African Music Royalty – even if she’s suffered some claims of (somehow) not being “Authentic”. Hers is a fine body of work, moving and political, so often utterly joyous and accessible too as she creates a version of Afrobeat that integrates mainstream international music; hers then […]Archive
March 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
NZ Festival Writers & Readers: Teju Cole – Blind Spot
Teju Cole: Blind Spot Circa One; Circa Theatre Saturday, March 10 This Writers & Readers session was Teju Cole in conversation with Paula Morris. Chiefly the discussion was about his excellent new book Blind Spot but from there Cole found his way to talking about his work in a more general sense, his motivations, his […]Archive
November 7, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 473
Tamikrest, Kidal (2017) I should probably write an actual review of this – since it’s new and all – but every now and then I like to go in to the store and just buy a brand new record, the LP – with no real focus on ‘reviewing’ it as such; this is just me […]Archive
September 25, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Tony Allen: A Tribute To Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (ep)
Tony Allen A Tribute To Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (ep) Blue Note Records Originally released as a 10” EP – two tracks per side – this tribute to Art Blakey by Tony Allen is full of magic; for a start it welcomes Allen to Blue Note and has him playing his version of […]Archive
August 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman