Interactive poll #22: The Africa editi&#111;n

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Topic: Interactive poll #22: The Africa edition
Posted: November 13 2020 at 08:51

My podium:

1) Tony Allen

2) Tinariwen

3) Kokoko!

------

Honorable mentions

4) Ginger Baker

5) Sonia Dada

6) Suol Makossa

Edited by jamesbaldwin - November 13 2020 at 08:53

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

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Posted: November 13 2020 at 07:36

mathman0806 wrote:

Honorable Mentions: the rest Smile

But very true. This is the pleasure of these interactive polls: there is so much good music coming by... and so eclectic...

The razamataz is a pain in the bum

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Posted: November 13 2020 at 06:00

My votes:

Kokoko! - "Malembe"

Black Bombaim - "Africa 2"

Lokonon Andre Isidore et l’ Orchestre Les Volcans - "Glenon Ho Akue"

Honorable Mentions: the rest Smile

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Posted: November 10 2020 at 15:06

My votes:

Seckou Keita - "If Only I Knew"

King Sunny Ade - "365 is my Number/The Message"

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - "Se Ba Ho"

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Posted: November 09 2020 at 14:43

Ginger Baker - "African Force"

Mostly built on Ginger Baker's excellent drumming and a funky bass riff. The guitar riff from around 4:00 (comes again in 6:30) is almost Fripp-like to my ears. Great track, and a possible contender. The rather regular sax solo is a bit of a letdown for me personally.

King Sunny Ade - "365 is my Number/The Message"

Another possible contender. Voting won't be easy. I really love the groove in this.

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - "Se Ba Ho"

It gets "worse and worse". Another great track. Interesting rhythmic pattern.

Soul Makossa - "Manu Dibango"

Here's a change of style towards funk. Puzzled it hasn't received any votes yet. The groove is really great.

Lokonon Andre Isidore et l’ Orchestre Les Volcans - "Glenon

A classic instance of call and response. Some of the instruments are a bit out of tune, but it doesn't really matter. The main thing is it swings.

It will be hard to vote in this poll, because many of the songs are straight up my alley. And more so than in the previous ones.

Edited by The Anders - November 09 2020 at 18:07

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Posted: November 09 2020 at 13:27

Thank you, Lorenzo...confirmed what I seemed to be hearing re the "Ellis Island," lyrics.

Yes, I have presented him before, The Anders, but in a different context. Definitely a kora, a beautiful instrument, which he plays superbly.

"Into every rain, a little life must fall." ~Tom Rapp

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Posted: November 09 2020 at 13:18

Sonia Dada - "Don't Go (Giving Your Love Away)"

It reminds me a bit of the Graceland album. I like it a lot, very down-to-earth.

Seckou Keita - "If Only I Knew"

It's a kora if I am not mistaken, which btw. is a fantastic instrument. I think I have heard some songs by Seckou Keita before. We're more in a singer/songwriter area here. Once again a nice relaxed atmosphere, and this sounds like a clear voting material for my part.

Ali Farka Touré - "Savane"

There's a kora here too it seems. The atmosphere is quite bluesy to my ears (desert blues?). It's gonna be hard to pick three songs only I'm afraid.

Pili Pili - "Hoomba Hoomba"

This one is a bit harder for me to judge, but I will give it a chance. I can recogize Angelique Kidjo of course.

Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela - "Never"

Another great track, and with the amazing drummer Tony Allen.

Edited by The Anders - November 09 2020 at 13:46

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Posted: November 08 2020 at 14:16

jamesbaldwin wrote:

The Anders wrote:

Mau Mau - "Ellis Island"

Here a change of pace towards more uptempo music. There are elements of both African and Latin American music in it. From what I get from the lyrics, the words are rather political?

I'll save the rest for tomorrow. It's a bit late here.

Yes, the lyrics are political.

When I come back home I post the translation.

Original lyrics:

A 'lè parej, i lo savia ch'a l'è propi parej
Noi i soma 'n pòpol 'na rassa ch'a l'ha sempre viagià
Deserti, aquasse e ostacoj impossibil superà
E varie strasordinarie ingiustissie consumà
A l'è parej, pija l'esempi dij primi ani dël secol
Quand ij nòstri viagiator a s'as ciamavo pionieri
Famije ëd mil pais dëspaisà
A fasìo tapa forsà a Ellis Island

Chicanos, macarones, cinesi a Little Italy!

Ellis Island cit isolòt e cancher 'd Nueva Yòrk
Limbo disperà dla neuva America
Tanti milion, tante speranse
Speranse d'ambrochè
L'intrada për la piramida malefica

Chicanos, macarones, cinesi a Little Italy

What's your name, what's your name?
Welcome to America, do you understand me?
Where do you come from, where do you wanna go?

Andoma bin, che le strà a son bin longhe
E che 'l travaj a nobilita l'argheui
S'as ciama boom boom boom boom economico
Ch'a saria l'invension
L'invension la pì perfida
A l'è parej, a son passà pì che otant'ani
E le aventure 'd cola gent
A son profonde eredità
A son deli deli deli delicatësse
Mës-cià a la naftalin-a dij nòstri armari

Chicanos, macarones, cinesi a Little Italy

What's your name, what's your name?
Welcome to America
Do you understand me?
Where do you come from,
Where do you wanna go?
Welcome...

TRANSLATION:

That's it, I knew it was just like that

we are a people, a race that has always traveled

deserts, rains and impossible obstacles overcome

and countless extraordinary consummated injustices

That's right, take the example of the early years of the century

when our travelers called themselves pioneers

families from a thousand countries, disoriented

they made a forced stop at Ellis Island

Chicanos *, macaroni, Chinese in Little Italy!

Ellis Island, small islet and New York cancer

desperate limbo of the new America

so many millions, so many hopes

hopes to get it right

the entrance to the evil pyramid

Chicanos, macaroni, Chinese in Little Italy

What's your name, what's your name

welcome to America

where are you from, where do you want to go?

Let's go well,

that the roads are very long

and that work ennobles pride

it's called boom boom economic boom

that would be the invention

the most perfidious invention

It is so

eighty years have passed

and the adventures of those people

they are deep legacies

they are deli deli deli delicacies

mixed with the mothballs of our wardrobes

Chicanos, macaroni, Chinese in Little Italy

What's your name, what's your name

welcome to America

where are you from, where do you want to go?

Welcome ....

Edited by jamesbaldwin - November 08 2020 at 14:17

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

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Posted: November 08 2020 at 13:15

The Anders wrote:

Mau Mau - "Ellis Island"

Here a change of pace towards more uptempo music. There are elements of both African and Latin American music in it. From what I get from the lyrics, the words are rather political?

I'll save the rest for tomorrow. It's a bit late here.

Yes, the lyrics are political.

When I come back home I post the translation.

Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion.

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Posted: November 08 2020 at 11:32

This was a nice trip again and many good musical suggestions to listen to and to discover. So many good songs that didn't get nominated... I very much liked the mix of influences and genres in many of these songs.

Today I listened twice to the playlist, and the three that stand out for me are Kokoko!, Tinariwen and Ginger Baker, but this playlist is a very pleasant listen overall!

The razamataz is a pain in the bum

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Posted: November 08 2020 at 08:38

I agree that it is helpful to use the familiarity as a way to help sort out selection of choices to vote for....perhaps an easy way out, but I know for certain it isn't because it's comfortable already in my ear, that I find it good. Glad to see another "huzzah" to Samite's Night Stories, too!

"Into every rain, a little life must fall." ~Tom Rapp

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Posted: November 08 2020 at 05:11

Another cool enjoyable selection here and once more I have a hard time deciding. The one that hit me strongest is the very first one "Malembe". Apart from that there are many good ones that deserve a vote. Black Bombain is very solid good music with a strong dynamical element. I didn't get much out of Tinariwen when listening to it for the first time but it has become better and better and now I am very much tempted to vote for it. King Sunny Ade - I don't like how it starts and missed at first listening (while doing other things) how much this turns into something very enjoyable with its long instrumental part. The Mau Mau one always gives me a good mood. The three tracks I already knew, of Seckou Keita, Ali Farke Toure, and Manu Dibango are all amazing (probably Seckou Keita just about wins among them), but I won't vote for them to make my job easier. The Pili Pili one, at repeat listening, is good, but seems to much like a rehash of their most famous track titled Pili Pili itself, which was a great, great discovery at the time. Ginger Baker does some cool no-nonsense stuff and also the Poly-Rythmo of the appropriately named Orchestre is fun.

At the end I think I'll go for Malembe, Tinariwen, and Mau Mau. Black Bombain is of top three quality but not that African really, therefore I won't vote for them, but I will check out more of their material. Could have voted Ginger Baker as well but he's more of a known name around here.

By the way I agree with Nicky that Samite's Night Stories was among the best in the nomination round and I'd have liked to see it in the final poll, although that would have made things even more diffiicult.

Edited by Lewian - November 08 2020 at 05:15

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Posted: November 06 2020 at 16:03

So a comment on the first songs.

Black Bombaim - "Africa 2"

This one is very long, but there was not a rule against that. In general I would say that to make such a long track successful in my world, there will have to be some changes of mode. This track is rather monotonous, for instance with the bass and drums repeating the same groove over and over again, and with a loooong guitar solo. Only after approximately seven minutes there is a slight change of pace: The tempo gets a little slower, and there is a sax solo. I think you will have to be more into that kind of music than I am to really appreciate it. Not that I dislike it - they are obviously playing well - but I am not really intrigued by it. Best part for me is the sax solo from around 13 minutes into the song, as well as the chaotic and cacophonic sound towards the end. I feel more on home ground there.

Tinariwen - "Toumast Tincha"

I knew some songs by Tinariwen, but not this one. I find the music from that area quite interesting because it seems to combine elements of sub-Sahara African music with north African and Arabic sounds.

Mau Mau - "Ellis Island"

Here a change of pace towards more uptempo music. There are elements of both African and Latin American music in it. From what I get from the lyrics, the words are rather political?

I'll save the rest for tomorrow. It's a bit late here.

Edited by The Anders - November 06 2020 at 16:25

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Posted: November 06 2020 at 10:40

a more interesting round than I thought it would be. Embarrassed

tough one, a lot of good songs in there.

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Posted: November 06 2020 at 10:08

The song from Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou was the only that resonated with me on this poll, probably because of both the rhythm and the slightly psychedelic electric organ. Other than that, I voted for Sonia Dada and Seckou Keita.

I guess I'm more into the African rhythmic/percussive elements in Psych Rock than actual African music. Vespero used these elements really well on "Lique Mekwas", one of my favourite recent albums of the genre.

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Posted: November 05 2020 at 13:05

My votes for this very fine poll!

1. Sonia Dada “Don’t Go (Giving Your Love Away)” Starts with some bass and laid back percussion. Lovely, lovely female vocals, with pretty, pretty harmonies. Nice easy-going organ kicks in, song mentions summer breezes, the song does feel very summery

2. Black Bombaim “Africa II” Lots of Dead Can Dance sounding clacky things in the background, with wonderful, fuzzy electric guitar over the top, then moving on into more intensity from both the percussion and guitar. About halfway through, guitar drops out and it moves into a great sax solo with bass and the ever-present clackies. Smooth guitar chords and riffs in a much quieter way, with the sax duetting along. Guitar intensifies again for quite a while, eventually they all quietly exit into deep space. I liked it!

3. Ali Farka Toure “Savane” The modality kind of feels Middle Eastern, here, interesting hollow-ish guitar tone and interplay between that sound and a twangy kind of picked sound, plus some really low, bass-y notes. Love his vocal quality as well.

Very Special Mention: For me, this was the winner over all, but Drew couldn't make it back in time to nominate it or not, of his 2 selections.

Samite “Night Stories” Begins with kalimba or marimba and some really gorgeous layered vocals, almost sounds prayerful. Distant horn intersperses from time to time with those haunting vocals, as the kalimba sound continues as the foundation of the piece. Little bits of harmonics drift in from time to time, reminds me of stars twinkling in night skies. As far as I’m concerned, this could have gone on twice as long and still seem short.

This was very hard for me. Three honourable mentions go to:

Mau Mau “Ellis Island” Upbeat horns and percussion starts this one out. Spirited male vocalist, I can certainly also hear the Mediterranean and Latin influences here. It’s upbeat, but it seems that it is about the experience that immigrants have at Ellis Island in the US, which is not always positive. Lots of rangy swirls of sound, the horns have a really different-sounding kind of lead that they create a bit past the middle.

Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela “Never (Lagos Never Gonna Be The Same)” Jazzy piece (as expected), very infectious groove, staccato vocals, great understated drumming, too. Sad and moving memorial piece, taking it all down to some of what life is all about.

King Sunny Ade “365 is my Number/The Message” Very gentle, village-y feel here, I love the soft blending of the vocals when everyone joins in singing with him. The jam is very cool, as you’d indicated. Lots of twisty guitar and a deep bass-y guitar twanging along, with tons of understated klicky-clacky percussion. Gets very trance-y too, with guitar curlicue adornments, then they get all plinky towards the end as they gently fade away.

Which really, is half of all of the entries, excluding my choice....once again, kudos to all participants, to The Anders for conducting the poll, to George for creating the playlists and to Lorenzo (who I hope is doing well) for the creation of these strings of polls. Clap Clap Clap

Every one had merit, to my ears, once again, a very difficult poll, yet some managed to stand out more than others for me. Clap

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Posted: November 05 2020 at 12:01

OK, thanks! I was glad to see a new face joining in, don't want to discourage participation. Smile

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Posted: November 05 2020 at 11:59

Snicolette wrote:

I went back through and realized that Drew (BrufordFreak) hadn't chimed in on his choice....Since one of his choices is one of my top contenders....anything we can do, or should I just give the one I liked of his a special mention, since he wasn't able to check in before the voting officially began?

You can do so if you like :)

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Posted: November 05 2020 at 11:43

I went back through and realized that Drew (BrufordFreak) hadn't chimed in on his choice....Since one of his choices is one of my top contenders....anything we can do, or should I just give the one I liked of his a special mention, since he wasn't able to check in before the voting officially began?

"Into every rain, a little life must fall." ~Tom Rapp

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