I got an African cd from the library once. It's good.
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End of thread.

Absolute legend from Mali. 'Moffou' is an amazing album, really quite magical.

I also love South African jazz, in particular Abdullah Ibrahim and Bheki Msleku (both pianists).

And I've just bought the Ethiopiques compilation, it's a best-of of Ethiopian jazz/ funk from the 60s and 70s. Really otherworldly.

Still such a novice but still, this site:

http://awesometapesfromafrica.blogspot.com/

is really good if a little hard to keep abreast of sometimes.

Other than that I'd say:

- The Bhundu Boys (Zimbabwe)- amazing pop band, such perfect guitars- get 'The Shed Sessions'- I also got an LP from Jonah Moyo & Devera Ngwena (also from Zimbabwe) recently from a charity shop with a recommendation by Biggie Tembo from the band on it and the guitar sound and stuff is very similar
- Ethiopiques 8 compilation 'Swinging Addis' (Ethiopia)- is a really unusual and fun record- the Ethiopiques series in general is brilliant too
- Fela Kuti (obvs)
- Mariam Bagayogo (Mali)- search on awesome tapes for her- Malian folk music that sounds like death.

Also someone above has mentioned Joe Tangari- he did an amazing series of articles on Pitchfork a while back about afrobeat called 'The Indestructible Beat', try and find that- especially amazing is the 'Africa 100' list of songs (well, if you can track them all down)

Graceland. Check it out. Vampire Weekend obviously have.

yeh ill repeat tinariwen and fela kuti

femi kuti - fela's son - is also brilliant

afel bocoum is brilliant - really chilled out acoustic guitar with african style drums and call and response vocals - realy nice

mulatu astake - but the ethiopian jazz compilation will cover his best work

also check out some traditional kora players like Seikou Susso

;D

. . . . . . . . .

Guitars From Agadez (Music of Niger) has been on heavy rotation recently, its great stuff.

Orchestra Regional de Kayes are wonderful, their bio makes my heart warm: "In 1960, after Mali won Independence from France, the government specified that each of the eight regions of Mali be represented by an orchestra comprised of, naturally, their very best musicians. The orchestras convened once a year from 1962-68, and subsequently every other year until the mid-eighties, to determine who was the best. This record documents a portion of the repertoire performed by the Orchestra Regional de Kayes, representing a region in the northwest of Mali bordering Senegal. It is their only recording, and was originally released in the Barenreiter-Musicaphon series. The bulk of the songs are renditions of traditional Mande folk songs, interpreted in the context of Mali's burgeoning modernity."

Question Mark - Be Nice To The People is really good, western style psych with a 1970's Kenyan touch.

Amanaz - S/T again western influence but still amazing psych from mid-1970's Zambia.

Group Inerane - Ace-o political guitar rock from Niger.

Shadoks and Sublime Frequencies and more recently Mississippi Records have all been putting out some quality re-issues of obscure African stuff.

specialist in all styles

that recent Amanaz re-issue was nice.

http://www.pinkfloydtribute.co.za/