Quote:
Originally Posted by squash54
Nightfly, I listened to the samplers (both very impressive productions) and have picked a couple of artists I will follow up. I might seek your guidance if I hit any snags in my search as I find Emusic is something of a challenge when it comes to mining their catalog. For example, the genre labels are often completely off - soul labelled hip-hop etc. Also, the 30 second sample is very frustrating when you are trying to evaluate a performer you have never heard before.
What I am interested to discover is music that has been inspired by the raw African source and then adapted and fused with western music styles and instruments. A classic example is Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and songs like 'Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes' (with Ladysmith B M).
In fact, thanks to your recommend, I stumbled onto an album that was exactly what I had in mind. I found your recommends by typing 'Soweto' in the search box. As you would expect, it threw up a number of chioces including the ones I was looking for. After I had checked out the samplers my attention was drawn to an album on the list titled 'Blomster I Soweto' by Marianne Antonsen. I had a listen and my ears nearly fell off - a Norwegian lass with a soul voice I would walk barefoot over broken glass to hear - singing modern African music with a stunning African choir. It is easily near the top of the top 10 albums I have aquired this year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED   |
Yes I find
Emusic's Genre labeling in this Genre unsatisfactory often calling
African titles Reggae instead of Afro-Pop or Soukous( a type of Rumba based
guitar music..my favorite) and calling some Reggae titles African...
very annoying to us more knowledgeable seekers..but at least the titles are
there for us..I am aware of Marianne Antonsen she is a certainly a treasure
and I have a few recordings by her..The one you mentioned and Picking Up The Spirit more stripped down her and organ Gospel tunes..and they have that listed as Hip Hop...(shame on them).But "Blomster I Soweto" is a very special recording( by the way I just looked..they called it Jazz
)
I listen more to authentic African music without the Western influence,they sing in either French or Congolese or their native dialect..but I love the
Music and the guitar playing..These guys were doing 17 min jams way
before The Grateful Dead...and the music is fresh and hypnotic to the Western ear..It takes a few listens to get pass the foreign language, but you can hear
great spirituality and richness in their voices that inspires and draws you in..
But I will trade you my African based for your Western mixed selections
when you find them..Maybe tomorrow night I will list my favorite
African recordings.
Thanks Squash,