2023-10-06 19:00:09
Every Friday, The World Africa presents three new musical releases from or inspired by the continent. This week, back to the 1970s with the reggae of Ibrahim Hesnawi, the Mandinka groove of Léon Keïta and the jazz of Mike Makhalemele.
« Never Understand », d’Ibrahim Hesnawi
Four months after having reissued a selection of pieces by Ahmed Ben Ali, Habibi Funk continues its exploration of Libyan reggae going back to the pioneer of the genre, Ibrahim Hesnawi, who introduced this music to the country at the end of the 1970s. Title The Father of Libyan Reggae, this nine-track album steeped in traditional music, funk, jazz and disco is released Friday October 6 on vinyl, CD and digital. Songs by Ibrahim Hesnawi, but also Ahmed Ben Ali, Hamid El Shaeri and The Free Music also appear in the compilation Solidarity with Libya that the German label released in order to raise funds for the victims of the floods which ravaged eastern Libya.
“Gnanassouma”, by Léon Keïta
He is a little-known figure from the golden age of African orchestras. Born in 1947 in Conakry, Léon Keïta was one of the founding members, in 1970, of the legendary Rail Band of Bamako – from which Salif Keïta and another more famous Guinean, Mory Kanté, came – before joining the International Ambassadors. It is also with this group that the singer and guitarist recorded his first two records under his name, released in 1978 on the Papa Disco label, contributing to the revival of Mandinka music strongly influenced by Afro-Cuban sounds, such as we can hear it in the five long tracks that the German label Analog Africa is reissuing this Friday on vinyl (plus a sixth on digital).
« Going West », de Mike Makhalemele
Let’s stay in the 1970s but head further south, towards South Africa, to the rediscovery of saxophonist Mike Makhalemele (1938-2000), whose Canadian label We Are Busy Bodies will reissue on November 3 (on vinyl and digital) the first album, The Peacemaker, initially published in 1975. Originally from Alexandra and nicknamed “Ratau” (meaning “the lion”), the musician, accompanied by Jabu Nkosi on keyboard and Sipho Gumede on bass, delivers a jazz escape in this five-track opus. full of good vibes. And for those who ask for more, The Bull and the Lion, a disc of three pieces in collaboration with another saxophonist, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, appeared the same day on the same label.
Read also: Creole poetry: the musical selection from “World Africa” #162
Find all the editorial’s musical favorites in the playlist YouTube of World Africa.
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