January 22, 2012 – 6:15 pm
Carlos Núñez – Brotherhood of Stars
Back to Lucky Thirteen again after a couple of weeks dedicated to Mali. And we are back with our old friend Carlos Núñez, the Galician bagpiper. I’ve chosen to post The Moonlight Piper as, in my mind there is a small link to Frances’s trip to Mali. In the evening her group have taken to meeting at the apartment block where some of the volunteers are staying. There they cook a communal meal and then sit out on the apartment’s roof terrace and enjoy the (relative) cool of the evening. I don’t think they are serenaded by Galician pipers but you never know!
Carlos Núñez – The Moonlight Piper
January 15, 2012 – 5:45 pm
Bajourou – Big String Theory
As usual I’m rushing to get this posted. I’ve been busy at work in the week and busy at home over the weekend. Mustn’t grumble though – that’s how I like it.
So, a very quick post – a second Malian track to send Frances and colleagues on their way in Mali. And the best way to fire up a quick post is to quote from the record label’s website:
“BAJOUROU (which means ‘big string’ or ‘big tune’) unites two of Mali’s prime guitar shapers – Bouba Sacko and Djelimadis Tounkara (now winner for Africa of BBC Radio 3′s Music of the World Awards) and singer Lafia Diabate in a superstar acoustic trio, recorded deep and direct in the Malian night.
During November of last year, intrepid GlobeStyle person Ben Mandelson and Lucy Duran journeyed to Bamako in Mali. There they recorded direct-to-DAT Bajourou, a superb trio of Malian acoustic stars. The band’s leader and electric guitarist Jalimadi Tounkara and singer Lafia Diabate were part of the legendary Super Rail Band (in fact, Lafia was the singer who replaced Mory Kante and Salif Keita when they left for solo careers). Rounding off the trio, Bouba Sacko is the most in-demand accompanist and arranger for all of the cantatrices or singing women of Mali. Big String Theory is a showcase for Bajourou (in Manding “Big String”), the Malian music of celebration and relaxation. The ambient recording captures a music of many subtle delights, framed against a natural acoustic background and the distant Malian night. The tour Mali Unplugged is a more acoustic showcase for music that has often become synonymous with the loud, electric performance. Mali Unplugged brings it all back home to the glorious acoustic roots of its traditions.”
The song I’ve chosen is Mansa “.. a beautiful song … on the theme of ‘life is short, make the best of it’”. Well, credit to all those going to Mali as part of the International Service scheme – they are making the most of their lives.
Bajourou – Mansa
January 7, 2012 – 12:18 pm
Super Rail Band – Super Rail Band
Another excursion away from “la diritta via” of Lucky Thirteen. This is to mark the start of my daughter’s three month stint of volunteering in Bamako, Mali. She is a Team Leader for International Service initially leading a group of young British volunteers living with disabilities who will be aiming to share experiences with their Malian counterparts and to contribute to the promotion of the rights of people living with disabilities in Mali. After that she will be working with another group of British volunteers carrying out research and development activities for the Malian organisation which is “hosting” the placement: FEMAPH (Malian Federation of Disabled People’s Associations).
So with Frances off to Bamako, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to post a track from the Super Rail Band of Bamako, or the Super Rail Band Of The Buffet Hotel De La Gare De Bamako, Mali to give them their full name. The album is eponymously titled but don’t expect me to type all of that over again – or even copy and paste it!
From the Ace / Globestyle records website we learn that “Formed in July 1970, the Super Rail Band was the first major pop band to be sponsored by the Ministry of Information in its native Mali. The country’s severe shortages of musical instruments and the electricity to power them (often no more than 3 hours at best was available per day) meant that government sponsorship was essential. The band became synonymous with the regular venue they played – the capital city’s railway station hotel and refreshment room – thus acquiring the name the Super Rail Band of the Buffet Hotel De La Gare De Bamako, Mali.
In October 1982, when the recordings were made that appear here, Djelimadi Tounkara was the compositional and guitar driving force behind the Super Rail Band and the singers were Sekou Kane and Lafia Diabate. All of the Super Rail Band’s trademark style is fully in evidence (on this album) – the soaring, almost Arabic sound of the vocals, the cascading electric guitars (emulating both the traditional kora and ngoni instruments of the region), the tight horn riffs and loose backbeat of the drumming. The electric guitars owe a debt to the dominant soukous stylings of the period but they relocate the musical terrain to a whole different plane. A classic African music sound.”
I couldn’t put it better myself. Enjoy Konowale from the CD.
Super Rail Band – Konowale
January 2, 2012 – 6:43 pm
Charles Mingus – Mingus Ah Um
Happy New Year. Despite being on holiday for 10 days I seem to have no time to post to Furious Music. So, apologies for a late post and very short text.
Thirteen steps from Thomas Mapfumo is Charles Mingus. I only own the one Mingus CD – note to self, should buy more Mingus – and so Mingus Ah Um it is. And from the album we’ve Girl of my Dreams – dedicated to my wife and daughter, the Girls of my Dreams!
No more words; on with the music.
Charles Mingus – Girl of my Dreams
December 24, 2011 – 11:04 am
Thomas Mapfumo – The Singles Collection 1977-1986
After a diversion to celebrate the life of Cesaria Evora I’m back to my Lucky Thirteen series. (When I say my I mean, of course shamelessly stolen from Joe Boyd. And talking of Joe Boyd, is everyone else out there astonished by the fact that Joe Boyd has not been awarded a gong of any description for his services to British music? I know that he is an American but if George Bush and Ronald Reagan are worthy of an award …
Enough lobbying, on to Thomas Mapfumo. As trailed last week, thirteen steps from my Machanic Manyeruke CD is Thomas Mapfumo – The Singles Collection 1977-1986. It is hard to find now but is still available online new and used.
The track I have chosen to post is Pachinyakare which is probably the best one to post on Christmas Eve as the news is filled with stories of bombs are being set off round the world killing hundreds of people and maiming many more. Pachinyakare is “A folk song that vividly describes life in the “golden years” of the past when people lived in peace, without numerous problems being encountered in today’s life like disease, shortage of food, pollution etc.”
Have a peaceful Christmas and lets all hope for golden years.
Thomas Mapfumo – Pachinyakare
December 18, 2011 – 4:26 pm
Cesaria Evora – São Vicente di Longe
After last week’s post, I slotted Machanic Manyeruke back into the rack and then counted thirteen forward, and would you know it, Thomas Mapfumo – The Singles Collection was the nominated CD. So, all is well in the Universe, back to back Zimbabwe.
However, this plan was put to one side last night on hearing of the death of Cesaria Evora. I couldn’t let this week go by without commemorating her.
Cesaria Evora had one of those rare voices that you could not mistake for anyone else’s. And when her voice was heard in 1988 with the release of her first album La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, she garnered fans far and wide. Remarkably for a singer from humble beginnings, living in a tiny community on an extremely remote island, she sold hundreds of thousands of records and was nominated for a Grammy in 1995, eventually winning one in 2004 with her album Voz d’Amor.
The distinctive music that Cesaria Evora performed is called morna. Morna is to Cape Verde what fado is to Portugal, tango is to Argentina and rumba is to Cuba and, through the voice of Cesaria Evora, morna was heard and loved around the world.
Cesaria Evora – Tiempo Y Silencio
December 11, 2011 – 11:36 am
Machanic Manyeruke and the Puritans
Fingers fumbling forward firteen (sic) brings us to Machanic Manyeruke and the Puritans with their eponymous album release in Zimbabwe in 1986 and in the UK on the Cooking Vinyl label in 1989. This CD got quite a bit of airplay at the time of release in the usual places because of its bright, vibrant sound. What is usual about the music is that it is Christian gospel music, sung in the shona language – though Wikipedia informs us that Gospel music is a major genre in Zimbabwe.
The track that I am posting is Zvandaiva Mutadzi Zvangu (I used to be a sinner). The album liner notes tell us that: “This song explains how Peter the disciple heard the voice of Jesus calling him for his service and he followed. A song which touches Machanic’s heart so much.” Other songs on the album are When the saints go marching in, I am happy, Jonah and the Whale, God is good etc.
I am not a Christian, indeed I am not religious at all, but I find that this album, like so much good spiritually inspired art, is joyous and genuinely uplifting.
Postscript: On finishing this post, I learnt that this is the first Zimbabwean track that I have posted. I almost cannot believe it. If the Lucky Thirteens don’t throw up a Thomas Mapfumo or Oliver Mtukudzi track soon I’ll have to temporarily terminate the Thirteen theme.
Machanic Manyeruke and the Puritans – Zvandaiva Mutadzi Zvangu
December 5, 2011 – 5:55 am
Kanda Bongo Man – Non Stop Non Stop
The world divides into two groups – those who dance and those who don’t. I don’t – though occasionally I do tap my feet. However, if I did dance, I might well play this track by Kanda Bongo Man. It was made for dancing, as are all the tracks on the album Non Stop Non Stop.
The album was put out in the UK in 1990 when the work of several African musicians was being re-packaged and marketed in Europe and North America. The cover shows a young and athletic Kanda Bongo Man throwing some moves to, successfully I imagine, encourage his audience to dance. Recent photos show him looking less athletic but equally enthusiastic in his routines.
This album is still available to purchase – though it is not all that cheap. It would make a brilliant Christmas present for the joyful music and Diblo’s sublime guitar playing.
Kanda Bongo Man – Ida
November 27, 2011 – 2:43 pm
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill – The Lonesome Touch
11, 12, 13 – Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill – The Lonesome Touch. Good choice, Mr Thirteen! I’ve posted from this album before and also from the Live album but have no problem if fate tells me to give another puff to Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill.
For those of you who don’t know, Martin Hayes is Irish but lives in America, while Dennis Cahill is an American citizen. They tour regularly in the US and periodically overseas. I really must try to get to one gigs next time they are in England – I imagine that they are terrific live.
Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill – Tell Her I Am / Gallagher’s Frolics
November 20, 2011 – 2:13 pm
Béla Fleck & the Flecktones – Outbound
Now we can see the benefit of the “Lucky 13″ selection. Today’s track is from a CD, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones – Outbound, that I bought but don’t play too often. I bought it because:
- I have read great reviews of Béla Fleck
- it won a Grammy in 2000
- well … you can’t have too many banjo albums in your collection, can you?
I like it but it has not really grabbed me, so I enjoy individual tracks if they come up in a shuffle selection, but I almost never just just play the album.
However, being your diligent blogger, I’ve played it a couple of times over the past few days, and I have got into it a lot more. It isn’t the album I thought it would be when I bought it but that’s probably a good thing, isn’t it?
So, once again, “Lucky Thirteen” has helped me rediscover some music in my record collection, a large incentive for me to start this blog c. three years ago.
Béla Fleck & the Flecktones – Hoe Down
