African Popular Music Favorites

My 500+ favorite songs and tunes from all over the African continent and from African people worldwide. I've sifted these out of about 10,000 songs/tunes. Styles include Gnawa, Gospel, Gumbe, Imbube, Juju, Kadongo Kamu (Uganda), Mbalax, Mandé, Mbaqanga, Mbube, Mpantsula, Ragga, Reggae, Soukous, Youssoumba. No commercial tie-ins, no downloadable music, only information for the interested. You can get most songs/tunes from African Cream, Amazon, CDBaby, Cumbancha, eMusic, iTunes, Music Uganda, Putamayo, Stern's Music,  or elsewhere. Many (most?) Notes links in the rightmost column below are broken. I'm gradually fixing them from top down; all are OK through Daby Balde. The 30-second Sample links all work. Most of this information first appeared on the Kasiisi Project website: a secular 501(c)(3) charity organization "helping Ugandan children one school at a time".
Artist	Country	Song/Tune	Listen	Notes
(Unknown)	Uganda	Ruhanga Ishetwe	Sample	The title means "Awesome God". Here's a starting point for similar Ugandan Gospel music.
Abayudaya	Uganda	Mwana Talitambula	Sample	A lullaby from the Abayudaya (aba=people, yudaya=Jewish), a tiny community of Jews who live near Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda. This community arose in the early 1900s when a Ugandan general, alienated because he felt he had been treated poorly by the British colonial government, moved out of Kampala and immersed himself in the Old Testament, living strictly by its precepts. When told that he was living like a Jew, he decided he was in fact a Jew. He gathered a community around him that still survives. More.
Abayudaya	Uganda	Psalm 136	Sample	Psalm 136, sung here in the Luganda language, thanks God with refrain "his love endures forever".
Abby Surya Djai	Congo DRC	Nabosani Yo	Sample	Abby Surya Djai has sung for decades with nearly all major central African popular musicians, including Sam Mangwana and Papa Wemba. Here's a photo and brief bio.
Abby Surya Djai	Congo DRC	Ndaya Mon Amour	Sample
Abdel Karim Alkabli	Sudan	Kunta Fi Hafla Laila	Sample	Alkabli has been called "a living encyclopedia of the musical heritage of Sudan". Here is a biography.
Abdou Guité Seck	Sénégal	Allaaji	Sample	The "Golden Voice of Sénégal". His web site has a detailed biography.
Abou Chihabi	Comoros Islands	Maesha	Sample	The Comoros Islands are northwest of Madagascar. Chihabi has a truly international band. See his biography.
Abou Chihabi	Comoros Islands	Mbio! Mbio!	Sample
Aboutou Roots	Côte D'Ivoire	Travail	Sample	Tight harmonies in this a capella piece and brilliant rhythms in other pieces appear to characterize the Youssoumba style.
Adam Solomon	Kenya	Mwajuma	Sample	Music from "the Fiesta guitar of Professor Adam Solomon", who is one the loosely grouped musicians known as the African Guitar Summit. This rumba-rhythm song in Swahili is about a boy walking to buy breakfast pastries. Along the way he greets a family seated in front of their house, in particular their young daughter, but she only insults him in response. Where will this lead? More about Adam.
Adam Solomon	Kenya	Pesa Ni Unfunguo	Sample
Affo Love	Benin	Je M'en Fou	Sample	Apparently the female singer known as Affo Love passed away in 2009.
African Gospel Rhythms	US, Zambia	Mambo	Sample	This missionary group is (was?) based in Maine. Their music is available on Amazon.
African Virtuoses	Guinea	Wouloukoro	Sample	Grand Papa Diabaté founded this "jali" band along with Abdoulaye Diabaté and others. Their instrumental album "Nanibali / Balade sur La Lagune" from which this cut comes won a major award in 1997, the French Maracas d'Or, but the album has been hard to find. This style of music is known as Mandé. It dates back several centruries. About 80 years ago it expanded to include acoustic guitar in addition to the traditional xylophone (balafon), lute (nkoni) and harp (kora). In the past 50 years or so the instruments have expanded again to electric guitars. Available on Amazon.
Afrigo Band	Uganda	Emeere Esiridde	Sample	Sung in Luganda, the most-spoken Bantu language in Uganda (English is Uganda's official language). Here is part of a wonderful review on Amazon.com of this band's very-hard-to-find album Afrigo Batuuse 2: "Afrigo is Uganda. Steamed matooke [banana] in banana leaf with a big Nile Special [beer], the red clay, waragi [banana whisky] at home with the elders, the most beautiful women in the world, the lake flies swarming around Lake Victoria ... just as Lucky Dube has taken on the Caribbean reggae beat and brought it home to Africa, Afrigo has brought the four-step rumba back to the Rift Valley, where Man first made music ... there is nothing like Uganda, there is nothing like Afrigo. Get ready to rumba." What is the meaning of the title?
Afrigo Band	Uganda	Jimmy	Sample	The Afrigo Band is Uganda's longtime premier musical group. Their music is featured in the 1992 film "Mississippi Masala" and in the 2006 film about Idi Amin's Uganda, "The Last King of Scotland". An interview with one of the band's vocalists and dancers.
Afrigo Band	Uganda	Mfunda N'omubi	Sample	Here's an lengthy and valuable Wikipedia article about Ugandan music, with more about the Afrigo Band.
Afro-Fiesta	Congo DRC	Bailakwando	Sample	Mermans Kenkosenki started secretly playing guitar in the late 1980s as a student in Kinshasa. His desire to be a musician took him to Angola and later to South Africa, where his career flourished in Capetown. Years of practice, growth, and gradual formation of his latest band led in January 2006 to his first album, from which two cuts in this list are taken. More information.
Afro-Fiesta	Congo DRC	Uptown Girl	Sample
Aïcha Koné	Ivory Coast	Kambéléba 2006	Sample	Could there ever be a more cheerful and catchy song? Caribbean flavors and even a jazzy clarinet. Watch it on YouTube. Subtitled "Don Juan", it seems to be about a charmer and heartbreaker.
Aïcha Koné	Ivory Coast	Dia 2006	Sample	An article in French about how Aïcha has followed Miriam Makeba as a first lady of music in Africa.
Aicha Kouyate	Mali	Ca va, la-bas	Sample	This and other Aicha songs are available on Amazon.
Ali Farka Toure	Mali	Hawa Dolo	Sample	Ali Farka Toure passed away in March 2006 aged about 67. He was a true giant in world music for most of his life. A fine Wikipedia article.
Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder	Mali	Soukora	Sample	Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder collaborated on the album Talking Timbuktu in the early 1990s. In this quiet song a man speaks reflectively and passionately to his loved one in the evening.
Alpha Blondy	Ivory Coast	Lune de Miel	Sample	Blondy is a worldwide reggae star. His website seems to be in French only. His nickname "Blondy" is an approximate pronunciation of "bandit", which is how his mother viewed him when he was a rebellious child. Here is a biography.
Alpha Blondy	Ivory Coast	Tere	Sample
Alpha Yaya Diallo	Guinea	Cette Vie	Sample	One the loosely grouped musicians known as the African Guitar Summit. "This life, sometimes sad, sometimes happy. What is going to happen?" His website.
Alpha Yaya Diallo	Guinea	Debo	Sample	Like many African artists whose music can be found in the West, Diallo lives in North America, in Vancouver BC.
Alpha Yaya Diallo	Guinea	N'Koro	Sample	Diallo remains true to his roots in Guinea. In the words of one reviewer on his web site, "Rich, lively, hypnotic electrified griot juju pop."
Amaduduzo	South Africa	Intombi	Sample	From a younger Zulu group who are building a new tradition of accompanied choral music. The Intombi River flows through South Africa.
Amaryoni	South Africa	Siza Kuwe	Sample	The group's name means "The Lions". Fine South African mbube (a capella). For more information, and to buy their albums, see African Cream Music. Here's an informational video on Youtube.
Amasabatha	South Africa	O Khethelwe	Sample	Gospel, from an album named "Tales of Gospel: South Africa".
Amira Kheir	Sudan	Kullu Wahid	Sample	From her website: "Hailed as the ‘Diva of the Sudanese desert’ (Journal du Mali) Sudanese-Italian singer Amira Kheir has been enchanting audiences around the world with a sound inspired by traditional music from her homeland Sudan and rooted in Jazz with elements of Soul, African and Middle Eastern music." Watch on YouTube.
Anikan	Ivory Coast	Réconciliation	Sample	Her "Surprise" album is on Amazon.
Andy Palacio	Belize	Weyu Lárigi Weyu	Sample	Andy Palacio died at age 47 in early 2008. Wikipedia article. The Garifuna are "descendants of West African slaves who were shipwrecked in 1635 off the coast of what is now the island of St. Vincent and intermarried with local Arawak and Carib people. Garifuna villages arose on the coasts of Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Belize. There are now an estimated 250,000 Garifuna people worldwide..." This song's name, "Weyu lárigi weyu", means "day by day".
Angelique Kidjo	Benin	Sedjedo	Sample	Angelique Kidjo has performed with Dave Matthews, Branford Marsalis, Carlos Santana and many others. This song is from the outstanding Putamayo album Acoustic Africa from 2006. About the song, the liner notes say, "Remove all your jewels and don't be afraid to show the natural shape of the body that Mother Nature gave you." Angelique's website.
Askia Modibo	Mali	Les Aigles du Mali	Sample	Askia Modibo publishes his West African reggae on Stern's music and plays concerts worldwide. Like Habib Koité and many others from West Africa, his music is on the pentatonic scale. Here's an article from Africa Sounds.
Assab	Ethiopia	Negisti Lebeya	Sample	Rare urban music from Ethiopa. Visit Assab on MySpace. Because Assab is also a port on the Eritrean coast that's often in the news, it's hard to find information through Google about this Assab, the musician.
Assab	Ethiopia	O Alem	Sample	Irresistable Ethiopian urban music. Here is Assab's home page. Assab is also a port in Eritrea (not Ethiopia) on the Red Sea.
Aster Aweke	Ethiopia	Baba Baba	Sample	A soaring voice. Wikipedia article.
Ayub Ogada	Kenya	Chiro	Sample	Ogada is of the Luo tribe of northwest Kenya. This song is an old man's advice: "See the world but never forget where you came from." Wikipedia article. His music is on Amazon.
Ayub Ogada	Kenya	Kothbiro	Sample	In this song a cattle herder, seeing a storm coming, quietly tells his children to bring in the cows.
Ayub Ogada	Kenya	Ondiek	Sample	About a hyena in human form - beware of some among us!
AZA	Morocco	Sidi Daoud	Sample	This groups appears to be based in/near San Francisco. Their website.
Ba Cissoko	Guinea	Likhirin	Sample	Electric Griot Land Tour" is a Cissoko album title. From his biography on the official website: "When born a Cissoko, one is a kora player. The Guinean Ba Cissoko perpetuates a more than centenary history. He is the last born of a long lineage of griots, master singers and agile string pluckers.
Ba Cissoko	Guinea	Sai	Sample	This cut is from Cissoko's album Sabolan.
Baaba Maal	Sénégal	Yoolelle Maman	Sample	Baaba Maal has been dominant in Sénégalese music and famous worldwide for his work in the interests of Africa. Look him up on You Tube. This song is from the album Missing You, in which Baaba returns to his roots in a Sénégalese village. His website. Here are still photos and clips on Youtube.
Baba Ken Okulolo	Nigeria	Oberi Oberi	Sample	Baba Ken Okulolo grew up in a tiny fishing village in Nigeria and now lives in California. Wikipedia biography. On Amazon.
Bafo Bafo	South Africa	Manje	Sample	Hang on to your hat! What a rousing and happy song. Bafo Bafo ("Brother Brother" in Zulu) are Syd Kitchen (deceased) and Madala Kunene from Johannesburg. This song on YouTube.
Bakithi Kumalo	South Africa	Makhaya	Sample	Summary of the Wikipedia article: Born in Soweto. Bassist, composer and vocalist who has worked with Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Harry Belafonte and Cyndi Lauper. Still works with Paul Simon, began with him on "Graceland" in 1986.
Bassekou Kouyaté	Mali	Tabali Te	Sample	This brief introductory song is one of a series on the album Segu Blue about the 18th century Bambara kingdom of Mali. Read more. Watch on YouTube. On Amazon.
Bau	Cape Verde Islands	Situacoes Triangulares	Sample	Bau (Rufino Almeida) is from the same Cape Verdean island as Cesaria Evora and works with her as arranger and band leader. His song "Raquel" was featured in the Pedro Almodóvar's movie "Talk to Her" (2002).
Bebe Cool	Uganda	Agenze	Sample	A leading ragga singer from Kamapala. Detailed biography on Wikipedia.
Ben Okafor	Nigeria	Look Out	Sample	Benedict Chukwudebelu Okafor fought as a child soldier in Nigeria in the late 1960s. He has lived in the UK for the past 25 years. Here is his very informative website.
Ben Okafor	Nigeria	Shadows	Sample	Ben Okafor has lived a tumultuous life, starting early as a child soldier and featuring work directly with Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu in South Africa. This music was recorded in Woodstock, New York. Here's Ben singing this song solo, live.
Bernard Kabanda	Uganda	Nnankya	Sample	Kabanda is master of the Kampala musical style called "just a small guitar". In this song, Nnankya has gotten him drunk and stole his money, but oh she is so beautiful! A brief biography on Wikipedia.
Better Life	Sudan	Ya Khaty Taal	Sample	On Amazon.
Bham Ntabeni	South Africa	Ututate & Owa Mntwana	Sample	An mbaqanga lullaby from an African Cream album downloadable at Afrodesia MP3, Lullabies from Mama Africa. Also on Amazon.
Bidinte	Guinée Bissau	Boneca di Oss	Sample	Jorge da Silva Bidinte is from a small coastal city and has traveled worldwide for music, to Cuba, Portugal, Spain and elsewhere. Here is a brief review. On Amazon.
Blu 3	Uganda	Kanchakyachanke	Sample	"Blu*3" are Black Ladies of Uganda, times 3 of them: Lillian Mbabazi from western Uganda, Jackie Chandiru, and Cinderella Sanyu. A biography on Wikipedia.
Blu 3	Uganda	Ndibeera Nawe	Sample	Here's a page on Uganda Pulse with photos, videos and a very detailed bio. This quiet and lyrical song was awarded best R&B single for 2007 in Uganda, beating out Micheal Ross.
Blu 3	Uganda	Nsanyuka Nawe	Sample
Bobi Wine with Nubian Li	Uganda	Adam ne Kaawa	Sample	Bobi Wine is Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, a turbulent and popular singer from Kampala. Here's a brief Wikipedia bio.
Bola Abimbola	Nigeria	Ajo	Sample	"Ajo" means journey in this song about the charms of being at home. Bola Abimbola's music is influenced by a wide range of traditions, from his native Yoruba culture to American rhythm and blues. He lives in Georgia and Colorado. A brief bio and photo on Wikipedia.
Bola Abimbola	Nigeria	Olowo	Sample	The song title means "Rich People" and the theme is the dominance of rich over poor in the world. After a musical childhood and youth in Nigeria, Bola emigrated to the US. His music, however, remains completely Nigerian. He has performed in the past with Ali Farka Toure and King Sunny Ade.
Boubacar Traoré	Mali	Kar Kar, Vincent	Sample	"Kar kar" comes from the Mali for "dribble, dribble" in soccer. Boubacar was an excellent footballer many years ago. He became a musical star in Mali in the 1960s. Here is a very detailed biography.
Boubacar Traoré	Mali	Macire	Sample	Boubacar Traoré has been a renowned performer in West Africa since the 1960s. Ali Farka Touré said of him, "If the maximum is five, I give ten to Kar Kar".
Boubacar Traoré	Mali	Solo de Kar Kar	Sample
Brenda Fassie	South Africa	Sum'Bulala	Sample	Brenda Fassie was born in 1964, named after American country singer Brenda Lee. Here's a fine Wikipedia article. She sounds like country star Pam Tillis and was known as the "Queen of African Pop". She died very young from drug abuse in 2004, with Nelson Mandela at her side in the hospital. On Amazon.
Busi Mhlongo	South Africa	Yise Wanant'a Bami	Sample	Busi Mhlongo has been singing professionally for most of 30 years and has been an international star for almost that long. She sings mainly in Zulu and English. Her Urban Zulu album from 1999 is a classic. Here is a detailed musical history. This song is with Lokua Kanza. The title means "father of my children".
Carlyto Lassa	Congo DRC	Africa Na Moto	Sample	Carlyto Lassa is a Congolese gospel singer. Here's the full song on YouTube with relevant maps and images. On Amazon.
Cathy Kusasira	Uganda	Abasajja Abakooza	Sample	Cathy Kusasira is part of Uganda's Eagles Production group - see the notes on Geoffrey Lutaaya for more information. She began in the late 1990s as a dancer for predecessor bands of the Eagles. She was a featured solo performer when the Eagles first played in London in 2005.
Cesaria Evora	Cape Verde Islands	Velocidade	Sample	The legend sings in Portuguese of an extravagant, mischievous, hip-swinging woman whom the street has nicknamed Speed. Read about Cesaria on Wikipedia.
Chantal Taiba	Ivory Coast	Mwinda Na N'Gai	Sample	Watch Chantal on YouTube, read about her in French on the French Wikipedia. This is one of her quietest ballads. This song on Amazon.
Cheikh Lô	Sénégal	Ndogal	Sample	The song title "Ndogal" means "If it pleases God". From the liner notes: "You are counting on God. Since God is generous he will do what he can. But since you are fooling around, you will not have what you want." This song and Cheikh's other in this list are from his excellent album Né La Thiass, produced by Youssou N'Dour. The album has lengthy and rich liner notes that include a detailed biography. Cheikh was born in Burkina Faso of Sénégalese parents. Biography on Wikipedia.
Cheikh Lô	Sénégal	Né La Thiass	Sample	The song and album title "Né La Thiass" means "gone in a flash". From the album's liner notes about this song: "You can be going in a straight line, sure of your direction, but along the way many things can happen..." Cheikh wears dreadlocks but is not Rastafarian.
Cheikh Lô	Sénégal	Set	Sample	From the excellent but hard-to-find two-disc album named Spirit of Africa (one of many albums with that name). Listeners and reviewers consistently sense mystical and religious strains in Cheikh Lô's music. This song is about environmental awareness and health.
Children of Agape Choir	South Africa	Lala We-Qawu	Sample	AGAPE is an orphanage for Zulu children. The children's CD, We are Together, is the sound track for the HBO documentary of the same name available on Netflix and elsewhere. Read more on their website. On Amazon.
Children of Agape Choir	South Africa	Thina Simunye	Sample	"Thina simunye" means "we are together", as the words of the song make clear. On Amazon.
Chiwoniso	Zimbabwe	Nerudo	Sample	Cumbancha music (of Charlotte, Vermont, near Lake Champlain) hosts Chiwoniso Maraire's website and produced her album titled Rebel Woman, available on Cumbancha. Watch Chiwoniso on YouTube with (surprisingly) Kris Kristoffersen, or singing solo and playing the mbira.
Chiwoniso	Zimbabwe	Nguva Ye Kufara	Sample	Sounds like Oliver Mtukudzi and that's no coincidence of course. On Amazon.
Chiwoniso	Zimbabwe	Wakashinga	Sample	A two-minute YouTube interview with Chiwoniso. On Amazon.
Church of Christ Choir	South Africa	Ngangiboshiwe	Sample	A Zulu choir. What does the song title mean?
Coco Mbassi	Cameroon	D	Sample	Coco Mbassi writes all of her music and lyrics, sometimes collaborating with her classical-bassist husband. Her music is soulful, private and spiritual. A profile.
Coco Mbassi	Cameroon	Mbaki (Intro)	Sample	This cut is from Mbassi's album Sepia available on eMusic and elsewhere.
Coco Mbassi	Cameroon	Mbombo	Sample
Coulibaly and Faso	Burkina Faso	Soundjata	Sample	See drummer and dancer Ye Lassina Couliabaly's home page.
Daby Balde	Sénégal	Mbeugel	Sample	Moutarou ‘Daby’ Balde, from the troubled Cassamance region of Sénégal south of Gambia, has only recently gained fame in Sénégal and worldwide. His album "Introducing Daby Balde" is available on Amazon.
Daby Balde	Sénégal	Sora	Sample
Daby Balde	Sénégal	Waino Blues	Sample	About a visit to a marabout, an Islamic spiritual leader.
Daby Touré	Sénégal	Iris	Sample	Daby Touré is the first half of the former duo Touré-Touré. This song is sung in an imaginary language. It is about yearning for freedom. Here is Daby's excellent home page.
Daby Touré	Mali, Sénégal	Mi Malama	Sample	This enchanting song is about a farmer gazing at his cattle bathed in morning sunlight. Listen to a sampling of this song on Amazon.
Daby Touré	Sénégal	Setal	Sample
Dama and DGary	Madagascar	Aza Manadino	Sample	This cut comes from Dama and D'Gary's excellent album The Long Way Home, recorded in Louisiana in the early 1990s and available track by track on eMusic and Amazon.
Dama Mahaleo	Madagascar	Tambitamby	Sample	Wonderful guitar playing from an artist who mostly sings. His early work with D'Gary on the album "The Long Way Home" is striking. Here is an excellent biography.
Danone OSow	Ivory Coast	Tesegu	Sample	Danone O'Sow has lived in New York City since the late 1980s. This song is a lullaby: Sleep, my dear, don’t be afraid, you are close to my heart.
Davey Angels	South Africa	Hosanna Nikosi Yami	Sample	It appears that nothing is known about this group. The song is a celebration in Zulu: "I praise you my Lord".
David Lutaalo with Cindy	Uganda	Mbulira	Sample
Desire Luzinda	Uganda	Nuyumrwanyo	Sample
Deza XXL	Côte D'Ivoire	Awoula	Sample	"Deza XXL (actual name: Ehui Niamké Ezoua Louis Philippe René) is from a small city near Abidjan. "Deza" refers to a reputed hot temperament and "XXL" refers to his massiveness. Here is an excellent biography.
DGary	Madagascar	Kapitotsy	Sample	Here is an unusually detailed biography of Ernest Randrianasolo, known as D'Gary and renowned in part for his fine collaborations with the formidable Dama, also of Madagascar.
DGary	Madagascar	Samby Lomay	Sample	From D'Gary's fifth album. This Calabash page includes an interesting biography.
Dilon Djindji	Mozambique	Sofala	Sample	Sofala is a province in Mozambique. Dilon Djindji, 75+ years old, has been part of the Mabulu cooperative of musicians in Mozambique. He has struck out solo for the first time only recently. Here are a review and information about the album from Calabash and National Geographic.
Diogal	Sénégal	Rahin	Sample	Biography. Listen.
Diogal	Sénégal	Samba Alla	Sample	Diogal (pronounced "JOH-gall") is from a fishing family in Dakar, the capital of Sénégal. His music is bright and light ... and very difficult to find. For more information about him see his excellent website. This samba sounds as much Brazilian as African.
Diogal	Sénégal	Sore	Sample	This song is from the Putamayo Acoustic Africa album. Diogal has lived mainly in Paris since the late 1990s. This song is about an immigrant (sore, "so-REE") thinking nostalgically of his ancestral places and values.
Diogal	Sénégal	Ya Fatoumata	Sample	Diogal (pronounced "JOH-gall") is from a fishing family in Dakar, the capital of Sénégal. His music is bright and light but very hard to find. For more information about him - but unfortunately nothing about what this song means - see his excellent website.
Dobet Gnahoré	Ivory Coast	Mousso Tilou	Sample	Dobet has appeared in concert with Habib Koité. She's a mesmerizing dancer. This song, sung in the Malian language Malinké, is about polygamy: "[These women] are the real heads of household ... [but] they are never queen." Her website, which is apparently built by the same group who did Habib's.
Dobet Gnahoré	Ivory Coast	Palea	Sample	Dobet Gnahoré mixes the musical traditions of Ivory Coast mandingo, Congolese rumba, and Cameroonian ziglibiti. This song, originally from Putamayo's Acoustic Africa is about passionate love: "I will follow you wherever you will go ... Without you I cannot survive." Dobet's fine 2007 album Na Afriki also has this song. Her home page.
Dobet Gnahoré	Ivory Coast	Yekiyi	Sample	This song is a paean to the pan-African artists' colony Ki-Yi M'Bock, founded in Abidjan in 1985 by the unusually-named Wérewére Liking. Dobet started studying at the colony at age 12: "Thank you for lighting my way - I found my voice thanks to you". Her site.
Doctor King'esi	Kenya	Nipeleke Kwa Baba	Sample	Doctor's mother named him this because she had been inspired by a politician of that name shortly before childbirth. Self taught from a very early age, Doctor sings in Swahili about a child's distaste for his mother's new husband: "Mama, please take me back to my real father. This man is tormenting me because I am not his son."
Dominic Kakolobango	Zambia	Sokochomale	Sample	This song from the album African Acoustic is squarely in the style of Jean-Bosco Mwenda and many other groundbreaking African guitarists from the 1950s and 60s. This song is highly unusual through its use of a banjo in the background. The banjo is originally from Africa and possibly Arabia before that. It was brought to the New World during the terrible times of slave trading and is very rarely heard in modern African popular music. Here is a brief biography by the remarkable Belgian musician Robert Falk.
Don Balaam	Uganda	Nesize Gwe	Sample
Dream Galz	Uganda	Genda Osome	Sample	Here are photos and information about the Galz. Their long-time talent manager Emma Carlos recently left them, according to the Red Pepper, a popular Ugandan news source.
Dream Galz	Uganda	Weekend	Sample	This is a classic summery song, Mighty Abwooli's new fave. Dream Galz are associated with Dream Studios of Kampala, a powerhouse producer of Ugandan music. Read more about the Galz here. You can also watch and listen as the Galz dance and sing in the rain forest, on YouTube, accompanied by painted boyz in grass tutuz.
Driss El Maloumi	Morocco	Enfance	Sample	Berber oud music, of the very highest order, mixing Western influences with classical Arabian, from the well-named album The Dancing Soul. Listen on Amazon.
Dumisani Ramadu Moyo	Zimbabwe	Idlala Ngami	Sample	Dumisani Moyo, known as "Ramadu", is from Bulawayo. Here's his excellent website. He started his career with Insingizi - see cut 13 below. Through them he composed for the soundtrack of the 1992 movie Power of One (with Morgan Freeman), and he continues to perform from time to time with them. Listen to a sample of this song.
Dumisani Ramadu Moyo	Zimbabwe, South Africa	Sicel'i Zulu	Sample	Personal web site. Listen.
Eddy Yawe	Uganda	Gwagiya Nene	Sample	Eddy Yawe apparently runs the Dream Studios in Kampala, source of much of the music in this playlist. He's also a singer in his own right: he and others opened for Geoffrey Lutaaya at a June 2008 concert in Kampala. Watch and listen to a different cut, the title song from his debut album, on YouTube.
Edo Santa	Pan-African, UK	Chamboulé	Sample	A truly pan-African and world group now based in the UK. Congolese guitarist Azulino performed with Franco and Papa Wemba for many years, and pianist Gilbert Ebela is from Cameroon. Their website. Listen to a sample of this song.
Edo Santa	Pan-African, UK	Stand Up	Sample	Listen.
Edouardo BB	Cameroon	Debout	Sample
Elikeh	United States, Togo	Madjo	Sample	From their website: "ELIKEH is a collective of like-minded, roots musicians in the Washington, DC area. Led by singer/songwriter Serge 'Massama' Dogo, ELIKEH performs mostly original material drawn from Massama's roots in Togo." This song compares the American dream with the African way of life. Watch and listen on YouTube.
Eneida Marta	Guinea-Bissau	Mindjer Dôce Mel	Sample	A gorgeous person with an equally gorgeous voice, backed up beautifully on this and other songs. Here is her home page - but it's mostly in Portuguese. Here is an excellent review.
Eneida Marta	Guinea-Bissau	N'Pirdi Coragem	Sample	A fine voice from a very small country. Here are a review and a photo on RootsWorld.
Eric Wainaina	Kenya	Dunia Ina Mambo	Sample	Wikipedia has a comprehensive biography of Wainaina. A performer from a very early age, he has studied at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. Here is his website. Listen.
Eric Wainaina	Kenya	Mabawa	Sample	Eric's website. He attended Berklee School of Music in Boston. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Eric Wainaina	Kenya	Miili Yetu	Sample	His excellent website, and an excellent Wikipedia article. Wainaina is in the US at this writing in November 2008, interrupting his weekly club performances in Nairobi. Here he sings another song, live in a club setting. Listen to a sample of this song.
Etienne and Rene	Congo DRC, Australia	Mon Style de Vie	Sample	Etienne Dinanga (from Congo, a soukous musician) and Rene Sephton (Greece) seek to capture the human condition in folk music that spans the world. Their website. Listen.
Etienne Mbappé	Cameroon	Bewouki Bongo	Sample	Jazz bassist Mbappé's website is topical and informative. He'll be performing in Anaheim CA in early 2009 - see his super MySpace page for details. The word "bewouki" seems not to exist anywhere in print outside the title of this song. Listen.
Etienne Mbappé	Cameroon	Cameroun O Mulema	Sample	The bassist's website, and his MySpace page with upcoming gigs ranging from India to California. A YouTube preview and conversation. Listen on Amazon.
Extra Golden	US, Keny	from Obama	Sample	Extra Golden - of Illinois, Ohio and Kenya - thank in this song all those who have helped them and their music. Several years ago, Barack Obama, for whom this song is named, was instrumental in getting the Kenyan band members visas to the US. We saw this group perform in Boston in late July along with Daby Touré. You can listen and download on eMusic or watch and listen on You Tube.
Fallou Dieng	Sénégal	Koleure-96	Sample	Yet another protege or follower of Youssou N'Dor, Fallou has been known as "The King of Ambience" in Dakar. A biography, and a complete discography maintained in Japan. Listen on Amazon.
Fely	Ivory Coast	Ma Fille Dominique	Sample	Fely's website demonstrates her remarkable versatility.
Fiona Mukasa	Uganda	Wamilele	Sample	The title means "Everlasting God". Once downloadable from this page, which has other interesting Ugandan music. Uganda has a very lively gospel music culture; see for example Holyspins. Fiona Mukasa's late father, Elly Wamala, was also a renowned musician in Uganda
Francis Bebey	Cameroon	Idiba (Morning)	Sample	Bebey, a renowned poet, novelist and musician, died in 2001. This song is probably from the 1970s: the voice is young, and the guitar playing is very similar to Willie Nelson's on the Red Headed Stranger album. Here's a short biography on Wikipedia. Listen on Amazon.
Francis Bebey	Cameroon	Travail au Noir	Sample	Wikipedia biography. Listen.
Francis Mbappe	Cameroon	Mabolan	Sample	Bass player Francis Mbappe has played and produced with Herbie Hancock, Youssou N'Dor, Franco Zeffirelli, and many others. For the past decade or more he's been based in New York City, where he can be heard live at the Zinc Bar. Calabash has a photo and biography. Listen on Amazon.
Frank Mensah Pozo	Ghana	Odo Bi Ye Nhye	Sample	This Ghana Music website and GhanaWeb page have brief descriptions and and photos of Pozo. Not much is available about him - is he still active? His website is defunct. Listen on Amazon.
Fred Sebatta	Uganda	Nalwewuba	Sample	"Lord" Fred Sebatta is a leading proponent of the "Kadongo Kamu" style of Ugandan music, which strives for purity of Lugandan language along with simple melodies and the pulsing beat of Baganda folk songs. The style became popular across Uganda in the 1950s through the legendary Ugandan musician Elly Wamala (father of gospel singer Fiona Mukasa). Sebatta's version of the style blends in Western influences including reggae and hip hop.
Frères Guissé	Sénégal	Fouta	Sample	From Spirit of Africa. Tight and lively harmonies from the three Guissé brothers. Here is their home page. Their Fouta homeland, a semi-arid region of northern Sénégal, is regarded as the source location of Islam in Sénégal.
Gadji Celi	Ivory Coast	Affaire De Femmes	Sample
Gadji Celi	Ivory Coast	HB	Sample	There's very little information to be found about Gadji Celi. He's not on Calabash or eMusic, not in the Leopardman list. He has sung with the famous Ivoirenne Aicha Koné, and he has some videos on YouTube. Listen
Garry Kean	US, Zimababwe, Kenya	Thula Sana	Sample	Garry Kean is originally from Canada. He settled in Nashville TN, where he was an evangelical minister for years. This lullaby is from his travels and musical performances in Zimbabwe during the late 1990s. He and his family, pictured here, now live in Kenya. More. Listen.
Gawlo & Diego	Sénégal	Su Fiu Ande	Sample	An instrumental from Coumbo Gawlo and Souleymane Faye (nicknamed Diego); there's also a vocal version. Here's a brief biography, and a quote from Gawlo about marriage. Listen.
Geoffrey Lutaaya	Uganda	Easy Come Easy Go	Sample	Here's recent news about Geoffrey Lutaaya's latest album. His music is characterized as a cross between reggae and Congolese rumba. There's not much about him on the Internet. But when you ask Ugandans, what music from your country should I look into, Lutaaya's name comes up again and again.
Geoffrey Lutaaya	Uganda	Nasanga	Sample	See above for more about Geoffrey.
Geoffrey Lutaaya	Uganda	Nice and Lovely	Sample	See above for more about Geoffrey.
Geoffrey Lutaaya	Uganda	Ojila Okyamudazza	Sample	Geoffrey Lutaaya is part of Eagles Production, which is currently the preeminent music house in Uganda, and which competes with the Afrigo Band for being the most popular live performers as well. Here is an acerbic article that compares the two groups. (Geoffrey Lutaaya is not related to the legendary Ugandan songwriter and performer Philly Lutaaya who died of AIDS in 1989.)
Geoffrey Lutaaya	Uganda	Tina	Sample	See the notes at the top about Lutaaya. It's said that the Eagles Production band, which has more than 30 members, got its name from its early, very tenuous existence, at a time when others in the Kampala music business said that they'd never succeed. According to AllAfrica.com (which requires a subscription to access many of its articles), the group's name comes from a Luganda proverb, "ebikolimo byenkoko tebitta kamunye", "a chicken's curses can't kill an eagle".
Geoffrey Oryema	Uganda	Market Day	Sample	Oryema and his family suffered at the hands of Idi Amin. Wikipedia is an excellent starting point for information about him and his unusual music. Listen on Amazon.
Geoffrey Oryema	Uganda	Solitude	Sample	Geoffrey Oryema grew up in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. He was trained in western music as well as the traditional music and instruments of Uganda. His father was a minister in Idi Amin's government. This song is dedicated to his mother, who was widowed in 1977 when Amin’s operatives secretly assassinated his father and the rest of the family fled the country.
Germain Rakotomavo	Madagascar	Ibiaza Vola	Sample	Rakotomavo is (or perhaps was) headmaster of a school in Madagascar’s capital city of Antananarivo. He composed this refective tune, which dates from the late 1980s.
Ghebre	Ethiopia	Kitmchiwi	Sample
Gidi Gidi Maji Maji	Kenya	Nyako Aheri	Sample	A hip hop duo band from Nairobi. There's a dandy Wiki article here.
Gigi	Ethiopia	Guramayle	Sample
Gnawa Diffusion	Algeria	Match Bettikh	Sample	A good Wikipedia article. "Gnawa" is a musical style from Morocco and Algeria, often accompanied by vigorous dancing. This group makes some strong statements, for example in their denunciation in other songs of American power. Listen to a sample of this song.
Grace Nakimera	Uganda	Anfuukula	Sample	Grace Nakimera began emerging in her early 20s from karaoke to full-fledged stardom. Here's an article about her in one of Uganda's leading newspapers. This song is about being crazy in love at first sight.
Habib Koité	Mali	Africa	Sample	Habib Koité and Oliver Mtukudzi have long been the two most popular musicians in Africa. Habib's earlier songs "I Ka Barra" and "Din Din Wo" are shipped with the Microsoft Vista operating system. His website is in French and English. Here is a fine Wikipedia article.
Habib Koité	Mali	Batoumambe	Sample	Batoumambe is a woman of a fishing tribe of Mali. She is loved by a man of another tribe. But, being of different tribes, they can never be married. He says, "If I put my hand around your neck, it is not out of desire but out of love for the owner of the neck." Their impossible romance inspired the Malian proverb, "Not all love ends in marriage."
Habib Koité	Mali	Fimani	Sample	This is a love song told from a girl's point of view. "Fimani" means "little black person", in this case a boy whom the girl craves. Listen. Habib's website.
Habib Koité	Mali	Imada	Sample	What an opening! The memory of a love from secondary school, still poignant after 20 years of separation.
Habib Koité	Mali	Mali Ba	Sample	From perhaps Habib's best album, Afriki, this song is about Mali. From the liner notes: "...an eloquent tribute to the land that has provided Habib with his culture and inspiration. Habib compares his country to a bull that will never be sacrificed. This bull is respected and taken care of by the community, drinks only the freshest water, eats only the best grain, and its pelt shines like gold." His site. Listen on Amazon.
Habib Koité	Mali	N'Ba	Sample	"N'Ba" means "my mother" in the Bambara language: "we are never too old for a monther's blessing." This song is from Habib's exceptionally good new album Afriki. Buy it! Here is Habib's website in French and English.
Habib Koité	Mali	N'tesse	Sample	"N'tesse" means "I cannot" in Bambara. This song is about challenges facing families, community and nation: "Come and help me, neighbours, wives and children. We will find the solution." Customers have given this recent album, Afriki, five stars on average on Amazon; the only surprise to me is that not everyone has given this album the maximum of five stars.
Habib Koité	Mali	Sambara	Sample	Sambara means shoe. "Arriving at the main market in Bamako [capital of Mali], I found the blues shoes of my life." The young musicians wanted intensely to borrow them, but I never loaned them and never borrowed theirs. "Sambara nitigui" is a Malian expression that means literally "little shoes" and refers to certain people's desire to uncover and dissipate your inner knowledge and experience to the world at large.
Habib Koité	Mali	Sarayama	Sample	"Malian woman, charming woman. ... Thank you for being the pillar of the family.
Habib Koité	Mali	Sinama Denw	Sample	Habib Koité adapts Malian sounds and rhythms to the acoustic guitar. "I'm afraid for the African culture. We are the richest continent from nearly every perspective. We have to become conscious of our possibilities." His music is available in the west on Putamayo. This song is about the unhappy situation when multiple wives in a household cannot get along: the children are unsettled and worried
Habib Koité	Mali	Titati	Sample	"Titati" means rocking in Mandinka. This guitar solo is insipired by an old love song whose words say, "Try to know those who love you".
Habib Koité	Mali	Wari	Sample
Habib Koité	Mali	Wassiye	Sample	"If you have a daughter who is like your wife, you are doubly blessed."
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Alasso	Sample	Here's a colorful transcribed interview with Mr. Dikongué.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Awale	Sample	Characterized by reviewers as elegant, soulful, swaying, cool, lyrical and jazzy, Henri Dikongué presents a quiet and introspective alternative to much of African popular music. This song is from his fourth album.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Bulu Bo Windi Tenge	Sample	Known as "Cameroon's Musical Ambassador", Henri Dikongue is a superb guitarist and a quiet singer. Here is an interview.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Dibumbe	Sample	This driving song is from Dikongué's fourth album Biso Nawa, available from Calabash but apparently not yet from Amazon or other standard sources.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Douala	Sample	"Douala" is the name of Henri Dikongue's birthplace in Cameroon as well as the name of his native language. This cut from his second album "C'est La Vie" is one his few instrumentals. Here is a comprehensive biography.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Ndol'asu	Sample	This lively song differs from Henri's often quiet vocals. Here is an interview with him.
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Ndutu	Sample
Henri Dikongué	Cameroon	Wen Te Mba Wenge	Sample
Hijas del Sol	Equatorial Guinea	E ria ë nta	Sample	The "Daughters of the Sun" of Bantu heritage are from the island of Bioko off the coast of Cameroon. Here is a biography on Calabash.
Hijas del Sol	Equatorial Guinea	E sso kko	Sample
Idrissa Soumaoro	Mali	Cherie	Sample	Soumaoro is also known as Köte.
Idrissa Soumaoro	Mali	Gni Djougou	Sample	"False Friend". Here's a brief biography of Idrissa, who has developed his own unique, bluesy musical idiom over the years. Listen on eMusic.
Idrissa Soumaoro	Mali	Nostalgia	Sample	Idrissa Soumaoro has invented his own distinctive style of music, of which this cut is representative. He has been performing in Mali since the 1970s. After much success he changed his life's course completely with study in Great Britain about how to teach music to the blind. This work led to the successes in Mali of the group Amadou & Miriam. More.
Idrissa Soumaoro	Mali	Safi	Sample	From liner notes for the album Köte from which this song comes: "God is forgiveness. Safiatou who has gone far away, far from the person he loves, would certainly accept his forgiveness for all the wrongs he has committed during the trials of love. Safi is the name of a girl.
Idrissa Soumaoro	Mali	Wari	Sample	"Money".
Insingizi	Zimbabwe	Ungangidluli Jesu	Sample	The Bulawayo vocal trio Insingizi includes, coincidentally, Dumisani "Ramadu" Moyo - see cut 3 above - plus Vusa Mkhaya from earlier playlists. Here's their website. They're performing in Austria in December 2008 and in Germany during the summer of 2009. Listen.
Intl Pentecostal Choir	South Africa	Tumelo	Sample	"Tumelo": is the classic gospel song "Give Me That Old Time Religion" transcribed into Zulu. IPCC is a major South African denomination: their headquarters cathedral seats 12,000.
Iryn Namubiru	Uganda	Empisazo	Sample	Iryn and Julianna Kanyamozi rose to fame together as the duo I-Jay in the late 1990s. Now rivals, both have risen even further since they split up. Here's an excellent bio with photos of Iryn and embedded music videos. Watch and listen on YouTube. Iryn's album with this as the title song has several more fine cuts.
Iryn Namubiru	Uganda	Kuwechi	Sample
Iryn Namubiru	Uganda	Nsonyiwa	Sample	"Nsonyiwa" means "forgive me, pardon me". Watch this song on YouTube (with unusually good video and audio).
Iryn Namubiru	Uganda	Osindise Asitamye	Sample	With Qute Kaye.
Iryn Namubiru	Uganda	Yoono	Sample
Iskelu	Côte D'Ivoire, Mal	Coffee for Beans	Sample	From this purchase-and-download Audiosparx page: "A beautifully rich African melody incorporating Ngoni, djembe, percussion, guitar, kalimba, shakers, strings, and lovely textured african male vocals." This seems to be packaged New Age music in the spririt of Africa, but not actual African music.
Ismaël Isaac	Ivory Coast	Carte de Séjour	Sample	Crippled by polio as a child, Ismael Isaac was inspired to sing reggae by listening to Bob Marley and Alpha Blondy. Here's a brief biography. You can watch him on MySpace. Listen.
Ismaël Isaac	Ivory Coast	Magno Maki	Sample	From album notes on Calabash: "The polio-stricken Issiaka Diakite was 15 when Bob Marley died in 1981. This was a decisive moment for the young man. He decided, there and then, that reggae was African music.
Ismaël Lô	Sénégal	Xiif	Sample	Ismael Lô, the "Bob Dylan of Sénégal", was born in Nigeria to a Sénégalese father and Nigerian mother. He is a Sufi and a painter as well as a musician. Here is a detailed biography.
Ismaël Lô	Sénégal	Adou Calpe	Sample	Visit Ismaël on MySpace: "...strong, complex, percussion-laden mbalax songs that discuss important topics in Sénégal". His website and Wikipedia article. Pedro Almodóvar used his haunting song "Tajabone" in the film All About My Mother.
Ismaël Lô	Sénégal	Lote Lo	Sample	Here is Ismaël Lô's home page. And check out this You Tube music video.
Ismaël Lô	Sénégal	Tadieu Bone	Sample	From Spirit of Africa. Ismaël Lô is 50 years old this year. Here is a short but excellent Wikipedia article.
Ismäel Lô	Sénégal	Badara	Sample	A short biography and a discography through 2003. Listen on Calabash.
Issa Sanogo	Burkina Faso	Gbangban	Sample	Issa Sanogo apparently is in the cast of a new movie from the Ivory Coast, a comedy named Ablakon. There seems to be no other information about him on the web. This song in French appears to be about the travails of Africa. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Ivangeli Loxolo	South Africa	Zisondeze	Sample	This Zulu church choir sings that Jesus is the only route to salvation.
Jamal 2	Uganda	Anavawa	Sample
Jean Paul Samputu	Rwanda	Mana Wari Uri He	Sample	Jean Paul Samputu has been a premier Rwandan musician and performer since the early 1980s. There are many photos on his vivid website. He has performed at Lincoln Center in New York City and the Library of Congress in Washington DC. This song - "God, Where Were You?" - is from the heartfelt Testimony from Rwanda. Listen on Amazon.
Jimi Mbaye	Sénégal	Awa	Sample	Here's Jimi's MySpace profile backed with another of his fine songs. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon
Jimi Mbaye	Sénégal	Noone Yi	Sample	Guitar great Jimi Mbaye has backed Youssou N'Dor (see above) for almost 30 years. This page has a wealth of information and links, including a very detailed biography. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Jimi Mbaye	Sénégal	Yaw Jumnga	Sample
Jimmy H	Ivory Coast	Allé Soutchin	Sample
Jimmy Omonga	Congo DRC	Destin	Sample	Do not judge by appearances, learn to do our dances, only God knows our destiny. This is the title song on Jimmy (formerly Jibriel) Omonga's recent debut album. He now lives in Capetown, South Africa. Here's an excellent article on Hippo Records (Netherlands) with many photos and a link to his press kit. Watch him performing in Amsterdam in September 2008. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Jimmy Omonga	Congo DRC	Nabondela	Sample	See above for information about Jimmy Omonga. Listen.
Jive Nation	South Africa, US	Shoshaloza	Sample	"This story starts in 1985. Louis Ribeiro, Durban born Portuguese Zulu reaches the point of emigration from South Africa to England ..." Read more. Listen to a sample of this song.
Joe Nina	South Africa	Angeke Ng'phinde	Sample	Makhosini Henry Xaba, aka Joe Nina, started his professional music career at age 16. Here is an outstanding biography on Calabash.
John Amutabi Nzenze	Kenya	Walimwengu	Sample	John Nzenze was born around 1940 and has been a lifelong pioneer of African guitar music. This cut is from his album Nimlilie Nani available on eMusic and elsewhere. Here's an interesting blog entry about him and his music.
John Yalley and N'in Kyffyz	Ivory Coast	Mazi ä Youa	Sample	John Yalley Kyffyz appears to be more associated with jazz, than with pop in the "zézé" genre - but this review in French might contradict these words.
John Yalley and N'in Kyffyz	Ivory Coast	Solole	Sample
Jonah Moyo	Zimbabwe	Wenhamo Ndewe Nhamo	Sample	The title means "poverty begets poverty". A poor man is a poor man. I was born poor, so where do you expect me to find riches? If you can’t just accept love, then leave me alone. You can’t compete with the better off and demand so many things. You took me as I am, knowing I was poor. I can’t suddenly become rich. Money only changes circumstances, not the man.
Judith Babirye	Uganda	Beera Nange	Sample
Judith Babirye	Uganda	Newayo	Sample	Judith and her sister Grace Babirye are preeminent gospel singers in Uganda.
Judith Babirye	Uganda	Olimpa Engule	Sample
Judith Babirye	Uganda	Ooh Ninda	Sample
Judith Sephuma	South Africa	Le Tshephile Mang	Sample	A rising young singer originally from Limpopo province, now living in Capetown. This song calls for harmony among the peoples of South Africa: "Stop all hatred and build our nation together!"
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Diana	Sample	Beautiful Julianna, a Mutooro from Fort Portal, is the pride of the Batooro people. Here are photos and a bio on musicuganda.com, a fine new resource for Ugandan popular music.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Enkwanzi Yange	Sample	Julianna, now 27 years old, has been nominated for the Pearl of Africa music (PAM) 2008 awards for best female artist and best overall artist. See the notes above for more about her. "Enkwanzi Yange", "my beads", is a folk song from Toro in western Uganda.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Kanyimbe	Sample	Julianna is a first cousin to young King Oyo of the now-ceremonial Kingdom of Toro in western Uganda: she's a princess in real life. "Kanyimbe", from 2007, is about singing the praises of creation, remaining strong in the face of adversity, and being humble in the use of your talents. Here are a related news article and interview.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Kibaluma	Sample	See above for more about Julianna.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Mundeke Mwagale	Sample	"Mundeke" means "go away, leave me alone". Watch on YouTube - but it's a dull and muddy video, a pity given the excellence of the song.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Mwami Wendeko	Sample	Beautiful Julianna (or Juliana), Princess of Toro in western Uganda, is married to a Ugandan boxer who lives now in the US. Many of her songs are on YouTube, but not this one. Here is an excellent article on Uganda Pulse with photos and videos.
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Nabikoowa	Sample
Julianna Kanyomozi	Uganda	Tombowa	Sample	See above for more about Julianna.
Julianna Kanyomozi with Bushoke	Uganda	Usiende	Sample	See above for more about Julianna. Ruta Bushoke is a popular Tanzanian singer - here's an interview with him. The word "nakupenda" in this and other songs in this playlist means "I love you" in Swahili. Watch and listen to this song on YouTube.
Julio Zelaya	Honduras - Garifuna	Arihei Faradio	Sample
Kaïssa	Cameroon	Makala Ma Mbasi	Sample	A fine website for a fine and stirring singer: "an electric mix of character and clarity, strength and fragility, total control and unbridled joy". Beautiful, too. She's on Putamayo's Women of the World: Acoustic album. Listen to sample of this song on Amazon.
Kaïssa	Cameroon	O Si Keka	Sample
Kaïssa	Cameroon	Sangwam	Sample	Kaïssa plays often in clubs in New York City, where she has lived for the last 12 years. Her website. Here is a brief biography on CDBaby. This is a quietly powerful song - listen.
Kékélé	Congo DRC	Bebe Yaourt	Sample	Thanks for this music, Deb! "Yaourt" is yogurt, but what might "bebe yaourt" mean
Kékélé	Congo DRC	Lolita	Sample	Headline on a lengthy review on BBC: "Delicious melodies, inspired and original arrangements, faultless and non-indulgent playing, scalp-tingling voices...". And all acoustic to boot, hurray, with Cuban flavoring. As the reviewer found too, our favorites from the album are the two songs written by bandmember Loko Massengo, this song and the other one later in this playlist.
Khadja Nin	Burundi	Afrika Obota	Sample	What a voice and what drama! Pierre Akendengue of Gabon wrote this fine song, which is an ode to African unity and prosperity. The title means "Mother Africa" in the Miéne language, a Bantu dialect of Gabon.
Khadja Nin	Burundi	Kembo	Sample	Khadja of Burundi has lived much of her tumultuous life in Europe and came to music relatively late. "Khadja Nin" is the duo of Khadja with Nicolas Fiszman. Their website has an interesting biography. They appeared with Sting in New York in 1999. This song from their fourth album "YA" is sung in Kirundi, the language of Burundi, and appears to be about children ("watoto") and sorrow.
Khadja Nin	Burundi	Sambolera Mayi Son	Sample	From Spirit of Africa. This is the title song from the 1996 album by the dramatic duo of Khadja and Nicolas Fiszman. Their website is interesting and includes lyrics for all their songs. They appear to be based in Hamburg now.
Khadja Nin	Burundi	Sina Mali, Sina Deni	Sample	Khadja Nin of Burundi - a small country just south of Rwanda - dreamed as a child of becoming her country's equivalent of South Africa's famed Miriam Makeba. This song is adapted from Stevie Wonder and expresses the journey to spiritual liberation. This and other fine African music can be found at Putamayo.
Khadja Nin	Burundi	Turasa	Sample	Inspirational sounds from the Burundian-British duo Khadja and Nin (Nicolas Fiszman). Their website is unusual and rather irritating, but their music transcends it. Listen (and take note of Amazon's "also bought" list for this song as you do).
Khumbula	South Africa	Hayi Ukuhlumeza	Sample	"Khumbula" means recollection or remembrance in Zulu. This group plays riveting Afro-beat with a North African flavor. This song comes from their second album Bayakhuluma.
Khumbula	South Africa	Senzeni	Sample
Khumbula	South Africa	Yindaba Habani	Sample
Khunta & Sixko	Ivory Coast	Mère Afrique	Sample	There is almost nothing on the internet about these two young men. Khunta died in late December 2007, in Abidjan. Listen to a sample of this song.
King Sunny Adé	Nigeria	Ogidan O Ni Se Barber	Sample	King Sunny Adé (pronounced ah-DAY) is known as the "King of Juju", a musical style that originated in Nigeria in the 1930s. There is much more information here. This song is about finding your path in life, comparing people with leopards (ogidan).
King Sunny Adé	Nigeria	Suku Suku Bam Bam	Sample	King Sunny Adé (pronounced ah-DAY) is known as the "King of Juju", a musical style that originated in Nigeria in the 1930s. For more information see here. "A song in celebration of faith in God and one's destiny. ... Anyone who is swollen with envy can blow up. ... The cat has arrived, rats disappear. ... It is my faith that enabled me to climb the mountain".
Kings Messengers Quartet	South Africa	There's Room Enough	Sample	This quartet dates from the early 1950s and was extant for at least 30 years. They never become fully professional and eventually disbanded, but not before becoming very popular in South Africa. Though they got the melody and words for this song from a book of American black gospel songs, they were never directly influenced by black American musical styles. Instead, they adapted four-part harmony styles found in Anglican churches in South Africa.
Koffi Olomide	Congo DRC	Canal Plus	Sample	Olomide's career took off when he started playing in Papa Wemba's band after having spent time in France. Here is an excellent biography. His music shares roots with Congolese soukous but is slower and quieter. You can watch him on YouTube. Listen on Amazon.
Koffi Olomide	Congo DRC	Henriquet	Sample
Kofi Ackah	Ghana	Me Wo Bi	Sample	From the second in the African Guitar Summit series of CDs by African guitarists living in Canada. This song is about a wealthy and proud man who could care less if his woman turns down his marriage proposal - I have it all anyway, he thinks. The Summit's official website. Here's an excellent review of an African Guitar Summit concert in Toronto in 2006.
Koko Dembelé	Mali	N'Den Ba	Sample	The Leopard Man's biography of this worldly reggae singer is detailed but perhaps dated. Koko appears in this outstanding New York Times article about Malian music. Listen on Amazon.
Koko Dembelé	Mali	Sinibé	Sample	Koko Dembelé, with Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube, is among the preeminent reggae musicians of Africa. Listen on Amazon to a sample of this song.
Kora Jazz Trio	Sénégal	Chan-Chan	Sample	Primarily Abdoulaye Diabaté. Their website, in French only. Here's a warm review: "Mandingo tradition and the freedom of jazz". This cut is from their latest album from October 2008. Listen.
Korotoum Kamara	Sénégal?	Fourou	Sample	Listen to a sample.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo	South Africa	Township Jive	Sample	The famed Ladysmith group came to be known in the US through Paul Simon's album "Graceland". Township jive music is a quieter form of vigorous (to say the least) dancing that diamond miners would do after work. This form is called "cothoza mfana" or "tip-toe" dancing. See for instance Primarily a cappella.
Les Go De Koteba	Ivory Coast	Na m'Bara	Sample	Les Go ("The Girls") sound curiously like The Roches from the 1970s. Though based now in the Ivory Coast they are actually originally from Mali and Guinea. More information from Folk Roots.
Les Go De Koteba	Ivory Coast	Nanibali	Sample	Les Go ("The Girls") are from Mali, Guinea and Ivory Coast. Here's an engaging biography and review. You can listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Les Go De Koteba	Ivory Coast	Tessetou	Sample	From a New York Times concert review in July 1996: "Les Go de Koteba, whose three female vocalists come from Mali, Guinea and the band's home, the Ivory Coast, suggested stern Islamic music in one song, cheerful rhumba-group harmony in the next; with synchronized high kicks and arm twirls, they danced like a more athletic version of the Supremes. But their voices still had the untempered intonation of African tradition, and the guitarist, Sory Diabate, could plunk like a country-blues musician or play crisply syncopated chords while Boubacar Diabate on djembe (hand drum) supplied pinpoint barrages. The band's grooves were more forceful than anything on the group's album 'Les Go de Koteba' (Melodie import)." Listen.
Les Go De Koteba	Ivory Coast	Theba	Sample	From a 'New York Times' concert review in July 1996: "Les Go de Koteba, whose three female vocalists come from Mali, Guinea and the band's home, the Ivory Coast, suggested stern Islamic music in one song, cheerful rhumba-group harmony in the next; with synchronized high kicks and arm twirls, they danced like a more athletic version of the Supremes. But their voices still had the untempered intonation of African tradition, and the guitarist, Sory Diabate, could plunk like a country-blues musician or play crisply syncopated chords while Boubacar Diabate on djembe (hand drum) supplied pinpoint barrages. The band's grooves were more forceful than anything on the group's album 'Les Go de Koteba' (Melodie import).
Lokua Kanza	Congo DRC	Mboka	Sample	See the brief biography below There's much more at Kanza's web site if you read French and have a broadband connection.
Lokua Kanza	Congo DRC	Ste Stuff	Sample	Pascal Lokua Kanza was orphaned as a child. He taught himself guitar and studied at the Kinshasa Conservatory. After playing in groups in Zaire (now Congo DRC) and Ivory Coast he studied jazz in Paris and played with Papa Wemba among others. In 1992 he launched his solo career. He has played with Anjelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour and Geoffrey Oryema, and he has recorded with Natalie Merchant.
Louanges De Vie	Ivory Coast	Console Moi	Sample	Jober Entertainment, of places unknown, brings wonderful music to the world, including this group from the Ivory Coast who sing fine Christian gospel songs. Who are these musicians? How can we find out more? Listen to a sample.
Louanges De Vie	Ivory Coast	Yébéyiwa	Sample	Particularly bright and cheerful gospel music from a group of unknown origin. Listen.
Lucky Dube	South Africa	Crazy World	Sample	Great reggae, especially on his early albums.
Lucky Dube	South Africa	It's Not Easy	Sample	Lucky Dube grew up immersed in the Soweto sound. He turned to reggae in the mid 1980s. By 1990 he was a major international star and he remains one. His early "Captured Live" CD on Shanachie Records is especially fine. See his home page.
Lucky Dube	South Africa	Khululeka	Sample	"Khululeka" is Zulu for "to be free". From a live concert available in whole on CD.
Lulendo	Angola	Maman	Sample	Truly unique: country-western sung in falsetto French to a west African beat. And it works. Find out more about Lulendo at Calabash. Listen on Calabash.
Luyinda Wasula	Uganda	Naasira Amabujje	Sample	Here's an irresistable reggae beat from urban Kampala, sung in Luganda, Uganda's primary indigenous language. I have not yet found the meanings of the lyrics. This song is from Luyinda's album El Kibo, available at Stern's music.
Mabi Thobejane	South Africa	Sidudla	Sample	Thobejane, a drummer sometimes called the "Conga King", has played with numerous South African musical groups from the 1970s onward. Busi Mhlongo sings this song from Mabi's debut CD "Madiba", "Gift of God", which chronicles the suffering of the apartheid years. Here is an excellent photo.
Mabulu	Mozambique	Aids (But Hope)	Sample	Mabulu, a musical collective, spans African styles. From this BBC music page: "Mabulu means 'looking for a dialogue' in the local Shangana language, a reference to the way the group is composed of very different generations of musicians.
Mabulu	Mozambique	Maldeyeni	Sample
Mabulu	Mozambique	N'twananu	Sample	"Mabulu" means "looking for a dialogue" in one of Mozambique's native languages. Since 1999 the Mabulu project has brought together Mozambican musicians from a number of styles and traditions. Lead vocalists on the Mabulu songs in this list are the elder Lisboa Matavel (the "Troubadour of Mozambique") and young rap star Chiquito. This song's title means "understanding", which is also the song's subject: "How you were suffering, my Mozambique, without a dialogue among your children". For more about Mabulu, see this page.
Mabulu	Mozambique	Ngole Ngole	Sample	Notes on the earlier Mabulu song in this list has information about the group. This song, "Lonely", says "Sitting on the corner / Asking for bread / All the passersby are looking / For distance".
Mad Ice	Uganda, Finland	Nionyeshe Njia	Sample	The title is Luganda for "show me the way". His web site, with biography and discography. Listen.
Madala Kunene	South Africa	Ulimmat	Sample	This simple, striking melody starts off the Kasiisi Project's introductory video on YouTube. Listen.
Madilu System	Congo	Bruno Dika	Sample	The renowned Madilu System, born Jean Bialu Madilu Makese, contemporary of Franco and Tabu Ley, also known as Ramses II and as the Grand Ninja, died in August 2007. Here is his web site, now maintained in memoriam. Listen to part of this song on Amazon.
Madoxx	Uganda	Kampala	Sample	Madoxx, born David Ssemanda Ssematimba, now lives in Goteborg in southwestern Sweden. This and other songs from his album Abato are relaxing, swaying reggae classics. His very informative website.
Maezah	Togo, Cameroo	Boussum Bella	Sample	This trio of women come from Cameroon/Togo, France, and the island Antilles in the West Indies. Their sound is similar to Zap Mama: truly of the world yet distinctively West African. More.
Maezah	Togo, Cameroo	O Wassa Wei	Sample	This trio of women come from Cameroon/Togo, France, and the island Antilles in the West Indies. Their sound is similar to Zap Mama: truly of the world yet distinctively West African. More information.
Mahlathini and Makgona	South Africa	Emthonjeni Womculo	Sample	Mahlathini is affectionately known as "the groaner" and his backup singers as "the grannies". They have been stars in South Africa since the 1960s. The song title means "The Stream of Music": "We are at the source of music ... Everyone knows that where the water has been it will be again." An example of the South African mbaqanga style. This track is from the 1987 Shanachie album "The Indestructible Beat of Soweto", the album that reputedly inspired Paul Simon to search out Ladysmith Black Mambazo (see track 1 above).
Mahotella Queens	South Africa	Dlhaya Mhunu	Sample	The Mahotella Queens, now grandmothers, were among the inventors of South Africa's gospel-traditional mbaqanga sound in the 1960s. Watch some up-close recording studio footage from 1974. Here's a review of the album from which this catchy song comes: "... sheer joy disguised as music." Listen to a sample of this song.
Malula Manesi Baba	Congo DRC	Tonga Ndako	Sample	Listen.
Mama Sissoko	Mali	Hommage á K	Sample	Mr. Mama Sissoko is a former session guitar player whose music could be characterized as African salsa. Calabash says, "Latin exuberance and the melancholy of griots". Here is a review on RootsWorld.
Mamadou Diabaté	Mali	Sara	Sample	Mamadou Diabate is a master of the kora, or west African harp. He is touring the US in late 2007. Concert dates and much more can be found on his home page.
Mamadou Diabaté	Mali	Tunga	Sample	Kora player Mamadou's website. Now 33 and based in New York City, he's performing in Africa this year and in Tamworth NH and Chapel Hill NC in early April 2009. Listen to a sample.
Mamany Keita	Mali	Gnima Diala	Sample	Frank Bessem mentions Mamany in this entry on Djelimady Tounkara. Listen to a sample.
Mamay Worku	Ethiopia, U	Ene Genn	Sample	Mamay lives in Denver now and has lived in Seattle in the past. She's apparently very active in helping her community wherever she is. Her music is compelling. Listen to a sample.
Mamelang	South Africa	Isikhathi	Sample	"Isikhathi" is Zulu for "time". This mixed vocal group from South Africa includes two British instrumentalists. From the liner notes to their album 'Zulu Heartbeat' from which this song comes: "The voices of the Zulu people are calling to you. Songs of life and a new future uplift the spirits with the power and light of a new African dawn. With lyrics sung in the language of the homelands by some of it's leading vocalists and music by respected composer and musician Simon Zagorski-Thomas, together they create a heartbeat for a new Africa. The music they make carries more than a Zulu Heartbeat, if we listen; it carries a universal message of hope for us all.
Mamelang	South Africa	Mamelang	Sample	Mamelang, a mixed heritage group from the Transvaal, sing in the Zulu tradition. The group's name means "listen" in Zulu but it also has the meaning "group". See a review of the album "Zulu Heartbeat".
Manecas Costa	Guinea-Bissau	Ermons Di Terra	Sample	Manecas Costa of the tiny west African country of Guinea-Bissau has focused his formidable musical talents on traditional rhythms and sounds of his country. This song is representative of his energetic and melodic style.
Manecas Costa	Guinea-Bissau	Fundo di Matu	Sample	Guinea-Bissau is a tiny country in far western Africa between Sénégal to the north and Guinea to the south. Manecas Costa has been playing for audiences since he was under 10 years old. This song, "Deep in the Forest", is sung in a creole mixture with Portuguese. It is about longing, both for a love and for his country: "Bissau is sleeping but doesn't know it." From Putamayo.
Manecas Costa	Guinea-Bissau	Meninos	Sample	Costa, a master of the gumbe style of Creole music, divides his time between Africa and Portugal. Here is an excellent biography.
Manecas Costa	Guinea-Bissau	Pertu Di Bo	Sample	The song title means "close to you". See above for more about Costa
Manu Dibango	Mali	Mulema Etoum	Sample	Manu Dibango is 75 years old, though you probably wouldn't guess that from his voice. Here's a Wikipedia article. Listen.
Manu Dibango with Baaba Maal	Cameroon	Soma Loba	Sample	Manu Dibango, now in his mid-70s, is a UNESCO Artist for Peace. Read more about him starting on Wikipedia. Baaba Maal sings on this rousing live recording. Listen on Amazon.
Mapumba	Congo DRC, South Afric	Cest La Vie	Sample	Mapumba - smooth, almost a Brazilian sound - is featured on the new Putamayo World Music African Party CD. Here is his website. Listen to a sample of this song.
Maroka Baptist Choir	South Africa	Hlanzi Ndela	Sample	"Cleanse Your Ways." "Maroka" means "singers of praise". Songs by Maroka in this playlist are all from the African Cream album Gospel from Mother Africa. Featured is the voice of rising jazz singer and composer Tumelo Moloi from Soweto, who has performed with Mirian Makeba and Hugh Masakela. She will sing at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in December 2007 (more). The album is packed with unusually beautiful and moving original songs in Swahili, Lingala and Zulu, all arranged inventively with sparkle and depth. Brilliant, a gem. The prelude title means "Word of the Beginning".
Maroka Baptist Choir	South Africa	Nkosi Sikelele Afrika	Sample	"God Bless Africa", composed by Enoch Santonga (or Sontonga) in the late 1800s, is the national anthem of Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. A detailed history of the song is here. Mazibuko of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, quoted here, says, "Every time we sing it, there is something it does in our spirits. We believe it even shakes our ancestors where they are resting. This is a song that's a prayer when you listen to the lyrics, but the tune and the way it was sung from the beginning gave people so much power".
Maroka Baptist Choir	South Africa	Somlandela	Sample	"We Will Follow", a traditional song. What an opening this rendition has!
Maroka Baptist Choir	South Africa	Ujesu Uyeza	Sample	"Jesus is Coming", composed by Tumelo Moloi, Gcobani Mangina and Andre Arendse.
Massukos	Mozambique	Pangira (Unplugged)	Sample	Founded and led by Feliciano dos Santos, this group from the impovershed northern part of Mozambique plays in villages throughout the country to deliver social messages about AIDS prevention, clean water, and other life-critical matters. Here is a very detailed biography on Calabash.
Mbilia Bel	Kenya, Congo DR	Belissimo	Sample	Mbilia Bel is a legend of the lively soukous music that came out of Congo DRC in the 50s and spread to East Africa. She was associated for many years with Tabu Ley Rochereau starting the the early 80s. A fine biography.
Meiway	Ivory Coast	Hoye Mi Yani	Sample	Biography. Listen to a sample.
Memeza Africa	South Africa	Ngiyeza	Sample	"Memeza Africa" means "Shout Out Africa!". Here is this Soweto group's website. Read more about them and listen to a sample of this song on Afrodesia MP3.
Mesach Semakula	Uganda	Kankutedereze	Sample	Mesach Semakula, like Cathy Kusasira and Geoffrey Lutaaya, is part of Eagles Production; see the notes above. Here's a photo of Mesach with some of the other Eagles.
Mesach Semakula	Uganda	Onsuulirira Nyo	Sample
Mesach Semakula	Uganda	Sigwe Ansiimira	Sample
Mhlanga & Van der Westen	South Africa	Kufamba	Sample	Louis Mhlanga was born and raised in Zimbabwe of South African parents. Musicians in South Africe persuaded him to return to his ancestral land, where he has flourished. Here is an interesting interview with him. Mhalanga's website. Listen on Amazon.
Micheal Ross	Uganda	Yooyo	Sample	There's not much about this singer on the Internet. This song was nominated for best R&B single in Uganda in 2007 but lost to the group Blu*3 (see below). Watch and listen on YouTube.
Micka	Ivory Coast	Bapasségué	Sample	Watch beautiful Micka sing on YouTube. Listen.
Mimi	Sénégal	Ibara	Sample
Miriam Makeba	South Africa	Beware Verwoerd	Sample	Also from Amandla! (see above under Vusi). The renowned Makeba warns Hendrick Verwoerd, former prime minister and architect of apartheid, that resistance will emerge and never end. A classic song from the period.
Miriam Makeba	South Africa	Congo	Sample	Miriam Makeba is in her 70s now (January 2006) and close to retirement after a long and honored international career. In this song a child has drowned in the Congo River. The mother laments as the villagers listen.
Miriam Makeba	South Africa	Nongqongqo	Sample	Miriam Makeba has been internationally renowned since the early 1960s. Her tracks in this playlist were mostly recorded live in that early period. This song title means "dedicated to those whom we love".
Miriam Makeba	South Africa	Olilili	Sample	A lovely song, but its meaning remains a mystery.
Miriam Makeba	South Africa	Suliram	Sample	An Indonesian lullaby.
Miriam Ndagire	Uganda	Mukwano Beera Nange	Sample	Gospel.
Moussa Diallo	Mali	Ayé Wouly	Sample	Diallo's fine website. In August 2008 he released two new mostly acoustic albums. He appears to be based in Denmark now. He's written a children's book, Once Upon a Time in Mali, viewable online with accompanying readings and songs. Here's a recent live performance of another song, "Maninda". Listen to a sample of "Ayé Wouly".
Moussa Diallo	Mali	Kanata Kanto	Sample	Bassist Diallo's fine website, with a very detailed and interesting biography. He's based in Copenhagen now and has recently put much work into African music for children. Here's a video on YouTube of him playing live in Zanzibar and being interviewed. Listen.
Moussa Diallo	Mali	Koulékan	Sample	See above for information about Moussa Diallo. Listen to a sample of this song.
Moussa Diallo	Mali, Denmar	Yeelen	Sample	Bassist Diallo's extensive website has a very detailed and interesting biography. There are numerous photos here from a live concert in Copenhagen in 2004. "Yeelen" means "brightness". Listen.
MPassi & Chèbli	Congo DRC, Comoros Islands	Mungu	Sample	See their very nice rumba, "Bahati" ("luck" in Swahili), on YouTube. This cheerful song - the name means "God" - is from their 2007 album Jua (sun). Listen on Amazon
MPassi & Chèbli	Congo DRC, Comoros Islands	Malaika	Sample	"Malaika" means "angel" in Swahili.
Muriel Mwamba	Zambia	Mayo Mpapa	Sample	A lullaby with Zambian rhythms called Kalindula and lyrics in Icibemba and English. "Mother, please carry me. It is not good to be alone. I will carry you someday in the future."
N'Gou Bagayoko	Mali	Kulu	Sample	N'Gou Bagayoko is in his late 50s. He plays acoustic blues on the guitar and the n'goni, a lute-like instrument with eight strings on a calabash. His daughter Ramata Doussou sings this quiet song. He was once a primary school teacher.
Nakaaya	Tanzania	Nyimbo Za Uhuru	Sample	Nakaaya's website and MySpace page. She was born within sight of Mount Kilimanjaro. Listen to a sample of this song about freedom (uhuru).
Nalu	Zambia	Mwana Mfumu	Sample	Nalu is "Zambia's True Love songbird", as stated on this Calabash page.
Natacha Atlas	Belgium, Morocco	Yariet	Sample	Haunting music from a self-labeled "human Gaza Strip", referring to her very mixed ancestry. The Wikipedia article is a trove. Listen to a sample on Amazon.
Nawal	Comoros Islands	Hegne	Sample	Nawal's voice is haunting. Here is her spare but informative website, very much worth a visit. In 2008 she's apparently performing only in France, Norway and the Netherlands. Last summer she was at Ryles in Cambridge MA and many other venues across the United States. Listen to part of this song on Amazon.
Nawal	Comoros Islands	Karibu	Sample	"Karibu" means "welcome". The Voice of Comoros is on MySpace and has her own website. From a New York Times review: "...her music is a personal fusion that draws on the repetitive power of Sufi chants, along with modal acoustic vamps that can sound both African and Arabic ... she can be hypnotic." Listen.
Netsayi	Zimbabwe	Kwazwai	Sample	This powerful song is from Netsayi's debut album Chimurenga Soul. "Chimurenga" means "liberation struggle" in the Shona language. BBC quotes her: "'Aside from my songs being about all the pressures people are faced with in life, it’s also a chance for me to explore the stereotypes about music, genre and people’s concepts of culture. We are all influenced by things beyond our immediate context. There are no neat boxes." Listen on Amazon.
Ngatu	Namibia	Telela	Sample	Lively and bright on the edge of reggae! Here are a testimonial from a German friend of Ngatu's in Namibia and a Wikipedia article about Namibian music.
Nino Galissa	Guinée Bissau	Dunia	Sample	From the official website: "The songs [on album Mindjer] refer to endless current situations and relationships which deal with the world we life in. The themes aim at highlighting the importance of women in any given society, as well as the problems that women still have to face despite the passing of generations: for being mother and daughter, for talking and remaining silent, for laughing and crying, for being spiritual and practical, for being beautiful, for being enigmatic, for being... a woman."
Nino Galissa	Guinée Bissau	N'Kano	Sample	From wambara.com, "Nino Galissa is an authentic griot mandinga from Guinée Bissau. He is a kora player and a descendant of a griot family. He write his own compositions in a clear, bright style, exploring all the technical possibilities and the tradition's melodic beauty that preserve the magic and the emotion in the music of the mandinga tribe." His home page seems to be in Portuguese only.
Nipa	Ghana	Oba Desenfo	Sample	From the album "Ghana a Capella" available on Amazon and elsewhere, and featured on this Calabash page.
Nomad	Congo DRC, German	Amani	Sample	The title appears to mean, or to refer to, a struggling peace process in Congo. Listen.
Nomad	Congo DRC, German	Limbisa	Sample	Great voice, great album cover.dsf Listen to a sample.
Nomad	Congo DRC, German	Nini Te	Sample	Listen.
Ntomb'khona Dlamini	South Africa	Thula Thula	Sample	Ntomb'khona Dlamini is from Durban in South Africa. She has appeared in New York City in "Serafina" and "The Lion King", and she has performed for Presidents Carter and Clinton. This lullaby has been recorded many times by many superb singers including Sibongele Khumalo. It is simple: Child, don’t cry, don’t cry, your mother is coming soon, led by a star in the sky.
Ntsakala	Congo DRC	Mbote	Sample	An "ntsakala" is a maraca-like rhythm instrument from the Congo, made of a tin can punched with holes and filled with seeds. This Congolese-Swiss duo performs folk music characteristic of southern Congo.
Ntsakala	Congo DRC	Nkumbu	Sample	An "ntsakala" is a maraca-like rhythm instrument from the Congo, made of a tin can punched with holes and filled with seeds. This Congolese-Swiss duo performs folk music characteristic of southern Congo
Ntsakala	Congo DRC	Nzari	Sample	An "ntsakala" is a maraca-like rhythm instrument from the Congo, made of a tin can punched with holes and filled with seeds. This Congolese-Swiss duo performs folk music characteristic of southern Congo.
Obsessions	Uganda	Jangu	Sample	Irresistible pop music. Watch and listen on YouTube. From a YouTube comment: "...Jangu means 'come/move over'. It's basically Dance Hall. They are imploring you to join them on the dance floor for a frenzy. They are praising God for the art and skill of music and dance while loathing the devil for being envious about their talent. Pretty much like 'Saturday Night Fever.'" You might remember from Lion King that "hakuna matata" means "no problem!" - and in Rutooro that would be "tikina kizibu". There's a photo of the Obsessions and chatty news about them in this article.
Obsessions	Uganda	Wekuume	Sample	Read about the Obsessions, or watch the scantily clad Brenda, Hellen, Sharon, Cleo and Jackie sing this 2006 album title song.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Dzidziso	Sample	Oliver Mtukudzi is known and loved in his native Zimbabwe as "Tuku". He has sung with Bonnie Raitt, who featured his song "Help me Lord" on one of her CDs from the 1990s. In this song Tuku says, "God, my dear Lord, teach me to say the simple words, 'Thank you, I am grateful,' all day and all night, day in and day out."
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Hazvireve	Sample	In this song a father is talking to his child whom he has never met. He and the child's mother were barely more than children and had parted ways when he heard that she was pregnant. Though they have seen each other since, the mother will not tell him where the child is. The father loves the child and deeply wants to express that love across the chasm between them.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Kuropodza	Sample	What more can possibly be said about Oliver Mtukudzi? When he plays in the Boston area, many if not most in the audience fill the aisles, dancing with abandon, sometimes seemingly to the bemusement of the musicians on stage, whose dancing and playing overflow with grace, power and humor. See Oliver if you can. This song exhorts people to listen carefully and learn fully before they speak.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Mai Varamba	Sample	A mother tries to keep her son back from throwing himself into the cruel world, but he has to in order to become a man and to provide for a family.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Mbiri Hurimbo	Sample	Recorded at Oliver's arts center in Zimbabwe, Pakara Payake, this song is from his fine album Tsimba Itsoka ("footprint"). The album is about one's presence on the planet. This song's title means, "Fame is sticky". From concert notes: "A poignant ballad that peers into the bright and dark sides of fame and celebrity. Fame is not something you're born with. It's something that comes to you and sticks to you. It's not you. It's what you do, or the result of what you do. When you're famous, your footprint becomes bigger than your foot. Maybe too big. It becomes easier for people to follow it, even if it's not the best footprint to follow."
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Ndima Ndapedza	Sample	In this song a Shona farmer exhorts his community to cultivate their fields as well as he has - and as well as Tuku has his.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Ndine Mubvunzo	Sample
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Raki	Sample	This song is about "some people who are survivors because they believe they are lucky." But there is actually a force outside them, watching over them. Tuku's call to people to espect and appreciate God.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Rirongere	Sample	A compendium of Shona proverbs that say in sum, plan, plan for tomorrow.
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Totutuma	Sample	"We celebrate."
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Ungamugone	Sample	"You cannot satisfy a person."
Oliver Mtukudzi	Zimbabwe	Wongororo	Sample	"Take time to think ... take it easy on the drums, my girl, the night is still young ... it is wise to be steady."
Omar Pene	Sénégal	Tane	Sample	Cross-cultural blues and mbalax from Dakar. You can get his music from Calabash, which has an interesting biography
Omega Bugembe Okello	Uganda	You Said	Sample	Omega's website is extensive and unusual, with a detailed biography. She's based in San Francisco now. Here is YouTube video of Omega talking about her life, her music, Uganda, and the power of music to bring diverse people together. Listen to a sample of "You Said".
Orchestra Makassy	Tanzania	Nakolela Cherie	Sample	Like Tabu Ley, Makassy has roots in Congo DRC (formerly Zaire). In this song a man pleads for his wife to come back and take care of their children.
Original Zengela Band	Kenya	Na Kua Na Numewango	Sample	From Mombasa on the Kenyan coast, the seven musicians in this band make their own traditional instruments. Their dance music derives from centuries-old Kenyan styles. Their music is (or was) hard to find online.
Original Zengela Band	Kenya	Sakina	Sample
Original Zengela Band	Kenya	Sophie	Sample
Original Zengela Band	Kenya	Usimcheke Kilema	Sample
Oumou Dioubaté	Guinea	Ma We	Sample	The Leopard Man's biography of this rebellious and controversial singer. Listen.
Oumou Dioubaté	Guinea	Rokiya	Sample	Oumou is said to be an exceptionally worldly, outspoken and independent person. She lives with her young daughter in Conakry, Guinea's capital. Here's an excellent biography. A televised performance viewable on YouTube. Listen.
Ouza	Sénégal	Thiey Sana Boton	Sample	Ousmane Diallo - Ouza - is in his early 60s. He's the father of the eminent Sénégalese musician Cheikh Lo. Here's a brief biography with a photo. Watch another Ouza song on YouTube, or listen on Amazon to this one.
Pa Joe	Ghana	Apotrobodwe	Sample	Pa Joe is a member of Canada's African Guitar Summit group from Canada. See the notes above for cut #1.
Pa Joe	Ghana	Nyame Somafo	Sample	Pa Joe is one of a group of African musicians who call themselves the African Guitar Summit (Adam Solomon, track 6, is too). This song relates to Jonah: Come quickly, open the Bible, teach us so that we may be happy.
Pa Joe	Ghana	Obaa Ya Ewa	Sample	Also with the African Guitar Summit. Young woman, your roaming is not good for you. Come home, come home to me.
Papa Noel	Congo DRC	Molimo	Sample
Papa Wemba	Congo DRC	Awa Y'okeyi	Sample
Papa Wemba	Congo DRC	Esclave	Sample
Papa Wemba	Congo DRC	Rail On	Sample	Like Youssou N'Dor, Papa Wemba is a giant of African and world music, though of an earlier generation that included Tabu Ley Rochereau and Franco. He is said to be a magnificent dresser in his very own style, a mix of Africa, France and New York City. The Wikipedia article will lead you to everything you'd want to know about him. Listen on Amazon.
Pastor Wilson Bugembe	Uganda	Kani	Sample	Gospel.
Pastor Wilson Bugembe	Uganda	Komawo Eka	Sample
Pastor Wilson Bugembe	Uganda	Walibade Mufu	Sample
Phinda	South Africa	Joilinkomo	Sample	Listen.
Phinda	South Africa	Ndiyo Yida	Sample	Listen to a sample of this song.
Phinda	South Africa	Tiki Tiki	Sample	A warm exceptional voice. "Phinda" is a large, private game reserve in South Africa. The singer Phinda Matlala is hard to find online. Here's a general article about South African women singers. Phinda starred in "The Lion King" in Toronto for two years. Listen.
Phinda	South Africa	Umzamo	Sample
Pierre Akendengué	Gabon	Evo	Sample	Pierre Akendengué was born in the 1940s. He has his PhD in psychology from a French university. He sings in his native Gabonian language Myéné. Detailed biography.
Prince Zeka	Congo DRC	Ukijua	Sample	Prince Zeka lives in France and Austria. His band's name is Dunia Moja, "one world" in Swahili. Here's his website. This quiet song of love lost speaks of flowers on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Listen.
Qute Kaye	Uganda	Ginkese	Sample	Like Julianna and Iryn, Qute started out in karaoke in Kampala. Here's an interview with him. This superficially cheerful song is about infidelity and betrayal. Watch and listen on YouTube.
Rachel Magoola	Uganda	Akasajja	Sample	After many years with the famous Afrigo Band of Uganda, Rachel Magoola struck out on a solo career in dance music, of which this cut is representative. Here are the Leopard Man's notes about her.
Rachel Magoola	Uganda	Akatabo	Sample	The title means "books" in Luganda. Listen.
Rachel Magoola	Uganda	Ekizino	Sample
Rachel Magoola	Uganda	Endagaano - Reprise	Sample	According to her website, Rachel Magoola was a primary school teacher before singing with the Afrigo Band and then going on to her career as a leading gospel singer in Uganda. (This playlist coincidentally has several gospel songs - maybe that's because they're attractive and upbeat.) Listen to a sample.
Rachel Magoola	Uganda	Gwendayira	Sample	Formerly the lead singer of the legendary Ugandan group The Afrigo Band, Rachel Magoola now sings solo. For years she taught music at a primary teachers' school in Kaliro, east of the capital Kampala, near the city of Jinja and the source of the Nile River. Here is her page on Calabash
Rafiqi	Namibia, Kenya	P I Z (Everybody Is Invited)	Sample
Rajery	Madagascar	Ny Fitiavako	Sample	Sounds almost like Turlough O'Carolan. Watch valiha (tubular harp) virtuoso Germain Randrianrisoa - Rajery - perform live in a YouTube video with Ballaké Sissoko on kora and Driss El Maloumi on oudh. Calabash has an excellent biography with the chilling story of how Rajery lost his right hand as a child. Listen.
Rajery	Madagascar	Vavaka	Sample	Here's a detailed biography of Germain Randrianrisoa - Rajery - on Calabash. Watch an intricate live solo clip from a different song. Listen to a sample of this song.
Rajery	Madagascar	Vonjeo	Sample	Here's an excellent review on Afropop of the album from which this a capella piece comes, Fanamby ('challenge'): "some of the sweetest, most polished music to be heard from this island [Madagascar] famed for sweet and polished music". This song is "a prayer from an artist to his God". Listen to a sample.
Ras Sheehama	Namibia	Shohela Oshaile Shaya	Sample	Ras Sheehama publishes some of his music online at African Cream, which is based in Johannesburg. This quiet and happy song is from the album A Handful of Namibians.
Ras Sheehama	Namibia	Shohela Oshaile Shaya	Sample	Ras Sheehama is a wide-ranging Rastafarian and equally wide-ranging musician. He's lived and performed in Angola, Nigeria and Switzerland among other places. Here is his official website.
Rasha	Sudan	Aquis Mahasnik Biman	Sample	Here is Rasha's artist page. From this page: "Her fabulous debut 'Sudaniyat' took the singer and songwriter Rasha (from Sudan) right to the center of attention throughout the scene: Not only did the album march right up to the top positions of the European World Music Charts; subsequently her songs were much wanted for world- music-compilations everywhere in the world ... Rasha's music melds elements of arabian-african and afro-cuban origin with influences from Jazz, Soul, Funk, Blues and Reggae.
Ray Lema	Congo DRC	N'Zola	Sample	A highly introspective international musician. Here is a very extensive and interesting biography.
Richard Bona	Cameroon	Dipama	Sample	See above for information about Richard Bona. Listen to a sample of this song. Watch Bobby McFerrin improvise with him on YouTube.
Richard Bona	Cameroon	Kivu	Sample	The renowned bassist and vocalist Richard Bona,"The African Sting", has played with Bob James, Harry Belafonte and many other jazz and popular greats. Here are photos, biographical information, an interview, and discography. Wikipedia article. The Kivu region in eastern Congo on the Rwandan and Ugandan borders is the scene of rebel fighting and much suffering in late 2008, especially in the city of Goma on Lake Kivu. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Robson Banda	Zimbabwe	Masvingo Netara	Sample	An unfaithful man uses the excuse of visiting his grandparents to cover his seeking of pleasures with other women. His wife discovers his secret and can’t condone it. She threatens to leave him and return to Manvingo from where she came originally. "You must confess infidelity to the woman to prevent sickness in the child. If you are too ashamed to confess, don’t do it in the first place."
Rokia Traoré	Mali	Kele Mandi	Sample	Rokia Traoré; is sometimes compared in Mali to Tracy Chapman of the US. This song, in the Bambara language of Mali, is about personal growth by accepting and absorbing the essence of another person, which opens us up to giving equally of our own essence.
Rokia Traoré	Mali	M'Bifo	Sample	"Thank you, my love, for being at my side no matter what. ... Now I am strong."
Rokia Traoré	Mali	Wanita	Sample	Her web site. Watch the riveting 'Mbifo' on YouTube. Listen.
Ronald Mayinja	Uganda	Africa	Sample	Mayinja was one of the four founding members of Eagles Production; see the notes under Geoffrey Lutaaya. The "wild, wandering" Mayinja apparently loves to mingle with the crowd when he performs.
Ronald Mayinja	Uganda	Jangu	Sample
Ronald Mayinja	Uganda	Valentine	Sample
Rossy	Madagascar	Midona	Sample	As a child, Rossy - Paul Bert Rahasimanana - learned music on the accordion, which unnaccountably is a very popular instrument in Madagascar. Here is a profile. This piece is from the soundtrack to a PBS special about Madagascar's plant and animal life.
Rossy	Madagascar	Sira Sira	Sample
Rukiza Okera	Guyana, UK, Tanzania	Hunitaki Tena	Sample	"Born in Guyana, lives in London, and sings in Kiswahili." More info on CD Baby. As a child in Guyana he was inspired to learn classical guitar by seeing Andres Segovia. He has traveled to Suriname, Brazil, California, Tanzania, the Netherlands, and now the UK. Listen. Listen.
Rukiza Okera	Guyana, UK, Tanzania	Mwalimu	Sample
Rukiza Okera	Guyana, UK, Tanzania	Vatu Vikuukuu	Sample
S. E. Rogie	Sierra Leone	Kpindigbee	Sample	"Morning Noon And Night." Rogie - also known as Souleman Rowgie - was popular across West Africa in the 1960s and 70s. He lived in California for 16 years in the 70s and 80s, and died soon after releasing the album from which this charming, country-flavored song comes. Listen. More information.
Salem Tradition	Réunion Island	Kadjembawe	Sample	Listen to a sample.
Salif Keita	Mali	Moussolou	Sample	Albino and a descendent of Malian royalty, Salif Keita is approaching sixty years of age. Here is his website in French. Listen on Amazon.
Salif Keita	Mali	Sada	Sample
Sam Mangwana	Congo	Londende	Sample	Sam Mangwana is one of the inventors of soukous (pronounced "soo-koo") music, similar in basic style to Caribbean rumba but more energetic. He strives for "an Africa without guns, where democracy will not be submitted to the rise and fall of the dollar". This quote is from The Leopard Man's African Music Guide, which has more information about him and about some 90 other African musicians.
Sam Mangwana	Congo	Reveille-toi Afrique	Sample	A wake up call for Africa.
Samite	Uganda	Agalilala	Sample	Samite (pronounced "sah-mee-tay") is a flutist and songwriter originally from Kampala, capital of Uganda, more recently living in Ithaca NY. This traditional Ugandan song inspires peace and happiness.
Samite	Uganda	Mwatu	Sample	About wooing a woman by promising to provide for her - be it meat she wants, or only vegetables and tofu.
Samite	Uganda	Ndere	Sample	A love charm.
Samite	Uganda	Tunula Eno	Sample	Based on a traditional Ugandan song, this is Samite's tribute to his deceased wife: for each bird in this world is another that loves it.
Samite	Uganda	Wansuta	Sample	Samite’s wife died several years ago. This song addresses her, speaking of the care she bestowed on him in years past. He promises to rejoin her soon.
Samite	Uganda	Wasuze Otya	Sample	The song title means "good morning!" in Luganda, the most-spoken Bantu language of Uganda.
Sayon Camara	Guinea	Yayanko	Sample
Sénégal Acoustic	Sénégal	Mamé	Sample	Acoustic guitar blues downloadable from Calabash. Here is their website.
Seydu	Sierra Leone	Rice Harvest	Sample	Seydu now lives and works in Europe. He was formerly with the reggae group Bambara. Here is a brief biography.
Seyi (Mr Jeje)	Nigeria	Moni Jesu	Sample	A highly unusual and rhythmically complex hymn: "God is good". Here is the artist's website.
Sharon van Rool, Papa Wemba	Namibia, Congo DRC	Mina Kupenda	Sample	This cut is from the album A Hand Full of Namibians available online at African Cream. Sharon van Rool is one of the young artists featured on the album. Papa Wemba of Congo DRC is a legend in African popular music; here is a biography.
Sibongile Khumalo	South Africa	Mayihlome	Sample	Sibongile Kumalo, a golden voice of South Africa along with Vusi Mahlasela, starred in the first ever Zulu opera, "Princess Magogo", which premiered in Amsterdam in May 2006. This song is about the need to work together, collectively, to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS.
Sibongile Khumalo	South Africa	Thula Mama	Sample	A lullaby: Don't cry, baby, your mother is coming home soon.
Sim Redmond Band	United States	Tangisa	Sample	Sim Redmond is a local band based in Ithaca, NY. Here's their website. This brief tune illustrates their African bent. Listen. From a related MySpace page: "Their infectious blend of African-influenced reggae-tinged roots rock combined with beautifully sung lyrics full of hope, love and lessons learned give the band a deeply honest, positive sound."
Simentera	Cape Verde Islands	Oxi Não	Sample	Touré Kunda sings the male half of this duet. Rootsworld wrote, "What makes [Simentera] so endearing is its blend of solid songwriting, musical competence and sincerity. This third element, sincerity, is possibly the most elusive, yet telling criteria. Rather than abandon their roots (they all live and work at different jobs on Cape Verde), they re-explore and re-define them, coming up with a sound that reflects the love they have for their culture and their hope for its future. This is all captured here." There's more about the group at Calabash.
Simon Nwambeden	Cameroon	Ndeh Be Nkeh	Sample	From this Calabash Music page: "Simon Nwambeben was born in 1976, in Bafia, a town situated 120 km from Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroun. ... His songs, in Bafia and in French, reflect his desire for peace. tolerance and his love of life.
So Kalmery	Congo DRC	Isfet	Sample	Guitarist So Kalmery was born in the near Lake Kivu in the eastern region of Zaire, now Congo DRC. He has traveled and studied throughout Africa and played extensively in Kenya, Burundi, Zambia and Zaire. His music melds traditions from all over the world, from the Australian didgeridoo to ancient Egyptian brakka rhythms to western riffs. This song is in Swahili. The Egyptian word "isfet" means disorder or chaos, the opposite of "maat".
So Kalmery	Congo DRC	Mackia	Sample
So Kalmery	Congo DRC, Egyp	Mahaba	Sample
Sophia Nantongo	Uganda	Wansumulula	Sample
Souad Massi	Algeria	Dar Dgedi	Sample	"Dar dgedi" means "my grandfather's house": "Far out of sight in the middle of the trees, once it seemed like a palace to me ... I live alone at the end of the world." Her site.
Souad Massi	Algeria	Le Bien et Le Mal	Sample	Beautiful Souad's website seems to be in French only. She has an upcoming US tour for which the dates have not yet been set. A biography.
Souad Massi	Algeria	Malou	Sample	"Malou" means "why is my heart sad?": "... why are these tears on my cheek? ... I didn't notice the passing time, I closed my eyes and I opened them, and time went by, yet my heart became tender...". Her reviews on Amazon are nearly all raves, and for good reason.
Souad Massi	Algeria	Matebkiche	Sample	"Matebkiche" means "Don't cry". Beautiful Souad's website seems to be in French only. A biography.
Souad Massi	Algeria	Raoui	Sample	Souad began as a hard-rock singer often of anti-governmental themes. She has come back to acoustic but remains socially conscious. This song ("Storyteller") asks for a recounting of legends of old, of life before the terrible realities of today's war-torn world.
Soweto	South Africa	Interlude	Sample	Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon
Steve Kekana	South Africa	Ngayivuye	Sample	Steve Kekana, now 50 years old, lost his sight at an eary age, but that has not stopped him from becoming a lawyer and a renowned pop and gospel musician in South Africa. Here's a biography. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Stewart Sukuma	Mozambique	Hi Ta Kina Marrabenta	Sample	As noted on this informative CD Baby page, Stewart Sukuma was the first Mozambican to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He now lives in South Africa. Watch him perform live (optionally in high quality) on this YouTube video. Listen to a sample of this song.
Suzanna Owiyo	Kenya	Wachna	Sample
Sylver Kyagulanyi	Uganda	Olunaku Luno	Sample
Sylver Kyagulanyi	Uganda	Olunaku Lwembaga	Sample
Sylver Kyagulanyi	Uganda	Tondeka Mukama	Sample	"Tondeka Mukama" means "Don't leave me, my Lord". Watch this gospel song on YouTube.
Tabu Ley Rochereau	Congo, Kenya	Muzina	Sample	From a founder and master of pan-African pop, a prayer in the name of the Father (Tata), the Son (Mwana), and the Holy Spirit (Mpeve Santu).
Tabu Ley Rochereau	Congo DRC, Kenya	Nairobi	Sample	"Harambe", "together" in Swahili, refers to Jomo Kenyatta's program in the 1970s and 80s to foster mutual work and progress. The response "Nyayo" means footsteps, as in "we will follow in your footsteps to continue our work together".
Tabu Ley Rochereau	Congo DRC, Kenya	Sala Noki Pascal	Sample	"Get a move on, Pascal!" What Tabu's fiancée Georgina told him in 1961. They married soon after. The familiar Caribbean rhythm comes originally from Africa, of course.
Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabaté	USA, Mali	Honey Bee	Sample	A blog review of this song and its album. Listen to a sample.
Tarika	Madagascar	Aretina	Sample	Tarika - "the group" - remains the premiere band from Madagascar with captivating rhythms and harmonies. Sisters Hanitra Rasoanaivo and Noro Raharimalala are this band's vocalists. The Malagasy (Madagascaran) people and language are ancestrally Indonesian. Apparently migrations along the shores of the Indian Ocean brought Indonesians here many centuries ago. Isolation has led to unique animals, plants, and human culture. This song is about globalization, which can be carried too far and become a kind of disease. Materialism overwhelms traditional ways and does not replace them with anything sustainable, only craving and unrest. The Malagasy are different from other people and must not lose sight and mind of their heritage.
Tarika	Madagascar	Hahikolo	Sample	Here is a snapshot profile from Time magazine.
Tarika	Madagascar	Malagasy Anie Ianao	Sample	Listen to this song on Amazon and to others on MySpace. Their website.
Tarika	Madagascar	Retany	Sample	Sisters Hanitra Rasoanaivo and Noro Raharimalala sing this piece, which is a man's plea to the woman he keenly desires to marry. But she refuses to marry him, and she will not say why.
Tarika	Madagascar	Sekta	Sample	This song is about strife among religious sects in Madagascar: "Where will I go when I die? There are so many choices now. Let's calm down and respect each other. Let's go back to the beginning."
Tarika	Madagascar	Taraina	Sample
Tcheka	Cape Verde Islands	Da-M Bu Mon	Sample	From his MySpace page: "Manuel Lopes Andrade, a.k.a. Tcheka, was born on the 20th July 1973 in the port of Ribeira Barca, Santa Catarina district, on Santiago, the most African island of the Cape Verde archipelago." He's performing in Paris on November 7, 2008. Listen to a sample of this song. Watch a different song on YouTube.
Tcheka	Cape Verde Islands	Lingua Pretu	Sample	An impassioned singer who uses jazz instruments that are unusual in African music. Biography with photo. His MySpace page. Listen.
Tété Alhinho	Cape Verde Islands	Scutam Ess Morna	Sample	What a voice, what a wonderfully lyrical and direct song this is! Here is an excellent biography.
Thandie	Zambia	Anthu	Sample	See the album cover and read a brief overview of Thandie's career on Calabash. She's one of the rare accessible musicians from Zambia.
Theodros Kassahun	Ethiopia	Shegnehush	Sample
Thomas Mapfumo	Zimbabwe	Kuvarira Mukati	Sample	The song title means "suffer in silence" and the song says that people must not remain silent but must stand up, speak, and fight. Thomas Mapfumo has been called the voice of African liberation and the Lion of Zimbabwe. He lives now in exile in Oregon. Here is an NPR review.
Toto-Bona-Kanza	Cameroon, Congo DR	Na Ye	Sample	See Gerald Toto on MySpace here. Richard Bona of Cameroon plays bass on this cut. He has played with Bob James, Harry Belafonte and many other jazz and popular greats. See his biography. See above for information about Lokua Kanza.
Tiharea	Madagascar	Hoe Raho	Sample	Listen to a sample.
Tiken Jah Fakoly	Ivory Coast	Allah	Sample	Roots reggae star Tiken's web site is slow to load and hard to navigate, but it's very much worth a visit.
Tiken Jah Fakoly	Ivory Coast	Alou Maye	Sample
Tithy Dolce	Zimbabwe	Maman	Sample	Beyond the album from which this song comes, there seems to be nothing about Tithy Dolce anywhere on the internet. Listen.
Toumani Diabaté	Mali	Elyne Road	Sample	See cut 1 above for more information about Toumani Diabaté. This beautiful tune is featured in whole on Toumani's MySpace page. You can also listen to a sample on Amazon.
Toumani Diabaté	Mali	Ismael Drame	Sample	Toumani Diabaté plays in a wide range of musical styles, from quiet kora as in this tune to flamenco and jazz. Here's a Wikipedia article about him. His MySpace page is huge, with a fine photo in the background and a full biography. Listen to a sample of this song on Amazon.
Touré Touré	Sénégal, Mali	Lemme	Sample	Since the 1970s the Toure family of the Casamance region of Sénégal (but ancestrally from Mali and Mauritania) have advanced the Sénégalese "mbalax" pop style that mixes African and Cuban rhythms. Daby Touré and his cousin Omar lead this group. Daby is originally from Mauritania. A detailed biography and reviews; from a Billboard review: "...influenced by the sounds coming out of today's Sénégal, Mali, Paris and New York ... flavored by the traditional music of his native Mauritania (a nation largely unknown in the West that has a cultural blend spanning from Arab / Moor to several black ethnic groups)".
Touré Touré	Sénégal, Mali	Ladde	Sample
Touré Touré	Sénégal, Mali	Lemine	Sample
Triplex Band	Uganda	Ekigambe Kywawe	Sample
Tshaga	Ivory Coast	Petit á Petit	Sample	Tshaga is the young son of the Ivorian singer Aicha Koné. Here is an interview in French. Listen on eMusic.
Tshala Muana	Congo DRC	Libanga Yatalo	Sample	The Queen of Mutuashi's official website, in French only, sets records for busyness. She's been an African musical legend for most of her 50 years. This exceptionally lively song is representative. She has 90 entries on YouTube but this song is not among them. Saharan Vibe's biography of Tshala is excellent. Listen to this song.
Tshala Muana	Congo DRC	Mulopo	Sample	"The Queen of Mutuashi", who turned 50 in 2008, was honored in 2003 along with Mbilia Bel as a preeminent female Central African vocalist. This page has a brief biography and an interview. Her hyperactive website. Listen on Amazon.
Umanji	South Africa	Morakane	Sample	Umanji is actually Mabuti Nkuna: his nickname comes from the Robin Williams movie "Jumanji". Umanji is from the Northern Provinces of South Africa where he absorbed that region's Tsonga music. His work incorporates elements and strands from all over the world, but his song topics are said to be thoroughly African. The title "Marokane" appears to be a Dutch or Afrikaans word that means Moroccan.
Umanji	South Africa	Ninuma Wa Wena	Sample
Umanji	South Africa	Tuva	Sample
Umoja	South Africa	Money Money (Bananas)	Sample	An urban song from the 1980s in the style of mpantsula or "bad boy walk".
Vaovy	Madagascar	Veloma	Sample	From this biography: "Slim and taciturn, a sly upward turn to his lips, a farseeing look, Jean Gabin Fanovona gives off a feeling of secrecy and one suspects that the race of musicians to which he belongs is similar to that of magicians. However, in Madagascar, it is as the modernizer of [traditional] Antandroy music that Vaovy’s leader is known...".
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	C On (The Path)	Sample	Vieux Diop (pronounced "vee-aah joe") migrated to the US in the 1980s. He is (or was) primarily a player of the kora, a 12-string instrument similar to a lyre or harp. His music crosses cultural boundaries between Africa and the West. He first reached musical fame as a sideman in Youssou N'Dor's band. Here is a detailed review of his second album, Afrika Wassa, from which this song comes. His music crosses cultural boundaries between Africa and the West. An interview.
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	Kaliss (Money)	Sample	Vieux's real name is Alioune Diop.
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	Manko (Unity)	Sample
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	Mansani	Sample
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	Moulle (Sweat)	Sample
Vieux Diop	Sénégal	N-Gej	Sample
Viola	Zambia	Siwelele	Sample	Viola's first public performance of note was her rendition at age 9 of the old Don Williams country song "Listen to the Radio", at a hotel in Lusaka. She came to prominence through the South African equivalent of "American Idol". Here is a fine biography. Listen on Amazon.
Viva Stars	Uganda	Koona Endongo	Sample	The Viva Stars came onto the Kampala music scene in May 2008, launching album Koona Endongo at Sese Beach in Entebbe. Their roots are apparently in Ankole in southwestern Uganda. (Ragga Dee also has a song named "Koon Endongo".) Watch on YouTube.
Vusa Mkhaya	Zimbabwe	Africa	Sample	Vusa's name, voice and music all resemble Vusi Mahlasela's, but he is a rare find in his own right. Both his songs in this list are from his album Spirit of Ubuntu, available on Calabash.
Vusa Mkhaya	Zimbabwe	Kudala	Sample	Vusa - what a voice! - is playing concerts in Germany and Austria during the first half of 2008. See him on MySpace. Listen to a sampling of this song on Calabash.
Vusa Mkhaya	Zimbabwe	Shiya	Sample	See above for more about Vusa. This is a particularly powerful and stately piece. Listen on Calabash.
Vusa Mkhaya	Zimbabwe	Vuka	Sample	Vusa Mkhaya's site discusses the South African Imbube vocal style that was Vusa's earliest musical influence.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	Emtini Wababe	Sample	This poignant song is about Vusi's search for his father, whom he never met. At one point Vusi thought he had found him but was told he had died six months earlier. The spoken words from the end of the song are from Vusi's uncle, who calls on the family and their ancestors to welcome Vusi back to his home in Swaziland.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	Mayibuye	Sample	Mayibuye: let it return. From the soundtrack for the movie Amandla!, or Power!, a revolution in four-part harmony.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	Miyela Africa	Sample	Vusi Mahlasela is known worldwide as "The Voice". He has opened for Sting, reputedly the only performer to have done so. The song title means, "Don't Cry, Africa". Take a look at this interesting CD review.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	Silang Mabele	Sample	"Silang mabele" means "crushing corn", which can mean or imply manual labor of any kind. This is a folk song in South Africa.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	Susana	Sample	This acoustic song consists of about 12 quiet words of lyrics framed by fine guitar playing and drums. Who might Susana be? Vusi's site. Listen to some of this song on Amazon.
Vusi Mahlasela	South Africa	When You Come Back	Sample	From the soundtrack for the excellent movie Amandla! (Power!, a revolution in four-part harmony) about South Africa's freedom struggles.
Wanaku & Sunplug'd	Cameroon	Oo Le Le	Sample
Wasis Diop	Sénégal	Le Passeur	Sample	Now in his 50s, Wasis Diop has traveled far musically and in person since his early days in Afro-jazz. The word "subtle" often appears with his name. He is anything but traditional Sénégalese, but he still conveys the flavor of his roots. From the album liner notes: "... influences from Ghana to the small island of Chalon, from festive drums to the meditative waves of Asia, from the polyphony of Sine to the Dakar blues." A biography.
Wasis Diop	Sénégal	Raï M'bele	Sample	Wasis Diop has collaborated with the singer Amina of Tunisia, Japan's Shimizu, singer Marie-France Anglade of Madagascar, Lokua Kanza of Congo DRC, and many others. He has also written a considerable body of film music, including a track for the 1999 movie The Thomas Crown Affair. Here is a photo.
Wasis Diop	Sénégal	Wu Ti Gaal	Sample
Women of Mambazo	South Africa	Vimba	Sample	The founder of this group, Nellie Shabalala, was the wife of Joseph Shabalala, the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. She realized her dream of singing with her husband in public in 2002 but died very shortly thereafter, killed by an assassin as her husband tried to protect her. This song speaks of the strength needed to survive in our world.
Women of the Calabash	US	Ishe Oluwa	Sample	The Women have been together for about 30 years. They apparently perform rarely any more. Their founder was a featured percussionist on Paul Simon's landmark album Rhythm of the Saints. Here is a biography associated with their Kwanzaa (African December celebration) album. Listen to a sample of this song.
Women of the Calabash	US	Nkosi Sikeleli Africa	Sample	This beautiful and unusual a capella rendition of the pan-African anthem is from the Women's Kwanzaa album. Their biography. Listen to a sample on Amazon.
Yawo	Togo	Land of Strangers	Sample	Check out Yawo's catchy MySpace page. Here's his biography. He played across the northern and eastern parts of the United States in 2007 - hope he's back in 2008! Listen on Amazon.
Yewande Adebayo	Liberia	Nahwa O	Sample	This cut is from the Monrovian-born Adebayo's debut album released in December 2005. She has performed extensively in Great Britain and the United States. Here is her biography.
Yoro and Yoon Wi	Sénégal	Ndaw Rew Mi	Sample	There is almost nothing on the web about Yoro and his album "Begg Dem". His website is entirely in French. He seems mainly to be a club musician in Dakar. One fine club musician! And with a very sophisticated web site too. This page is also in French and has some interesting photos.
Yoro and Yoon Wi	Sénégal	Nittu Nit	Sample
Young Bakuba Band	Congo DRC	Mama Afrika	Sample	The Young Bakuba, originally from Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), struggled for years in Namibia and South Africa before coming to prominence in Capetown in 2004. They performed background music for Nicholas Cage's movie "Lord of War". More.
Youssou N'Dour	Sénégal	Birima	Sample
Youssou N'Dour	Sénégal	4-4-44	Sample	Youssou's website is a trove of information. Also see this Wikipedia page. Listen on Amazon.
Youssou N'Dour	Sénégal	So Many Men	Sample	Grammy winner Youssou N'Dour is a giant of African music and world music. What to say about him? His range is extraordinary: so many songs, so much to engage you. He and his band, Super Etoile de Dakar, have been touring worldwide for decades. Listen to a sample of this song.
Zap Mama	Congo DRC, Belgium	Guzophela	Sample	Always interesting but sometimes inaccessible music from Belgium and Africa. From Zap Mama's home page: "... [an] eclectic mixture of styles somewhere between soul, gospel, pygmy song and Afro-Cuban rhythms. With the help of gestures and an inexhaustible imagination, the five acrobatic female voices take the audience on a wondrous world journey".
ZCC Mukhukhu	South Africa	Ka Lifu Laka	Sample	ZCC is the Zion Christian Church, the largest religious group of any kind in South Africa. This track is from the Rough Guide to South African Gospel. It seems to mean, "Zion, I wish you were here."
Zim Ngqawana	South Africa	Thula Sizwe	Sample	Quiet, reflective piano jazz from a master who has played across Africa and in Europe and the United States. Here is his website. Listen to a sample of this tune on Amazon.
Zodwa	South Africa	Indlela	Sample	South African gospel music with exceptional vibrance and drive. Here is more about Zodwa on Calabash. This song is from a compilation of South African gospel music.
Zodwa	South Africa	Teng Sefapano	Sample	What a fine high voice! There's not much about Zodwa on the net. Here's a very brief biography.
Zuba	Liberia, Uganda, Scotland	Kuwa	Sample	Zuba's vocalists are mainly from Liberia and Uganda, while their instrumentalists are mainly from Scotland and France.
Zuba	Liberia, Uganda, Scotland	Mes Fantômes	Sample	Zuba's vocalists are mainly from Liberia and Uganda, while their instrumentalists are mainly from Scotland and France. They work out of Glasgow. Profile.
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