George Mukabi was a giant of a man who brought music styles from all over East Africa, specifically Malawi, into his oeuvre, making a sound that was unique among African guitarists. This is a digital reissue which first turned up on Mississippi Records some years back, and is currently being Continue Reading
Kenya
Various Artists – Thum Nyatiti: Recordings from Western Kenya, 1930-1970
This is another stunning collection from Dagoretti Records out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The collection features music from the 1930s until the 1970s with clearly remastered sound. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Nyatiti music’s infectious and hypnotic sounds are unforgettable. The driving beat of the nyatiti rings of far off Continue Reading
Duma – Duma
Nyege Nyege Tapes out of Kampala, Uganda, is releasing some of the most brutal music in the world these days. A case in point comes from Nairobi, Kenya, where the band Duma call home. Within the first few seconds of this release, you get pummeled by a barrage of drumming Continue Reading
Nyokabi Kariuki – Peace Places: Kenyan Memories
When I hear the words Avant-garde in relation to contemporary classical music, I think normally of some me composers who pull out old, clichéd tropes. This release from Kenyan composer Nyokabi Kariuki is so stunningly weird that the album has given itself the right to be termed Avant-garde correctly.
Various Artists: Zanzibara: First Modern Taarab Vibes From Mombasa & Tanga, 1970-1990
It’s so good to see the inestimable Buda Musique take the modern route and make some of the treasures of their back catalog accessible, not only digitally, but on fine vinyl and CD editions. This compilation brings together a collection of artists from the towns of Mombasa and Tanga, in Continue Reading