• 
  KG Omulo: Ayah Ye!: Moving Train
  
  A synergy of funk, rock, reggae and traditional African sounds from this inventive, young singer/songwriter.
• 
  Various Artists: Chief Boima Presents: Lone Stars - Hipco and Gbema
  
  
• 
  Mamadou Diabaté: Courage
  
  Mamadou Diabate, the kora master, takes a fresh look at Mali instrumental music with his new CD Courage.
• 
  Various Artists: The Kankobela of the Batonga, Vol. 2
  
  Mysterious melodies from a disappearing thumb piano tradition of Southern Africa.
• 
  Kiran Ahluwalia: Aam Zameen: Common Ground
  
  Indo-Canadian Songwriter Combines Folk Poetry with African Rock, Jazz and more
• 
  M.anifest: Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America
  
  
• 
  Sona Jobarteh: FASIYA
  
  West African female kora virtuoso releases an album full of grace, warmth, and passion.
• 
  Sia Tolno: My Life
  
  Kissi singer releases a strong second album full of pop-infused star power over songs of strife and triumph.
• 
  Zieti: Zemelewa
  
  Eclectic blend of Afro-infused pop out of Cote d'Ivoire.
• 
  Guelewar: Halleli N Dakarou
  
  Re-released and remastered live CD from this 80's experimental Senegambian outfit.
• 
  Tinariwen: Tassili
  
  Touareg desert legends return with an offering that is meandering, sorrowful and proud.
• 
  Los Rakas: Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada
  
  Oakland/Panamanian rappers -call it "Panabay"-- return with good results.
• 
  Cheikh Lo: Jamm
  
  The unique Senegalese singer and multi-instrumentalist crafts an eclectically excellent record.
• 
  David Rudder: Random Notes
  
  Calypsonian David Rudder returns with an album that covers various styles with excellent results.

All Reviews >>

Congolese bandleader Franco (a.k.a. Luambo Makiadi), cranked out sensationally memorable music at a brisk rate for 35 years prior to his death in 1989. I personally own many of those recordings, and love every one. Such consistency means hard work for the would-be compiler, but Congo music connoisseur Ken Braun has risen to the challenge. This package contains the first 2 volumes of an eventual 4-CD retrospective. It starts with Franco’s spare, first studio session in 1953, moves through the sunny rumba of the ‘60s, the expansive and ever more driving sound of the 70s (often called “soukous”) and ends with a recording Franco made alone in a studio in Belgium in 1980, playing most of the parts himself. By that time, the man was a giant, but also a person touched by tragedy, controversy, betrayal, and harassment from the feared Mobutu state in then-Zaire. The image of Franco sitting alone and showing the world that he could be the whole band if he felt like it is both impressive and poignant.

As brilliant as all the music here is, what really distinguishes this offering is the 48-page booklet that accompanies it with rare photos and an excellent written account of Franco’s life and work. Braun blends his skillfully chosen songs into Franco’s biography so that you can listen and read and get something no other Franco release delivers—a true feeling for who the man was. The uneducated country boy with the skill and confidence to command respect in the city becomes the young dandy and hotshot musician paid to drive around Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) on a Vespa modeling the latest fashions to draw customers to a clothing stores. The democratic bandleader known for sharing the limelight with the best musicians of the era becomes the wary and fiercely competitive power player, poaching musicians from other bands, and vying always to turn out the most talked about song of the day.

Throughout, the music soars with brilliant composing, lush vocal and brass arranging, and Franco’s trademark guitar playing—restless, spiky and melodious all at once. Again the notes add much. The irresistible “AZDA” turns out to be an ad for Volkswagen cars. “Mabele,” an early composition by Simaro Lutumba sung by the great Sam Mangwana, turns out to be a macabre musing on mortality—“I am married to maggots. My family is the soil.” And on it goes. The next two volumes can’t come soon enough. On the other hand, this first rate compilation leaves little doubt that Franco will be with us forever.

Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org