Globally groovin' Georges and DJ Segue Segue, aka Sean Barlow, have collected the best of Afropop's Dance Party Classics! Since 1990, Afropop Worldwide has sought out the choiciest dance tunes from South America, the African Diaspora, and the Middle East to keep you movin' and groovin'! This year is no exception; sample the sounds of the collective groove world nation!

Here is a sampling of the artists featured in Afropop Worldwide's "Dance Party Extravaganza 2006":

Papa Wemba (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Papa Wemba is one of the most powerful singers and innovative band leaders in Congolese music. With one band for straight Congo music, and another for international pop, Wemba plays both to the home crowd and to Afropop's cutting edge.

CD REVIEW: Bakala Dia Kuba
CD Review: Mwana Molokai

Eddie Palmieri (Cuba)

Composer and pianist Eddie Palmieri is a giant of Latin jazz. Rooted in Cuba's venerable forms, Palmieri has extended and developed the music as much or more than any of its modern practitioners.

Eddie's Website

Cheb Mami (Algeria)

The "Prince of Rai" is challenging all comers these days--including "King" Khaled. Mami has been touring the world stage alongside Sting, and winning new fans for Algerian rai music.

CD REVIEW: "Dellali"
CD REVIEW: "Meli Meli"

Meiway (Ivory Coast)

Zouglou's top singer, Meiway trades on style and sex appeal while constructing taut, dramatic arrangements that use rock guitar, soukous animation and gushing keyboards to show off his smooth, delicate tenor, often over the zoblazo rhythm.

Cheikh Lo (Senegal)

One of the most promising African artists to emerge during the late 1990s, Cheikh Lô is a master of blending Latin and African musical idioms.

CD REVIEW: "Bamabay Gueej"
CD REVIEW: "Ne La Thiass"

Kekele (Democratic Republic of Congo)

In 2001, a group of veteran Congolese musicians, including guitarist Syran Mbenza and vocalists Wutu Mayi and Nyboma from the successful Quatre Etoiles, and also singers Bumba Massa and Loko Massengo came together to get back to the roots spirit of the great and influential Congo sound.

CD REVIEW: "Congo Life"
CD REVIEW: "Rumba COngo"

Do You Want More?

Get to know these two New York based global deejays to spin what's hot in the summertime.

DJ Beto delivers fresh dance tracks from the Ivory Coast, the Congo and Cape Verde. Visit him at www.djbeto.com for his latest "Summer Mix" CD.

Derek Beres of the GlobeSonic collective that specializes in electronic dance music. Derek is also the author of a just published book "Global Beat Fusion: The History of the Future of Music."

Holding it Down in NYC

dj Henri St. Germain pumping up the dance parties with Soukous and other African & Caribbean music on the web and Thursdays live at Lava Gina.

First published: www.afropop.org