Afropop Worldwide

Classic Streams
on Afropop Worldwide

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Sounds of the Cities

Bamako...Abidjan...Dakar...Havana...New Orleans

From Afropop Worldwide's "Dateline Dakar", "A Visit To Abidjan, Ivory Coast", "Mali Magic 2000", "The Cuban Connection- Part 14", and "A Visit To New Orleans"

Dateline Dakar

Dateline Dakar presents a snapshot of Senegal's bustling music capital at an interesting moment when superstars Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal are between international projects and can introduce us to local protégés. Also featured: Thione Seck live at Club Sahel, guitar maestro Lamine Faye, and Les Freres Guisse.

Production credits:
Host: Georges Collinet
Lead and Series Producer: Sean Barlow
Co-Producer in field: Banning Eyre
Chief Engineer: Michael Jones

Program Log:
Georges introduces the scene at Club Sahel in Dakar where mbalax veteran Thione Seck & his band Raam Daan perform.
Interview with Thione Seck about his family and his early music career with the Star Band and Orchestre Baobob.
Youssou N'Dour live at Club Thiossane. Interview with Youssou about his working life in Dakar--performing, composing, new business. Song "Cassamance" from local cassette. Intro of Cheick Lo whose International hit "Ne La Thias" Youssou's label Jololi put out.
Guitar maestro Lamine Faye rehearsing his band at home. Lamine talks about the title song from his cassette "Simb," folklore based on the lion.
Introduction of the rap scene in Dakar and the group Positive Black Soul. Interview with Didier Awadi, co-founder of PBS.
Freres Guisse perform acoustic, recorded by Afropop.

A Visit to Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Ivoirian music has never enjoyed the international profile of other West African music, but the Ivory Coast has a rich musical landscape of roots based pop. In this visit to the capital, Abidjan, we hear live sets and talk with polihet singer Gnaore Jimi, reggae man Serge Kassi, zoblazo star Meiway, footballer and singer Gadji Celli and others.

Host: Georges Collinet
Lead Producer: Ofebea Quist-Arcton
Co-Producer: Sean Barlow
Editor: Marika Partridge
Engineer: Rick Bradley
Series Producer: Sean Barlow

Program Log:
Georges sets the scene in Abidjan at a bar where Gnaore Jimi's band entertains the public with polihet music.
Background on zouglou craze, started by university students.
Reggae man Serge Kassi talks about his hit song "Cabret Mort" ("Dead Goat").
Live recording of star singer Meiway at the sports arena. Meiway talks about Ivoirian music's relatively low visibility in international market.
Gadji Celli, football star and singer. Gadji talks about Bete culture.

Mali Magic 2000

Bonnie Raitt is our special guest commentator, giving her vivid and insightful first hand impressions of the rich musical life of Bamako from her visit to Mali with the producers of Afropop. Live recordings of Djelimady Tounkara and the Rail Band, Lobi Traore, Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite and several up and coming artists. Plus a journey to Dogon country and then to Timbuktou for a desert jam with Haira Arby and her band.

Host: Georges Collinet
Co-producers: Sean Barlow and Banning Eyre
Engineer: Michael Jones

Program Log:
Opening montage of live performances by Youlou Mabiala, Ramata Diakite, and Super Lolo Band. Bonnie Raitt gives her overall impression of music culture in Mali. Super Lolo song in takamba rhythm from northern Mali, from their unreleased CD.
Visit with Ali Farka Toure at his second home in Bamako. Ali plays njarka for us. Bonnie Raitt recalls her enthrallment with Ali Farka Toure's music from the moment she first witnessed him live 15 years ago, and talks about the Delta blues artists that most move her, and then introduces Lobi Traore's live show in Bamako.
Bonnie Raitt describes guitar ace Djelimady Tounkara's style performing with the Rail Band in Bamako.
Ma Kouyate, rising griotte star, from local cassette.
Story of historic street protest by Mali's leading musicians against cassette pirates. Oumou Sangare from her local cassette.
Souleymane Sidibe collaborating with singer and multi-instrumentalist Markus James. Afropop's Mali Magic 2000 heads north to Dogon country to experience the famous masked dances. Habib Koite and Harouna Samake serenade Afropoppers around the campfire.
Desert Jam in Timbuktou featuring singer Haira Arby and her band.
Issa Bagayogo. Nahawa Doumbia from her CD "Yaala"
Bonnie Raitt describes the musical energy of Habib Koite and Bamada. Also comments on improvisation based on tradition and the intergenerational acceptance among Mali's musicians.
Bonnie Raitt describes the musical energy of Habib Koite and Bamada. Also comments on improvisation based on tradition and the intergenerational acceptance among Mali's musicians.

The Cuban Connection (1990)