Zoukous Makossa!!!! afro groove

Another night, another episode of @stewart-avenue Enjoy sounds of the drum, the horn and the string. You'll be ready to feel the love!

Stewart Ave 2.23.21

Another sound journey, transmitted live on @stewart-avenue from here, my new apartment. Broken, but free. At one point in the set, I put on a beautiful long side from fuji legend Sikiru Ayinde Barrister while I assisted the technician from the gas company as he turned on our meter and checked the stove and lectured me about what to do if we have gas leaks. Enjoy!

Stewart Ave 4.6.21

Non Stop CABO VERDE - Funana & Coladeira from Cape Verde - (Selected by Sir Ramases)

Ambiance ambiance!
An all vinyl mix of some of my favorite zouk, makossa, soukous and rara/konpa. It's a sound and a feeling that took over the Francophone African diaspora in the 80's and into the '90s. From Douala, Kinshasa, Port-au-Prince and Pointe-à-Pitre to Paris, Brussels, Miami, New York. Mon ami, mon ami, écoute mon conseil:

Neng Makassi - Sam Fan Thomas
Zouke Zouke - Nyboma & Pepe Kalle
Come Back - Les Dorlanes
Ce Konsa Ce Konsa - Tabou Combo
Mannequin - Koffi Olomide
Mon Ami - Kanda Bongo Man
Matty - Lokassa Ya M'bongo
Keba - Aurlus Mabele
Soucouma - Toucouleur
Aidee - Top Vice
Rara P'M - Super Stars D' Haiti
Mama Africa - Siassia & Tokobina
Si Tcha - Sam Fan Thomas
Mayi Boya - Moni Bile
Ndol'a Su - Esa

Zoukous Makossa - modrums mix

Live mix by Rebel Up! SebCat - captured during « Six String Special: The Magical Sounds Of African Guitars » on January 24th, 2019, at Monarch in Berlin, as part of the monthly "African Beats & Pieces" series.

African Beats & Pieces • "Six String Special", Jan. 2019 @ Monarch (Rebel Up! SebCat Live Mix)

Zoukous Makossa is the sound and feeling of the Francophone African diaspora in the 80's and into the '90s, from Douala, Kinshasa, Abidjan and Pointe-à-Pitre to Paris, Brussels, New York City. Volume II is a fast-paced, all vinyl mix of some tunes that I've been spinning a lot in the past year or so: a non-stop TGV train of guitars, drum machines and animation. Mini Diblo Dibala tribute up top, "Diblo Dibala il est malade!"

Zairean Stars Show In The US - 4 Stars
Liza - Kanda Bongo Man
Pingui Bill - Loketo
Mami Lolo - Jean Baron & Loketo
Le Monde Est Fou - Otis Mbuta & Matchatcha
Massavi - Denis Loubassou
Sauce Bloquée- Syran Mbenza
Nous Bizoin Ça Pou Kimbé - Mazout'
'Sé Dam' Bonjou - Kassav
Zouk Zombi - Zouk All Stars
Ameya - Geo Bilongo 
Zongonn - Jacob F. Desvarieux & Georges Decimus
No Make Erreur - Lapiro De M'banga
Anonfantsuelo - Monique Séka
N'kembo Ma - Heli Plaisir

Zoukous Makossa Vol. II

(Tracklist with timecodes below)

One of the go-to terms for anything “tropical” nowadays, Zouk is a music genre born in the late 70’s in the French Antillean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Zouk's first iteration was crafted by the band Kassav’ when bandleaders Desvarieux and Décimus longed for a local "Disco-type music”, thus proudly proposing their own homegrown brand of pop. Carved around the foundation of an infectious pattern carried by hi-hat cymbals, Zouk was created as a weapon to elevate the status of frowned-upon Antillean cultural practices. It was a powerful response to the musical and political domination of France and other regions of the Caribbean. Kassav' paved the way for the groundbreaking genre to become both culturally relevant and commercially viable beyond the Antilles, reaching a career high in 1985 with a global hit in which they cheekily claim that Zouk is "the only medicine they need".

Borrowing elements from the neighboring islands - such as Cadence-lypso from Dominica and Compas from Haiti - Zouk’s signature sound was also shaped by the tools from the burgeoning digital age, as musicians and producers embraced the MIDI technology with its promise of fun through loop-programming. On top of the exciting new effects offered by other music-making machines, it opened up a whole new world of experimentation. Many of these eager pioneers jumped head in and didn't shy from manufacturing anvil-sounding snare drums, wacky vocal modulations, epic horns, saturated bass and sexy synths... all of it duly drenched in reverb!

Perceived right away by some stiff necks as low-brow entertainment inducing lewd motions of the hips, Zouk was actually the result of incredibly sophisticated recording technology and visionary talent. Although derided in the distant French “métropole” - with hits from bands such as “La Compagnie Créole” and “Zouk Machine” relegated to camping and carnival DJ playlists - Zouk invaded the African continent within a decade. The familiarity of Zouk’s underlying rhythm spoke to many through the deep and complex web of pre-slavery roots connecting Africa to the Caribbean.

Whereas most white French music snobs disregarded Zouk as a synonym for bad taste and cheesy regionalism - sometimes with the racist tinge of colonial contempt - African listeners loved it for what it was: a kick-ass beat to sweat to, especially while dancing close to a partner. Since the early 80’s, African musicians have been paying homage to the couple-friendly genre, quoting words from the creole lexicon (“Doudou”) and blending in their own territorial twists: be it in francophone (Makossa, Rumba, Soukous) or lusophone countries (Tarraxinha, Kizomba, Coladeira). A lot of Afro Zouk legends actually met, hung out and worked in recording studios and DJ booths of the cosmopolitan city of Paris, which has been acting as the cross-pollinating hub of French-speaking black diasporas since the 70's.

00:00 · Ibro Diabate - Nnamè Nnamè (Guinea-Conakry)
02:46 · Mathey - Nzoutio (Ivory Coast)
05:02 · Tshala Muana - Kokola (Congo-Kinshasa)
07:57 · Angelina Tezanou - La Vie (Cameroon)
11:50 · Mossia - Mowa (Ivory Coast)
15:03 · Chacha di Charmi - Tempo Urgente (Guinea-Bissau)
17:44 · Monique Seka - Ôkaman (Ivory Coast)
20:50 · Oliver N'Goma · Bane (Gabon)
23:01 · Alice Sofa - Yalé (Ivory Coast)
25:42 · Michel Moutouari - Albertina (Congo-Brazza)
28:24 · Loony Johnson ft. Zéca di Nha Reinalda - Homi Grandi (Cabo Verde)
30:14 · Papa Wemba - Moyi (Congo-Kinshasa)
32:23 · Tam Tam 2000 - Zouk en Avant (Cabo Verde)
38:51 · Empire Bakuba - Zouke Zouke (Congo-Kinshasa)
41:34 · Koffi Olomide - Tcha-tcho du sorcier (Congo-Kinshasa)
45:51 · Woya - Atépé (Ivory Coast)
48:28 · Joelle Seka - Chimoin (Ivory Coast)
52:10 · Patience Dabany - Chéri Ton Disque Est Rayé (Gabon)
55:17 · Abby Surya - Tant Pis Pour Toi (Congo-Kinshasa)
59:18 · Mayaula - Doudou A Mwen (Congo-Kinshasa)

(Thanks to @afrozouk in Toronto for letting us use their design!)

Afro Zouk, Vol. 1 • Homages Across Oceans

Thanks @stewartavenue for the invite. Live mix of dub, 80s South African jams, Afrohouse, soca, zouk, soukous, funaná...what else?

Stewart Ave 4.22.2020

“Zooming In” is a mix series focusing on African countries that the world seldom hears from and listens to. The selection is mostly composed of songs that haven’t been commercially released and float around in ephemeral online libraries. 

♬ ♬ ♬

Formerly the colony of Spanish Guinea, Equatorial Guinea's post-independence name evokes its location near both the Equator and the Gulf of Guinea. Its economy traditionally depended on three commodities — cocoa , coffee, and timber — but the discovery of petroleum and natural gas under the seafloor of its offshore waters changed the country’s economic profile virtually overnight in the 1980s. Petroleum now accounts for the vast majority of its exports and more than four-fifths of its GDP.

Despite having become the richest country per capita in Africa, the wealth is distributed extremely unevenly, with few people benefiting from the oil riches. The standard of living of most people has not significantly improved and farming continues to be the predominant occupation. The country ranks 144th on the 2019 Human Development Index with less than half the population having access to clean drinking water. The authoritarian government has one of the worst human rights records in the world. President Obiang has had a firm grip on power since 1979 and has repeatedly come under investigation for corruption.

As is often the case in dictatorships, culture is criminally under-funded and left to survive at the margins of a careless state. Equatorial Guinea's music has therefore been much less documented than most African countries, and commercial recordings remain scarce. Except for a 1950 collection of field recordings, there is still no compilation to this day that showcases the country’s rich musical output. But even without governmental efforts to support the music of its own people, songs in the digital age always find a way out.

Outsiders can now access audio and video files uploaded by anonymous heroes who are eager to show the world what their country has to offer. One just needs to adjust their listening standards when dealing with low-res MP3s converted from platforms such as YouTube and Soundcloud. These sources act as the sole entry portals into the country’s songbook, which is unsurprisingly bursting with creativity: call-and-response chants of female choirs (“Coro”), pop bangers coated with a gorgeous AutoTune sheen, groovy bass licks and relentless pounding percussions.

Despite a veneer of Spanish culture and Roman Catholic religion, many Equatorial Guineans live according to ancient customs, which have undergone a revival since independence in 1968. Among the Fang of the mainland, traditional music and storytelling live on. Among the Bubi farmers of the Bioko island, some ancient customs are still followed as well. As for popular music, Soukous and Makossa have long been beloved and reinterpreted. Though being the only African state in which Spanish is an official language, most artists sing in Fang or Bubi and sprinkle their lyrics with words in French, Spanish or English-based creole. One may also notice Congolese-style Libanga — shout-outs to local patrons — and some nods to Ndombolo, Assiko and Hiplife.

00:00 · Elenita - Echi Chin Abe
03:21 · Maele Ndong - Si Mitangan
06:03 · Muana Sinepi - Baluery
08:38 · Bessoso - Y’On Sofa
11:16 · Coro Abong Mang - Nza Bele Me Nnom
14:38 · Beto Nass Autoridad - Nchaan Ekuan
18:01 · Unknown - Eye Minga
20:37  · Coro Bikomsua - Edjing
23:00 · Efa Mba - Wele-Nzas
25:29 · Baron Ya Búk-Lú - Money
28:10 · Kastiel Molon - Alukle
30:40 · Bicomsua Mongomo - Ondo Nkumu
33:53 · Coro Antorcha De Zaragoza - Unknown
38:30 · Titoy Bolabote - Botaka
41:55 · Coro Milenio de Malabo - Ambiente
44:31 · Fifi La Mirey - Ening Nsut Mot
46:48 · Piter B & Menda Sol - Benguan Beye Mbini
50:37 · Tawola Mesam - Bicomsua
53:13 · Djebol - Mama
55:56 · Dr. Mbomeche - Mbuyaya

* Big up to DJ Rody Mansueto (@djrody-3) for the track ID of Beto Nass Autoridad’s gem!

Zooming In, Vol. 1 · Equatorial Guinea

First of a bimonthly radio show on @stewart-avenue every other Tuesday 6-8pm EST. I'm doing this show because I miss DJing and sharing music that moves me. I plan to play more new music by friends and more jazz because I love it. I also plan to talk a bit, to contextualize the music and just connect the music with global socio-cultural realities we are living in. 
I stopped spinning in June because it felt like a distraction from the movement for Black lives. At that moment there were many daily actions, now there are fewer actions and fewer people at them, although the urgency has only increased. While my hesitancy to take up space hasn't fundamentally changed, I hope this show can help me and anyone who tunes in connect with radical love, joy and hope that we will need to keep this movement going. 
This summer has been so special, full of community, revolt and clarity and I wish it could never end. As soon as the cold creeps into the mornings, I feel depression and hopelessness emerge in my daily life, just quiet doubt and sadness, and this year it has been particularly strong. I'm fine, just sad about the world, scared for us all but particularly poor people of color. I'm hoping sharing music can help me and anyone else listening process this all.

Stewart Ave 09/15/2020

I'll be DJing on @stewart-avenue every other Tuesday 6-8pm EST. I'm doing this show because I miss DJing and sharing music that moves me. I plan to play more new music by friends and more jazz because I love it. I also plan to talk a bit, to contextualize the music and just connect the music with global socio-cultural realities we are living in.
I stopped spinning in June because it felt like a distraction from the movement for Black lives. At that moment there were many daily actions, now there are fewer actions and fewer people at them, although the urgency has only increased. While my hesitancy to take up space hasn't fundamentally changed, I hope this show can help me and anyone who tunes in connect with radical love, joy and hope that we will need to keep this movement going.
This summer has been so special, full of community, revolt and clarity and I wish it could never end. As soon as the cold creeps into the mornings, I feel depression and hopelessness emerge in my daily life, just quiet doubt and sadness, and this year it has been particularly strong. I'm fine, just sad about the world, scared for us all but particularly poor people of color. I'm hoping sharing music can help me and anyone else listening process this all.

Stewart Ave 9.29.2020

A journey on cassette and wax, from jazz to bollywood to boleros, live on @stewart-avenue also featuring new music from niño lento and @lollise on tape.

Stewart Ave 12/08/2020

“Musicians have a genuine connection with the people and that is what scares the elites.” — Pilato, Zambian activist and artist.

African musicians have long played political roles, either praising or challenging those in power. Given the continent's oral tradition, there is a proud history of praise singers. Vital voices for centuries, they were used and abused by tribal leaders and politicians who understood their influence. Some of these oral bards fought back though: Masekela and Makeba were at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and Kuti’s criticism of Nigeria’s corrupt military dictatorship earned him arrests and beatings. 

Nowadays, besides genres such as hip-hop and reggae, pop music has also proven to be an effective avenue to express support or dissent. Some socially-conscious African popstars do have something more meaningful to say and can engage their fanbase. Dropping the usual machistic and materialistic clichés of global pop with all their name-dropping of clothing and drink brands, they craft earworms with rebellious lyrics, tapping into the frustrations of the youth.

Rooted in contemporary sounds such as Zouglou, Nigerian/Ghanaian Afrobeats or Zimdancehall, they take shots at their own governments by highlighting issues over catchy choruses and danceable beats. Increased mobile phone penetration and internet connectivity has boosted digitally savvy artists’ ability to reach new audiences. The amplifying impact of the internet means that freedom of speech is coming under increased attack as states attempt to muzzle voices of protest. Actions taken against musicians are precipitated when they dare move beyond the role of entertaining to speaking out against oppression. Threatened by these musical momentums, leaders often try to silence them. In Africa’s more repressive states, the risk of being assaulted, harassed and detained is high.

Pop music can also be manipulated as a propaganda megaphone by the powers in place. Many turn to singers, hiring them for rallies, commissioning special compositions, or simply paying for a mention during a song. With no revenue from royalties, systematic pirating, limited infrastructure and few public performances, many musicians rely on wealthy patrons. This is an effective way of getting publicity as songs get replayed on the radio and blasted on speakers in the streets. Wazekwa, one of the D.R.C.’s biggest stars, says it best: “If you can get people to dance, you can get a message across easily. The politicians have a message, and I’m good at getting people to dance. So they come to me.”

00:00 · Bobi Wine (Nov 2020)
00:16 · Yung L - To Whom It May Concern (Nigeria 2019)
03:01 · Unknown Artist - 4 More For Nana / NPP Official Campaign song (Ghana 2020)
04:57 · DJ Volcano - Non au 3ème mandat du président Alassane Ouattara (Ivory Coast 2020)
10:15 · Longuè Longuè - Gouvernement des vieux (Cameroun 2020)
13:52 · Hachalu Hundessa - Maalan Jira! (Ethiopia 2015)
16:50 · Unknown Artist - ALP Campaign Song (Liberia 2017)
19:06 · Losseba Ngoutiwa - Mensonge (Nvènè) (Central African Republic 2019)
22:36 · Ajebo Hustlers - Barawa (Nigeria 2020)
26:22 · Fikky - End Sars (Nigeria 2020)
27:56 · Atumpan - DumSor (Ghana 2015)
30:42 · Winky D - Kasong Kejecha (Zimbabwe 2018)
33:01 · Pilato - Thiefdom (Pompwetic) (Zambia 2019)
36:22 · Bobi Wine & Nubian Li - Uganda Zukuka (Uganda 2019)
39:06 · Sarabi & guests - Nitabaki Na Nini (Kenya 2014) 
41:16 · Oritse Femi - Flog Politicians (Nigeria 2010)
44:05 · Roga Roga - La lettre au président (feat. Chairman Koyo) (Republic of Congo 2017)
46:57 · Tboy Daflame - Ubaba Kaduduzane & Uya Delela (South Africa 2018)
48:54 · Edem - Politics (Ghana 2019)
50:38 · Yodé & Siro - On dit quoi (Ivory Coast 2020)
53:39 · Abale Tawale - Ado c’est comment (Ivory Coast 2017)
56:24 · Tshala Muana - Kabila très fort (R.D.C. 2015)
58:24 · Diamond Platnumz - Acha Nike Kimya (Tanzania 2017)
01:02.21 · Bobi Wine (Nov 2020)

Sweet But Sour • When African Pop Gets Political

Zoukous Makossa is the sound and feeling of the Francophone African diaspora in the 80's and into the '90s, from Douala, Kinshasa, Abidjan and Pointe-à-Pitre to Paris, Brussels, New York City but this mix also includes a couple of Anglo-phone gems, from Bro Valentino and Ty-Jan that still fit into this elastic framework. Shout out to @cocomariamusic for premiering a portion of this mix on @worldwide-fm 

Frederik Caracas - Compe
Max Rambhojan - 	Tou’t Jou Pa Min
Bro Valentino - Free-Up South Africa
L'Empire Bakuba & Pépé Kalle - Mama Leki Ndaya
Laskino et le groupe Matchatcha - Mabina-M'boka
Guy Lombe - Mourir d'Aimer
Ty-Jan - Bayo On Chance
Kassav' - Aie
Yondo Sister - Mbuta Mutu
Diblo Dibala et le groupe Matchatcha - Laissez Passer
Phantoms - Trouble Maker
Empire Bakuba - Moto Pasi
Lapiro De Mbarga - Nak Pasi
Satelyte- Malimbe
Zouk Machine - On Ke Rive
Monique Seka - Missounwa
Koffi Olomide - V.I.P.
Lazair - Es Ou Maléré
Le Village Wassa de Ringo Moya - Tout Passe
Jean-Claude Naimro - Avèou Doudou

Zoukous Makossa Vol. III

It was a snowy evening, live on @stewart-avenue Another journey, from Igbo roots music to 90s Stevie and new music from Thaba, plus konpa and salsa greats.

Zoukous Makossa!!!! afro groove

Amine Laidia