Ghana: Yacub Addy & Odadaa Ensemble

The idea of this particular video was to feature Odadaa!'s portions of this performance for those who are specifically interested in the African elements. All other videos and documentaries re "Congo Square" feature Wynton Marsalis and LCJO and their interactions with Yacub Addy and Odadaa!.

Posted by "aminaaddy".

Senegal: Aziz Faye & Yatma Thiam

Filmed and editied by Lynette Wich .

Aziz Faye of Dakar, Senegal West Africa comes from a long line of master Sabar drummers and dancers. His family Sing Sing, is the nguewel Family of Dakar going back many generations. Aziz grew up in Medina, the nguewel suburb of Dakar, Senegal, learning from his father; Sing Sing Faye, grandfather, and uncles the secret of the Sabar. After mastering Sabar, Aziz went on to master the Djembe as well. From a young age he stood out as one of the most talented of his generation and as a young boy he was a premiere performer in Le Ballet Sing Sing Rhythm, both dancing and drumming. He has also performed with the National Ballet of Senegal.

... Aziz has also played and danced for many world renowned mbalax bands such as Youssou N'Dour, Fallou Dieng, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo and Mbaye Dieye Faye, John Densmore's Tribal Jazz as well as european artist Peter Gabriel. ... ( ReverbNation.com )

Ghana: Kakatsitsi

Kakatsitsi from Accra perform at Midsummer Festival in Hertfordshire UK.

Kakatsitsi are a group of traditional drummers, dancers and singers from the Ga people of Southern Ghana, with their roots in the fishing community of Jamestown. Their music takes traditional rhythms and chants from their own Ga tradition, rearranging them with influences of a variety of other West African cultures. The recent addition of a strong dance element, to complement the already outstanding drumming and singing components promises an evening full of energy, movement and rhythm.

Posted by "thedjembeman"

Habib Koité in Toronto, 2010

Posted by "tomusicpix"

Keziah Jones, Bireli Lagrene & John McLaughlin - "Voodoo Child"

Keziah Jones (born Olufemi Sanyaolu on January 10, 1968 in Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He describes his musical style as "Blufunk", which is a fusion between raw blues elements and hard, edgy funk rhythms. Also his Nigerian roots in Yoruba music and soul music can be considered a major influence on his sound.

He is known for his distinctive style of guitar playing, including his percussive right-hand technique which is similar to a bass guitarist's slapping technique. He's also famous for playing most of his live shows with a bare torso.

Wikipedia

Posted by "tignou" 2006.

Léon Bukasa - "Mokongele Honoré "

 Born in 1925, in the Congo.

Posted by "AboubacarSiddikh" .

Boubacar Traore

Boubacar Traore at the Grassroots Festival 2001, in Trumansburg, N.Y. . Posted by "rayolite"

Boubacar Traoré was born in Kayes, in 1942, in the Bambara region of Mali. His nickname, Kar Kar was given to him when he was the local school football (soccer) star. It means "the one who dribbles too much" in Bambara. Kar Kar is a self taught musician. He began to compose music at an early age, influenced by American blues and kassonké, a traditional music style from the Kayes region. Kar Kar's older brother spent eight years in Cuba studying music and, once he returned to Mali, he helped his brother learn how to play the guitar.

In the early 1960s, Mali won its independence and the people of Mali awoke each morning to the sound of Kar Kar's melancholic voice on the radio which sang of independence. Every person in Mali from his generation remembers having danced to his hits "Kar Kar Madison", "Mali Twist" and "Kayes Ba," in which he encouraged his fellow citizens to return and build the country.

Despite his radio success, Kar Kar could barely support himself. He earned a living as a tailor, shop keeper and agricultural agent. During the evenings he trained orchestras and sung for his friends.

After a twenty-year absence from the stage, in 1987, Boubacar Traoré was invited to perform for Malian TV and many people couldn't believe their eyes. Unfortunately, two years later, life took a tragic turn when Boubacar's wife, Pierrette, died. Dazed and heartbroken, Kar Kar left Mali to work in France. During the weekends he performed for his fellow immigrants until a British label, Stern's, discovered him and produced two CDs. This led to European and North American tours.

Boubacar Traoré has risen from the ashes and still sings better than ever. Faithful to his roots, for the recording of his album "Sa Golo," he sought out Baba Dramé, a childhood friend, in his hometown of Kayes, to accompany him on the calabash. On the title song "Sa Golo", they are in the Kayes of the past where magicians in clanging outfits made the night air resonate.

The film, "Je chanterai pour toi" , about Boubacar's life was released in 2001 and is now available on DVD.

Boubacar Traoré is one of these solid men who reflects the history of a country, the hopes and the despairs of a people. 

WorldMusicCentral.org

Famoro Dioubate

Famoro Dioubate playing the balafon at the CongaHead.com studio .

Famoro Dioubate was born in 1965 in Conakry, Guinea to a griot family. He is the grandson of El Hadj Djelli Sory Kouyate, a living legend of the Mandeng balafon. During his teens he spent a five years in Abidjan and worked with Cheik Smith-Sherif and Sekou Camara Cobra. Back in Conakry he co-founded "Les Heritiers" with Sekouba Kandia Kouyate and recorded the albums "Kandia Dinke" and "Nyoumekela" with this group. Concurrently, he was the understudy of his grandfather in the Ensemble Instrumental National and routinely performed for the President and visiting foreign dignitaries. He was a member of Mory Kante's orchestra for the performances and recording of the "Traditional Symphonie." In the early nineties, he was a member of the "Groupe Standard" which accompanied most of the visiting great stars of African music in Guinea. In the United States since the late nineties, he has worked as a free-lance musician for a variety of groups and dance companies in performances and recordings.

Hugh Masekela - "The Boys Doing It"

Hugh Masekela at the Estival Jazz Lugano 2009 .