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530

Article: African Jazz

South Africa: Tales of Gospel and Urban S.A.

by AAJ Staff
July 20, 2004

The two reviews in this update are both compilations produced by South Africa's Sheer Sound label as part of its Sheer Africa series. The church and the city form the roots of Tales of Gospel S.A. and Tales of Urban S.A., respectively, and vocals predominate. For the corresponding jazz compilation, click here. ...

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Article: African Jazz

South Africa: Tales of Afrojazz S.A.

by AAJ Staff
July 14, 2004

Various Artists Tales of Afrojazz S.A. Sheer Sound 2004 Last year South Africa's dominant jazz label, Sheer Sound, came up with a new imprint known as Sheer Africa, dedicated to documenting musical instruments and styles from all over the continent. Three of Sheer Africa's seven Tales of releases ...

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Article: African Jazz

West Africa: Blay Ambolley

by AAJ Staff
May 20, 2004

Ghanaian multi-instrumentalist Blay Ambolley has accomplished the difficult task of holding onto his roots despite leaving home to live in the United States fourteen years ago. At this point, those roots sink equally deep into the American jazz tradition and West African musical styles known as highlife and Afro-beat. To his credit, he's managed to recruit ...

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Article: African Jazz

South Africa: Two Abdullah Ibrahim Reissues

by AAJ Staff
April 19, 2004

Probably the most important member of South Africa's jazz elite, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim certainly wasted no time forging alliances after his 1962 departure from his homeland. Although he hit it off right away with Duke Ellington, for example, resulting in the 1963 date Duke Ellington Presents the Dollar Brand Trio , he has always made a ...

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Article: African Jazz

West Africa: Frikyiwa's Mix of Ancient and Modern

by AAJ Staff
April 10, 2004

When you've heard (and seen) enough music, you get pretty good at judging a CD by the cover. Sure, the process incurs a lot of failure along the way, but its successes can be dramatic. Such was the case with the tiny French label known as Frikyiwa, which I first encountered in an overflowing bin at ...

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Article: African Jazz

Mali: Habib Koit

by AAJ Staff
March 18, 2004

Habib Koité & Bamada Foly! Live Around The World World Village 2004 For the uninitated, the best way to understand most traditional West African music is to view it through the prism of trance. Full appreciation of tribal drumming from Ghana, for example, requires complete submission to an ...

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Article: African Jazz

African Roots, African Invention

by AAJ Staff
March 8, 2004

Music Is the Weapon of the Future: Fifty Years of African Popular Music Frank Tenaille Lawrence Hill Books ISBN 1-55652-450-1 “Jazz was born in America but its deepest roots are in Africa." --Mulatu Astatqe (father of Ethio-Jazz) The music of Africa unfortunately remains perhaps the most ...

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Article: African Jazz

Patricia Barber Connects the Arts

by AAJ Staff
January 8, 2004

By Carolyn Graye The longer I work in and around the arts, the more convinced I am that for many artists, the lives and careers they create for themselves are as interesting as the actual work they produce. I like to think about it in terms of the Zen parable in which the journey, not the ...

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Article: African Jazz

South Africa: Sheer Sound

by AAJ Staff
December 22, 2003

By far South Africa's biggest and most influential jazz record label, Sheer Sound has made a point of documenting both veterans and up-and-comers from all over the country and beyond. From traditional African sounds to modern folk music, from chill-out jazz to the avant-garde, the label has made its mark. Recent highlights from the label include ...

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Article: African Jazz

South Africa: Voices On High

by AAJ Staff
December 21, 2003

You just have to put two and two together. Zulu and Xhosa music from Southern Africa has been all about song for as long as any historian--academic or tribal--can recall. Ancient church music from Europe blends many voices into a collective whole through hymns and choral music. And since both traditions are fully focused on spiritual ...