Tuko Pamoja (We Are Together)

Check out the little guy pointing to his missing tooth, now that's pride.

While not what we had in mind when naming this little website of ours, the other continent across the Atlantic is in the spotlight today. Lifelong BTA ally Rainer Tan picked up for Tanzania last year and has been doing fine work ever since, volunteering on logistical operations for hospitals and equally noble community building programs. His journey's taken him across the continent, and as if it wasn't enough he's an ace humanitarian, he might just become the next Tanzanian radio king. The song he recently recorded with his friend Amani has been receiving regular radio play in that country, and though he's modest about its success, we think that's pretty fucking cool. "Tuko Pamoja" is a bright, summer tune with a spirited message of unity. Have a listen, sit back, enjoy the sunshine.

We've thrown in some other downloads from Africa's finest that you can try very hard not to like, but, you know...Angelique Kidjo, fresh off her appearance at Ottawa Bluesfest, delivers one of the most triumphant songs Benin, or the continent at large, has seen with "Sedjedo." And if you missed our post on William Onyeabor, check it out.

Amani & Rainer - Tuko Pamoja
Angelique Kidjo feat. Ziggy Marley - Sedjedo
Amadou & Mariam - Je Pense a Toi (Alix Remix)
Issa Bagayogo - Bana

- BA

william onyeabor

Last week I was absent-mindedly perusing the contents of my favourite local charity shop (that’s ‘thrift shop’ for you North Americans) when my ears were blessed with a fantastic sound – 70’s African soul with an electro flavour. What I was hearing was so good that I approached the shop’s proprietor to ask about the scratchy vinyl he was playing on his ancient record player. And this is how I discovered William Onyeabor.

The LP my new friend was listening to turned out to be Onyeabor’s 1978 album Atomic Bomb. He told me that William Onyeabor is pretty much a legend in his home country of Nigeria although his albums are now quite rare (copies like this occasionally surface on ebay for up to $100). However, a trip down any busy street in Lagos will present multiple opportunities to buy copies of the original records on burned CDs from street vendors.

According to a bio on the interweb:
William Onyeabor studied cinematography in Russia for many years, returning to Nigeria in the mid-70s to start his own Wilfilms music label and to set up a music and film production studio. He recorded a number of hit songs in Nigeria during the 70s, the biggest of which was ‘Atomic Bomb’ in 1978. ‘Better Change Your Mind’ is taken from the same album, and, as well as slating the power-crazed nations of the world, the second half settles into a unique slice of stripped down spacey, lo-fi funk which is unlike any other Nigerian music being made at the time. William has now been crowned a High Chief in Enugu, where he lives today as a successful businessman working on government contracts and running his own flour mill.

The excellent African music blog With Comb & Razor recently made available an mp3 rip of the original vinyl version of 'When the Going is Good & Smooth' from Onyeabor's mid-80s album Anything You Sow and I've included it below along with the classic 'Better Change Your Mind'.

William Onyeabor - When the Going is Smooth & Good
William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind


- a.m.p.m.