Various Artists - African Tribal Music & Dances (1995)

Featuring festival music of the Princes of Dahomey.This is part of Laserlight's Touch Africa series.Unknown Contributor Roles: Baoule; Malinke.African Tribal Music is a solid if nondescript collection of traditional African chants and rhythms. Some of the titles are a little lurid ("Drums of Passion," "White Zombie," and "Witch Doctor" seem more like B-movies), but by and large the set offers a good overview of its subject. ~ Jason Ankeny

 And here are some more informations about this very intersting album:

"Hello, today we slowly drift out of the desert heart of Africa, Mali but not before taking in some of the tribal music by its largest ethnic group, the Mandinka which even finds itself as neighbours to the Baoulé from Ivory Coast, third on the Tribal Music And Dances album is Sonar Senghor And His Rhythms from Senegal a group at the forfront of elevating African culture to a higher status, but alas this didn't hold back the sharks and vultures that have been continously exploiting Africa ever since they set foot on it. With the full blessing of the church or islamic cleric, what else to expect from hypocritical men.
Second offering today is Babatunde Olatunji, a Yoruba man who's life revolved around drums, he didn't stay in Nigeria but found his way to the States where he recorded his passion and tought others.

xxxxx

The Mandinka, Malinke (also known as Mandinko) are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million. They are the descendants of the Empire of Mali, which rose to power under the rule of the great Mandinka king Sundiata Keita. The Mandinka in turn belong to West Africa's largest ethno-linguistic group, the Mandé. Mandinka culture is rich in tradition, music, and spiritual ritual. Mandinkas continue a long oral history tradition through stories, songs and proverbs. This rich oral history is passed down through the ages by griots backed by music. They have long been known for their drumming and also for their unique musical instrument, the kora. It has made music one of the most distinctive traits of the Mandinka.

The Baoulé (or Baule) are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in the Ivory Coast. The Baoulé are farmers who live in the eastern side of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). The Baoule people are represented by religion, art, festivals, and equal society . There are more than sixty-five different Akan-speaking ethnic groups living in Cote d'Ivoire. In the 17th century the Baoulé left present day Ghana and traveled west into present day Côte d'Ivoire under the lead of the Queen Pokou. According to oral tradition, the Baoulé were forced to leave Ghana when the Ashanti rose to power. While they were fleeing for their lives they came to a large river that they were unable to cross. Myth has it that the Queen sacrificed her son so they could cross and other side cried the child is dead- or in local lingo "baouli," hence her people were known as the Baoulé. A general peaceful equal society, must be a matriachaat then..it is. Sensible grasp of religion too..the domain of God (Niamien), the earthly materialistic realm and the beyond spiritworld where their ancestors reside (blolo). And we in the west have been calling these peoples primitives for ages.

Our last player on this album is Sonar Senghor a bit of a rebel who when he got to Paris to study law, decided he much more loved the theatre, soon he had to provide for himself and landed him on stage where he maneged to recite anti colonial poems from his homeland, Senegal, obviously the french police decided this troublemaker needed a lesson and arrested and tortured him before throwing him back on the streets. He became the spokesman against colonialism in Africa. In 1950 he took under his tutelage Keita Fodeba and they successfully form the National ballet of Keita Fodeba with its premier performance in 1953. By 58 he was ready to return with the concept of a theatrical development he wanted to create in Senegal. He was appointed director of Theatre du Palais and created the National Ballet of Senegal in 1960. In 1964 he is appointed director of Theatre National Daniel Sorano and his theatrical movement flourishes with the creation of several more companies, the second ballet, the lyric and instrumental ensemble and dramatic troupe. Maurice Senghor would spend 20 years at Sorano. Where he ultimately left disappointed as the state refused to fund his work. Feeling humiliated and abandoned by most Mr. Senghor returned to France in 1996 to live alone. He died in July 2007 at age 80 years." (by RHO-Xs)


Alternate frontcovers


Tracklist:
 

Music Of The Malinké:
01. Festival Music 3.25       
02. Solo For The Seron 2.40        
03. Hymn Of Praise 3.33        
04. Percussion Instruments 1.33       
05. Festival Of The Circumcision  2.18      
06. Dance Of The Hunters 3.23        
07. Dance Of The Woman 3.17       

Music Of The Baulé:
08. Invocation, Entrance, And Dance Of The Glaou 7.58       
09. Duet For Flutes 2.15       
10. Solo For Musical Bow 0.48        
11. Xylophone Solo 2.29        
12. Male Chorus And Harp 2.09        
13. Dance Of The Witch Doctor 4.25   
   
Sonar Senghor And His Rhythms:
14. Sicco 1.40        
15. Toffi 3.02        
16. Ibonga 1.38       
17. Gnounba Gnibi 2.49       
18. Dianka Bi 3.38        
19. Sibi Saba 3.08        
20. Sindhio 3.27        
21. Didrenquo 3.51       
22. Bonomiollo 2.58

All songs are Traditionals



ARMU 2399
ARMU 2399 (zippyshare)