AFRICA 100 (afrobeat)

Afrobeat is a sound and a movement, music and a state of mind. It's the joyous awakening of a continent from a colonial nightmare and the crushing realization that the nightmare isn't over yet, anguish and happiness whipped together with traditional drums, cheap guitars, and even cheaper amps.

Afrobeat is a term with no solid definition, like punk, rock, or soul, although it may be all three of those things. No one knows who first used the word, but as far as history is concerned, it belongs to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late Nigerian giant through whom any understanding of the sound of 1970s Africa must pass. In the most limited sense, you could say that Afrobeat is the cinematic, polyrhythmic, symphonic funk sound that Fela developed with superhuman drummer Tony Allen, but it's much more than that.

For what has been recovered, distribution can be spotty, and the shop that has two things you're looking for is usually missing four other things you want to check out. Compilers of these sounds must track down the musicians, hunt out masters in forgotten, crumbling pressing plants, and sift through bins of scratched, dusty vinyl in the markets of Accra, Conakry, and Lagos looking for the lost slab of brilliant funk or the 45 with the highlife A-side and the totally unexpected fuzz-rock B-side. The rewards of those efforts have been huge, though, and I'm pleased this music is increasingly getting the spotlight it deserves.

Compiled by music writer Joe Tangari to accompany "The Indestructible Beat", his five-part April 2005 Pitchfork feature on the origins and history of Afrobeat and related genres, this home-assembled box set compiles 99 songs (a "vinyl-only" bonus track is unavailable here), and spans from the late 1950s to the present day, with a special focus on the genre's most active and fertile decade, the 1970s. Containing almost nine hours of music, it is now the most definitive collection of Afrobeat known to exist, and possibly the most thorough introduction to the music available.

For the uninitiated, Afrobeat, in its purest form, it is intensely beat-heavy, drawing as much inspiration from American funk, soul and jazz as from aboriginal chants and rhythms. Allmusic.com states that its musicians tended to favor large ensembles, extended grooves and improvised jam sessions, but that at its core it was dance music. Over the course of the the 1970s, however, many varieties and mutations would spring up, each drawing from more distant forms. On this collection, influences range from James Brown's good-foot funk, to Detroit's Motown R&B and soul, to Lee "Scratch" Perry and King Tubby's dub reggae, to even Serge Gainsbourg's sultry French whispers.

>> Disc 01
101. Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa '70: "Zombie" (Nigeria, 1977)
102. Girma Beyene: "Set Alamenem" (Ethiopia, 1969)
103. Marijata: "Mother Africa" (Ghana, 1976)
104. Segun Bucknor & His Revolution: "La La La" (Nigeria, year unknown)
105. Oscar Sulley & the Uhuru Dance Band: "Bukom Mashie" (Ghana, 1973)
106. Geraldo Pino: "Heavy Heavy Heavy" (Sierra Leone, year unknown)
107. Super Eagles: "Love's a Real Thing" (Gambia, 1972)
108. Orlando Julius & His Modern Aces: "Ijo Soul" (Nigeria, 1966)
109. Matata: "Talkin' Talkin'" (Kenya, 1973)
110. Ayalew Mesfin: "Hasabe" (Ethiopia, 1973)
111. Super Mambo 69: "Sweeper Soul" (country unknown, 1972)
112. Babatunde Olatunji: "Jin-Go-Lo-Ba" (Nigeria, 1960)
113. Dick Khoza: "African Jive" (South Africa, 1976)
114. Orchestra Baobab: "Mouhamadou Bamba" (Senegal, 1980)
115. Os Bongos: "Kazukuta" (Angola, 1974)
116. Getatchew Mekurya: "Yegenet Muziqa" (Ethiopia, 1972)

>> Disc 02
201. Brigth Engelberts & the B.E. Movement: "Get Together" (country, year unknown)
202. Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra: "Big Man" (United States, 2004)
203. Oscar Sulley & the Uhuru Dance Band: "Olufeme" (Ghana, 1973)
204. Thony Shorby Nyenwi: "No Wrong Show" (Nigeria, 1978)
205. Ogyatanaa Show Band: "Disco Africa" (Ghana, 1976)
206. Wallias Band: "Muziqawi Silt" (Ethiopia, 1977)
207. Lemma Demissew: "Astawesalehu" (Ethiopia, 1968 or 69)
208. Apagya Show Band: "Kwaku Ananse" (Ghana, 1974)
209. Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa '70: "Roforofo Fight" (Nigeria, 1972)
210. Monomono: "Tire Loma Da Nigbehin" (Nigeria, 1974)
211. Ofo the Black Company: "Allah Wakbarr" (Nigeria, 1972)
212. Joe Mensah: "Africa Is Home" (Ghana, 1975)
213. Lijadu Sisters: "Orere Eljigbo" (Nigeria, 1979)
214. Bembeya Jazz National: "Petit Sekou" (Guinea, 1976)

>> Disc 03
301. Gyedu Blay-Ambolley & the Steneboofs: "Simigwado" (Ghana, 1973)
302. Jingo: "Fever" (country unknown, 1974)
303. Joni Haastrup: "Greetings" (Nigeria, 1977)
304. Honny & the Bees Band: "Psychedelic Woman" (Ghana, 1973)
305. Yahoos: "Mabala" (country, year unknown)
306. Blo: "Blo" (Nigeria, 1972)
307. Tlahoun Gessesse: "Alegntaye" (Ethiopia, 1973)
308. K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas: "Hwehwe Mu Na Yi Wo Mpena" (Ghana, 1977)
309. Fela Anikulapo Kuti & Africa '70: "Gentleman" (Nigeria, 1973)
310. Manu Dibango: "African Battle" (Cameroon, 1973 or 74)
311. Alemayehu Eshete: "Addis Ababa Bete" (Ethiopia, 1989)
312. Shina Williams & His African Percussionists: "Agboju Logun" (12-inch mix) (Nigeria, 1984)

>> Disc 04
401. Bob Pinado & His Sound Casters: "Me, You, One (Means I Love You)" (Ghana, 1976)
402. Koola Lobitos: "Highlife Time" (Nigeria, 1965)
403. 3rd Generation Band: "Because of Money" (Ghana, 1973)
404. Mercury Dance Band: "Envy No Good" (country, year unknown)
405. Mahmoud Ahmed: "Mar Teb Yelal Kafesh" (Ethiopia, 1975)
406. E.T. Mensah & His Tempos Band: "205" (Ghana, late 1950s)
407. Bembeya Jazz National: "N'Garokomo" (Guinea, 1973)
408. Tamrat Ferendji & Sensation Band: "Antchin Yagegnulet" (Ethiopia, 1977)
409. Matata: "Wanna Do My Thing" (Kenya, early 70s)
410. Lekan Animashaun: "Serere" (Nigeria, recorded 1979, overdubs 1986, released 1995)
411. Dick Khoza: "Chapita" (South Africa, 1976)
412. Tesfa Maryam Kidane: "Yetesfa Tezeta" (Ethiopia, 1969)
413. Mulatu Astatque: "Kasalefkut Hulu" (Ethiopia, 1972)
414. Kokolo: "Mister Sinister" (United States, 2004)
415. Tlahoun Gessesse: "Aykedashem Lebe" (Ethiopia, 1974)

>> Disc 05
501. Manu Dibango: "Soul Makossa" (Cameroon, 1972)
502. Ebo Taylor: "Heaven" (Ghana, 1977)
503. Hugh Masakela & the Union of South Africa: "Dyambo" (South Africa, year unknown)
504. Sweet Talks: "Kye Kye Pe Aware" (Ghana, 1976)
505. Rob: "Make it Fast, Make it Slow" (Ghana, 1977)
506. William Onyeabor: "Better Change Your Mind" (Nigeria, 1978)
507. Bahta Gebre Heywet: "Tessassategn Eko" (Ethiopia, 1973)
508. Ayalew Mesfin & Black Lion Band: "Gud Aderegetchegn" (Ethiopia, 1977)
509. Sahara All-Stars Band Jos: "Enjoy Yourself" (Nigeria, year unknown)
510. Christy Azuma & Uppers International: "Naam" (Ghana, 1976)
511. Mahmoud Ahmed: "Kulun Mankwalesh" (Ethiopia, 1973)
512. Alemayehu Eshete: "Eskegizew Bertchi" (Ethiopia, 1974)
513. Salif Keita: "Mandjou" (Mali, 1978)
514. Assagai: "Cocoa" (country unknown, 1971)

>> Disc 06
601. Lourdes Van Dunem: "Ngongo ya Biluka" (Angola, 1972)
602. Guerilla: "La Popo" (country, year unknown)
603. Peter King: "Mystery Tour" (Nigeria, 1976)
604. Samuel Belay: "Aynotchesh Yerefu" (Ethiopia, 1973)
605. Ebo Taylor: "Atwer Abroba" (Ghana, 1977)
606. Tony Allen & His Afro Messengers: "No Discrimination" (Nigeria, 1979)
607. Johnson Mkhalali: "Joyce No. 2" (South Africa, 1985)
608. King Sunny Ade & His African Beats: "Ja Funmi" (Nigeria, 1982)
609. Amaswazi Emvelo: "Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama" (South Africa, 1985)
610. Pacific Express: "the Way it Used to Be" (South Africa, 1978)
611. Miriam Makeba: "Maria Fulo" (South Africa, 1967)
612. Youssou N'Dour & Etoile de Dakar: "Wadiour" (Senegal, 1982)
613. Tunde Williams & Africa '70: "Mr. Big Mouth" (Nigeria, 1975)
614. The Funkees: "Dancing Time" (Nigeria, early 70s)
615. Ladysmith Black Mambazo: "Lomhlaba Kawunoni (The Earth Never Gets Fat)" (South Africa, 1987)

>> Disc 07
701. Girma Beyene: "Ene Negn Bay Manesh" (Ethiopia, 1969)
702. TP Orchestra Poly-Rhythmo de Cotonou Dahomey: "Minsato Le, Mi Dayihome" (Benin, early 70s)
703. Sweet Talks: "Eyi Su Ngaangaa" (Ghana, 1976)
704. African Brothers Band: "Sakatumbe" (Ghana, 1970)
705. Dan Boadi & His African Internationals: "Play that Funky Music" (Nigeria, 1978)
706. Manu Dibango: "Mwasa Makossa" (Cameroon, 1973)
707. George Danquah: "Just a Moment" (country, year unknown)
708. Mulatu Astatque: "Netsanet" (Ethiopia, 1974)
709. Gaspar Lawal: "Kita Kita" (Nigeria, 1980)
710. Moussa Doumbia: "Keleya" (Mali, 1975)
711. Fred Fisher: "Asa-sa" (Nigeria, 1979)
712. Konono No. 1: "Paradiso" (Democratic Republic of Congo, 2005)
713. Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa '70: "Water No Get Enemy" (Nigeria, 1975)

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