The Rough Guide To African Guitar Legends

The Rough Guide To African Guitar Legends (RGNET1259CD) presents a range of dynamic finger-picking legends. Renowned Malian guitarists Djelimady Tounkara and Ali Farka Touré, whose music is based on a host of West African folk traditions, are each featured with a song.

Also featured in The Rough Guide To African Guitar Legends are Nigeria’s juju music innovator King Sunny Adé, Zimbabwe’s electrifying performer Oliver Mtukudzi, as well as Franco & OK Jazz, one of the key figures of Congolese music and African rumba. The captivating song by Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo, ‘Tour A Tour’, is a tribute to Franco.

Eric Agyeman first gained notoriety as guitarist whilst pioneering highlife, an infectious dance music that is one of the century’s first fusions of African roots and Western music.

The late Shiyani Ngcobo was considered one of South Africa’s top maskanda maestros (a form of Zulu troubadour music), and added some rich vocal harmonies, and minimal percussion to his songs, best exemplified here by ‘Yekanini’.

Tinariwen’s music deals with common Tuareg themes such as homesickness, longing, exile and a new political awakening, which can be heard in ‘Imidiwaren’.

Jean Bosco Mwenda was a pioneer of Congolese finger-style acoustic guitar music and developed a swift technique of picking by using both thumb and forefinger, and Henry Makobi became one of Kenya’s most prominent guitarists by incorporating elements of the rumba, along with adapting the rhythms of the litungu (a traditional lute), into a style called sutuki.

Track List

CD1
01 Djelimady Tounkara: Fanta Bourama
02 Oliver Mtukudzi: Andinzwi
03 Ali Farka Touré: Penda Yoro
04 Eric Agyeman: Nea Abe Beto
05 Tinariwen: Imidiwaren
06 Jean Bosco Mwenda: Pole Pole Ya Kuina
07 Franco & OK Jazz: On Entre OK, On Sort KO
08 Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo: Tour A Tour
09 Shiyani Ngcobo: Yekanini
10 Henry Makobi: Omulanga Wamuka
11 Kanté Manfila: Relaxin’ At Moribaya (Instrumental)
12 King Sunny Adé: Ja Fun Mi Dub

CD2 – Bonus Album by Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo

01 Heritage Ya Luambo
02 Beyou Motema
03 Liyanzi Ekoti Ngai Na Motema (Mouzi)
04 Mbanda Nasali Nini? (Madeleine)
05 Matinda
06 Infidelité Mado
07 Salima
08 Rumba Odemba
09 Liwa Ya Franco
10 Cherie Bondowé
11 Zozo Visi
12 Tour A Tour

Buy the album:

• In North America: The Rough Guide To African Guitar Legends . Other recordings available: Rough Guide to African Blues
• In Europe: The Rough Guide To African Guitar Legends. Other recordings available: Rough Guide to African Blues