Search - Manu Dibango :: Very Best Of: African Soul

Roaring Lion of Cameroon sax

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 01/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a pretty complete retrospective disc that is broken down into the following: The Nino Ferrer Years(1967-1971) featuring seven tracks from his France-African connection, The Soul Makossa Years(1972-1975) with three tracks that are pure Afro-jazz-funk and the introduction internationally of the smash "Soul Makossa," The Ivory Coast Years (1976-1978) where Manu Dibango returns to his roots in mother Africa, The Jamaican Experience(1979-1984)where he mixed it up with Sly & Robbie Shakespeare, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and Chris Blackwell and The Hats Off Years(1985-1997)that features his acid-jazz tracks with collaborations with Africans King Sunny Ade, Youssou N'Dour and Ladysmith Black Mambazo amongst others of diverse musical backgrounds like Peter Gabriel and Sinead O'Connor. The first time, many years ago when I first heard "Soul Makossa" I was floored and hooked. Besides the I-love-it-immediately sound of "Soul Makossa" their are other outstanding tracks including the very similar but much faster tempo of "Big Blow" that will blow your socks off, the historical recording "Dikalo" which was a forerunner and echoes "Soul Makossa," the Latin-influenced "Hot Chicken" that features Dibango's blistering sax, the childhood memories inspired song( a river in Cameroon), "Wouri, " that features Manu on alto sax and piano with nice orchestration,"Goro City" that features the reaggae-driven beat of Jamaican beatmiesters Sly and Robbie Shakespeare that fuses well with the Lion of Cameroons sax,"Senga Abele" an often sampled song that mixes the rap of M.C. Mello with the funky-cool sax of Dibango and African singers for a true world beat sound and finally the classic title track from the excellent disc "Wakafrika" that will have your head bopping and feat aching to move. Manu Dibango has always been ahead of the musical curve and this disc proves just that. It would be hard to find a grittier-funky sound out there. Check it out if you like jazz, funk or world music; it's all here on this disc."