Connections

Musical connections abound - ask anyone who's heard Kru music in Sierra Leone. It sounds suspiciously like Jamaican mento, with a dash of Congolese seasoning. Then there's the close-harmony singing and Zulu jive of South Africa - a gorgeous transmutation of their traditional music, blended with American jump blues and jazz. And more... Click here to listen.

Afro-Caribbean music

1. Beautiful Mulatto Girl, Unknown artists, Jawbone of an Ass (Cook Records/Smithsonian Folkways)

2. Belle Madame, Orchestre Créole Delvi, Au Bal Antillais: Franco-Creole Biguines (Arhoolie) Martinique

3. Big Nose Jaral, New Revelation, Calypso Costa Rica (Buda Musique)

4. Out On The Rolling Sea, Joseph Spence, Good Morning Mr. Walker (Arhoolie) Bahamas

5. Went to the Bight, Cat Island Mites, Bahamas: Islands of Song (Smithsonian Folkways)

6. Run Mr. Peters Run, Mr. Peters Boom And Chime, Haul Up Your Foot You Fool (Fire Ant) Belize

7. Eastern Conga, Rupert Clemendore, Le Jazz Trinidad (Cook Records/Smithsonian Folkways)

8. Telenovela, Izaline Calister, Krioyo (World Network) Curação


9. Petite fleur, Henri Salvador, Ses Plus Grandes: The Best of Henri Salvador (Universal International) France

10. Dry Bones, Sons of Andros, Bahamas: Islands of Song

11. Zancudo, Tin Tan, Calypso Costa Rica

12. Crying, Monty Alexander's Ivory and Steel, Island Grooves (Concord Records) Jamaica/US

13. Ezi Myama, Ernest Ranglin, Alextown (Palm Pictures) Jamaica

14. Florzinha (Petite fleur), Tania Maria, Viva Brazil (Concord Records) France/Brazil

South Africa and nearby countries

15. Ndiza Fera Chuma, Sitero Mbewe/Frank Mukweza, African Acoustic: Sounds Eastern And Southern (Original Music) Malawi

16. Lizw Linamoya, Nelson Siboza & The Montanas Brothers, African Acoustic: Sounds Eastern And Southern (Original Music) South Africa

17. Babalasi, Irene Buyiswa Ndumo & The Jury Mpelho Band, Siya Hamba! 1950s South African Country and Small Town Sounds (Original Music)

18. De Makebam, Jazz Dazzlers, Township Jazz and Jive (Music Club) South Africa

19. Baby Are Yeng, Nancy Jacobs & Her Sisters, Township Jazz and Jive (Music Club) South Africa

20. Isicatula, Jury Mpelho Band, Siya Hamba! 1950s South African Country and Small Town Sounds (Original Music)

21. No Doli Wami, Blue Notes, Siya Hamba! 1950s South African Country and Small Town Sounds (Original Music)

22. Ndenzi Na, Father Huddlestone Band, Township Jazz and Jive (Music Club) South Africa

23. Thula Ndivile, Midnight Stars, Siya Hamba! 1950s South African Country and Small Town Sounds (Original Music)



24. Ngi Hamba Ngedwa, Dorothy Masuka, Township Jazz and Jive (Music Club) Zimbabwe/South Africa

25. L'enfant et la gazelle, Miriam Makeba, The Guinea Years (Sterns) South Africa

26. Soweto, Abdullah Ibrahim, Cape Town Revisited (Enja/Tip Toe) South Africa

27. Welele, Letta Mbulu, Letta Mbulu Sings/Free Soul
South Africa

28. Amampondo, Miriam Makeba, The Guinea Years (Sterns) South Africa

29. Elube, S.R. Chitalo & the De Ndirande Pitch Crooners, African Acoustic: Sounds Eastern And Southern (Original Music) Malawi

30. Chemutengure (traditional children's song), Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited, Live at El Rey (Anonymous Web) Zimbabwe

Central and West Africa

31. Madou Whiskey Soda, African Jazz w/Kalle, Mujos, Didi, East Of Africa (Retro Afric) Congo

32. Mama Kwela, African Jazz w/Kalle, East Of Africa Congo

33. Majo, Negro Succes w/Assossa & Diby, East Of Africa Congo

34. Vie Ya Kindumba, Negro Succes w/Zozo, Bijou, East Of Africa Congo

35. Souvenirs - OK Jazz, Kékélé, Congo Life (Sterns) Congo/France

36. Lunch Time, Gabby Omolo & Omondi Jassor, Kenya Music Sampler

37. Mo Ti Yege, I.K. Dairo & His Blue Spots, I Remember (Music of the World) Nigeria


38. Cut Your Coat According to Your Size, Apolos Empire Rhythm Orchestra, Money No Be Sand (Original Music) Nigeria

39. Shake It, Professional Beach Melodians, Money No Be Sand Ghana

40. Grace, Uweka Stars, Zambush Vol. 1: Zambian Hits from the 80s (Sharp Wood)

41. Medley: Cain Ati Abel/Alhaji T'Oyo Mayan/Omi l'Eman, Orlando Owoh, Dr. Ganja's Polytonality Blues (Original Music) Nigeria

42. Angola Kula, Mendes Brothers, Bandera (MB Records) Cape Verde Islands/US

43. Medley: Soul Makossa/Big Blow/Wema Africa, Manu Dibango, La fête a Manu - Live (Buda Musique) Cameroon

44. Don't Let Me Down, Charlotte Dada, Money No Be Sand (Original Music) Ghana


* Photo of conga player by Alessandro Pecci.