JAZZ MUSICIAN MANU DIBANGO DIES OF CORONAVIRUS

Joel Savage and Manu Dibango

Jazz great Manu Dibango, best known for his 1972 hit “Soul Makossa,” has died from complications of the coronavirus, according to a statement on his official Facebook page.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on the 24th of March 2020, at 86 years old, further to Covid-19,” it said.

“His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible,” the message added.

The Cameroon-born singer and saxophonist died in a hospital near Paris, according to his music publisher Thierry Durepaire, Agence France-Presse reported.

Jazz musician Manu Dibango

The artist, who inspired “world music” in the 1970s, was one of the pioneers of Afro-jazz and also fused funk with traditional music from Cameroon.

His biggest hit was the B-side of a song to support the Cameroon soccer team in the African Cup of Nations, but was picked up by New York DJs.

Manu Dibango was one of the numerous great musicians I interviewed in Antwerp, Belgium. 

He was in Belgium many times to play at summer festivals, including the Sfinks festival and Mano Mundo festival. 

Dibango has lived in France for his entire life, playing around the globe with numerous musicians.

Manu Dibango: Expressing His Creativeness Through The Saxophone

Manu Dibango

Manu Dibango is perhaps one of the world’s best jazz saxophonists and a true international superstar with a career starting from the ’50s. At 15, he was sent to Paris to prepare for a professional career. He is a tireless globe-trotting musician. 


Last year, he played for hundreds of fans at the Mano-Mundo Festival in Belgium, and this year he was in Belgium again to play at Gent. He speaks about his passion for music.

Joel: As an African musician, have you made such an enormous contribution to African music internationally? How do you feel about this achievement?

Manu: I’m glad I’m still in motion. I don’t think of my past achievements. The most important thing is what I’m going to do tomorrow. I’m happy I did what I did. Thanks be to God.

Joel: In 1972, your hit “Soul Makossa” stormed the world. Since then, you have still been on the music scene. What has kept you moving all these years?

Manu: Passion “La Passion. What I would want African youths to have is passion. Because if you have passion, you can easily accept suffering, and when there is no passion, you have to try to cultivate it. If you can do that, then you can really bring out the best in yourself.

Joel: In 1985, you raised funds for famine-stricken Ethiopia through your “Tam-tams for Ethiopia project” with Mory Kante and others. What do you feel about the present situation in Ethiopia?

Manu: Well, talking about Ethiopia is like talking about the whole continent. A month ago, we played against AIDS and famine. We also played in Dakar. It is not only the music that is playing an important role in this issue of problems affecting Africa, but the activities of doctors, sportsmen, and journalists are also helping in various ways.

Joel: According to an international music magazine I read recently, you and the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti are among the world’s best saxophonists. How do you feel about this?

Manu: It’s nice to hear that. You know that one doesn’t play music just for the hours to pass. But you play music because you are in love with music, and luckily, if people like what I’m proposing, then I’m happy. 

Although music is a business, you don’t start thinking about money from the initial stages when you are in music. First, propose to the people what they want, and if they like it, then the money comes later.

Joel: Last year, I watched you playing at the Mano-Mundo festival when the frenzied crowd called for more songs. What was your experience at that moment?

Manu: Well, you can see that I’m still in motion. It happens that you share the music with the audience. That is the best happiness an artist can have. I’m not alone on stage but with a group of musicians. 

So the more the music is successful, the happier the audience feels about the music. It’s the responsibility of an artist to make his fans happy. That is a proposition. I’m always talking about a proposition.

Joel: This question comes from one of your fans who lives in the United States of America. He said I must ask you the reason you always play in Africa and Europe but not in the USA.

Manu Dibango on stage

Manu: If they want me there, I will be there. I go to every country that wants Manu. I have management, and those who want me to be in contact with my management. I have played in Canada and some parts of South America. I lived in America for two years in the ’70s. The most important thing is that they love my music.

Discover the interviews of some of your favorite musicians in ‘The Passion Of Reggae And African Music.  https://goo.gl/INF751

Reggae and High-Life Brewed From African Pot - Ekow Alabi Savage

Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage

Music is inspirational, even if the lyrics are in a foreign language; it still draws people to the dance floor. One of Africa’s musicians who has gained international recognition with his sweet blended Reggae and Highlife is German-based Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage.

At the time when Africa’s dream of autonomy was slowly becoming reality and the first President of Ghana joined the youth to build a modern nation, Ekow Alabi was born in Ghana in the city of Cape Coast, once the capital of the "Gold Coast.”

He began playing drums at the tender age of five years. After studying all types of African drums and percussion in Accra, he easily started playing the local Highlife, Calypso, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, and  R and B.

At the age of 14, he founded a school band called "ANABO," working with their favorite rhythms like reggae, highlife, and calypso. He soon became "the small boy drummer," playing with famous bands like "SWEET BEANS BAND" in Ghana. Later, he played with internationally known African bands and musicians like Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti.

In the late 70´s he moved to Germany, playing with internationally known artists like George Darko and Pat Thomas. There, he rejoined his old schoolboys (friends) to form the first Afro-Reggae band in Berlin and Germany, "Roots Anabo.” The band created its own rhythmical style called SUNLIFE MUSIC and toured most of the famous music festivals during the European summers.

In 1984, his band performed at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where they met Glen Browne, a Jazz bass player, and Ibo Cooper from “THIRD WORLD” who joined the band to record songs for their album "Civilization” in the Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston.

In the late '80s, when the group was taking a break, Ekow Alabi joined Berlin´s first multicultural and multilingual hip-hop band, "REALITY BROTHERS". There, he met producer Tom "Serious" Lee. Together they recorded Ekow’s first solo album, "Return to Zion,” as well as two videos.

During his musical career, he performed with international musicians like Ziggy Marley, Kojo Antwi, Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti, Cedric Him Brooks, Eeka Mouse Black Heritage, Africa MMA, and Vitamin X, and, in the past five years, with Jimi Tenor.

With Vitamin X, he recorded five albums from 1990 to 2000. Together with the international Finnish Jazz musician Jimi Tenor and the band “Kabu Kabu,” they fused Afrobeat with Jimi´s Jazz vision and performed this fusion at many concerts. 

Alabi also tours in Europe as well as in Africa with Brothers Keepers and Bantu. He is continuously expanding his extraordinary talents in other areas, like teaching and giving percussion workshops.

Ekow is currently working on his new album "Going for Gold” featuring Mariamu Morris, Djatou Toure, Beezy, Aly Keita, Crimeldo, and many more under the production of  Tom Lee Pettersen. 

On tour, Ekow would take the opportunity to present songs from his last album and put up a great performance to entertain his fans in Germany and Europe.

For live performance, concerts, and festivals, contact Ekow’s management at info@ekowmania.com order booking@ekowmania.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWVQOe3NEKI

http://www.ekowmania.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EKOWMANIA?fref=ts

MORY KANTE COMES TO MANO MUNDO FESTIVAL

Mory Kanté


Mano Mundo, a nice and interesting festival taking place yearly under the umbrella of the Antwerp Province, kicks off on the 12 and 13 May 2012, respectively. 


In the past, the festival had hosted famous musicians from different countries globally, including Tutu Puoane, Manu Dibango, and a host of others to entertain the people at Schorre in Boom.

This year, among other musicians to perform at the festival is the great Guinean musician known as Mory Kanté. Mory was born in Guinea on May 29, 1950. As a vocalist and player of the kora, a traditional harp, his golden voice and skills on the kora made him a genius among other traditional musicians from Africa.

In 1987, Kanté became internationally known for his hit "Yeke Yeke," which was one of Africa's best-ever-selling hits as well as being a European number one in 1988, making it the first-ever African single to sell over one million copies. It was in Munich, 1988, that I heard this great song pulling everyone to the dance floor.

In 1994, his international stardom excelled when the German techno duo Hardfloor created a dance remix of "Yéké Yéké." He also appeared in 2006 as a vocalist on British DJ Darren Tate's release, "Narama." On 16 October 2001, Mory Kanté was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Manu Dibango speaks to Joel Savage

Joel Savage and Manu Dibango


Manu Dibango is perhaps one of the world's best jazz saxophonists. A true international superstar, with a career starting from the '50s. At 15, he was sent to Paris to prepare for a professional career. 

He is a tireless globe-trotting musician. Last year, he played for hundreds of fans at the "Mano-Mundo festival" in Antwerp, and this year he was invited once again to play at the "Pole-pole festival" in Gent. Both cities are in Belgium. Now he speaks about his passion for music to me.

Joel: As an African musician, you have made such an enormous contribution to African music internationally. How do you feel about this achievement?

Manu: I'm glad I'm still in motion. I don't think of my past achievements. The most important thing is what I'm going to do tomorrow. I'm happy that I did what I did. Thanks be to God.

Joel: In 1972, your hit "Soul Makossa" stormed the world. Since then, you have still been on the music scene. What keeps you moving all these years?

Manu: Passion "La passion." What I would want African youths to have is passion. If you have the passion, you can easily accept suffering, and when there is no passion, you have to try to cultivate it. If you can't do that, then you can really bring out the best of yourself.

Joel: In 1985, you raised funds for the famine-stricken Ethiopia through your "Tam-tams for Ethiopia project" with Mory Kante and others. What do you feel about the present situation in Ethiopia?

Manu: Well, talking about Ethiopia is like talking about the whole African continent. A month ago, we played against AIDS and famine. We also played in Dakar. It is not only the music that is playing an important role in this issue of problems affecting Africa, but the activities of doctors, sportsmen, and journalists are also helping in various ways.

Joel: According to an international music magazine I read recently, you and the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti are among the world's best saxophonists. How do you feel about this?

Manu: It's interesting to hear that. You know that one doesn't play music for hours just to pass. But you play music because you are in love with music, and luckily, if it happens that people like what I'm proposing, then I'm happy. 

Although music is a business, you don't start thinking of money from the initial stages when you are in music. First, you propose to the people what they want, and if they like it, then the money comes later.

Joel: Last year, I watched you playing at the Mano-Mundo festival when the frenzied crowd called for more songs. What was your experience at that moment?

Manu: Well, you can see that I'm still in motion. It happens that you share the music with the audience. That is the best happiness an artist can have. 

I'm not alone on stage but with a group of musicians. So the more the music is successful, the happier the audience feels about the music. It's the responsibility of an artist to make his or her fans happy. That is a proposition. I'm always talking about a proposition.

Joel: This question comes from one of your fans who lives in the United States of America. He said I must ask you the reason you do always play in Africa and Europe but not in the USA?

Manu: If they want me there, I will be there. I go to every country that wants Manu. I have management, and those who want me to play in contact with my management. I have played in Canada and some parts of South America. I lived in America for two years in the '70s. The most important thing is that they love my music.

Joel: This is another question from one of your fans. He said that when he was young, he heard that you sued Michael Jackson for using "Makossa" in his music without your permission. Is it true?

Manu: Yes, that is true. It is a long-time story from 1986. But the problem was solved a long time ago.

Joel: I believe that you are now in your seventies. What is the secret behind your fitness?

Manu: If I have a secret of what keeps me young, then definitely I'm going to sell it. (He laughed) I told you before. It's a passion.

Joel: In 1994, you released "The Rough Guide of Manu Dibango." What do you have in store for your numerous fans worldwide?

Manu: Well, at the moment I have a big band in France. The name is "Marabuti." We have big projects presently and in the future, and we are going to the studios probably in the autumn for recording.

Joel: Sir, thank you very much for this interview.

Manu: You are welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ/