Week 24: 50 Albums That Changed Music
This week's selection is another that I'm not familiar with, although the name is familiar to me at least. Youssou N'Dour - Immigres (1984)
The charismatic N'Dour, Senegal's top star, changed the West's perceptions of African musicians, just as he had revolutionised Sengalese music. Nothing sounded like the fusion on Immigres, with its lopsided rhythms, whooping toaking drums and discordant horns, topped by N'Dour's supple, powerful vocals. Immigres also redefined the role of West Aftrican griot, addressing migration and African identity. Without this...N'Dour wouldn't have met Peter Gabriel, there'd be no African presence at Live 8. In fact, 'world music' would not exist as a section in Western collections.
No world music section? Because of one guy? How can that be? Was he really the first to meet up with the West? I know he came a couple years before the Paul Simon / Ladysmith Black Mambazo collaberation, but surely there were others before that. What about Ravi Shankar? He was around in the 60s and would be considered World Music, correct?
Swish
Osibisa? Of course! How could I forget that one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BradH
Or Osibisa's first album from 1972. They were fairly popular in the U.K., based in London and played West African "high life".
My older brother had that album and I loved it, and that would be the correct year. I have a comp from YECH that includes two songs from that record and it just cracked me up to no end to hear them again. Brought back a lot of memories....
Swish
Well, what I should have said was...
[QUOTE=BradH]Well, I was close but no cigar. Osibisa's debut and their follow up, Woyaya, were both released in 1971. QUOTE]
...that it was available in 1972 because I knew I was listening to it then. My brother was 4 years older than me and was still a Sr. in high school when he had that particular album, meaning I was listening to it that year for sure. Could be he had it in 1971 though. Thanks for checking it out though.
Swish Baby