´Soul Makosa´ Man For Ghana?
Saturday, 04 March 2006
NEWS from the grapevine have it that a popular Ghanaian promoter is preparing the grounds for African soul master, Manu Dibango to perform in Ghana.
The promoter who wants to remain incognito for now, says his agents abroad are making the contacts, and soon, music fans will hear something definite about the show.
Now, who is Manu Dibango?
It is almost impossible to find a fitting description for a musician such as Manu Dibango who has made such an enormous contribution to African music as a whole.
He is a saxophonist, nicknamed ‘The lion of Cameroon’, from a track on ‘The Very Best of African Soul’ album.
Originally trained in classical piano, his musical career began in Brussels and Paris in the 1950s. 1960 finds him in Congo as a member of African Jazz led by Joseph Kabasele (Le Grand Kalle)! He formed his own band in Cameroon in 1963, moving to Paris in 1965. His international breakthrough came in 1972 with Soul Makossa.
Manu Dibango is extraordinarily versatile, having played almost every style of music you care to mention: soul, reggae, jazz, spirituals, blues...Anne-Marie Nzié and Meiway and, on his Wakafrika album of 1994, many top African and international musicians contribute, In 1985 Manu raised funds for famine-striken Ethiopia through his successful ‘Tam-Tams for Ethiopia’ project with Mory Kante and others.
Manu’s first album was recorded in 1969 and in 1970 he accompanied Franklin Boukaka on a classic 12-track album.
In 2000 two were released: Anthology, a boxed set of 3 CDs and Mboa’ Su which includes a new arrangement of Franklin Boukaka’s track ‘Aye Africa’ (Le Bucheron), made for the millennium celebrations on Robben Island in the presence of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
Listening to the Anthology CDs you will find some amazing contrasts from one track to the next. An album with a difference was released in 2002: entitled ‘B Sides’; most of the tracks are remastered from recordings in the 1970s where Manu plays, not sax but the marimba and vibraphone.
There are Rough Guides to the music of whole countries but Manu warrants one all to himself: the 13-track album The Rough Guide to Manu Dibango (2004) has the full range of his songs, classics and rarities.
Manu’s autobiography was originally published in French in 1989 with the English translation,Three Kilos of Coffee, published in 1994.
The book makes fascinating reading as Manu de cribes his experiences personally. In 1984 he originated the word ‘negropolitain’.
Manu performed alongside Cuban Clave Y Guaguanco at the Barbican in London in 1999 and played there again in April 2001 with the spectacular Afro-Funk Big Band including Richard Bona, Claude Deppa and Tony Allen.
Recently, he was on stage with Ray Lema at WOMAD Reading 2003 (see photo above) In September 2003 Manu was in London, where he had a brand new collaboration with the Soweto String Quartet for an evening of songs of struggle and liberation.
Limbe sprang alive 26 December 2007 when the monument of Cameroon music, Manu Dibango blowing his historic trumpet took to the stage in the Limbe Community Field. It was an occasion where the king of soul Makossa and the redauntable the mesmerizing benskinner Talla André Maqrie made every body to relive the youthfulness of the 60s and the 70s.
It was a moment of nostalgia. Old men young enthusiastics could be went down memory lane, shedding their tears of love and joy, recalling times gone by.
It was a moment that bridge the gap between the hopes and fulfillments of the 70s and what now seem to be the uncertainties of the 2000s, and beyond, fans enthused and wept in nostalgia.
Manu Dibango, Talla André Marie, in Limbe were the penultimate in the entertainment scene, a blessing this fall of 2007.
Manu Dibango’s feat in exposing Cameroon cultural core, song and music, brought reknown to this little triangle, immediate neighbours to the West African States.
Manu’s legacy to Cameroon cuts through political, tribal and religious prescriptions for survival. Manu was the Hercules of Cameroon art, culture and music.
He was the Duke Elington of Cameroon music. Manu did what Fela Ransom Anipula Kuti did for Nigeria.
An epitome of Bob Marley’s legacy to Jamaicans and the Caribbeans, a portion to Cameroon, artistic explosion on the world scene.
Infact unilaterally placed the Cameroonian identity and the prowess on the world musical and artistic scene. He is the Salif Keita, the voice of art in Africa, just as Salif Keita in the Sahelian nations.
Manu is the Fela of Cameroon and luckily he trumpeted Fela in his lousing Limbe 26 December concert.
The Limbe show, through Manu Dibango and Henry Njalla Quan’s efforts, transformed Limbe into the heart of Cameroon’s world class-soul makossa, temporarily pitching Limbe the capital of Cameroon in the domain of culture and music.
The grand old boy was in Limbe to celebrate the Eboa Lottin Memorial Foundation. A foundation which strives, according to Basius Ngome the Lady L Scion, to promotethe culture of the Sawa people.
Nothing could be more honouring than Manu, whose trumpet Eboa Lottin used in his first Paris grand concert, to come out to honour his pupil, counterpart and playmate in memorable concerts, nationally and internationally.
2007 was special; Manu Dibaqngo transformed his usual expensive schedule for a free exercise in Limbe.
Manu, Talla pointed out, was a monument, a kin to the the Mount Cameroon in Fako. For Njalla Quan, he was an epitome of the finest in then Sawacultural core, its music, culture and esthetics.
Alongside André Marie Talla, they transformed the soul makossa, bendskin into zealous unsurpassed by other Cameroonian musicians, as thousands of fans from the Littoral and South West Provinces savoured the beauties of the best of Cameroon musical core.
Eyeya Zanga, Peter Itoe Mbongo , Muanga Andrew, Blasius Ngome and above all Njalla Quan repented from their normal composure to celebrate the event.
In spite of the late start, the unpiads of Limbe, Douala, Yaounde and the population could not get all what they wanted and looked up expectantly to 2008 to seek fulfillment of their musical ardour.
At the end, they were fulfilled needing more but time was short. Manu said it was a free gift to Limbe and expressed readiness to be there again.
Though the occasion was free, it was thanks to Njalla Quan, Mayor, esthetic company and Brasseries du Cameroun
=================
Manu Dibango To Perform In Ghana
By ghanaweb.com
Saturday, 11 March 2006
Manu DibangoAFRICAN soulmaster, Manu Dibango is to perform in Ghana.
The Cameroonian saxophonist who is widely known across the world, will perform in gigs in Accra and Kumasi at a date yet to be announced.
According to the website of the Musicians Union of Ghana, (MUSICA), the African soul master, who is also known as "The Lion of Cameroon" will perform alongside some of the best musicians in Ghana.
Originally trained in classical piano, his musical career began in Brussels and Paris in the 1950s. 1960 finds him in Congo as a member of African Jazz led by Joseph Kabasele (Le Grand Kalle)! He formed his own band in Cameroon in 1963, moving to Paris in 1965. His international breakthrough came in 1972 with Soul Makossa.
Manu Dibango is extraordinarily versatile, having played almost every style of music you care to mention: soul, reggae, jazz, spirituals, blues. In 1985 Manu raised funds for famine-striken Ethiopia through his successful ‘Tam-Tams for Ethiopia’ project with Mory Kante and others.
Manu’s first album was recorded in 1969 and in 1970 he accompanied Franklin Boukaka on a classic 12-track album.
In 2000 two were released: Anthology, a boxed set of 3 CDs and Mboa’ Su which includes a new arrangement of Franklin Boukaka’s track ‘Aye Africa’ (Le Bucheron), made for the millennium celebrations on Robben Island in the presence of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
Manu’s autobiography was originally published in French in 1989 with the English translation,Three Kilos of Coffee, published in 1994.
The book makes fascinating reading as Manu describes his experiences personally.
In 1984 he originated the word ‘negropolitain’.
Manu performed alongside Cuban Clave Y Guaguanco at the Barbican in London in 1999 and played there again in April 2001 with the spectacular Afro-Funk Big Band including Richard Bona, Claude Deppa and Tony Allen.
In September 2003 Manu was in London, where he had a brand new collaboration with the Soweto String Quartet for an evening of songs of struggle and liberation.
To celebrate his 70th birthday Manu had a unique concert with special guests at London’s Barbican in October 2004.
===================
Can 2008 - Manu Dibango rallie les Camerounais
Le Quotidien Mutations (Yaoundé) - 23 Janvier 2008 - By Justin Blaise Akono
Une chanson sur les Lions Indomptables est en circulation depuis ce matin.
Un coup de sifflet avec de la musique en fond sonore, on croirait écouter le célèbre tube à succès de Manu Dibango, «Soul Makossa» de 1972. Même si une voix autre que celle du chanteur camerounais qui vient de fêter ses 50 ans de musique n´apparaît pas dans cette chanson de 45 secondes seulement. Juste un générique, avec des mots tendant à galvaniser les Lions indomptables, équipe nationale de football du Cameroun. «Dribblez...Shootez...Marquez...Ce sera le coup fatal, le coup final, celui de la victoire». Tels sont certains des appels que l´on peut reconnaître à travers la voix du Rappeur Krotal. Pendant 45 secondes, «la culture camerounaise [est] de tout cÅ"ur avec les Lions indomptables», pour reprendre la fin de la chanson, dont une version est instrumentale. «C´est aussi le message qui devra sous-tendre la communication autour de chaque sortie de l´équipe nationale de football, quelle que soit la compétition», a indiqué Jean Claude Bilana, chargé de la communication autour de ce projet.
Ce chant de ralliement sur fond de Funk et Jazz grâce à la touche Manu Dibango, «qui est une icône de la musique camerounaise», a expliqué Jean Claude Bilana. La tendance Rap dans cette chanson découle de l´apport de Krotal, qui y a posé sa voix. Cette chanson est une idée de la ministre de la Culture, Ama Tutu Muna. Manu Dibango, approché en décembre dernier lors du cinquantenaire de sa carrière compose les musiques sur les textes de Wolber Elissar, directrice général de l´agence de communication Déclic, basée à Yaoundé. Le Rappeur Krotal y pose sa voix pour la version chantée. Objectif, constituer une chanson de ralliement des Lions indomptables, que les supporters devraient exécuter à chaque rendez-vous.
Deux textes ont été proposés à Manu Dibango. Finalement, le texte suivant a été choisi: «Driblez...Shootez... Marquez. Coup de tête! Coup de pied, passe, passe. Le stade va trembler ce soir. Ce sera le coup fatal, le coup final. Celui de la victoire!!! Vivons les couleurs qui notre force. Les Lions indomptables! Nés pour la victoire. Allez les Lions. Allez le Cameroun». La chanson, qui a été concoctée dans les studios de Paris, en ce qui concerne Manu Dibango et Yaoundé, pour Krotal sera mise en ondes aujourd´hui dans les différentes radios et télévisions camerounaises au moment où Manu Dibango et la ministre de la Culture sont au Ghana, dans le cadre de la Coupe d´Afrique des nations de football.
============
ghana 2008 : Soirée culturelle camerounaise - John Kufuor en guest star
Le chef de l’Etat ghanéen était l’invité-surprise de vendredi dernier au National Theatre of Ghana.
La nouvelle a commencé à circuler vers 17h. Et 4 heures plus tard, une sirène et des gyrophares la confirment. A 21h vendredi, le cortège présidentiel fait son entrée dans l’enceinte du National Theatre of Ghana. Le président John Kufuor himself ! Pantalon bleu et chemise pagne, le chef de l’Etat, détendu et le pas alerte gravit les marches de l’escalier, après avoir été accueilli par le ministre camerounais de la Culture, Ama Tutu Muna et son homologue ghanéen. Les Camerounais n’en croient pas leurs yeux, et lui continue d’avancer. Mais avant de rejoindre la loge pour le spectacle, John Kufuor s’arrête net dans le hall. Il vient de reconnaître des visages sur les tableaux de l’exposition « The Hall of Fame ». D’abord son homologue Paul Biya, mais aussi Samuel Eto’o Fils et Roger Milla.
Près de trois heures après cette entrée fracassante, le président en exercice de l’Union africaine a vu une belle sélection de ce que le Cameroun peut exporter en matière de richesses culturelles. A commencer par ses icônes. Sur la scène, le rideau tombe sur une image saisissante : Manu Dibango et Bébé Manga bras dessus bras dessous se retirent. Ils viennent d’interpréter une chanson qui donne la chair de poule. Lui au piano, elle au micro, ils ont joué « A loba », comme ils le faisaient il y a trente ans. Et avant cela, Manu a offert au président Kufuor et à tous les invités quelques pièces de son immense répertoire. « Ayé Africa », « Soir au Village », « Sango Yesu Christo », « Mouvement ewondo »… Bébé Manga quant à elle, a volontiers réchauffé son énorme succès « Amio », repris en chœur par le public.
Si les Ghanéens connaissaient déjà Manu et Bébé, ils ont en revanche fait des découvertes étonnantes. Le Ballet national et ses jeunes danseurs par exemple. Surfant avec aisance sur la diversité culturelle des quatre coins du Cameroun, le spectacle de ce groupe est une véritable carte du Cameroun. Ambass-bey, njang, goumba, bikutsi sont ainsi mis en scène avec comme atouts l’enthousiasme et la vigueur des jeunes membres.
Dans son mot de bienvenue, Ama Tutu Muna a présenté la philosophie de cette soirée culturelle. En un mot, démontrer que le sport et la culture ne font qu’un, présenter la vision camerounaise selon laquelle la culture doit être un produit de consommation nationale et un produit d’exportation. Placée sous le thème : « Diversité culturelle et dialogue interculturel », la soirée camerounaise était donc l’occasion parfaite pour faire goûter aux invités, les merveilles de la gastronomie de chez nous, avec Marie Thérèse Atedzoe alias Maïté à l’appareil. Au cours de l’intermède, le président ghanéen et les invités avaient le choix : Nnam ngon, Ekomba et autres.
Un défilé de mode mettant en scène des mannequins ghanéens, arborant des tenues camerounaises, sous la coordination de Made Jong scelle définitivement le dialogue interculturel entre les deux nations. Et les prestations des artistes Isnebo, Kegege international, Ateh Bazore, Andjeng Etaba achèvent d’étaler la variété des richesses du Cameroun. Vers minuit, lorsque le cortège du président Kufuor s’ébranle, on a le sentiment que les Camerounais viennent de réussir un grand coup.
