Togo - West Africa - page 903

Cassette piracy is a huge problem in West Africa and many high-profile names have devoted themselves
to the task of its eradication. Dakar-based singer-songwriter Carlou D only sells his new CD Audio Visa
(which is yet to be snapped up by an international label) at his live gigs for this very reason.
Makossa
A fusion of highlife and soul, influenced by Congolese rumba and characterised by elec-
tric guitars, Cameroon's distinctive pop- makossa music remains one of West Africa's
most vibrant dance genres. Its biggest star is still the jazz-minded octogenarian sax player
and singer Manu Dibango (track down his 1973 release, Soul Makossa ), who has worked
in related genres such as mangambe , assiko and bikutsi , and still sells out London venues
such as Ronnie Scott's. The 1980s saw Sam Fan Thomas popularise makassi , a sort of
makossa -lite. Other makossa names to look out for include Petit Pays, Sam Fan Thomas,
Guy Lobe and the guitarist Vincent Nguini.
Just 4U, in Dakar (Senegal), is a cosy outdoor bar restaurant with tables and chairs arranged under can-
vas awnings. Nightly live music includes gigs by some of the capital's best musicians: Cheikh Lo, Carlou
D, Orchestra Baobab.
Mbalax
Taken from the Wolof word for rhythm, mbalax is Senegal's primary musical genre, an in-
tensely polyrhythmic sound that evolved in the 1970s from Afro-Cuban dance bands such
as the Star Band and Orchestra Baobab, and then fiercely reclaimed its African roots.
Youssou N'Dour was the first to introduce more traditional elements, including tassou (a
form of rap), bakou (a kind of trilling) and instruments such as the tama and sabar drums.
Popular mbalax artists include Alloune Mbaye Nder, Fatou Gewel, Coumba Gawlo Seck
and N'Dour's sister- in-law , Vivianne.
Afropop ( www.afropop.org ) aims to be the premier destination for web denizens interested in the contem-
porary music of Africa and the African diaspora; highlights include streaming audio and a searchable
database.
Reggae, Rap & Hip-Hop
Afro-reggae, rap and hip-hop are huge throughout West Africa. Elder Ivorian statesman
Alpha Blondy has enjoyed a 20-year career, spawning hits like the classic 'Jerusalem', re-
corded in Jamaica with the Wailers. His younger, equally political, compatriots include