The Bhundu Boys: “Jit Jive”

February 2, 2011 0

The Bhundu Boys formed in April 1980 in the city of Harare (translation: “death everywhere”), and took their name from the guerrillas who backed Robert Mugabe in his war to win Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain. The most commercially and creatively successful act ever to emerge from Zimbabwe, they the boys embodied the world music zeitgeist of the mid-’80s. As creators of a frenetic, guitar-dominated style, they dubbed “jit,” which fused airy melodies, shimmering harmonies, and pulsating rhythms drawn from across the African continent. Check out the video here.

The Bhundu Boys – Jit Jive

Written by Jan Midelfort

Tags: Africa, all, The Bhundu Boys, Zimbabwe

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Algeria

Cherif Hamani

July 7, 2010 0

If you’re anything like me, you’ve had, not infrequently, the dilemma of what to listen to when you want something that sounds like a cross between the soundtracks to Casablanca and the Bollywood-themed costume party thrown by a distant acquaintance you hang out with for his working knowledge of mustache waxes. The answer: Cherif Hamani. Forget cobras, this BAMF could charm the anaconda from, you know, Anaconda—much less the skinny jeans off your girlfriend. Is he singing, or chanting, or cooing ancient Egyptian incantations that will conjure Anubis to come down and mummify your ass? Who cares?! He sings in a language that starts every word with coughing up phlegm—can Vampire Weekend do that? In conclusion: be lulled by those sweet sitars. Fantasize about the smokin’ Disney gypsy Esmeralda. There are no judgments here. Get weird—Cherif does, and it’s awesome.

Cherif Hamani

A1 Alouize Alouize
A2 Amakke Arakmatoughe
A3 Amounandile

B1 Auouine Oumildighe Alane
B2 Yadthera Ellevattale
B3 Alhale Dhichathoua

Found at 79-15 Jamaica Avenue, written by Haleh Stilwell

Tags: 79-15 Jamaica Avenue, Africa, Algeria, all, intl tapes

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Ghana