Manu Dibango (left) with Doctor Nico, Roger Izheidi, and Taby Ley

Manu Dibango – Weya from the Atlantic Records 45

I managed to find out the source of the static in my last two uploads. I use CD Scrubber to upload my files. For some reason, it’s been losing the signal from my Mackie board. I’ve switched out the USB cables and the RCA cords. At the worst case I could record straight to Pro Tools, but it’s kind of a hassle, because you have to bounce it back, and it takes twice as long. I do have a back up ripping program and device, so if this shits the bed I will go to that. It’s pretty frustrating, but I’m sure it will sort itself out. Thanks to all who have hepped me to the situation and the patience in this matter. I hope you all have been enjoying the week, I was stoked at two pretty diverse records, and good Roots Reggae (even borderline Dub) can make a bad day turn out good for me. I picked this next side up rather recently, and wanted to feature it, as it was used in two great, and I think important hip hop records. Here’s Manu Dibango with “Weya” on Atlantic Records.

Born in Cameroon in 1933, this African saxophone and piano player left for France in 1949 to finish his education. He would remain here until 1956, where he’d then move again to Brussels. Along the way, his love of Jazz would send him on a journey that would eventually lead the way for African music to be broken here in the United States in 1972. Inbetween, he played Jazz in Paris, linked up with the band African Jazz led by Joseph Kabasele, and would go on to write a song for the President of Cameroon. This tune would be for the African Football Championship, and he stuck an instrumental on the B-Side by accident, which was “Soul Makossa”. This accident of course was a huge hit internationally, and eventually got into the hands of Atlantic, which imported them from France and sold more than 150,000 copies in a week. This record would earn him a Grammy nomination, and the rest is history. Dibango would go on to release over 40 records of his African Jazz, Reggae and Rhythm and Blues fused music to critical acclaims. Over 70 years of age, this man is not stopping.

Of course being a Hip Hop junkie since way, way back, I did recognize this record as being part of The Jungle Brothers “Straight Out the Jungle” and Afrika Bambaataa’s “Renegades of Funk”. The song comes from his second record Makossa Man. The side itself is a piece of Afro Funk that can not be denied. Dibango’s saxophone is blazing, and the bass line and African percussion really stay in the groove. There isn’t a part of this song I do not like. It’s a wonder that two pioneers of Hip Hop selected it to sample. I can not think of anything else but the JBs (Mike Gee, Africa Baby Bam, and Sammy B) when I hear the intro to Weya. The song brings me back everytime man, and it will for you too. While everyone is always up on the Fela Kuti tip (and believe me, you should be, FMF recommends Funky Horn and more, the guy is a genius), Manu Dibango only gets remembered for Soul Makossa. He’s got some other great sides that are definitely worth seeking out, and this is one of them. I’ll be back over the weekend with a digging report and some other funky gems. Keep Diggin’!