January 20, 2022

Roots and Routes: Flows of Influence in '70s Africa

1 hour 24 minutes

In this week's episode Jeremy and Tim complete their three-part study of African music by looking at the flows of musical influence across the Black Atlantic. They explore how diasporic sounds reflected back on music being made in African nations, including the heavy Latin rhythms found in the Malian Super Rail Band and the fingerprint of Duke Ellington on the Ethiopian Jazz of Mulatu Astatke.

Tim and Jeremy also investigate how state subsidies in aid of building national culture affected musical production, flesh out the geopolitical background these independence movements took place against, and dedicate a long discussion to Manu Dibango and his talismanic record, Soul Makosa.

Tim Lawrence and Jeremy Gilbert are authors, academics, DJs and audiophile dance party organisers. They’ve been friends and collaborators since 1997, teaching together and running parties since 2003. With clubs closed and half their jobs lost to university cuts, they’re inevitably launching a podcast.

Produced and edited by Matt Huxley.

Tune in, Turn on, Get Down!

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Tracklist:

The Super Rail Band - Rail Band

Orchestra Baobab - Baila Mi Gente (feat. Medoune Diallo)

Manu Dibango - Hymne de la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations

Manu Dibango - Soul Makosa

Manu Dibango - Lily

Mulatu Astatke - Dewol

Ebenezer Obey- Inter-Reformers A Tunde

Miriam Makeba - I'mm You'mm We'mm