Composer Hailu Mergia and Singer Aster Awoqe among Africa's best
Awesome Tapes from Africa founder Brian Shimkovitz brings his DJ act to the Fox Cabaret on Friday, May 16 to play some of his vast collection of rare African grooves (released mainly on cassette) featuring highlife, soukous, hip-hop, rhumba and ethio-soul tunes and other regional genres. The Arrival Agency production will also feature DJ D.Dee (Leisure / Pacific Rhythm) and Josh MagneticRing. For more information visit facebook.com/awesometapesfromafrica or arrivalagency.com. Scan image with the Layar app to view a Boiler Room podcast of Shimkovitz working the sound system in a DJ set. Photo Supplied
Awesome Tapes from Africa/Brian Shimkovitz DJ set at Fox Cabaret (2321 Main St., Vancouver), Friday, May 16, 10 p.m. Tickets $12. For more information and to order tickets go to foxcabaret.com/event/awesome-tapes-from-africa/.
As a student on a Fulbright scholarship in Ghana, Brian Shimkovitz came across street vendors in West Africa selling music cassettes unavailable anywhere else. He started a blog in 2006 called Awesome Tapes from Africa to share information on the gems he found - everything from classic highlife recordings to contemporary pop tunes. Awesome Tapes from Africa is now also the name of a record label, and Shimkovitz DJs all over the world playing mostly straight from tape. He's unearthed a ridiculous amount of rare, sublime music that would probably otherwise have been lost. Here's a list of 10 off the top:
- Fadimoutou Wallet Inamoud. "Isswat" traditional music of the Adrar D'Ifoghas in Northern Mali. Exquisite North African roots music. Long after-dinner Tuareg jam in the desert. Could have been recorded a thousand years ago. Anyone interested in the history of North African culture, Islamic Spain, Lamtuna Almoravids, Al-Andalus should start here, end here, get here.
- Fanta Damba du Mali: Vol. 2 (The side of the cassette reads Vol. 1 but either way this is classic stuff from Wassoulou diva)
- Nâ Hawa Doumbia: La Grande Cantatrice Malienne Vol. 3 (Malian singer's 1982 release the first appearing on Awesome Tapes from Africa label in 2011)
- Hallo Dawe - Volume 3 (Oromo music from Ethiopia)
- Boureima Disco et le Super Bonkaney (First cassette from dance band big on Niger's wedding scene)
- Bintou Sidibe (more fine Wassoulou rhythms)
- Aster Aweke (Ethiopian diva's first recordings)
- Oum Koulsoum: Rak El Habib (last composition Egyptian icon did with composer Mohammed Al-Qasabghi)
- Hailu Mergia Hailu Mergia and His Classical Instrument (Ethiopian 1985 cassette re-released on Awesome Tapes from Africa label)
- Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey & His International Brothers: A Christmas Special by the King of Juju.
For more music go to awesometapes.com.