The Motherland Influence: July 6, 2025 5:00-7:00 PM
WELCOME!
I haven’t played a lot of the great music of Guinea, West Africa, in recent times here on The Motherland Influence.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, this music was often on my turntable or cassette deck. The markets were flooded with albums released, primarily reissues on the Syllart label, from Editions Syliphone, Conakry.
I couldn’t get enough of them on my limited budget back then even though the price of an LP was around $8 US. I was hooked on Bembeya Jazz, La Nimba Jazz, 22 Band, Palm Jazz and so so many more.thay I cannot name here due to space and I bought them anyway.
It would be possible to devote an entire program or two to only these superb albums of the big national and popular bands.
In the late ’80s and into the 90s and beyond, Guinean musicians recorded outside of Africa, many times these recordings were made under their own names by individual musicians from stellar bands. The availability of music by women artists was also a milestone about this time. Many decent and danceable records as well as some influential disco and club oriented records were cut and very well received buy international audiences. They could be heard on independent, college and public radio stations all over USA and in clubs and even in clothing stores in major cities. These recordings sparked an international interest in the more traditionally based music and things began to move full circle. The number and variety of Guinean recordings boomed on the international scene.
Now there seems to be only a precious few releases of Guinean music.
I stared planning to play a few songs from Guinean musicians and ended up with a two hour playlist that I hope will show off the powerful and unique Guinean sound in a number of genres and styles.
Show archive
Playlist
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Mose Fan Fan & Orchestre Somo Somo, “Hello Hello (program theme song)”
from Hello Hello
Sterns - 1995
RDCongo
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Bembeya Jazz National, “N'Gnamakoro (Tentemba)”
from Authenticité 73 (Parade africaine)
Syliphone / Syllart Records - 2000
Guinea
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Africando, “Apollo (feat. Sekouba Bambino)”
from Gombo Salsa
Syllart Records - 1996
Senegal / Guinea
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Super Boiro Band, “So i si sa”
from African Pearls - Guinée - Cultural Revolution
Syllart Records - 2006
Guinea
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Moh! Kouyaté, “Anou Djeli (feat. Sekouba Bambino Diabaté & Petit Kandia)”
from Guinea Music All Stars - EP
Foli Son - 2020
Guinea