VEGANGELICA

I listened to Franco & OK Jazz' song "Azda" and enjoyed it! All his songs sound very celebratory. This one reminded me of Mexican Mariachi band music:


Franco & le TP OK Jazz - "Azda" - YouTube

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^ I know "Pata Pata" well from my childhood international dancing days. It was very popular in the '70s in international dancing circles in the U.S. and actually I last danced to the song just a couple years ago! (Pepe, I recommend that you include the title of the song in your posts so that people will know the songs you are referring to in case the YouTube videos go inactive.)

Say, have you noticed that almost all the African songs in your thread are sung by men? Is Miriam Makeba one of the few famous African female singers from a generation or two ago?

I was reading about her Miriam Makeba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and thinking what a wonderful life she led. I like how she used her music to contribute to her work as a civil rights activist, right to the very end.

Did you know that she died after singing "Pata Pata" in 2008 at an Italian concert organized to oppose a mafia-like organization? "Makeba suffered a heart attack after singing her hit song 'Pata Pata,' and was taken to the clinic where doctors were unable to revive her." She died while participating in peaceful, musical support of human rights. That's not a bad way to go, considering the other options.

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I guess that *is* kind of a song about women's rights, since the basis of women's rights is recognizing that women have the right to control their own lives and lead better ones according to their own choosing.

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I was in Tanzania and Kenya for a month twenty years ago and learned a little Swahili. I didn't realize Pepe Kalle was singing in Swahili, though. That will help with translating lyrics.

My memories of Africa include seeing banana peels alongside the roads and women in colorful kangas; meeting very friendly and welcoming neighbors; sitting in crowded busses bouncing over bumpy roads; and drinking lots of hot tea (with iodine). Plus, I recall the sound of strange frogs chirping at night close to Mt. Kilimanjaro. I wish I could see more of Africa, and I probably won't, but I'm glad I got to visit for a month. Your thread helps bring the continent a little closer!

One reason I'm interested in the African music in your thread is that I wrote a song about Africa several years ago ( http://www.musicbanter.com/song-writ...tml#post693837 ) but have yet to record it because I wasn't completely sure about the instrumentals I wanted to use. I think that hearing the music in your thread will inspire me.

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