Mariama

Concerts and festivals, we have been missing them terribly for a full corona-year so far.

And the missing gets bigger with yet another extension of the lockdown and curfew. For that reason, this Mariama episode is exclusively dedicated to live music. With historical recordings of African artists who performed in the Netherlands over the last 35 years. You will hear vocalists such as Bonga, Tlahun Gessesse, and Salif Keita at their best, the raw and funky performance of Super Biton de Segou and the whirling guitar excerpts from Sekou Bembeya Diabete. And not to forget: the Dutch debut from Ali Farka Toure. \You can immediately hear from their unpolished and intense recordings, how all the musicians, especially because of the interaction with their excited public, rose to great heights. After all, in contrast with today, our country not only had an excellent stage circuit for afro-pop, but Hilversum naturally paid a lot of attention to it at the time. All excerpts – except for one – are thanks to Teco Kelfkens – originating from various radio shows. All of them will give you a sense of how exciting live music must have sounded once.

Playlist:

* Music Meeting- De Vereeniging, Nijmegen (2 november 1996)

1) Super Rail Band/ Mandjou (?)

Source: Radio, ? (recording 14 Dec. 1996)

* Afrika Festival- Hertme (30 June 2007)

2) Bonga/ incl Marie Mose and Mona KNgi Xica

Source: Radio 6 (recording 24 July 2007)

* Music Meeting- De Vereeniging, Nijmegen (4 November 2001)

3) Sekou Bembeya Diabete/ Super petit Segou  

Source: Radio 4 (recording 15 januari 2002)

* Ethiopia thanks the world- Melkweg, Amsterdam (17 March 1987)

4) Tlahun Gessesse/ (?)  

Source: VPRO-radio, ‘Frontlijn’ (recording 18 March 1987)

* Melkweg, Amsterdam (25 October 1986)

5) Super Biton de Segou/ Nama

Source: VPRO-radio, ‘De Wereld Ontvanger’ (recording 9 Aug 1989)

* RASA, Utrecht (13 April 1988)

 6) Ali Farka Toure/ ?

Source: own recording of Teco  Kelfkens

* Melkweg, Amsterdam (25 October 1986)

7) Super Biton de Segou/ Nienema mine

Source: VPRO-radio, ‘De Wereld Ontvanger’ (recording 9 Aug 1989)