Mariama

We live in a time of tipping points. Previously valuable books, records and CDs have suddenly been demoted to useless items. After all, they can often be found in the trash, street libraries and especially at second hand shops. They have been traded in for Spotify, e-books and other social media. In less than ten years those cherished analogue culture media have stealthily been transformed into as many anonymous and digital things.

This got an extra push from Covid and lockdowns. Everybody started clearing up their things: “Let’s get rid of it, unnecessary. Or: too much demand on my already limited space” were the most common reasons. This is how I received mix-cassettes left and right which I had created for many friends and family over the last 40 years. But also, unique recordings from faraway countries that hadn’t been uploaded to Spotify yet. I, too, started looking through my collection wondering ‘second-hand store, online marketplace of keep it?’ Which resulted in this Mariama-series Lost & Found filled with forgotten and rediscovered gems.

Playlist:

1) Young Tiger/ I was there at the Coronation (1953) – Trinidad

CD: London is the place for me, 1950-1956 (Honest Jon Records)

2)  Lord Kitchener/ London is the place for me (1951) – Trinidad

CD: London is the place for me, 1950-1956 (Honest Jon Records- 2002)

 3) Mulatu Astatke/ Shagu (1966)- Ethiopia

LP: Afro-latin soul (Worthy Records-1966)

 4) Geoffrey Oryema/ Ye ye ye – Uganda

CD: Exile (Real World- 1990)

 5) Pedro Lima/ Lionensi se tindadji – Sao Tomé & Principe

LP: Maguidala (Iefe Discos- 1985)

6) Norberto/ Tres anos na Lisboa – Sao Tomé & Principe

LP: Tres anos na Lisboa (Iefe Records- ± 1985)

7) African Virtuoses/ Kankan diarabi – Ivory Coast

LP: African Virtuoses (JBZ Productions- 1983)

8) Sharmila & Black Star/ Chozi Lanitoka – Tanzania

LP: Nyota, Classic Taarab Recordings from Tanga (Globestyle-1989)

9) Thomas Mapfumo & Blacks Unlimited/ Nyoka musango – Zimbabwe

LP: Ndangariro (Earthworks-1983)

10) Nyami Nyami Sounds/ Hupenyu hautengwe – Zimbabwe

CASSETTE: The Sounds of Nyami Nyami (ZML 1014- ± 1984)

11) The Real Sounds/ Soccer fan (1990) – Zimbabwe

CD: Football crazy! (Emporio- 1995)