“Bahia” by Angelique Kidjo
Great music is often characterized by its ability to accurately represent the inspiration behind it. When that source of inspiration is “real”, the music gets the added benefit of sounding and feeling “authentic”. When you hear Angelique Kidjo’s amazing singing glide harmoniously over Brazilian percussion and string instruments, there is absolutely no doubt in your mind about whether the two styles belong together.
The city of Salvador Da Bahia on the north eastern coast of Brazil is the inspiration behind this song. It’s interesting to note that the connection between West Africa and Brazil on the song, mirrors the actual cultural realities of the city. With over 80% of the population of Bahia having Black African ancestry, many consider it to be the center of “Afro-Brazilian” culture.
Title: Bahia
Artist: Angelique Kidjo
Album: Black Ivory Soul, 2002
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“Chan Chan” by The Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a club in Havana that held dances and concerts, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s. In the 1990s, nearly 50 years after the club was closed, it inspired a recording made by American guitarist Ry Cooder with traditional Cuban musicians.
This recording virtually brought back to “life” about a dozen of musicians, many of who had been regular performers at the actual Buena Vista Club in the1940s. Although the album contained some original material, most the music originated from popular songs of the Buena Vista era and re-introduced the World to an Afro-Cuban musical genre known as Son, and often referred to as “the bedrock of Cuban music”.
“Chan Chan” is the introductory track on the Buena Vista Social Club album and was composed by legendary Cuban guitarist Compay Segundo. The opening chords of the song make it perhaps the most recognized Cuban song in the World.
In addition to becoming a critically-acclaimed album, this project is a truly incredible story. Most of the musicians on the album had been living in virtual obscurity for past 50 years (since the 1940s when the Buena Vista Club was closed) until Ry Cooder got them back on their instruments when most of them were already in their 70s and even 80s. With the album’s overwhelming success, awards, fame, recording contracts and World tours ensued for everyone.
I guess dreams do come true after all… even if some of them make you wait a while….
Viva Cuba!
Title: Chan Chan
Artist: Buena Vista Social club and Ry Cooder
Album: Buena Vista Social club, 1997
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Ssidy is what my friends call me. I was born in Senegal of Malian parents (hence my Mali nationality). I grew up all over the place…Bamako, London, Accra, Cape Town, before I went to college in Miami and finally got a job in Sydney where I’ve been living since August 2008.
When I’m not working on The Timbuktu Project, or as a financial analyst (full-time), you can usually catch me somewhere on a football pitch or involved in anything music related. Music is everything to me. Whatever mood I am in, there is always a song that captures the moment perfectly. Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes around me will probably attest to this: I listen to all types of stuff.....possibly because no single genre holds enough songs to quench that musical thirst of mine... 