• View all from Freshlyground
  Artistes Freshlyground
  Album Ma'cheri
  Year 2007
  Writer Freshlyground
  Language Xhosa
  Track # 5
  Runtime 4:49

Recently, Museke.com interviewed Youssoupha Sidibie, a Senegalese musician who plays West African kora/harp music. Check out his CD Sacred Sound at CDBaby.

Museke: How is everything?
Youssoupha: Very Good, Thank you.

Museke: Can you tell us about your background and family?
Youssoupha: My grand-father was from the Wassulu tribe of Mali, he immigrated to Senegal, and started a family. I was born in Dakar the capital of Senegal, in a Family of 8 children.

Taarab music is a popular genre in East Africa which was developed from Islamic roots, using instruments from Africa (percussion), Europe (guitar), Arab Middle East (oud and qanum) and East Asia (taishokoto). Its roots in the melting pot of coastal Africa are reason for its varied influences. It is a fusion of tunes sung in rhythmic poetry with Arabic and Swahili influences and are a feature of wedding music. It is popular in the coastal areas of East Africa, especially in Zanzibar, Tanga, and Lamu. Taarab is also said to have an Egyptian origin, due to the long-term popularity of the Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club. Wherever the Swahili speaking people travelled, Tarabu culture moved with them.

King Ayisoba’s new album, ‘The whole world’ is bound to be an international hit. In fact, Pidgen Music is coming out with two different albums. One would be in his local dialect and English and would be packaged for the international market. The second one would have some Twi content, would be more comedic and entertaining and is geared for the Ghanaian music scene.

From guest blogger - Dominique

The Kotazo craze is sweeping the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's mixed with coupe decale (from Ivory Coast) but people from Kinshasa have created their own dance. It's kind of a reaction against coupe decale and traditional congolese dances described as too "quiet". So like in Coupe decale, people get crazy dancing on kotazo, mixing some capoeira dances, simulating fights. It's simple, you do what you can do ;) It's more aggressive than other Congolese dances.

• View all from Miriam Makeba
  Artistes Miriam Makeba
  Album Country girl
  Year 1990
  Writer Miriam Makeba
  Language Xhosa
  Runtime 2:16

• View all from Folk music
  Language Kiswahili

Check out the winners of the recent 2008 edition here

A celebration of South African Music.

Congratulations to all the winners!

1. Best Female Artist
Simphiwe Dana - The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street

2. Best Male Artist
Vusi Mahlasela - Naledi Ya Tsela

3. Best Duo/Group
Mafikizolo - Six Mabone

BBC News had a story about the evolution of Ghana's music scene to commemorate Ghana's 50th anniversary of independence.

Here are some of the major artistes, genres by decade

• View all from Esther Wahome
  Artistes Esther Wahome
  Album Yahweh
  Year 2004
  Writer Esther Wahome
  Language Swahili
  Track # 1
  Runtime 4:30
  Video URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epzl78sFYG0