Customer Reviews

Golden Afrique 1 (Long)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This double-CD set cmprises a truly great selection of tracks, almost all from bands once hugely successful in their home lands but which you'll probably never come across anywhere else. Every track blazes sunshine and warmth - it's become one of THE albums I pick to listen to before going to concerts, and no matter how tired I am it has be dancing about the flat like a fool. The first time I heard it I was impressed - and every listen thereafter has made me fonder and fonder of it.

The same publishers produced the Desert Blues box sets, and while volume two of those is even better that this album it's a close-run thing:)

What a gem! In my opinion, the single best compilation of West African music from the golden age of african music. Authentically African through and through with cut after cut of great tunes. And even for someone like me who owns a great many CDs from this era, this album still constantly surprises and delights. The only negative I can think of to make you hesitate buying this CD is its abnormally high price. But then again, you are getting over 140 minutes...

The first disc includes such hard-to-find gems as _Taximan (not gentille) and _Jaloux Saboteurs_ but it is the second disc that sizzles with pitch-perfect selections that are perfectly sequenced. The sound is beautiful and though Christgau gives the _African Ambience_ disc an A+ and this set only an A, I think he'll change his ratings over time :-).

Heard these songs while flying South African Airways. I don't know anything about the artists but the music spoke for itself. Very upbeat, danceable songs. There are two disks and each is filled with great tracks. The liner notes are very informative also. They come in English French and German giving a detailed history of the bands replete with pictures of the album covers that the songs came from. I plan to get the entire series off the strength of this one.

After listening carefully to this volume, better (but not less interesting) than volume 2, i can only say a couple of things:

First one: Vive l'Afrique. And especially the West one.

Second: the compilation its excellent itself, but who the hell are these girls Amazones of Guinée!? This track number 13 called Samba is memorable. Djs be aware.

i am sure the CD is good (i read a review online that said it was good music)

but we all know a CD costs pennies to make, so when they are charging almost $30 for a CD anymore, you know you are being ripped off.

Dont support over-price music,

boycott sellers that try to gauge their customers.

This kinda greed is why the record business is going down, and I am glad to see it.

If you werent so greedy, and just charged a fairprice, people wouldnt have to share for free.

With rarer CDs like this, i think it'll take longer to become available online, but when it does, and rip off record companies trying to charge unfair prices for less common music are out of business too, i will not shed a tear,

Like i said, BOYCOTT overpriced music.!!!