Easy Ambiance

Two cassettes from Ivory Coast, both by the outstanding ensemble Système Gazeur, one of the many zouglou groups that emerged in that country in the late 1980s and early '90s. About the band I've been able to find little. I can tell you that zouglou arose on the college campuses partly in response to the crisis afflicting the educational system, and accompanied protests against the situation. In the words of a popular tune at the time by the artist Digbeu:

We're tired of your pretty speeches,
Tired of the unemployment rate,
Tired of all these untouchables,
Tired of your hospitals,
Tired of insecurity,
Tired of all these hold-ups.¹ 

Système Gazeur, in Ambiance Facile (EMI E06991-4, 1991) reject the electronic affectations of more recent zouglou artists like Magic System, Sur-Choc and Esprit de Yop, opting for a more organic, traditional vocal and percussion sound. It's truly execptional!

Système Gazeur - Zomammanzo

Système Gazeur - Anangotche

Système Gazeur - Awoulaba

Système Gazeur - Sebosei / Bolisika / Gazer

Système Gazeur - Awoulaba / Akepile / Manhouho / Kalaleda

Download Ambiance Facile as a zipped file here.

Mamie Ton Alloco (EMI E0106292-4, 1992), on the other hand, is well within the zouglou mainstream, with the full complement of drum machines and synth (and apparently a much-reduced lineup). It's nonetheless a great release, an excellent representative of the genre:

Système Gazeur - Mamie Ton Alloco

Système Gazeur - Nathalie Tu Exageres

Système Gazeur - Hommage a Fulgence Kassy

Système Gazeur - Te Memin Houmyoua

Système Gazeur - Depayou

Download Mamie Ton Alloco as a zipped file here.

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¹ "Music is the Weapon of the Future," by Frank Tenaile, Chicago Review Press, 2002

Hot Dance Music from Côte d'Ivoire

Popoko (EMI EO173292-4, 1992) is a lively cassette from Ivory Coast by the group Les Woanthios. All I know about them, and the cassette, is this recommendation from the website NATARI:

Absolutely outstanding in every way. This virtually all girl group, whose popularity in the Ivory Coast is second only to 'Woya', are magic through and through. Which isn't surprising as their rich and varied modern dance music has retained its ethnic roots with a great beat, some really lovely guitar and absolutely smashing vocals. Ble Clotilde shines out both on lead guitar and vocals with a style of music that is very different from what you would normally expect from this part of Africa. My favourite tracks are 'Kopka' and 'Damozode' and that was a very difficult choice to make as dance wise 'Popoko' will leave your socks smouldering!

To that I have nothing to add. It's great!

Les Woanthios - Popoko

Les Woanthios - Tropic

Les Woanthios - Kopka

Les Woanthios - Damozode

Les Woanthios - Damozode (Remix)

Les Woanthios - Popoko (Remix)

Download Popoko as a zipped file here.

Speaking of Fújì....

A few days ago I posted an album by King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal 1, one of the reigning triumvirate of fújì music in the 1980s. The other two were Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Kollington Ayinla, whom I present today. Kollington is said to have been born as Kolawole Ayinla Ilori in Ibadan in 1953 and started recording when he was in the Nigerian Army in the '70s. By the early '80s he was giving Barrister, fújì's acknowledged king at the time, a run for his money. Until Barrister's death in 2010, the rivalry between the two was fierce and acrimonious, although it's an open question how much of this was real and how much was a marketing ploy. Today Kollington swears his undying love of the late, great maestro.

Kollington Live in America 1997 (Oracle Records AFRO 013. 1997) is truly an odd artifact: Fújì music stripped down to its bare, funky essence - organ, basic percussion and wailing Islamic vocals, uninterrupted for 73 minutes! It's very compelling. Here it is:

General Kollington Ayinla & his Fuji Eaglets - Kollington Live in America

Download Kollington Ayinla Live in America 1997 as a zipped file here, complete
with album artwork.