Captain Planet enlists the vocal talents of Congolese singer Fredy Massamba on the rugged, horn-driven slice of broken afrobeat number that is the title track of his new EP, Ningane.
Captain Planet - The Ningané EP Minimix by bastardjazz
If you're thinking, hey, the guy sounds familiar, it's probably because you've heard his voice on one of his many collaborations, such as the house hits Warriors of Africa, by Boddhi Satva, and His Presence, by Ezel.
Wanna hear more of Fredy's vocals? Check out this short clip of his LIVE at MOMO performance in London a few months ago, followed by some cuts from his debut album out Ethnophony, a mix of afro-funk, jazz, and hip-hop. (Destiny and Ntoto, the two tracks in the clip, are also from Ethnophony.)
http://content.omroep.nl/ghettoradio/musicblog/fredy_massamba_ethnophonyk.mp3 Ethnophonyk
http://content.omroep.nl/ghettoradio/musicblog/fredy_massamba_zonza.mp3 Zonza
http://content.omroep.nl/ghettoradio/musicblog/fredy_massamba_wele_kuaku.mp3 Wele Kuaku
FREDY MASSAMBA
Fredy Massamba was born in Pointe-Noire (The Congo) in 1971. He started his musical career singing in church choirs before moving to Brazzaville where he joined the contemporary Congolese ensemble 'Les Tambours de Brazza' (literally 'The Drums of Brazza').
In 1997 the country was plunged into civil war, which forced many people to flee. Fredy settled first in Benin and later in Belgium where he worked with Marie Daulne's Zap Mama and Didier Awadi the Senegalese rapper (ex-Positive Black Soul).
During those intensely creative years, while working and touring with many talented artists, Fredy was also developing his own material, writing personal songs about the Congo, his people, his experiences, about love and tolerance. Fredy Massamba sings in Kikongo, the language of southern Congo.
In 2005 Fredy Massamba was in Didier Awadi's studio in Dakar (Senegal). There he met producer Fred Hirschy, a Swiss citizen living at the time in Dakar. The result is Ethnophony, which was recorded in Switzerland, Belgium, India and Senegal.
The whole album is influenced by musical traditions of the Congo, the sounds of the forest and Pygmy songs... ancestral sonorities. All this is mixed up with US Soul, Funk (they particularly love D' Angelo's Voodoo album, and rappers like Mos Def or The Roots.)
Ethnophony ('Ethnic' and 'phonic') is certainly a 21st century Afro-hip-hop album like no other.
Ningane (Bastard Jazz) is out on vinyl & digital, and Ethnophony is available on iTunes.
FREDY MASSAMBA ONLINE
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