Etran Finatawa

Written by Shirlene Alusa-Brown | September 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The Tuareg and the Wodaabe nomadic tribes have occasionally fought over land in the Sahel and Sahara regions of Niger, so it is interesting to note that members of both tribes came together in 2004 to form a 5 to 6-piece band called Etran Finatawa, which means “the stars of tradition.”

There are  Tuareg musicians on electric guitar and bass, and Wodaabe and Tuareg musicians on percussion and vocals. Their music has a Middle eastern hypnotic rhythm to it, punctuated by syncopated sounds and European influences. » Read more…

Tags: , Etran Finatawa, Niger, Tuareg, Wodaabe

Who Wins Nescafe African Revelation (NAR) 2008?

Written by Shirlene Alusa-Brown | March 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The 2008 edition of the hit music talent show, Nescafe African Revelation (NAR) promises to be one of the most exciting and memorable editions yet. This year’s competition has seen an increase in the number of participating countries. Regional and national competitions have already been held in the various participating countries and 8 incredibly talented young groups have emerged for the pan-African finale in Ivory Coast, on March 28. » Read more…

Tags: , , Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Hiplife, Ivory Coast, jazz, Mali, NAR, Nescafe African Revelation 2008, Niger, Nigeria, R&B, Reggae, Senegal, West African musicians