Fela Kuti - Godfather Of Afro-Soul

Fela Anikulapo Kuti (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti,October 15, 1938 - August 2, 1997), or simply Fela, was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick. The musical style performed by Fela Kuti is called Afrobeat, which is essentially a fusion of jazz, funk and Traditional African Chant. It is characterized by having African style percussion, vocals, and musical structure, along with jazzy, funky horn sections. Fela was a supporter of Pan-Africanism and socialism (although in a 1982 documentary he can clearly be seen rejecting both capitalism and socialism in favour of a third way that he described as Africanism), and called for a united, democratic African republic. He was a fierce supporter of human rights, and many of his songs are direct attacks against dictatorships in Africa.

Miriam Makeba - Mama Afrika

Miriam Makeba (born March 4, 1932) is a Grammy Award-winning South African singer. Her professional career began in the 1950s with the Manhattan Brothers, before she formed her own group, The Skylarks, singing a blend of jazz and traditional melodies of South Africa. Her big break came when she starred in the anti-Apartheid documentary Come Back, Africa in 1959. Some of her most famous songs are Pata Pata, The Click Song (Qongqothwane in Xhosa), and Malaika. In 1966, Makeba received the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording together with Harry Belafonte for An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba. The album dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under Apartheid. In 1963, after an impassioned testimony before the United Nations Committee Against Apartheid, Makeba's records were banned in South Africa and her South African citizenship and her right to return to the country were revoked. Nelson Mandela persuaded her to return to South Africa in 1990 and in 1992 she starred in the film Sarafina!, about the 1976 Soweto youth uprisings, as the title character's mother, Angelina. Makeba started a 14 month worldwide farewell tour in 2005, holding concerts in all of those countries that she had visited during her working life. Her last concert was on 8th October 2007 at The Sugar and Spice festival in Gateshead, England

Manu Dibango of Cameroon - Legendary Jazz Artist

Manu Dibango (Emmanuel N'Djoké Dibango, born December 12, 1933 in Douala, Cameroon) is a Cameroonian saxophonist and vibraphone player. He developed a musical style fusing jazz and traditional Cameroonian music. He is a member of the Yabassi ethnic group, though his mother was a Duala. He has collaborated with many musicians, including Fania All Stars, Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Don Cherry, and Sly and Robbie. In 1998 he recorded the album CubAfrica with Cuban artist Eliades Ochoa. His song Soul Makossa is often considered the first disco record. In 2004, Dibango was appointed a UNESCO Artist for Peace.