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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDIBANGO, Manu(b Emmanuel N'Djoké Dibango, 10 February 1934, Douala, Cameroon; d 24 March 2020 in France of Covid-19) Singer-composer, arranger; played reeds, piano. Sent to Paris at age 15 to prepare for a professional career, persevered with music despite parental disapproval; studied classical piano, taking up saxophone '54. To Brussels '56, played sax and vibes in jazz bands; to newly independent Zaire '61 on a visit, stayed five years, playing with Kabaselle and the African Jazz, running a nightclub and playing on over 100 singles. Back to Paris '65 with Kabaselle, made several LPs with him but also made singles, determined to pursue own direction, incl. raunchy 'Tribute To King Curtis' '70. His first solo LP was O Boso '72, followed by Soma Loba; third Soul Makossa became a world-wide dancefloor hit: picked up by Atlantic, it made no. 79 on the Billboard LP chart, title single top 40 in USA mid-'73: 'The Makossa Man' was the first African to have an international hit. Success saw the band expand to 14 pieces; in NYC he played with top jazz musicians, Fania All Stars, etc. At his of popularity he returned to West Africa as music director of Orchestre RTI, the house band of Ivorian TV. More LPs included Super Kumba '74, Afradelic '75; Manu, African Rhythm Machine and Afrovision: Big Blow '76. He left Ivory Coast and spent the rest of the decade between Paris and Cameroon and touring Africa, releasing more LPs: Waka Juju, A L'Olympia and Home Made. To Jamaica '79; he recorded Gone Clear, Reggae Makossa and Ambassador with the legendary rhythm section Sly and Robbie (all on Island). Continued to tour '80s, still finding time to help other musicians with their careers; LPs included live Deliverance, two volumes of solo piano Mélodies Africaines and Sweet And Soft. Electro-pop experiments resulted in Abele Dance '84; eponymous hits compilation on Disques Festival. He wrote/performed film scores including L'Herbe Sauvage, Ceddo, The Price Of Freedom. LP Electric Africa on Celluloid '85 maintained pressure on the competition for the title of Africa's biggest star. Live '91 on Stern's/FNAC was followed by Wakafrika '95, a collaboration with MC Mello; he also collaborated with Yousso N'Dour, Salif Keïta and Peter Gabriel. He had his own French TV show, Salut Manu '96; the album Live '96 was on Afrovision. African Soul '97 on Mercury was a good compilation. |