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Manu Dibango (1933-2020)
(Cameroon)
Biography
Manu Dibango is definitely among the best known African artists outside
Africa. His career is long and full of (musical) adventure. As a boy of 15 years old
he was sent to Paris to pursue his school education, but his love for music was stronger,
and he studied classical piano and, later, saxophone. In 1956, he went to Brussels, where
he played with several jazz bands. From 1961 to 1965 he stayed in Kinshasa and played with
le Grand Kalle, one of the pioneers of the new Congolese sound based on the rumba.
Back in Paris, he continued recording singles, and around 1970, a first album came out. His third album, « Soul Makossa », especially with its title track (originally the b-track of a single dated 1971), was his international breakthrough in 1973. The success gave him the opportunity to go to the USA and play with some big names in jazz music. A later stay in Jamaica during 1979 inspired him to record some reggae albums. Even throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continues to look for new inspiration, and he frequently records with other artists. A remarkable man.
In 2011, a new album « Past Present Future » came out, featuring the first new recordings since the 1990s, including a new version of his all-time hit, « Soul Makossa 2.0 ».
Born: 12 December 1933 in Douala, as Emmanuel Dibango N'Djocke. Died 24 March 2020 in Paris region
Style: makossa, soul, funk, jazz, reggae, fusion
Back in Paris, he continued recording singles, and around 1970, a first album came out. His third album, « Soul Makossa », especially with its title track (originally the b-track of a single dated 1971), was his international breakthrough in 1973. The success gave him the opportunity to go to the USA and play with some big names in jazz music. A later stay in Jamaica during 1979 inspired him to record some reggae albums. Even throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continues to look for new inspiration, and he frequently records with other artists. A remarkable man.
In 2011, a new album « Past Present Future » came out, featuring the first new recordings since the 1990s, including a new version of his all-time hit, « Soul Makossa 2.0 ».
Born: 12 December 1933 in Douala, as Emmanuel Dibango N'Djocke. Died 24 March 2020 in Paris region
Style: makossa, soul, funk, jazz, reggae, fusion
Manu Dibango
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Balade en saxo | 2013 | EGT | |
| Past Present Future | 2011 | BorderBlaster BBCD015 | |
| Afro-Soul Machine | 2011 | Metro Select METRSL026 | 2CD compilation |
| Ballad Emotion | 2011 | EGT | |
| African Woodoo | 2008 | Frémeaux et Associés FA502 | Previously unreleased compositions |
| Africavision - Le cinéma de Manu Dibango | 2007 | ULM/Buda | Compilation of African O.S.T.'s |
| Lion of Africa | 2007 | Global Mix GMCD/DVD01 | Live CD & DVD (2004 at the Barbican Centre, London) |
| Manu Dibango joue Sidney Bechet | 2007 | Cristal Records CRCD0708 | Live CD |
| Essential Recordings | 2006 | Manteca MANTDBL505 | 2CD |
| Rough Guide to Manu Dibango | 2004 | World Music Network RGNET1144CD | |
| Manu Dibango | 2004 | Mercury | 3CD longbox |
| From Africa | 2003 | Blue Moon PG1004 | |
| Africadelic: Best of Manu Dibango | 2003 | Wrasse Records WRASS115 | |
| B-Sides (+ Soul Fiesta remixes) | 2002 | Soul Paris 85908-2 | Distribution Mélodie |
| Kamer feeling | 2001 | JPS Production CDJPS 126 | |
| Anthology | 2000 | Eagle Elite Editions EEECD 009 | 3CD set |
| The Very Best of Manu Dibango: AfroSoulJazz | 2000 | Manteca MANTCD016 | |
| Mboa Su' (Kamer feelin') | 2000 | JPS Production CDJPS 064 | |
| Manu Safari | 1998 | Wagram | 2CD set, with remastered older recordings |
| Soul Makossa | 1998 | Musidisc 403652 | |
| Africa Soul: Very Best of... | 1997 | Mercury 534 766-2 | |
| Papa groove - Live 96 | 1996 | WMD 7382025 | |
| Lamastabastani | 1995 | Soul Paris 85906-2 | Distribution Mélodie |
| Wakafrika | 1994 | Fnac 592137 | also on Giant (Warner Bros) 24566 |
| Polysonik | 1992 | Expression Records EXVP7CD | |
| Bao Bao | 1992 | Mau Mau Records MAUCD632 | |
| Negropolitaines vol. 2 | 1992 | Soul Paris 85905-2 | |
| Home Made | 1990 | Sonodisc CD 362018 | |
| Negropolitaines vol. 1 | 1989 | Soul Paris 85904-2 | |
| Happy Reunion / La fête à Manu | 1988 | Buda 82427-2 | |
| Tropical Garden | 1987 | Sonodisc CD 1904 | |
| Afrijazzy | 1986 | Soul Paris 85902-2 | |
| Electric Africa | 1985 | Celluloid CEL 6114 | |
| Bande originale du film: L'Aventure Ambigue | 1984 | Carrere 66.149 | O.S.T. |
| Déliverance | 1984 | Afrovision CDAF 1984 | Released on CD 1990 (Distribution Sonodisc) |
| Mboa | 1983 | Afrovision AF 1983 | |
| Soft and Sweet | 1983 | Sonodisc 63703 | |
| Waka Juju | 1982 | Esperance ESP 7515 | |
| Rasta Souvenir | 198? | Esperance ESP 7512/3 | Reggae double LP |
| Ambassador | 1980 | Island Records 162-539-658-2 | |
| Gone Clear | 1980 | Afrovision AF 1980 | |
| A la jamaique | 1979 | Sonodisc CD 1903 | |
| Seventies | 1987 | Soul Paris Records SP 8701/2 | 2xLP |
| Sun Explosion | 1978 | Decca SKLR 5303 | |
| O.S.T. L'herbe sauvage | 1977 | Fiesta | |
| Afrovision | 1976 | Fiesta 362.003 | |
| Manu 76 | 1976 | Fiesta 362.001 | |
| African Rhythm Machine | 1975 | Fiesta | Compilation 1971-75 |
| Super Kumba | 1974 | Fiesta 360 052 | Also London Records DL.3013 |
| Makossa Man | 1974 | African 360.048 | Also Atlantic SD 7276 |
| Soul Makossa | 1973 | African 360.047 | Also Accord 403652; Atlantic SD 7267 |
| African Voodoo | 1972 | PSI-3036 | Library record |
| Soma Loba | 1971 | African 360.045 | |
| Manu Dibango | 1971 | Fiesta 365.008 | |
| Saxy Party | 19?? | Mercury France 135.717 |
Sources
Page added October 1998