CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE
"Africa Dances" (Authentic)::What The Harder They Come did for Jamaican reggae this sampler attempts to do for the American-influenced urban music of Africa. Its scope is necessarily broad, but only once does an alien-sounding rhythm (Arabic tarabu) interfere with its remarkable listen-ability.
CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE
"Africa Dances" (Authentic)::What The Harder They Come did for Jamaican reggae this sampler attempts to do for the American-influenced urban music of Africa. Its scope is necessarily broad, but only once does an alien-sounding rhythm (Arabic tarabu) interfere with its remarkable listen-ability. The mood might be described as folk music with brass, for although the horn techniques are familiar from big-band jazz, r&b, and especially salsa, the overall effect is much less biting than that would imply. There’s something penetratingly decent, humorous, and even civil about this music, as if the equanimity of tribal cultures at peace at least with themselves has not yet been overwhelmed by advanced industrial cross-cultural complexities. If this is my misapprehension, perhaps it is reinforced by the fact that the lyrics aren’t in English, although I don’t get anything similar from salsa. Anyway, this is a find. John Storm Roberts put it together (with notes) tvVo years ago and has about 100 copies of his first pressing left ; as he’s, since dissolved the record company, check ($5.98 postpaid, $6.45 in New York State) must be made out to him. (Address: 123 Congress Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201) A-
