Wakafrika

Despite the fact that Manu Dibango refused to be pigeonholed as “just” an African musician, in a time when world music was often dismissed as something “exotic,” doesn’t mean he wasn’t proud of his roots and culture. Throughout his life he often returned to Cameroon and traveled across the continent on tours and to collaborate with other artists, as well as being an integral part of the lively African music scene in Paris. On Wakafrika he embraces his pan-african ethos by collaborating with some of Africa’s biggest musicians, from Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour, who lends his unmistakable rootsy voice to yet another version of “Soul Makossa,” to Malian super star Salif Keita, Congolese artists Ray Lema and Papa Wemba, Beninese Angelique Kidjo, South African legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo, juju King Sunny Ade… the list goes on. Dibango is happy to let his guests take the spotlight, but his powerful sax doesn’t go unnoticed when he does step in.