Adventures in Afropea, Vol. 1

Amazon.com
Zap Mama are five women who are each of mixed African and European ancestry. They sing a cappella (with a little hand percussion sprinkled in) in a hybrid style that befits their background. The opening song is a spirited version of a Zairian Pygmy chant with a French recitation in the middle; the second song is an original new- wave, doo-wop number sung in English and percussive scat syllables. The rest of this album falls between those poles, absorbing sources from Cuba, Syria, Belgium, Rwanda, and Tanzania and remaking everything with a hip rock & roll modernism that gives the ancient vocal traditions an elliptical montage effect and a refreshing irreverence. --Geoffrey Himes

Adventures in Afropea, Vol. 1,Zap Mama,Warner Bros / Wea,Acappella,Africa,Afro-Pop,Belgium,Int'l & World Music,Pop,World Fusion,World Music,Worldbeat

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Average customer rating: One of my top 10 favorites Afro-pop with bits of disco, doo-wop, madrigal, Arab lament. Brrlak! This album is din din divine..... A world journey awaits.

Adventures in Afropea, Vol. 1 Zap Mama Manufacturer: Luaka Bop ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Belgium | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: One Step Forward Princesses Nubiennes Zap Mama Les Nubians Presents Echos, Chapter One Push It to the Max EP ASIN: B0000CC83A Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

1. Mupepe
2. Bottom
3. Brrrlak!
4. Abadou
5. Take Me oco
6. Plekete
7. Mizike
8. Babanzele
9. Din Din
10. I Ne Suhe
11. Guzophela
12. Nabombeli You
13. Marie-Josee (Daulne)
14. Ndje Mukanie (Daulne)
15. Son Cubano (Daulne)

Album Description

Unearthly harmonies born of Pygmy song, Moroccan chants and exhuberant scat made Zap Mama global a cappella queens. Now for the first time they meet the roots throb of bass and drums, shot through with equal parts highlife and hip-hop. Zap Mama is soul music for the diaspora. "If your ears are open," mama Zap Marie Daulne says, "you'll understand."

"Marie Daulne and Zap Mama make music that sounds like a one-woman multicultural movement, melding African percussion, American soul and European urbanity."

Time

Customer Reviews:

One of my top 10 favorites.......2006-05-03

This is the album I reach for when I feel happy. The voices are so unusual and beautiful, and the joy throughout the music is infectious.

Afro-pop with bits of disco, doo-wop, madrigal, Arab lament. .......2006-03-23

Wide variety of styles for sweet African voices, all distinct from one another. Most songs draw on Afro-pop, but they capture bits of disco, doo-wop, madrigal, and Arab lament. Some are more sound effects than songs. Some are static chants without real lyrics. One or two are too sweet. The closest parallel is Sweet Honey in the Rock, but Zap Mama is uniformly happier, lighter, even on Apartheid songs. Sample of variety: tr 1-Mupepe (closest to ethnographic); tr 6-Plekete (closest to Bobs); tr 9-Din din (sounds like a madrigal); tr 11-Guzophela (South African doo-wop). Stand-outs: tr 5-Take me CoCo. tr 13-Marie-Josée (classic polyrhythmic, sweet Afro-pop). tr 14-Ndje Mukanie (Afro-pop rich and smooth as herbed honey).

Brrlak! This album is din din divine............2004-06-10

I know, shameless puns derived from the song titles. Anyway, I couldn't think of a better way to express the delight I have for this album everytime I play it in my stereo! Zap Mama's style is hard to describe. It is a fusion of sounds. We have improvisational harmonies, chants, latin elements, a pygmy chant and African-derived percussion and rhythms. But, guess what? The only instruments are the voices of the five magnificent women who are Zap Mama.

Some of my favorite tracks are "Brrrlak!" (hence, the title of my review), "Abadou (a Syrian song about a man crying over the loss of his favorite woman from his harem)," "Din Din (an original, abbreviated interpretation of a traditional Spanish song from the 16th century)," and "Guzophela (an anti-apartheid song)." Not only do these women have a flair for harmony, intepretation and unbridled spontaneity, they are also fine artists. I am so glad that this innovative musical quintet has continued to perform and collaborate together. Can't wait to hear the other albums!
Check it out!

A world journey awaits........2004-02-29

The cd is simple. Simple cover art, and all the performers are using their voice. It's a cd that flows great. This is unlike anything else in my collection. You get sounds and chants from Africa and Europe, with some English thrown in. Just sit back, relax and let the sounds take you where they may. The sounds do sound familiar in a way. This is probably the best way I can describe this cd. Most other music is easy to review, but you just have to experience this cd.

Average customer rating: Enlightening and addictive Sublime Bobby McFerrin meets the Mahotella Queens Beaiutiful yet simple music. True artistry of voice . . .

Adventures in Afropea, Vol. 1 Zap Mama Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Belgium | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sabsylma 7 A Ma Zone Princesses Nubiennes Savane ASIN: B000002MI5 Release Date: 1993-03-23

Tracks:

1. Mupepe
2. Bottom
3. Brrlak!
4. Abadou
5. Take Me Coco
6. Plekete
7. Mizike
8. Babonzele
9. Din Din
10. I Ne Suhe
11. Guzophela
12. Nabombeli Yo
13. Marie-Josee
14. Ndje Mukanie
15. Son Cubano

Amazon.com

Zap Mama are five women who are each of mixed African and European ancestry. They sing a cappella (with a little hand percussion sprinkled in) in a hybrid style that befits their background. The opening song is a spirited version of a Zairian Pygmy chant with a French recitation in the middle; the second song is an original new- wave, doo-wop number sung in English and percussive scat syllables. The rest of this album falls between those poles, absorbing sources from Cuba, Syria, Belgium, Rwanda, and Tanzania and remaking everything with a hip rock & roll modernism that gives the ancient vocal traditions an elliptical montage effect and a refreshing irreverence. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Enlightening and addictive.......2003-09-07

Like nothing I've heard before. These women are phenominal. I've listened to this CD over a dozen times.

Sublime.......2000-11-11

What incredible voices! There are nothing but vocals and percussion on this CD, but it is as textured and layered as anything that can be done with instruments. This music makes me feel exalted.

Bobby McFerrin meets the Mahotella Queens.......2000-04-05

This first album by Zap Mama is their purest. It's almost entirely a capella, and is the least influenced by American pop culture. It's a fine balance between European and African influences, and the songs span 400 years of composition history.

To know Zap Mama is to love them. This group tackles every song with energy and enthusiasm, and their live performances are such a visual feast that you hardly know where to look at any moment. Their repertoire is so geographically diverse that I get cabin fever just listening to them.

When this album was recorded, Zap Mama was a core group of five singers, with additional guest vocals. The singers, especially Marie Daulne, have rich voices with a husky timbre. One at a time they are a delight to listen to; in harmony, they make me delirious.

The songs on this album all good, but there are a few standouts. "Brrrlak!," released as a single, is a fast tempo charmer with sophisticated rhythms. "Plekete" is an onomatopoetic road trip (literally), complete with car horns, a squeal of tires, and an ambulance siren. Three themes are presented one at a time, and the song culminates with a cleverly crafted overlay of all three. (This was the first Zap Mama song I ever heard; my then-toddler and I saw them perform it on, of all things, Sesame Street. I bought the album post-haste.) "Bottom," the only song with lyrics entirely in English, tells a story that is as understated as the film "Titanic" is over-the-top (and it's way shorter, at only one minute and twenty-nine seconds). "Din Din" shows off the group's remarkable intonation and precision. The introductory section of "Ndje Mukanie" does likewise.

Many of the songs on this album don't follow the standard popular song structure of verse-chorus-verse, and most of the time that's quite refreshing. But "Babanzele" leaves me longing for that familiar form; it's just a bit too static for something that long (seven minutes and thirty-five seconds). "Mizike" also seems a little long to me, and perhaps dated (hard to tell when you don't have a clue about the lyrics).

Lead singer and founder Marie Daulne is of both Belgian and Zairean descent, and musically, she's all over the globe. Most of what's on this album isn't in English, but that's actually an advantage; you can revel in the sounds and rhythms undistracted by the message of the songs. But even if these women were singing the contents of the phone book (and who knows? maybe they are), I'd be glued to the CD player till they were finished. I bet you will be too, when you hear Adventures in Afropea 1.

Beaiutiful yet simple music........1999-12-11

Beaiutiful yet simple music. Zap Mama ia a group of five women of African/European origin. Their music is very harmonious acappella. The songs are verymulticultural (including some french interpretationstraditional african songs). This is great world music, very novel. It is a great change from the manufactured and uninspiring pop that one hears on radio.

True artistry of voice . . ........1999-10-27

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Zap Mama perform live. The perfection heard on this album is certainly on par with one's most stringent expectations. This album is especially unique thanks to the vocal instruments employed. If you listen carefully you will realize that Zap Mama does not require any "instruments" to make the most incredible music one might hear.

Average customer rating: Enlightening and addictive Sublime Bobby McFerrin meets the Mahotella Queens Beaiutiful yet simple music. True artistry of voice . . .

Adventures in Afropea, Vol. 1 Zap Mama Manufacturer: Luaka Bop ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Belgium | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music Africa | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sabsylma 7 A Ma Zone Princesses Nubiennes Savane ASIN: B00004RD23 Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

1. Mupepe
2. Bottom
3. Brrrlak!
4. Abadou
5. Take Me Coco
6. Plekete
7. Mizike
8. Babanzele
9. Din Din
10. I Ne Suhe
11. Guzophela
12. Nabombeli Yo
13. Marie-Josee
14. Ndje Mukanie
15. Son Cubano

Amazon.com

Zap Mama are five women who are each of mixed African and European ancestry. They sing a cappella (with a little hand percussion sprinkled in) in a hybrid style that befits their background. The opening song is a spirited version of a Zairian Pygmy chant with a French recitation in the middle; the second song is an original new- wave, doo-wop number sung in English and percussive scat syllables. The rest of this album falls between those poles, absorbing sources from Cuba, Syria, Belgium, Rwanda, and Tanzania and remaking everything with a hip rock & roll modernism that gives the ancient vocal traditions an elliptical montage effect and a refreshing irreverence. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Enlightening and addictive.......2003-09-07

Like nothing I've heard before. These women are phenominal. I've listened to this CD over a dozen times.

Sublime.......2000-11-11

What incredible voices! There are nothing but vocals and percussion on this CD, but it is as textured and layered as anything that can be done with instruments. This music makes me feel exalted.

Bobby McFerrin meets the Mahotella Queens.......2000-04-05

This first album by Zap Mama is their purest. It's almost entirely a capella, and is the least influenced by American pop culture. It's a fine balance between European and African influences, and the songs span 400 years of composition history.

To know Zap Mama is to love them. This group tackles every song with energy and enthusiasm, and their live performances are such a visual feast that you hardly know where to look at any moment. Their repertoire is so geographically diverse that I get cabin fever just listening to them.

When this album was recorded, Zap Mama was a core group of five singers, with additional guest vocals. The singers, especially Marie Daulne, have rich voices with a husky timbre. One at a time they are a delight to listen to; in harmony, they make me delirious.

The songs on this album all good, but there are a few standouts. "Brrrlak!," released as a single, is a fast tempo charmer with sophisticated rhythms. "Plekete" is an onomatopoetic road trip (literally), complete with car horns, a squeal of tires, and an ambulance siren. Three themes are presented one at a time, and the song culminates with a cleverly crafted overlay of all three. (This was the first Zap Mama song I ever heard; my then-toddler and I saw them perform it on, of all things, Sesame Street. I bought the album post-haste.) "Bottom," the only song with lyrics entirely in English, tells a story that is as understated as the film "Titanic" is over-the-top (and it's way shorter, at only one minute and twenty-nine seconds). "Din Din" shows off the group's remarkable intonation and precision. The introductory section of "Ndje Mukanie" does likewise.

Many of the songs on this album don't follow the standard popular song structure of verse-chorus-verse, and most of the time that's quite refreshing. But "Babanzele" leaves me longing for that familiar form; it's just a bit too static for something that long (seven minutes and thirty-five seconds). "Mizike" also seems a little long to me, and perhaps dated (hard to tell when you don't have a clue about the lyrics).

Lead singer and founder Marie Daulne is of both Belgian and Zairean descent, and musically, she's all over the globe. Most of what's on this album isn't in English, but that's actually an advantage; you can revel in the sounds and rhythms undistracted by the message of the songs. But even if these women were singing the contents of the phone book (and who knows? maybe they are), I'd be glued to the CD player till they were finished. I bet you will be too, when you hear Adventures in Afropea 1.

Beaiutiful yet simple music........1999-12-11

Beaiutiful yet simple music. Zap Mama ia a group of five women of African/European origin. Their music is very harmonious acappella. The songs are verymulticultural (including some french interpretationstraditional african songs). This is great world music, very novel. It is a great change from the manufactured and uninspiring pop that one hears on radio.

True artistry of voice . . ........1999-10-27

I recently had the pleasure of hearing Zap Mama perform live. The perfection heard on this album is certainly on par with one's most stringent expectations. This album is especially unique thanks to the vocal instruments employed. If you listen carefully you will realize that Zap Mama does not require any "instruments" to make the most incredible music one might hear.

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