Overview

Notes from Africa traces the rise of popular music on the continent – beginning in the 1980s when the term ‘world music’ was coined as a marketing label and African musicians, notably Youssou N’Dour and his contemporaries, began to appear on the international stage. This book explains the musical styles that developed from the 1960s, when many African countries gained their independence. It covers developments in music and society in Senegal, in West Africa and around the continent during the post-independence years and right up to the present day. Jenny Cathcart, drawing on her personal experience in Senegal and her work alongside Youssou N’Dour, offers stories and portraits of daily life in Africa. The results are fresh insights into contemporary culture, religion and politics – as well as future collaborations and developments not only on the continent but in the African diaspora too.

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9781789650471

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Reviews

"""A great read, a rich tapestry of musical details, a page-turner that confirms the extraordinary wealth of musical talent coming out of Africa in the '70s, '80s and '90s that continues today."" -- AfroPop ""An enthusiastic and enlightening view of an entertaining artist and humanitarian and his environment."" -- Library Journal ""Of Afrobeat, mbalax, soukous, makossa, and other popular sounds emanating from West Africa. In 1984, Cathcart traveled to Senegal as part of a BBC TV crew, meeting the renowned artist (and, later, politician) Youssou N'Dour when he was ready to explode far beyond his native country and--thanks in part to friendships with Western pop musicians--influence the music of every continent... It's clear that Cathcart is a fan, but she has room in her affections for many other players around the continent, including Fela Kuti, Alpha Blondy, King Sunny Ade, and Adama Faye, 'the Mozart of Senegal' who 'attracted a new audience for Youssou's music, especially among young people and intellectuals.'"" -- Kirkus"

Author Information

When Jenny Cathcart travelled to Senegal in 1984 as a member of the BBC TV film crew that produced The Africans, she met with the rising star Youssou N’Dour. It was a fateful meeting which led to her abiding interest in African music and culture. When the term ‘world music’ was coined in London, Jenny was a producer on the pioneering TV series Rhythms of the World. In 1995, she proposed an African summer season on BBC Two and produced two of the programmes: the first ever African Prom and the documentary Africa’s Rock ’n’ Roll Years, a social and musical history of post-independence Africa. Ten years later, in 2005, she was series producer and director of BBC Two’s six-part TV series The African Rock ’n’ Roll Years. While working at Youssou N’Dour’s head office in Dakar, she managed the artists Cheikh Lô, Orchestra Baobab, and Pape and Cheikh. @JennyCathcart1

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