Manu Dibango & El Cuarteto Patria – Cubafrica (RSD 2021)

Description

In Paris, back from Albi, an idea started to tickle Manu, Eliadès and… Gilbert Castro, boss of Celluloïd-Mélodie. They high fived each other, been agree on the repertoire and then get to Davout studio the day after. They tweak the arrangements right at the studio with the help of Ernesto ‘Tito’ Puentes and Hughes de Courson, Lambarena’ producer. In two days, everything’s almost ready. Jerry Malekani, Manu’s guitar player will add a few things to it. ‘CubAfrica’ is a seductive guided tour around the garden of latinos’ classics, with that Creole’ smell. Latinos but not only cuban, this record is a walk toward mexican Cielito lindo or Cerezo Rosa, this french sweet made by André Claveau and spiced by Perez Prado. A repertoire that even newcomers are able to hum, due to such a patrimonial status, spread by Cubans and their African partner in crime, round-shaping sounds for a spontaneous result: the black continent and the Caribbean island aren’t on the edge of losing the bond between them.