Overview

Thirty portraits of African musicians, from the innovators of the 1950s to the stars of today.

From the unique voice of Salif Keita and the hard funk of Fela Kuti to the poignant blues of Cesaria Evora and the upbeat swing of South African township jazz, African music has shaken the planet. This book traces its history through 30 portraits. Instead of offering biographical summaries, Tenaille plunges straight to the deepest, most intimate, and most significant aspects of the life and work of each musician. In a compact form, this retrospective imparts all the information essential to understanding these complex pop stars, while putting them in a political and cultural context and spicing up the mix with generous helpings of anecdote.

Reviews

“Engaging . . . highly recommended.” —Choice

Author Biography

Frank Tenaille is a journalist specializing in world music and has written for a number of publications and radio programs. His 11 books include biographies of Patrice Lumumba and Touré Kunda and guides to French song and world music.