1. Lokua Kanza (Congo DRC) - Stestuff - 1:18
Pascal Lokua Kanza was orphaned as a child. He taught himself guitar and studied at the Kinshasa Conservatory. After playing in groups in Zaire (now Congo DRC) and Ivory Coast he studied jazz in Paris and played with Papa Wemba among others. In 1992 he launched his solo career. He has played with Anjelique Kidjo, Youssou N'Dour and Geoffrey Oryema, and he has recorded with Natalie Merchant.

2. Lokua Kanza (Congo DRC) - Mboka - 3:21
See the brief biography above. There's much more at Kanza's web site if you read French and have a broadband connection.

3. Les Go de Koteba (Ivory Coast) - Theba - 6:02
From a 'New York Times' concert review in July 1996: "Les Go de Koteba, whose three female vocalists come from Mali, Guinea and the band's home, the Ivory Coast, suggested stern Islamic music in one song, cheerful rhumba-group harmony in the next; with synchronized high kicks and arm twirls, they danced like a more athletic version of the Supremes. But their voices still had the untempered intonation of African tradition, and the guitarist, Sory Diabate, could plunk like a country-blues musician or play crisply syncopated chords while Boubacar Diabate on djembe (hand drum) supplied pinpoint barrages. The band's grooves were more forceful than anything on the group's album 'Les Go de Koteba' (Melodie import)."

4. Ben Okafor (Nigeria) - Shadows - 3:48
Ben Okafor has lived a tumultuous life, starting early as a child soldier and featuring work directly with Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu in South Africa. This music was recorded in Woodstock, New York. See this review for additional interesting information.

5. Rossy (Madagascar) - Sira Sira - 4:34
As a child, Rossy - Paul Bert Rahasimanana - learned music on the accordion, which unnaccountably is a very popular instrument in Madagascar. Here is a profile.

6. Lassina Coulibaly (Burkina Faso) - Soundjata - 4:35
See Drummer and dancer Ye Lassina Couliabaly's home page.

7. Sibongile Khumalo (South Africa) - Mayihlome - 3:54
Sibongile Kumalo, another golden voice of South Africa along with Vusi Mahlasela, starred in the first ever Zulu opera, "Princess Magogo", which premiered in Amsterdam in May 2006.

8. Bau (Cape Verde Islands) - Situacoes Triangulares - 3:38
Bau (Rufino Almeida) is from the same Cape Verdean island as Cesaria Evora and has performed with her. Profile.

9. Toure-Toure (Senegal, Mali) - Ladde - 3:42
Since the 1970s the Toure family of the Casamance region of Senegal (but ancestrally from Mali and Mauritania) have advanced the Senegalese "mbalax" pop style that mixes African and Cuban rhythms. Guitarists Daby and Omar Toure lead this group.

10. Gerald Toto, Richard Bona And Lokua Kanza (Cameroon, Congo DRC) - Na Ye - 3:35
See Gerald Toto on MySpace here. Richard Bona of Cameroon plays bass on this cut. He has played with Bob James, Harry Belafonte and many other jazz and popular greats. See his biography. See above for information about Lokua Kanza.

11. Mamelang (South Africa) - Mamelang - 5:16
Mamelang, a mixed heritage group from the Transvaal, sing in the Zulu tradition. The group's name means "listen" in Zulu but it also has the meaning "group". See a review of the album "Zulu Heartbeat".