Manioc y Guaraná

Release: May 2nd 2008

Track 01 - Jo Jo Kuo - General Hand Grenade

(B. W. Smith / R. McGuire)

Joseph “JoJo” Kuo, a very sought after Drummer/Producer who has performed and produced around the world with such acts as MANU DIBANGO, FELA, HERBIE HANCOCK, PETER GABRIEL, PAPA WEMBA and MORY KANTE. This track, taken from his solo debut album titled No Kelen Kelen, features an all-star cast including bassist Bakithi Kumalo of Paul Simon and Charlie DeChant of Hall & Oates among others - definitive Afro-Beat by one of Africa's veteran pop drummers.

Track 02 - Mamajuana – Hoy Yo Quiero Tu Amor

(Eddi Gonzales, Guillermo Parra, Junior Deoleo)

Assembled by Dominican composer/arranger Eddi González, 8-piece band Mamajuana (name of an exotic and aphrodisiac beverage) combines Afro-Caribbean and contemporary rhythms with romantic lyrics. Mamajuana was 2001 Best Dominican New Artist, nominated to 2002 Premios Lo Nuestro Univision for Best Tropical Group and Pre-nominated to 2004 Grammy awards as Best urban album for their second release "For Sale" produced by Goin’ Native Records and distributed by Universal Latino. Hoy Yo Quiero Tu Amor is a 2006 single release by Goin Native Records which received considerable airplay in the Dominican Republic. The video to this release was widely aired on HTV in the United States and Latin America.

Track 03 - Shiko Mawatu - Dani Mamani

(Shiko Mawatu)

Shiko Mawatu grew up in a family where music came naturally. His father was an accomplished accordion player and his two brothers Bunda Mawatu and Rocky Lisasu sang for the Simba Band in Kinshasa. With a musical upbringing, Shiko Mawatu experienced many musical influences in his native city of Kinshasa, Congo. In his early teens, he exercised his writing ambitions by collaborating with Veve Verckys Kiamuangana, the famous Congolese producer & musician who had discovered Shiko as a young talent.

Track 04 - Zifa & Tentenbah – Sorry

(trad. /arr. Erikson/Samura/Bangoura)

Mikael Zifa Eriksson, singer and songwriter, grew up in the small village of Semendua in Central Africa. Zifa spent the first 16 years of his life in the Democratic Republic of Congo where his participation in choir singing and drumming influenced Zifa´s stylized song writing. In 1997 he formed his band in Stockholm, Sweden. With three CD-album releases, two on Universal; The last dog in 1997, Right as rain in 1999, and the third released independently, Zifa has captured a wide Swedish audience.

Track 05 - A. Nkossi Konda - Matters of the heart

(A.N.Konda)

Alain Nkossi Konda is a very gifted singer/songwriter originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. At a tender age he went to the US with his diplomat father who was then working for the United Nations Development Program. “Matters of the heart” which is previously unreleased is featured on Nkossi long awaited 3rd album titled “Visions of Africa-Pella”. Matters of the heart was Produced by 2 times Grammy Award Winning Producer GORDON WILLIAMS. In 1999 Nkossi was the first Artists signed by HARRY BELAFONTE for his label NIGER Records/ Palm Pictures in Partnership with Island Records founder CHRIS BLACKWELL.

Track 06 - Shaun Fisher - Mama Africa

(Glen Barclay, Shaun Fisher, Chet Samuel)

Platinum songwriter producer Shaun Fisher is no stranger to the music industry having worked with top names in the in the pop music business for over twenty years. This track is taken from his first solo album “Body & Soul”, however, and it features singer/songwriter Chet Samuel from Puerto Rico, with whom he collaborated to write this one, on vocals. It is Spanish language homage to the motherland Africa for her gift of music through her sons and daughters from both sides of the Atlantic. It is a departure for Shaun into a less commercial genre but world music has always been his first love. The album on Goin Native Records is an eclectic collection of trendy Worldbeat music featuring genres ranging from Jazz to R&B with Caribbean, Latin and African influences. The ambient mood is upbeat, sometimes melancholy, but always music with a destination vibe! At the albums' core is a message of love and reconciliation.

Track 07 - Bwalya – Ninkana

(Vincet Othieno; Bwalya Chimfwembe)

Bwalya Chimfwembe’s voice is as exotic as her background. Born at the mission hospital in Monze, a small town in the heart of the Southern Province of Zambia in Africa, Bwalya has risen from humble roots to the world stage. Bwalya left Zambia in 1990 for Germany. Her album, Seka Seka, shows the limitless talents that Bwalya possesses as she showcases her writing abilities with a tantalizing mixture of songs. As the literally translation of the cover song says, you have to smile when you listen to Bwalya’s jazz-influenced music vibrate within your bones. You may want to call it Africa beat but it’s not. You may want to call it European jive but it’s not. You want may want to call it American jazz but it’s not. Bwalya’s music is unique. It’s hers and hers only. And what beautiful blend of cultures!

Track 08 - Voombastic Uncle P. – Gramma

(Obi Casmir Okwudili)

Voombastic Uncle P. who’s real name is Obi Casmir OKWUDILI is a gifted musician who hails from the Ghettos of Lagos /NIGERIA. Uncle P’ s unique gift made him a household name in Lagos, he was one of the very first Nigerian who began rapping in the native tongue over rap beats. In 2006 he was elected as vice-governor of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN, Lagos) and on March 16th 2007 he is elected Executive governor of PMAN Lagos.

Track 09 - Maru - Puras Mentiras

(Ruth Huamaní)

Maru, short for Marisol and Ruth, is a Peruvian duo and one of three finalists in 2006 for "Best Folk Song" at Vina del Mar the prestigious international Latin singer/song writer contest held each year in Vina del Mar, Chile. Their music is original but steeped in tradition (with a twist) - Andean and Afro-Andean styles including Saya, Huayno and Festejo. They may best be described as “the new sound of modern Andean music”. Although they live in Peru and are popular there, they seem to be even better known among Peruvians living in the United States of America. This is due in part to their music and videos featuring their music being aired many times daily on the Canal Sur, a cable network based in the United States.

Track 10 - Jose Val - De Tierra Santa

(Jose Val)

Latin singer/songwriter, producer and actor Jose Val is a native Peruvian who commutes between Lima, Peru and Miami, Florida. De Tierra Santa, taken from his debut album “Cuentame” is a very popular summer song in Peru, on radio and in clubs. The album is all-original and the romantic
messages and real life stories included are revealing of Jose Val’s personal style and his concept of life: live life large, love and explore all in this struggle! Jose is currently working on a second album which should be released in early 2008.

Track 11 - Galaxy - La chance

(Pape Sarr/ Libasse Sall/ Eero Koivestoinen)

The indigenous Senegalese pop music called mbalax was well known in Finland long before Youssou Ndour and Baaba Maal made it world famous. This is especially due to the enthusiastic work of the Finnish musicians Sakari Kukko and Hasse Walli, who both visited Senegal decades ago and wanted everyone to hear the music that inspired them tremendously. Hasse Walli visited Senegal several times, and his life with and around Senegalese music continues even today. In the end of the 80's and the beginning of the 90's he organized two remarkable Asamaan line ups with Senegalese musicians. When Asamaan - at that time - became history, some of the musicians stayed in Finland and formed a new band Galaxy, in 1992 to continue the tradition of the best quality mbalax.