Ceddo (Bande Originale du Film) album cover
Ceddo (Bande Originale du Film)

Manu Dibango

1977
Fiesta

It might be the disco and afro-funk of his biggest hits that made Manu Dibango a household name, but diving into his catalog shows just how broad-ranging his style could be, especially if you take into account all of his work as a composer and arranger (like on this lovely record by Congolese musician Franklin Boukaka). Just a cursory listen brings up reggae, soul, jazz, even rap. Ceddo, the soundtrack to the 1977 film by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène, is looser, more atmospheric than the tight, almost poliziesco style funk of the library music on African Voodoo. “La Boisson” just marches along at the same pace for two minutes, but is a testament to Dibango’s ability to build ambience by tweaking a few subtle elements. “Morabout” traverses a whole plethora of different scenes and moods, haunting at times, menacing and jubilant elsewhere. 

Megan Iacobini de Fazio

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