Man, the hits just keep on coming; another of my former employers has left the planet. Manu Dibango has succumbed to the Coronavirus in Paris at age 86.
When I was working with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Peter Gabriel contacted us about working on a track that he and George Acogny were producing. It was to be a cover of his song “Biko” for a forthcoming Manu Dibango album. Of course, we said yes and time was set aside to meet up at the Hit Factory in NYC.
I was an enormous fan of Manu Dibango’s. His song, “Soul Makossa,” was the first African-derived pop song that many of us had ever heard. I remember as a kid, feeling that otherworldly ascent from that beat and that melody. When I was in college, if you had a college radio music library to explore as I did, you could find dozens of his albums, all larded with those big beats, snaky horn lines and Manu’s knowing, baritone voice. I don’t know what he was saying but I believed it.
While touring Europe with Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens the previous year, I had seen Manu perform at an African music festival in Brussels and it confirmed everything I had imagined about him: his regal presence and his band’s unquestionable groove. What I could not have known was the command he would have over a multi-ethnic audience in Europe. There was no question that Paris-based, Francophonic Manu was considered a home-town hero.
Working with Peter Gabriel and George Acogny in the studio was truly eye-opening but I will save that story for another time. They were inspiring studio craftsmen and a joy to be around but making a record is an elusive craft. You may have all of the ingredients for it right in front of you but emerging with a captivating few minutes of music can never be assured.
The album was called “Wakafrika” and they sent me a copy on CD; as soon as I got it, I couldn’t wait to listen to it. The “Biko” track turned out okay but I didn’t think it was as compelling as Peter and George had imagined it would be. I think it was used it as a single but it didn’t set the world on fire. The album had a great variety of worthy guests and beautiful production values but it didn’t grab me the way those early Manu Dibango albums had. That’s okay in this business: no matter how much you might love a project, sometimes you have to just move on to the next one.
Regardless of my thoughts about the music, there was one thing about this album that I thought was absolutely brilliant and it has stayed with me to this day. That one thing is the album cover. Do you know why? Thank you for that one, Manu Dibango.