A Legend Lost: Dibango Dies

I have been listening to college radio since I was a preteen... one of the best features of college radio is that it is not subject to the genre balkanization of commercial radio stations. Among the many artists to whom I was exposed was Cameroon-born jazz juggernaut Manu Dibango, who succumbed to COVID-19 at the age of 86. Like most people, my introduction to Dibango's music was his 1972 jazz/funk fusion hit Soul Makossa, which was anchored by his blazing saxophone virtuosity:





The song's refrain was ripped off adapted by Michael Jackson for his Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'.

Not content with just mashing up African music, jazz, and funk, Manu Dibango added classical music to the mélange with his work fronting Safari Symphonique:





Monsieur Dibango's eclectic work is the perfect introduction to jazz for pop, funk, and rock listeners. Here's an entire 2018 concert by the legend, so you can let the 'Africadelik' sounds sweep over you:





It's an odd feeling to be so sad while feeling the urge to boogie.