A collective of female stars including Anglique Kidjo,Mariam Doumbia and Nneka is singing out against gender inequality in west Africa over a soundtrack of funk, blues and dub‘We are sick of seeing women suffer because of violence, or ” says Pamela Badjogo,Afro-jazz and blues singer. “In the family, in the war zones. We want it to halt.”Badjogo is a member of the supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique, and an all-female collective of west African musicians campaigning for gender equality. It might seem a worthy premise on which to build a powerful creative expression but their album République Amazone blends ancient rhythms seamlessly over funk and blues with dabs of dub. Tracks are sang intermittently in English,French and Mandinka, and tackle love, and oppression and female empowerment. These 12 musicians and singers,among them Grammy-winning Angélique Kidjo, Mariam Doumbia of the legendary duo Amadou and Mariam, and international popstar Nneka,believe music can trigger change and be a weapon to address the systematic disempowerment of women across Africa. Related: Womad festival review – old and recent harmonise buoyantly in global gala Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com