Manu Dibango

was born in Cameroon, a country in Central Africa

off the Gulf of Guinea.

Born in 1933, he started his musical career in

Brussel and Paris during the late 1950s.

He would go on to achieve accolades as a

jazz saxophonist.

 

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(image from brandcameroon.com):

Manu Dibango

is credited widely as being one of the creators of disco music

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In 1972 he released the internationally acclaimed, mostly instrumental piece

Soul Makossa:

a synergy of musical styles from afro-soul, disco, funk, big band to makossa-

 the dancehall music of his native Cameroon.

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With the incredible success of his hit Soul Makossa

Manu Dibango

became the first African musician to reach

the top 40 of the American music charts.

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Nicknamed “the lion of Cameroon”

Mr. Dibango continues to roar.

His last London performance was in 2013 at the Barbican Centre.

He was 80 years old!

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A mighty roar

from Manu Dibango

Soul Makossa

1972

[youtube+youtube.com/watch?v=Nvb811KnsMc]

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