Global A Go-Go presents:
A library has burned
In the countries that make up the former Malian empire, the death of a wise elder is often acknowledged by saying that “a library has burned.” Mamadou Sanou was merely 49 years old when he passed away on November 25 from complications of malaria, right in what seemed like the middle of a musical career that was building a new wing on the West African musical library.
Madou was the founder, front man, singer and chief songwriter of Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band, who brought their unique take on Mandé cultural heritage to listeners around the world over the last eight years through a series of three albums for Sublime Frequencies Records and tours of Europe and the USA. Their epic 2023 American tour brought the band to Richmond’s Get Tight Lounge in May and back to the Richmond Folk Festival in October. If you saw any of those shows, you know how mind-meltingly great this band could be.
This week (Sunday December 3, 1:00-3:00 PM on WRIR, for two weeks afterwards at wrir.org/listen, check your local listings for airing on other radio stations, and any old time at my podcast site) Global A Go-Go pays tribute to Baba Commandant with a two-hour special. You’ll hear his musical origins, some of the traditional and popular music that influenced him, a few of his band’s peers and of course selections from those three albums that we’ll always have to remember him by.
Podcast: radio4all.net/program/116934
All the podcasts: radio4all.net/series/Global%20A%20Go-Go
Here’s what it looked like at the Get Tight Lounge on May 24th. Just the ideal venue for an African rock band: In the backyard, under the stars.
And here’s Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band after polishing off some tres leches cake. Baba is second from the right.
Show Archive
Play show / Add show to playlistPlaylist:
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Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, “Global a Go-Go”
from Global A Go-Go
BMG Rights Management (US) LLC - 2001
England UK
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Moukoro Zakaria, Moukoro Mahamadou, “Grand Ngoni (Dioula)”
Sublime Frequencies - 2016
Burkina Faso
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Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band, “Kameleba”
from Sonbonbela
Sublime Frequencies - 2022
Burkina Faso
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Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band, “Loga Fo Djelba”
from Sira Ba Kele
Sublime Frequencies - 2018
Burkina Faso
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Baba Commandant & The Mandingo Band, “Keleya”
from Sira Ba Kele
Sublime Frequencies - 2018
Burkina Faso
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Bill Lupoletti Global A Go-Go December 3rd, 2023
Posted In: Music Shows