Search - Manu Dibango :: Mboa' Su

In 1973, Cameroonian Manu Dibango took Afropop worldwide with "Soul Makossa," a global hit--even Michael Jackson used the rhythm on his Thriller album. Almost 30 years later, Dibango remains a giant in the genre with a massive catalog. And the quality of Mboa' Su puts this latest release among his best. Whether it's the lovely gospel of "Sango Yesu Cristo" or the heartfelt tribute to the late Fela Kuti on "Big Blow," Dibango remains a musical master: laid back, letting the beat percolate around him, and adding his sax or deep vocal like Isaac Hayes. The sound might have a smoothness born of age, but he's never slick, nor does he allow the sound to dissolve into cheap drive-time jazz. When he wants to, Dibango can wail on his tenor horn and turn as funky as Maceo Parker. But he keeps an edge on the proceedings and always brings it back to Cameroon. Afropop might have a whole new generation of stars such as Femi Kuti, but this new album reminds us that Dibango's still the master. --Chris Nickson