DOUBLE GATEFOLD 2LP
Gone Clear, is the quintessence of reggae and groove, as only Manu Dibango can conceive them. After a stay in Nigeria and a great tour with the Ivorian Radio-Television Orchestra, the Cameroonian saxophonist landed for the first time in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1976. Just a few steps away from Bob Marley's home (taking the time to greet him every day on his way to the studio to say “hello”!).
It was with the cream of the crop of musicians at that time (Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar, Randy and Michael Brecker, Lou Marini...) and in the legendary Dynamic Sounds Studios that he shaped this 100% roots album.
With a slightly relaxed and positiv atmosphere, far from the usual militant style lyrics, Manu's reggae invites you to "chill out", and is supported by a highly effective backing choir.
Like most of his albums, Manu's reggae is also very mixed, blending African, Jamaican and American inspiration with danceable funk on tracks such as Goro City and Happy feeling. The cherry on the cake is his hit "Soul Makossa" - sampled without permission by Michael Jackson and Rihanna a few years later – and arranged in a Caribbean sauce in a slower version, renamed "Reggae Makossa." If there's one thing we can truly salute here, it is that Manu Dibango can compose reggae with respect for tradition while adding his own personal touch. We can see this touch later in the album Cubafrica, where Manu was able to surround himself with the best Cuban musicians (the Quarteto Patria), to deliver a very high-quality Afro-Cuban album, adding a new gem to his fabulous discography.
Manu Dibango, légende de la musique camerounaise et internationale, est l'une des figures les plus influentes du jazz africain et de la world music. Né en 1933 à Douala, au Cameroun, il s’est fait connaître mondialement grâce à son tube emblématique "Soul Makossa" en 1972. Saxophoniste virtuose, compositeur et chanteur, Dibango a su fusionner avec brio les sonorités africaines traditionnelles avec le jazz, le funk et la musique soul, créant un style unique qui a inspiré des générations d'artistes à travers le monde. Son héritage musical, marqué par une carrière de plus de six décennies, reste gravé dans l’histoire de la musique contemporaine.
Manu Dibango, a legend of Cameroonian and international music, is one of the most influential figures in African jazz and world music. Born in 1933 in Douala, Cameroon, he gained worldwide fame with his iconic hit "Soul Makossa" in 1972. A virtuoso saxophonist, composer, and singer, Dibango masterfully blended traditional African sounds with jazz, funk, and soul music, creating a unique style that has inspired generations of artists around the globe. His musical legacy, marked by a career spanning over six decades, remains etched in the history of contemporary music.