Manu Dibango has developed a musical style that strongly influenced artists and music-makers since several decades.
By his fusion of jazz, funk and traditional Cameroonian music, many different musical genres like jazz, afrobeat, disco and pop music has been touched and shaped to what it is today.
During decades of musical work and exploration, Manu Dibango has collaborated with many legendary artists from around the world, such as Fania Allstars, Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock,, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Don Cherry, Sly & Robbie, Eliades Ochoa, Walli Badarou Sting, Barbara Hendricks, Seiji Osawa, Brandford Marsalis, Youssou N’dour, King Sunny Ade, Peter Gabriel, Salif Keïta, Ray Phiri, Angélique Kidjo, Ladysmith Black Mambaza, Ray Lema, Geoffrey Oryma, Touré Kunda, Sinead O’Connor, Papa Wemba… The list goes on.
Manu Dibango‘s music has also inspired modern pop music. Many consider Soul Makosa as the first disco album. Pop artists have borrowed his music to find new musical roads. Example are the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson (Wanna be Startin’ Something), and artists like Akon, The Fugees (Cowboys), Jennifer Lopez, Jay-Z, Rihanna (Don’t stop the music) and most recently Kanye West.
Today Manu Dibango’s music is still a source of creativity for world-known artists.
Although Manu Dibango is now over 70 years old, he’s still not ready to put down his saxophone or to stop his music from being developed
CHRONOLOGICAL OVERVIEW OF MANU DIBANGO’S CARRIER
1960 Independence movements in Africa. Manu returns to his continent where he visits
many African countries. His talent as a jazzman enables him to appreciate a variety of sounds. From 1969 to 1970, he records several singles after spending 4 years as an organist and conductor with Nino Ferrer.
1972 Asked to compose the hymn of the 8th Africa Football Cup of which “Soul
Makossa” is the B-side.
He released his first album “O BOSO” : success of “Soul Makossa” which sells millions of copies all over the world.
1973 Triumph at the Olympia. In the USA, “Soul Makossa” is a smash hit : 40.000 people
at the Yankee Stadium, 354 000 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Goes on tour with Fania All Stars. Manu becomes the link between Africa, Europe and America.
1974 SUPER KUMBA album 1975 AFRICA DECLIC album 1976 MANU 76 album 1977 Manu composes soundtracks for motion pictures : “L’Herbe Sauvage” (Ivory Coast), “Ceddo” (Senegal), “Le Prix de la Liberté” (Cameroon). 1978 Manu discovers Jamaïca. As a result, GONE CLEAR album is born with such
prestigious Jamaican musicians as Robbie Shakespeare, Geoffrey Chung, Sly Dunbar, Willie Lindo, Ansel Collins, and no less prestigious American names such as Randy Guthrie and Ullanda Mac Cullouch. This records represents the Union of the three black Cultures ; the African, American and Jamaican.
1981 Musical culture of GONE CLEAR was so successful that Manu decides to use the same musicians for his AMBASSADOR album. 1982 Returns home, Manu goes back to afro-sound with WAKA JUJU album.
1983 In his SOFT AND SWEET album, Manu revives the standards in a baritone sound.
1984 ABELE DANSE, maxi single produced by Martin Meissonnier reaches the top of the
charts in England, then SURTENSION album, whose sound was a sign of the years to come : Afro-Electric-Funk. Manu defines himself as both African and utopian : he founds the “Afro-European’ concept.
1985 In Holland, at the solidarity concert for Sahel, Manu is shocked by the image of
starvation in Africa. On his return to Paris, he unites all the musicians he can for the record TAM TAM POUR L’ETHIOPIE. King Sunny Ade takes part by phone from Nigeria.
Bill Laswell, the New-York producer arrives in Paris with all his team to record the album ELECTRIC AFRICA. Herbie Handcock and Walli Badarou take part in it.
In May, with Sting, Barbara Hendricks, Seiji Osawa, Brandford Marsalis and other international stars, Manu takes part in a huge humanitarian demonstration organised at “Place du Trocadéro” (Paris), for the Human Rights day.
1986 AFRIJAZZY album. Anniversary records : Manu celebrates 30 years of music (Soul Paris Records/distr. Mélodie) 1987 SEVENTIES album. (Soul Paris Records/distr. Mélodie) 1988 LA FETE A MANU (Buda Records/distr. Adès). Live double LP recorded at the
“Francofolies Festival” at La Rochelle-France. Tribute to Manu by Jean-Louis Foulquier, the festival director.
1989 NEGROPOLITAINES vol.1. Manu helps us discover new standards from the African continent.
For the French-Canadian film “Comment faire l’amour avec un nègre sans se fatiguer”, soundtrack comes out.
Manu composes the music for the first African cartoon KIMBO broadcasted on French television France3.
1990 POLYSONIC, pure rap. This album shows his majors influence on contemporary musical trends (Fnac music-distr.WMD).
1991 LIVE 91 record at the Festival “Printemps de Bourges” on 30 April, produced and recorded by Manu. Manu pays a tribute to Serge Gainsbourg interpreting “La Javanaise”.
1992 NEGROPOLITAINES vol.2 gets the Victoire (French Music Awards) for the best Instrumental album.
AUTOPORTRAIT, best of album celebrating the 20 anniversary of “Soul Makossa”.
Weekly live music programme “SALUT MANU” hosted by Manu, on French television France3 (1992-1993).
1994 WAKAFRIKA or Africa on the road. Manu celebrates his 60thbirthday and invites
us at a musical safari. Youssou N’dour, King Sunny Ade, Peter Gabriel, Salif Keïta, Ray Phiri, Angélique Kidjo, Ladysmith Black Mambaza, Ray Lema, Geoffrey Oryma, Touré Kunda, Sinead O’Connor, Papa Wemba take part in this fabulous adventure.
1995 LAMASTABASTANI (Soul Paris Records/Melodie). As Manu was brought up in
the tradition of Negro spirituals, it was a wonderful step back into his childhood, with the memories of his first years in the Protestant church where his mother was a choirleader. This album is a tribute to his music master Doumbè Eyango, to his parents and to his beloved wife. The album combines African Negro spirituals, rhythm and blues mixed with gospel songs.
1996 PAPA GROOVE live 96, recorded at the “Petit Journal Montparnasse in Paris (Afrovision/WMD)
Manu promotes French car Peugeot 406 all over Africa.
SAX & SPIRITUALS – LAMASTABASTANI (Soul Paris Records/Mélodie). This new version of the record made up of gospel music from African and elsewhere (first version in 95) includes 2 unreleased titles and 2 remixed titles, with guests appearance of the Cameroonian gospel singer Arbogaste Mbella-Ntone.
1997 AFRICAN SOUL, The very best of Manu Dibango
More than 20 years after the success of “Soul Makossa”, Mercury France brings out the first “real” compilation by Manu, including some of his best hits such as “Dikalo”, “Big Blow” and of course “Soul Makossa”. “Senga Abele” whose “avant garde” sound announced the birth of Acid Jazz is also part of the album.
1997 CUBAFRICA Manu Dibango & Cuarteto Patria
A repertoire that even the Latin music newcomers hum along with a part of their national heritage, as well as the Cubans and their Africans accomplices ; lots of mellow simpulsive one. The black continent and the Caribbean island are still linked.
After “Salut Manu” live music programme on French television France3, Manu helps us to discover the African continent on France5. The purpose is to explore Africa beyond its touristics “clichés” and to get information about its geographical, economic and social aspects.,
MANU SAFARI compilation (Soul MAKOSSA / Wagram Music)
WAKAFRIKA, New edition of the 1994 album with 2 new titles : “Wakafrika remix” and “Biko remix”.
1998 MANU DIBANGO, Collection Légende 12 unreleased titles.
1999 LA PLANETE A MANU, monthly live music programme on Muzzik, a cable television channel.
MBOA’SU, Kamer feeling (JPS Production-Melodie)
A return to his roots, 10 years later. Manu records this album with the new generation of Cameroonian musicians and a few members of the Diaspora.
2000 March, the 13rd, One great concert at the Olympia Hall in Paris
Manu returns to this mythic concert hall after 20 years. He proposes a “Music Hall Safari” accompanied with the London Community Gospel Choir led by the Reverend Bazil Meade.
2002 May : BSIDES. Manu plays Marimba drum. 2003 December, Manu celebrates his 70th birthday in Cameroon
“AFRICADELIC” (Mercury/Unicersal) a new album to celebrates the 30th anniversary of the famous “Ma-ma-ko Ma- ma- sa”.
2004 Celebration of Manu’s 5th decade of music throughout the year.
June : “Voyage Anthologique” (Mercury/Universal). A long box relating 3 decades (60’s, 70’s & 80’S) of Manu’s carreer.
2005 Manu composed the sound track of “KIRIKOU & LES BETES SAUVAGES”
(Michel Ocelot-France), a cartoon based on an African tale. The film is very successful, more than 4bn people watched it in France since 7th Dec.
2006 November : “LION OF AFRICA” Manu’s first and official DVD,
recorded live at the Barbican Centre in London, with his “Maraboutik Big Band”, 14 musicians on stage including an incredible horn section.
2007 Manu pays tribute to Sidney Bechet with the album “Manu joue Sidney Bechet”. Album released for Manu’s 50th anniversary of carreer.
2008 “AFRICAN WOODOO”. 17 titles recorded between 1971 and 1975 for professional sound illustration for cinema, television and advertising.
2010 “CHOC’N SOUL”, 1978-1989 sessions reissued by Manu and relating his journey to Kingston at the end of the Eighties
BOOKS ”Trois kilo de café” (Three kilos of coffee). Manu writes his autobiography with the help of Danièle Rouard, a journalist for the daily newspaper “Le Monde”. French edition published by Le Seuil-France. English edition published by The Univerity of Chicago Press
FILMS “Silences”, a documentary produced by PRV/La Sept (1990). Manu retraces the important moment of his life and career, filmed by Béatrice Soulé.
“Manu Dibango: Un Tempo d’Afrique” (March 2010), updated documentary, produced by France Télévisions/2P2L – written by Calixthe Beyala and directed by Pascal Vasselin.
AWARDS / HONORARY DISTINCTIONS
1979 Oscar nomination (Hollywood) for the best album of the year 1973 (O BOSO album with “Soul Makossa), and nomination for the best instrumentalist
1977 Reputation established at the Olympia Hall ; he receives the trophy as a tribute to his international career from the French Minister of Co-operation.
1985 Honorary Citizen of Cortina d’Empezzo (Italy) 1986 Chevalier Des Arts et Lettres (France) Honorary Citizen of Turin (Italy)
Senghor Honorary Trophy for his extraordinary contribution in the music field (author, composer, instrumentalist)
1988 Chevalier de l’Ordre et de la Valeur (Cameroon) 1989 “Genie de la Bastille” trophy of the Elf Foundation
Trophy of the Panafrican Circle of the International Institute of African Research
1993 Inauguration of the Manu Dibango Youth and Cultural Centre (Saint-Calais – France) Officier Des Arts et Lettres (France)
Sacem prize for the LIVE 91 album recorded at the Printemps de bourges Festival (France)
1993 Victoire de la Musique (French music award) for the best instrumental music album (Negropolitaine album -1992-)
1998 Chevalier de la Confrérie Des Vins de Suresnes (France) 2000 Officier de l’Ordre de la Valeur (Cameroon), national tribute Featured in the “Who’s Who” (2000)
2002 Commandeur Des Arts et Des Lettres within the framework of the 20th edition of the “Fête de la Musique” (France)
2003 Manu is awarded once again with the “Grand Prix de l’Academie Charles Cros” (France), for his entire carreer. 2004 Manu becomes “UNESCO ARTIST FOR PEACE”. 2009 “GRAND PRIX DE LA SACEM” for his entire carrier.
2010 Inauguration of the music school in his name “Manu Dibango” in Beaurepaire, France.
2010 “CHEVALIER” for the French “LEGION D’HONNEUR”.– the highest distinction in France.
