African dance music?

Anyone have any suggestions? I like drumming, but I'd also like to hear some good vocals.

Toumani Diabate and Selif Keita are Malian superstars. Suitable for playing with dinner.
Konono No : a Congolese, thumb piano-playing, punk-dance-electronic outfit. Think bonfire party with dancing and lots of homebrew...

Not much of an african music fan really, but played with a couple of Kenyan musicians* for 6 years, and my ex-girlfriend was/is into some decent afrobeat bands:
Apagya Show band. They combined afrobeat and funk in a unique wonderful way. Very cool. Fela Kuti of course. Orkestra Poly-Ritmo is interesting, still touring too. Tinarouen if you're feeling like smoking something but don't have anything available.

*(Note that "playing with Kenyans" involved mostly playing really decent Police covers... but there was some African/Soca/Reggae/Afrobeat music in there too )

Thanks! i will listen

I LOVE WORLD MUSIC!!

I hope you enjoy the complex rhythms in this Afro-Cuban beat. "Di Bombs" by Ikkwunga.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Nyl4zl0dk

Not African but just plain cool Afghani rhythms none the less. Fun music to (belly) dance to.
"Laila" by Arash Howaida. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N86KZp2Xif0

"Heartbeat" by Nneka. Modern, African pop artist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ivg3J3h5Ps

Peony Jardine wrote:I LOVE WORLD MUSIC!!

I hope you enjoy the complex rhythms in this Afro-Cuban beat. "Di Bombs" by Ikkwunga.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4Nyl4zl0dk

Not African but just plain cool Afghani rhythms none the less. Fun music to (belly) dance to.
"Laila" by Arash Howaida. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N86KZp2Xif0

"Heartbeat" by Nneka. Modern, African pop artist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ivg3J3h5Ps

Thanks so much!! I love Nneka! Also, I'm definitely going to listen to that Afro-Cuban beat. Have you heard of AfroCubism? Soooo good. Do you have a last.fm?

Bela Fleck's Throw Down Your Heart album is pretty amazing. He went into Africa visiting all kings of different musicians and playing his banjo along with them (if you watch the DVD under the same name with all the footage, he talks about how the banjo really has it's roots in Africa). I really enjoy it and highly recommend the DVD, too.

Here's the 'trailer.'

Hi Annah. Yes, I'm at last.fm. I'm motherafrica. Nice to meet you.

Hi Travis. I thought your video was cool too.
I'm 'friends' with an American musician on myspace. His name is Steve Shehan. Anyhooo, I also like the origins of diverse musical styles and the evolution of the instruments themselves. His movie trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzDqRQIFixk

Annah. I think you may enjoy Steve Shehan's music also. He's a multi-instrumentalist and really does some amazing things with percussion instruments.

Check out Vladiswar Nadishana (at myspace or youtube) if you like waaaaay out their instruments!

BTW, Travis I lived in Kobe Japan in the early 90's.
"Hajimemashite."