Rough Guide To African Music For Children

Chosen by over 150 classes of British children from 5-11 years old, this charming & varied compilation ranges across Africa in both origin & sounds. Everything from funk to hip-hop to more traditional sounds are represented by both masters (Issa Bagayogo, Ladysmith, Ricardo Lemvo), and lesser-known (but not for long) artists (Kaki Kilonzo, X Plastaz, JJC & 419 Squad). I starred every track, then erased the stars as unnecessary. Just hit “play.”

1. Catchy, mid/uptempo Afro funk groove.
2. Hot horns uptempo percussion, a lively Afro-Latin sound. Yum.
3. Sweet balafon/vocal track w/chorus & nice upbeat percussion.
4. Chilled out, percussion-driven electronica.
5. An older recording. Cool, uptempo Ethopian funk.
6. Bright, bouncy Kenyan benga track. Fun.
7. Swahili hip-hop. Young voices, great beats, so cool.
8. Spoken words, upbeat track about a soccer game. Go Tornados!
9. Upbeat Afro-Latin jam w/great vocals/beats. Catchy goodness.
10. Gorgeous harmonies, lazy midtempo bounce – you’ll know this.
11. Light & joyful upbeat marrabenta track. Great vocal sounds.
12. It’s Ladysmith. Do you need to know more? Down/midtempo.