Adriano Atchutchi: composer, chefe da orquestra
Cesário "Miguelinho" Hoffer: rhythm guitar/sax
Adriano "Tundo" Fonseca: solo guitar
Serifo Dju: contracanto guitar
Francisco Martens a.k.a. "Chico Karuka": bass
João Mota: solo guitar
Zé Manel: drums
Armando Vaz Pereira: tumba
Joãozinho Correia: bongos
António Malam Mané, Lamine Baldé, Cesário "Ntchoba" Morgado, Carlos Baba Kanoute, Herculano Pina Araujo, Dulce Neves: vocalists
above right: Armando, Zé Manel, J. Mota, Uyé, Tundo, performing in Havana
This remarkable band was formed at a boy scout camp in 1964 and grew into a national band and ultimately a global phenomenon. After Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portuguese colonial rule in 1974, Super Mama Djombo was the most popular band in the country for more than a decade. In 1978they took Cuba by storm,playing at a youth festival. They only had one recording session, in Lisbon January 1980, from which five LPs appeared. In 1986 they broke up. A core remained and were reassembled by Atchutchi for some projects. The achingly beautiful quality of the ballads endured, and worked well on the soundtrack to the film, The Blue Eyes of Yonta, set in Bissau and directed by Flora Gomes, released in 1996. Despite shifting personnel the original sound was maintained. Original members regrouped and were reunited in Iceland, of all places, where they recorded Ar Puro (Fresh Air) in November 2007. In 2008 they made a European tour. Their label Cobiana ultimately moved to the USA and Zé Manel, the drummer, ended up in California where he also produced a solo album.
![]() | NA CAMBANÇA (Cobiana SMD 001 1980)Reissued on CD: Teca Balafon Prods, Portugal, 1999; Reissued on LP Mar & Sol 2019 MSR004
Often what drives us is the idea of something, say African Music. Once you heard a particularly magic song and searched and searched until you found the album and, if you were lucky, the album was bliss. Sometimes an artist or band will tug at your heartstrings in inexplicable ways and you'll find yourself blindly pursuing their music at all costs (Yes, even as far as the outrageous prices of some dealers). Certain notes or sounds become like a Holy Grail as you try to find them. What was an idea becomes an ideal, the purest expression of a feeling or sentiment in musical form.
Track list * these three tracks included on 4CD comp Memôrias de Africa (Farol Music 2008)
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![]() | FESTIVAL (Cobiana SMD002 1980)Reissued on LP by Kindred Spirits 2013
a: Festival CD release 1999
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![]() | SOL MAIOR PARA COMANDANTE (Cobiana SMD 003 1983; made in USSR) For Amilcar Cabral 1979
a: Sol maior para comandante 1 & 2 (Atchutchi)
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![]() | MANDJUANA (Cobiana SMD004) 1980/1983
a: Mandjuana (Atchutchi)
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![]() | A MEMORIA DE FAMARA MANE (Cobiana SMD005; made in USSR) 1980/1983
a: Tchêdo
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TRADICIONALMENTE DJOMBO (Maxi Music MM 009.02, 1980)
1 Fùndo CD reissue: 2002
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CDs:SUPER MAMA DJOMBO |
![]() | LES YEUX BLEUS DE YONTA (Cobalt CD09277-2 1996)Bissau quita mudaCansare Yonta Noiba nobo Fidjo matcho 2 passo Carnaval Djugude Vicente da Silva Bajuro
-- Soundtrack to the film Udju Azul di Yonta directed by Flora Gomes. The personnel on this 1992 recording were:
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![]() | Homenagem a Jose Carlos Schwarz(CD) 1999
Shalan Guinéense
Adriano Atchutchi (Composer, Bandleader)
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![]() | AR PURO (Iceland: Smekkleysa SM148 CD 2008)AlmaDjan Djan Djugudé fidalgo obi Francis Tchatcha li tchatcha Fidjo di mi Pilum Fé Na Bó Baliera N'Tchintche Nó Festa Konta muntrus na claro
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![]() | BEST OF (Grounded Music CDGR011 2012)A superb French compilation, licensed from Cobiana (All previously released tracks)
1 Faibe Guiné
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![]() | SUPER MAMA DJOMBO (Netherlands: New Dawn ND001 2015)Pansau Na Isna (from Tradicionalmente)Marietu Djeme (from Tradicionalmente) Manobra Da Pequena Wai Nene Sinhalakala (from Tradicionalmente) Nambia Remedi Ku Kata Kura (from Na Cambança) Pioneiros Thanks to Sandy, Mike Scott, Cheeku, Bjarki and Dr Chris Send additions to "contact [at] muzikifan [dot] com" Last updated Feb 2020 |