Zap Mama

• Adventures in Afropea 1 [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1993] A-
• Sabsylma [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1994] *
• Seven [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1997] **
• A Ma Zone [Luaka Bop, 1999]
• Ancestry in Progress [Luaka Bop/V2, 2004] ***

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Adventures in Afropea 1 [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1993]
Like most a cappella, this ethnomusicological pop move--melodies lifted from all over Africa as well as Spain and Cuba and Syria, with Zairian tunes and Pygmy chants foregrounded--requires concentration. In the background it can fade or annoy, but on the Walkman, or a good sound system with the street noise under control, it's pure joy of timbre--female timbre, plus clicks and gutturals and percussion sounds and camel-driver impressions. And unless you fancy ethnomusicology lectures, which tend to be prissy, don't worry about the words. A-

Sabsylma [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1994]
splitting the difference between sound effects and multilingualism ("De la Vie à la Mort," "Mr. Brown") *

Seven [Luaka Bop/Warner Bros., 1997]
world-beat at its all too all-embracing best ("Baba Hooker," "Beigo Zaïroise") **

A Ma Zone [Luaka Bop, 1999]

Ancestry in Progress [Luaka Bop/V2, 2004]
Pygmies and babies sing the African diaspora that is her life ("Whatdidusay?" "Zap Bébés"). ***