Manu Dibango at Islington Assembley Hall

60 years of music, 60 records released and a planetary hit covered by over 23 artists… These numbers merely hint at how massive Manu Dibango’s career was and continues to be. At the age of 80, the Cameroonian flame still shines bright. He who was coined the inventor of Disco tours and records extensively to the delight of both the young and the nostalgics.Dibango came under the spotlight in 1972 when he released “Soul Makossa”. The song that was born an unheralded B-side went around the world in a blink, taking Manu for the ride of his life. Covered by Michael Jackson on “Thriller” (140 million copies sold) and Rihana in “Please don’t stop the music”, “Soul Makossa” is a tune each of us has danced to at least once.Following this smashing triumph, Manu Dibango collaborated with countless artists from various backgrounds (Youssou N’Dour, Cesaria Evora, Sly & Robie, Supertramp, Angelique Kidjo, Henri Salvador…) thus harvesting influences from the four corners of the globe...

read more

60 years of music, 60 records released and a planetary hit covered by over 23 artists… These numbers merely hint at how massive Manu Dibango’s career was and continues to be. At the age of 80, the Cameroonian flame still shines bright. He who was coined the inventor of Disco tours and records extensively to the delight of both the young and the nostalgics.Dibango came under the spotlight in 1972 when he released “Soul Makossa”. The song that was born an unheralded B-side went around the world in a blink, taking Manu for the ride of his life. Covered by Michael Jackson on “Thriller” (140 million copies sold) and Rihana in “Please don’t stop the music”, “Soul Makossa” is a tune each of us has danced to at least once.Following this smashing triumph, Manu Dibango collaborated with countless artists from various backgrounds (Youssou N’Dour, Cesaria Evora, Sly & Robie, Supertramp, Angelique Kidjo, Henri Salvador…) thus harvesting influences from the four corners of the globe. Flavors from Africa, Jamaïca, the West Indies, France, the USA and many more formed the recipe for Dibango’s very unique “Joy Jazz”.

show less