2017 in African music

Events

• January 2 - The annual Kaapse Klopse minstrel festival takes place in Cape Town.
• February 24-25 - "Ultra South Africa" festival is held in Cape Town and Johannesburg, headlined by Dash Berlin, David Guetta and KSHMR.[1]
• March 13 - The 30th anniversary of the death of Nigerian organist and composer Fela Sowande is marked by an article by Godwin Sadoh.[2]
• July 5 - The grave of George Wilberforce Kakoma, composer of the Ugandan National anthem, is reported to have been vandalised and the composer's body stolen.[3]
• September 5 - Mauritanian singer and politician Malouma Mint El Meidah is placed under house arrest by the government, following an investigation into "economic crimes".[4]

Albums

• D'banj - King Don Come
• Fally Ipupa - Tokooos
• Johnny Clegg - King of Time
• Ike Moriz - Gold Rush[5]
• Spoek Mathambo - Mzansi Beat Code
• Maurice Louca, Maryam Saleh & Tamer Abu Ghazaleh - Lekhfa[6]
• Youssou N'Dour - Seeni Valeurs
• Orchestra Baobab - Tribute to Ndiouga Dieng[7]

Classical

• Amr Okba - "Lonely, I Am Lonely"[8]

Musical films

• Lotanna, starring Liz Benson and Jide Kosoko[9]

Deaths

• January 16 - William Onyeabor, 70, Nigerian musician and businessman[10]
• August 11 - Segun Bucknor, 71, Nigerian musician (complications from multiple strokes)[11]
• September 2 - Halim El-Dabh, 96, Egyptian composer and ethnomusicologist[12]
• December 1 - Maelé, 59, Equatorial Guinean singer[13]

See also

• 2017 in music

References

1. "Ultra South Africa - Previous Lineups". Ultra Worldwide. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
2. "Intercultural Elements in the Organ Works of Fela Sowande." The Diapason 1288, Vol. 108, No. 3 (March 2017): 23-25.
3. "Vandals dig Kakoma's grave, remains feared stolen". BBC News. July 5, 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
4. "El Malouma Mint El Meidah en résidence surveillée". adrar-info.net (in French). September 5, 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
5. Mosquito Records London (May 14, 2017). "Ike Moriz - Gold Rush". Mosquito Records London News. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
6. "Maurice Louca, Maryam Saleh, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh - Lekhfa (Egypt)". SceneNoise. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
7. "Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng receives rave reviews!". Orchestra Baobab official website. 3 August 2017.
8. "Newsletter May 2018" (PDF). Cairo Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
9. "Somkhele Iyamah, Adesua Etomi, Adunni Ade attend old school themed premiere". Pulse. April 9, 2017. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
10. Lynskey, Dorian (18 January 2017). "William Onyeabor: one of music's most insoluble puzzles to the end". theguardian.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
11. Afro-pop Singer Segun Bucknor Dies
12. Egyptian ethnomusicologist and pioneer of electronic music Halim El-Dabh dies at 96
13. Los genios nunca mueren (in Spanish)