In Europe – Tokoto Ashanty, 1980

At the turn of the 80s, Cameroonian artists found themselves promoted as ambassadors of their original music, bikutsi, makossa, afro funk, afro folk… at the instigation of President Ahidjo, who took a dim view of the rising hegemony of Congolese rumba in Zaire. All the stalwarts of the era were summoned: Manu Dibango, Eboa Lottin, Francis Bebey, Eko Roosevelt etc. This is how Tokoto Ashanty found himself on the bill at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 80, in a world session led by Jimmy Cliff and Miriam Makeba. The 45 minutes of fire from his wakawaka are released in this « In Europe » with a high-flying afro-combo. On bass, an incandescent Aladji Touré sends the « Homme de Chèvre » audience into a trance under a deluge of brass delivered by Féfé Priso, Roger Kom and Jerry Manga. Also featuring Pierre Wognin, Déba Koma, Hugues Daix and Adépo Yapo.