Manu Dibango

Manu Dibango is Cameroon's and perhaps Africa's best-known musician. He is a pioneer of World Music, and some might even say that he created it. Composer and writer, saxophonist, pianist, vibraphonist, his versatile amalgam of music (from groove to classical music) and various African traditions enabled him to collaborate with an impressive range of musicians during his lengthy 60 years career, from Fela Kuti to Sly & Robbie and Herbie Hancock. Adding to his musical talent, he was Nino Ferrer’s musical director, Dick Rivers’s pianist, and French TV show « Pulsations » musical director – the first and only french show about black music (1968-1971).

He was already well into his prolific run when he scored a bona fide international mega hit with 1972's "Soul Makossa", a song that resonated in popular music for decades and inspired for few example songs by Kool & The Gang, Michael Jackson’s « Wanna Be Starting Something’ » - First song of the world’s most sold album Thriller - , and Rihanna’s « Don’t Stop The Music ». « Soul Makossa » is considered by a lot of people as one of the very first disco songs.

In 1973, Dibango was the first African musician to chart in US Billboard. In recognition of this achievement, Dibango received nominations like at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974 for Best R&B Instrumental Performance and Best Instrumental Composition. Manu Dibango was a globe-trotting musician who also lived and worked in France, Belgium, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, and Zaire. He has also been honored by the United Nations as a UNESCO Artist for Peace.

His influential career never ended into the 2000s and 2010s as he wrote, recorded, toured, and challenged himself creatively every day until he passed away in March 2020.

In 1985, Manu Dibango created his own music label and publishing, Soul Makossa, which continues to actively promote his music legacy. Since his passing, his work is still honored through reissues of previous albums, special vinyl reissues, an unreleased studio album to be celebrated in 2027. And by now !!! a Manu Dibango Rework Collection, starting this year 2026 with the Rework Collaction #1, shining a new and electronic light on 5 tracks : Matumba, Reggae makossa, Aloko party, Sun explosion, and Qui est fou de qui (Chouchou).