The cultural roots of

African Music & Reggae

Every 1st and 3nd Wednesday in the month
at 20.00 h p.m.
on Radio oeins

next Show: 1st of May
on the stream of → Radio oeins and → Soundcloud

What is One Drop?*

  • All the human beeings are off the same blood

  • Most of the popular music has african origins, equal if it's Jazz, Blues, R'n'B, Rock, Funk, Soul, Reggae, HipHop, Drum'n'Bass, Latino etc.

    *»feel it in the one drop...« (Bob Marley)

    • The History of the popular music in the 20th century is the proof that our customs of listening are charactered by African sounds. It is no more conscoius for the most of music listeners. ONE DROP brings it back into the memory. (Our grantparents were right to call it all "Jungle music"...)

    ATTENITON: All artists of Reggae and african music are invited to introduce themselve and their music in my show. Even if somebody knows artists/bands, I'm pleased at connections!!!

    What you can hear?

  • According to Afrika I already introduced much: Mbalax from Senegambia and other sounds of this earea (even senegalease HipHop), old and new music of Mali and Guinea; much old and new Highlife from Western Africa from Guinea up to Nigeria; off course the famous Nigerian Afrobeat (not only Fela Kuti alone!) even like Juju and Fuji; Cote D'Ivoire and Angola; the different styles of Cameroun, many music of Southafrika including its wide spreaded choir music; many old (= Rumba congolaise) and new music (=Zoukous) of the Congo; and even styles of the eastern african countries from Kenia to Zimbabwe up to Madagascar. Even like African Reggae and recent music from several african countries what developes more and more to House and HipHop. (What I don't present is the music of the Magreb - t.i. everything what happens northly of the Sahara.)

    In Germany still it's hard to get african music in shops. Many ventors have no premonition or interestings. Outside of Germany the market is enormous: e.g. already in both volumes of R. Graham "Stern's guide to contemporary African Music", Vol I. & II, 1988 & 1992 were quoted ca. 10.000 albums. Furthermore at that time Graham estimated the production of singles up to 100.000 in the 20th century. There are African Stars, who released 200 LPs within their 30 years career (e.g. Franco Makiadi). Africas biggest Hit "Sweet Mother" by Nico Mbarga was sold in around 25 Mio copies within 10 years. Just since a few years newcomer "discovering" this music in discothèques and the radio. They, but unfortunately even many promoters and presenters, confusing the facts by collecting many different music in one false order and supplying it with simple labels ("World music"). That gives no appreciation ot the fans and doesn't help the music.

    Each for some weeks in the year the content in my show is about a special African region and its musical styles. At least in every show I present vintage music in a special feature called "Foundation time" to remind on "forgotten" or never heard Reggae and African music.

  • According to Reggae meanwhile I presented every forms: from Ska, Rocksteady and the first toasters (=Rapper; Rap has been created 10 years before the upcoming of the US-Rap on Jamaica!) to the 80s Rub-a-Dub and up to the current Roots and Dancehall. Meanwhile Germany has become hardly the most important Reggae market, beside Jamaica (and the USA). Therefore since a couple of years I set a focus on Reggae productions from Germany: That's because I'm very nosey for that what's going on here. And on the other side the quality of german Reggae productions is growing permanent. Furthermore within the Reggae music special subjects are suggestive (e.g. the jamaican Patois/Patwa, Africanism, war, love, Ganja and/or x-mas etc.). In general even Raggae and african pop is dominated by men, but evey year to the "International Day of Women" I just play music only from female artists. Often I presenting portraits and memorials of single artists, in particular at special events like birthdays or the day of death. (I dedicated to my favorit Dennis Brown four shows meanwhile...time for another one) Or I presenting artists giving concerts in my region.

    • what more?

  • I have had studio guests from Jamaica, Germany, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Cameroun, Cote D'Ivoire, Nigeria, Brazzaville, Tansania, Mozambique, Southafrica and Russia.
    On concerts I also made Interviews with Miriam Makeba, Junior Murivin, Marcia Griffiths, Dawn Penn, Stichie, Charlie Chaplin, Jasper van Hofft, Bernd "Sheriff" Lagemann, Luciano,Mono & Nikitaman, Mellow Mark, Dr. Ring Ding, Jahcoustix, Consious Fire, Nattyflo, Ganjaman, Sista Gracey, Uwe Banton, Uwe K., Spruddy One, Jah Meek, Sam Gilly, Nosliw, Earl 16, Zion Train, Sebastian Sturm, Manu Ranking, Lady N., Raggabund and several others

  • The show is a pre production. Nevertheless, beside the history, I try to give actual news of higher interest, e.g. to civil wars in Africa. And, since also broadcasted via the internet, ONE DROP has listeners on every continents (seen on feedbacks via social media). For that I'm hosting it bilingual in English and German.

  • Already in former times I was photographing on concerts. After a break since 2006 I started again with taking photographs on concerts and similar events. The photographs may be founded on several websides. For that, please, take a look on the links.

    • Archives

  • The playlist is veeery long after 26 years. (I've to forgotten to count all the shows and tracks.) Up to March 2024 more than 6080 titles within 672 productions, around 2700 African tracks, the rest Reggae, even some Zouk or Soca. (So far I have entered 5051 titles in the archive , but this is not complete because I can't comprehend a number of earlier playlists.)

    • up