Super Mama Djombo

In the 1970s, the legendary Super Mama Djombo dominated the music scene of their home country, Guinea-Bissau, in West-Africa. Their lyrics reflected not only the optimism of the post-independence period, but also the joy and worries of the common people. The new rulers (the camaradas) were not spared from criticism either. Supporting these evocative lyrics, Super Mama Djombo invoked the rhythms of gumbé, a fusion of Guinean Creole and traditional music with diverse ethnic origins.The first formation of Super Mama Djombo only carried out one recording session which took place in early 1980, in Lisbon, Portugal. This recording resulted in five vinyl LPs which were released over the next few years under the name of Orchestra Super Mama Djombo. Nonetheless, despite the success that the band achieved at the time, it was dissolved in 1986.The dream of reuniting the Super Mama Djombo and continuing to make gumbé music persisted among the members. Then, at long last, in November 2007, the dream resulted in six of the old band members arriving in Iceland along with eight other Guinean musicians. And it was in Iceland, in the darkness of a cold winter, in a land where the air is crisp and cool, and storms, rain, snow and sun alternate in an unpredictable fashion, that the new music of Super Mama Djombo gradually began to unfold. All of the songs except for one are sung in the Creole language which reaches across the ethnic boundaries of Guinea-Bissau. As before, the songs of the band reflect the contemporary mood of a population that despite political turmoil continues to dream for a better future.There can be no doubt that a new chapter in Guinean popular music has been written - Super Mama Djombo are back in force!