Martin Atangana

One of the most talented African guitarists today, Martin Atangana, also known as "Martino" Atangana, was born and raised in Cameroon, Central Africa. It was there that he began his musical career in the late 1970s, playing with church and high school bands. In the early 1980s, he started performing with professional artists such as Betty BETTY, Dyna BELL, Ali BABA, Ben DECCA, "Ange" EBOGO, Emile KANGUE, Théo-Blaise KOUNKOU, Pierre de MOUSSY, Elie-Martin MBA, Anne-Marie NDZIE, MEKONGO PRESIDENT, and Johnny TEZANO, to name a few. In 1986 he toured with Manu Dibango of Soul Makossa fame.

During the same year, Martino moved to France to pursue graduate studies. While there, he played on Paul Simon's album The Rhythm of the Saints in 1990, and worked with Jean-Luc Ponty from 1991 to 1993, recording two of Ponty's albums, Tchokola and No Absolute Time, as well as touring with him in North America and Europe. During his stay in France, Martino also performed with Sorry BAMBA, Mony BILLE, Sam FANTOMAS, Teta LANDO, Daddy MIMBO, ZAO, and many others, and recorded with J.B. AKAMBA (Mbazoa), Uta BELLA (Eyong), Henri DIKONGUE (Wa), Sissi DIPOKO (Munam), Douglas MBIDA (Cameroon, and Za më yën), Georges SEBA (Freedom), Manuel WANDJI (Radio Trottoir), and Brice WASSY (N'ga Funk).

Martino left Paris in 1994, settling in New York. He began working with Ndedi EYANGO, Nahawa DOUMBIA, Kasse MADY and many New York based bands. On numerous occasions he played at Disney World (Orlando, Florida) with WASA and WASSALOU. Since moving in New York, he has recorded with Emperor ADICHIE (Funk in the Jungle; No more Wahala), Azouhouni ADOU (I Gotta Go), Dany B (Nziik), Djoss DIABATE (Haklima), Henri DIKONGUE (C'est la vie), EDIMO (Moudiki), Dennis FERRER (Funu), Hassan HAKMOUN (The Gift), Graham HAWTHORNE (Mbalafunk), Shannon JACKSON (What Spirit Say), Sylvana MAGDA (Enzila), C.K. MAN (Timeless Highlife), Francis MBAPPE (Need Somebody), and Meg MONTGOMERY (Le Collage).

For the past few years Martino Atangana and African Blue Note have been "wowing" New York metro area audiences at venues such as BAM Café, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, Central Park, Lion's Den, Mondo Cane, Museum for African Art, New Jersey Performing Art Center (NJPAC), Queens Public Library, Riverbank State Park, and York College of the City University of New York. The band features Martino ATANGANA on guitar and vocal, Azouhouni ADOU from Côte d'Ivoire on keyboards and vocal, Jojo KUO from Cameroon on drums, Mamadou BA f rom Senegal on bass, and Todd HORTON from the United States on trumpet and flugelhorn. They can be seen at the Zinc Bar (90 Houston St. in Manhattan) the last Friday of every month, and Makeda ((338 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ) the second Friday of each month.

Martino has released two solo albums, Oyenga Fam (2003) and Mot Songo (2005). Both albums were recorded with African Blue Note. They are now available.

OYENGA FAM:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/atangana

MOT SONGO:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/atangana2
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI7EPQ/ref=cm_taf_see_more_cs/103-4447073-1206228?n=5174
(also for Mot Songo)
TOWER RECORDS (Broadway and 66th street, NYC)

"With credentials such as having played on Paul
Simon's album The Rhythm of the Saints in 1990, and
having worked with Jean-Luc Ponty from 1991 to 1993,
recording two of Ponty's albums, guitarist Martino
Atangana is undoubtedly one of the most talented and
exciting artists making waves on the Afropop scene
today." (CD Baby)

"A.B.N is ... one of the leading groups in a recent
movement in New York which has further developed and
exposed the relationship between African and American
musical styles." (Nathalie CHARLES, Francophonie New
York).

"I expected good musicianship and I got it just right
with this CD [Mot Songo]. I am inspired to play music
even more after listening to good Afro pop-fusion as
found with this CD. The bass players are my driving
fervent search for this music, being a bassist myself
from time memorial, I feel I am on the right path now,
thanks to Martin" (Marco N topo)

Oyenga Fam is now at available at http://cdbaby.com/cd/atangana