Listen to TRAVELER’s selection of African music!

African culture is so distinctive, in part, because of the unique rhythms in its jazz, reggae, gospel, or pop music performed by indigenous African artists.

As part of our “Africa Travel Package,” TRAVELER brings you a sample of some of the best music on Africa’s radio stations today. Thanks to the help of experts at Rhythm Africa, an Internet music retail portal, we discovered Brenda Fassie, an artist recently voted “Best African Artist” for her album Memeza.

Memeza just hit the 600,000 mark for copies sold in South Africa. Her style, rapidly catching on with U.S. and European audiences, is known as South African Township pop. Her lyrics and instrumental interludes are based upon and inspired by traditional African wedding songs. Fassie’s newest album, Amadlozi, features a touch of Swahili, French and Shangaan.

To listen to a sample of “Vuli Ndlela” (composed by Sello “Chicco” Twala and published by Gallo Music Publishers) from Memeza, you will need to download RealPlayer.

To order an album from a variety of African artists, including Brenda Fassie, click to Rhythm Africa’s site.