Musicians such as Chuck Berry and James Brown influenced music at the world stage, and American swing was already permeating colonial Cameroonian society as far back as the 1930s. Local musicians were expected to play their best version of swing music. In the roots of Cameroonian music, assiko was a variant of palm wine music. Palm wine was inspired by ragtime. Ragtime was performed in West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone. Later, with the advent of disco music, bass playing was transplanted from American records. The orchestration used in disco arrangements has particularly marked makossa music. Technical advancements, which were pioneered by Americans, were used in makossa much in the same way they were used in disco. On a more cultural note, musicians would go as far as changing their names in lieu of American sounding ones. Peter MOUKOKO, Bill LOKO, and Georges DICKSON are a just a few examples. Disco musicians that influenced makossa ones include Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, the Temptations, Kool and the Gang, etc.
Musicians such as Chuck Berry and James Brown influenced music at the world s?tage, and American swing was already permeating colonial Cameroonian society as far back as the 1930s. Local musicians !were expected to play their best version of swing music. In the roots of Cameroonian music, assiko was a variant of palm wine music. Palm wine was inspired by ragtime. Ragtime was performed in West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone. Later, with the advent of disco music, bass playing was transplanted from American records. The orchestration used in disco arrangements has particularly marked makossa music. Technical advancements, which were pione.ered by Americans, were used i!n makossa much in the same way they were used in disco. On a more cultural note, mu!sicians would go as far as changing their names in lieu of American sounding ones. Peter MOUKOKO, Bill LOKO, and Georges DICKSON are a just a few examples. Disco musicians that influenced makossa ones include Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, the Temptations, Kool and the Gang, etc.