Best National World-Music Act

Zap Mama

Zap Mama's victory in this category is surprising because a) they're not members of a certain Havana-based social club, b) they're not the Chieftains, and c) they don't fit the world-music mold of authentic culture warriors and torchbearers of tradition. Led by Congo-born, Belgian-based singer Marie Daulne, Zap Mama debuted in '93 with the stunning Adventures in Afropea 1 (Luaka Bop), a cross-cultural mélange of African, European, and American a cappella styles that mediated the differences between Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and beatboxing Biz Markie. But 1999's A Ma Zone (Luaka Bop) dropped the a cappella shtick for dance-floor kicks, as the 12 beat-heavy tracks aimed for club kids instead of people with kids. Helping Zap Mama reach the dance-floor masses was a savvy group of producers including Illadelph rap scholars the Roots ("Rafiki"), Arrested Development frontman Speech ("M'toto"), and the oft-sampled Afro-funk original Manu Dibango ("'Allo 'Allo"). Other diversions include rolling drum 'n' bass ("Call Waiting"), spacious trip-hop ("Ya Solo"), and organ-led funk ("Kemake"). Daulne and her five-woman chorus match their producers' turntable-ready jams with beautiful vocal arrangements, call-and-response harmonies, and French speed rap. The Buena Vista crew charmed us with their nostalgic Cuban vision, but Zap Mama and fellow ethno-groove enthusiasts such as Talvin Singh, Femi Kuti, and runners-up Afro Celt Sound System are flooding discos with world-music product that is remixed for the present, not revived from the past.

-- Michael Endelman