Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa

Soul Makossa began life in 1972 as the B-side of a song Manu Dibango wrote for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, then became a hit in New York clubs and a building block of disco. Its character is all Dibango: his gruff chanted hook, swaggering saxophone and a makossa bass groove from Douala. Michael Jackson and Rihanna later borrowed its chant. Start the list here.