(in addition to the Nigeria 70 recommendations above)

the Ethiopiques series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopiques

Rough Guide CDs - ie, Rough Guide: Congo Gold (http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Guide-Congo-Various-Artists/dp/B0010ZR0A2)

Orchestra Baobab http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestra_Baobab

one of my favorite African samplers is the fantastic benga compilation Guitar Paradise of East Africa. unfortunately out of print, though an OKP hooked me up years back: http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Paradise-Africa-Various-Artists/dp/B00000DDBJ

Again 'African music' is such an enormous umbrella term and even just limiting it to sub-saharan can mean anything from mbalax to mbqange, Mauritanian to Malagasy. Unless you're just looking for beatmaking fodder, try out a few of the genres and see what's up your alley.

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so I'm in a band now:
album ---> http://greenwoodburns.bandcamp.com/releases
Soundcloud ---> http://soundcloud.com/greenwood-burns

my own stuff -->http://soundcloud.com/lonesomedstringband

avy by buckshot_defunct