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All Reviews >>

Malian guitarist Mama Sissoko came of age in one of that country's most influential and under-recognized roots pop groups, Super Biton de Segou. Super Biton won most of the national bi-annual music competitions during the 1970s, the decade in which modern Malian music came of age. Recording on his own these days, Sissoko's guitar-intensive music covers a rich variety of genres, from Manding pop reminiscent of the Super Rail Band ("Jarabi Muso"), to pentatonic hunter's music ("Bomba Ma"), to salsa Malienne ("Soleil de Minuit").

Sissoko is one of the most in-demand session guitarists in Mali, and the ten tracks on this, his first recording to be released in the U.S., plainly show why. His clarity, speed, expressiveness and stylistic range make for a great listen, start to finish. Sissoko's low, reedy voice is less stellar, especially given the competition in Mali, but he gets welcome help from Toussainte Siané, and when harmonizing on tunes like the soulful, slow, Manding number "Fisiriwale," they can sound pretty sweet. Still, fluid, floating electric guitar excursions are the main course here--deeply satisfying every time. Sissoko also emerges as a top-flight arranger and composer. This session was actually recorded in 1999, so there's lots more to come from yet another Malian guitar giant.
Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org