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KG Omulo: Ayah Ye!: Moving Train
A synergy of funk, rock, reggae and traditional African sounds from this inventive, young singer/songwriter. -
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Mamadou Diabaté: Courage
Mamadou Diabate, the kora master, takes a fresh look at Mali instrumental music with his new CD Courage. -
Various Artists: The Kankobela of the Batonga, Vol. 2
Mysterious melodies from a disappearing thumb piano tradition of Southern Africa. -
Kiran Ahluwalia: Aam Zameen: Common Ground
Indo-Canadian Songwriter Combines Folk Poetry with African Rock, Jazz and more -
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Sona Jobarteh: FASIYA
West African female kora virtuoso releases an album full of grace, warmth, and passion. -
Sia Tolno: My Life
Kissi singer releases a strong second album full of pop-infused star power over songs of strife and triumph. -
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Guelewar: Halleli N Dakarou
Re-released and remastered live CD from this 80's experimental Senegambian outfit. -
Tinariwen: Tassili
Touareg desert legends return with an offering that is meandering, sorrowful and proud. -
Los Rakas: Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada
Oakland/Panamanian rappers -call it "Panabay"-- return with good results. -
Cheikh Lo: Jamm
The unique Senegalese singer and multi-instrumentalist crafts an eclectically excellent record. -
David Rudder: Random Notes
Calypsonian David Rudder returns with an album that covers various styles with excellent results.
This seems to be the season of acoustic West African pop. Add to the list this shimmering set of songs from perhaps the grandest of all Mali's grand jelimoussow, female griot singers. Having shunned the international spotlight for years, Kandia Kouyaté at last deigned to produce a real commercial recording in 1999. The result, Kita Kan, showed that her robust voice is matched by an adventurous and varied musical sensibility. Acoustic tradition, electric griot pop, pentatonic Bambara songs, and even a gushing violin section figured into the mix. This release is more focused and unified, its basic tracks recorded with a core set of excellent griot instrumentalists including guitarist and arranger Ousmane Kouyaté. Songs like "Sanougnaoule" and "M'Bensara" deliver the rich, swimming melodicism of classic Manding praise song, an art form at which this singer is simply unbeatable.
And it gets better. Kouyaté incorporates inspired collaborators here, from Fula flutist Ali Wague, to saxophonist Nicolas Gueret, and especially, guitar giant Djelimady Tounkara of the Super Rail Band, who plays on two tracks. Tounkara's flowing introduction to the album's opening track, "San Barana, (It's Raining)" sets the tone for the entire album with moody eloquence. The song meditates on the difficulties of being a woman in a polygamous household, and it's typical of the serious subject matter Kouyaté takes on, from child mortality, to war, betrayal, and divine justice. She also sings the sort of poetic praise song one expects from a griotte, but no other singer from this genre has produced such probing songs of social commentary, and this, as much as her august voice, distinguishes Kouyaté's work from her many musical peers.
As beautiful as it is, Kouyaté's music often communicates brooding and gravitas. From the agitated, cycling ngonis of "Gnanama," to the ritualistic chanting and water drums of "Kirin," and the dark, slow meditations of "Ibalan"--set off by what sounds like Indian classical violin--there is powerful a mood of reckoning here. Kouyaté names this album for the Bambara town where her mother was born, and she proudly delves into Bambara pentatonic music, another choice that sets her apart from other griottes.
One of the sweetest songs here, "Djanfa," uses the lyrical picking of two acoustic guitars--the Guinea sound--as the basis for its meditation on betrayal between lovers and spouses. Musically and lyrically, Kandia Kouyaté sets the standard for classic recordings of Manding traditional music, and this is her most mature and well-realized recording to date.
Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org
