• 
  KG Omulo: Ayah Ye!: Moving Train
  
  A synergy of funk, rock, reggae and traditional African sounds from this inventive, young singer/songwriter.
• 
  Various Artists: Chief Boima Presents: Lone Stars - Hipco and Gbema
  
  
• 
  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
• 
  M.anifest: Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America
  
  
• 
  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.
• 
  Zieti: Zemelewa
  
  Eclectic blend of Afro-infused pop out of Cote d'Ivoire.
• 
  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.

All Reviews >>

What does it say when the most innovative, ground breaking record of 1999 is a fusion of early century American blues and folk with West African string music that's centuries older than that? Put another way, what took so long for someone to do what Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabaté have done here? The easy, unforced aura that pervades these twelve tracks testifies to the fundamental strength of the idea, from the Africanized field holler of "O' Georgie Buck," to the kora and ngoni riddled blues of "Take This Hammer," to the primordial jazz, balafon and piano stomp of "Fanta," and supremely folky takes on ancient Manding griot music in "Tunkaranke" and "Kaira." A lot of the music on this year's top 10 looks to the past, but Kulanjan
offers something heavier than nostalgia for colonial Cuba and Cape Verde. This is a window into the very DNA of our own folk, blues, and rock `n' roll.
Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org