"Mignabele"

A veteran musician of Guinea—master of kora and kamele ngoni, and a fine vocalist to boot—Prince Diabaté returns to Guinea for a rich, intimate studio session.  Diabaté has recently been living in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  But last year, he went back to Conakry (where Afropop Worldwide first met him in the late 80s) to record new work with a host of great local musicians, including famed guitarists Kanté Manfila, who also arranges and produces here, and Djessou Mory Kanté.  Djerelon is an ensemble work, very naturally produced with only strings, percussion, balafon, vocals, and tambin (Fula flute).  Diabaté combines the acoustic approach American listeners favor with the camaraderie and ambiance found only in Conakry to produce one of the most satisfying Guinean releases in a long time. 

Many selections here echo the great pieces of the Mande griot (djeli) repertoire, whether in the 12/8 shimmer of the lively “Laplaya,” the gorgeously urgent nostalgia of “Diya,” an instrumental, or the opener, “Horoya,” a reworking of the classic “Keme Burema.”  Diabaté steps out for a flashy solo here and there, notably on the intro to the gorgeous ballad “Mignabele,” but mostly, he goes for a rich blending of chiming guitar, brisk kora, and balafon.  His singing is smooth and robust, and up to a full djeli wail when called for, as he proves on the stately title track.  Diabaté is that rare kora player who also cranks on the 6-string harp favored in Wassoulou music, kamele ngoni.  This versatility means he can vary the mix with bluesy pentatonic numbers, like “Barki,” and flashy, percussion-driven dance numbers like “Herakoura.”  “Fulbe Fouta” is a elegant, richly arranged tribute to the Fula people, featuring not only the overblown tambin flute, but also a subtle backing flute section, mirroring the female backing vocal section that graces many of these tracks. 

Expert arranging sets this recording apart from many contemporary recordings of Mande music.  Diabaté’s worldly wanderings have served him well, and while he honors and participates in his rich tradition, he does not simply mimic familiar formulas, but charts a course of his own.  He reveals his broad experience and modernity with subtlety and cool.  Djerelon establishes him as an important player in the growing wave of West African acoustic pop. 

Contributed by: Banning Eyre