• 
  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 >>

If you've dipped into the stream of new music coming out of Mali and found it pleasant but not sufficiently kick-ass, this is the album for you. Amadou et Mariam, once billed as The Blind Couple of Mali, are just that, a blind husband and wife musical act. They both sing and he plays ripping electric guitar. They are Bambara, significant because Bambara music bears obvious resemblances to American blues. After many record releases--including at least two on the international market--the couple is hip to the substance and the marketing value of that connection, and here they exploit it with a vengeance. The punch and swing of Chicago blues is evident on many tracks, right from the boisterous opener "Chantez-Chantez." "Dans ce Monde Troublé" brings in a powerful backing horn section and other tracks feature organ and violin flavoring. But basically, this is no-nonsense, small ensemble, electric African blues, more urban than Ali Farka Touré or Boubacar Traoré, but still right up front with its Malian roots--in short, the most rocking African pop record I've heard in a long time.
Contributed by Banning Eyre
Originally published in: Boston Phoenix