• 
  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 >>

When Africando began in 1993, the idea was to revive the careers of veteran African salsa singers using top-flight Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians in New York. Four albums later, the group stands as one of the most vital acts in the African salsa craze it helped to launch. Guest singers on the newest session include Malian superstar Salif Keita, Congolese vocalists Kofi Olomide and Lokua Kanza, and Senegal's vastly underrated Thione Seck. Africando veterans Medoune Diallo (Senegal), Sekouba Bambino (Guinea), Gnonas Pedro (Togo), and Ronnie Baro (Cuba/U.S.) also contribute here. Boncana Maiga's punchy, playful arranging and the band's flawless execution make the music brisk and powerful throughout, although the persistent up-tempo son feel becomes a bit relentless. It's the vocal performances that distinguish each track with vivid idiosyncrasies. Kanza morphs cheery Afropop into transcendent Afro-Cuban music. Olomide purrs in the manor of classic Congo rumba. Keita retrofits a number he first sang with his 1970's band Les Ambassadeurs. More successfully, Bambino and Seck marry the passion of West African griot singing with the crank of Afro-Cuban dance music. Seck's track, "Sey," is as good as any Africando effort to date. In all, a fine realization of a winning formula.

Banning Eyre
Contributed by Banning Eyre