CD Review: Sia Tolno's 'African Woman'

Sia Tolno
African Woman
Lusafrica

Hailing from Conakry, Guinea and raised in Sierra Leone, Sia Tolno releases a hot new album full of Afro-jazz, highlife, pop, and funky, Yoruba-infused beats that will shake one's body with happy vibes and grooves. Some of the lyrics touch on serious social issues and incidents pervasive in African society, but Sia should be thanked for highlighting the plight. With vocals akin to Benin's Angelique Kidjo, African Woman contains beautiful vocals that are classic, jazzy, and heartfelt. The contemporary release is a pan-African journey into the soul of an artist with incredible vocal talent and musicianship. The twelve track release contains many great tracks that are all highly recommended. Anyone interested in female Afro-beat music with a soul and a good heart should check out Sia Tolno's latest release, African Woman. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Sia Tolno's 'Mouka Mouka'

Sia Tolno
Mouka Mouka
Lusafrica

Based in Conakry, Guinea, Sia Tolno brings a powerful voice with African-backed jazz, rock, and pop infusions on Mouka Mouka. The rather short EP contains five tracks that are featured on her latest release, African Woman. Whether this is an extended single release or EP, the result is the same: great music that is worth repeated listens. The jazzy, Afro-pop concoction, "African Police," showcases Sia's Angelique Kidjo-esque vocalizations and arrangements. The uncanny similarity to Benin's Angelique Kidjo is one of amazement and pride. The music is upbeat and littered with local issues surrounding male power, mutilation, women's rights, education, peace, and dance. The entire album is produced by Tony Allen, so you know it's gonna be good. The music is giddy, funky, and melodiously memorable. Fans of African contemporary music will love it's lush melodies, rhythms, and groovy vocalizations. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Various Artists' 'Sembeh Ma Fa Fe: Roots Volume'

Various Artists
Sembeh Ma Fa Fe: Roots Volume
Stronghold Sound

The San Francisco-based label, Stronghold Sound, continues to pump out some great African tunes on Sembeh Ma Fa Fe: Roots Volume. The new album continues in the tradition of Guinean folk rhythms in a contemporary context. The sixteen-track album contains music by Guinea's great, including Blondi, Saran, Bosta, Aisha, Alassane, MyBaby, Cissoko, Captain Planet, J-Boogie, Dub Snakkr, and Balandougou Kan. The contemporary music is Afro-pop-based with killer percussion moments, rippling guitars, and crooning vocals. Fans of Stronghold Sound already know about this album. Anyone with an interest in Guinean music, West African music, and African music in general, will find it very fascinating and ear-friendly. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Nakany Kante's 'Saramaya'

Nakany Kante
Saramaya
Slow Walk Music

Hailing from the border of Guinea and Mali, in a town called Siguiri, Nakany Kante brings together a mix of Wassoulou, soukous, m'balax, reggae, and afro-pop. The result is a twelve-track release with upbeat percussion, lush vocals, and rippling guitars. Nakany is joined by other musicians on dundun, congas, kora, djeli n'goni, bass, electric guitar, balafon, and other instruments. The rich textural layers are poignant and unforgettable. Nakany's voice meanders along with a youthful exuberance and a melodic overtone. I wish I could pick a favorite track from this album, but all the tracks are favorites. Anyone with an interest or obsession with West African popular music will find Nakany Kante's latest work very enthralling. Highly recommended. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Guinea's Fode Baro Releases a "Mandingo Afro Zouk" 'La Verite'

Fode Baro
La Verite
Lusafrica

The Afro-pop stylings of Fode Baro stems from a combination of Afro-pop tunes and energetic zouk infuences. The rippling guitars are akin to Congolese constructions, but the compositions seem to exude the entire continent of Africa in song, voice, and instrument. La Verite is an eleven track release with catchy, stirring, and energetic tunes with a contemporary vein. This is not a dance or rap album. Instead, Fode explores various sounds and rhythms that create moving melodies from France, as well as his homeland of Guinea. There are lively synths, drums, electronic voicings, and brass sounds that create nothing but a happy response. The real highlights come from "Fago" and "Pourquoi Me Quitter." However, all of the songs are rousing and memorable. Fans of Afro-pop, Guinean contemporary music, and zouk-tinged music will love Fode Baro's latest release. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Alpha Yaya Diallo's 'Imme'

Alpha Yaya Diallo
Imme
Jericho Beach Music

Alpha Yaya Diallo hails from Guinea, but is based in Canada. The performer’s sixth release, Imme, is without a doubt, one of the best. The eleven track release is littered with Afro-pop melodies and rhythms every fan of African music will love. The extremely catchy songs contain a plethora of strings, percussion, and vocals throughout. You will hear violin, viola, guitars, harmonica, mandolin, bass, n’goni, balafon, keyboards, and drums. This music is steeped in Conakry culture with lively rhythms and joyous vocals. Anyone with an interest in West African music will love the music of Alpha Yaya Diallo. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate's 'Faya'

Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate

Faya
Localization Records

Guinea’s Sekou Kouyate and global music aficionado, Joe Driscoll, presents us with an exceptional recording of afro-fusion and afro-pop. The gritty, giddy, and upbeat songs meld traditional instrumentation with contemporary rhythms and melodies that are a perfect match for the soul, funk, reggae, hip-hop, pop, jazz, and dance styles. The nine songs are ripe with kora, guitar, urban beats, and electronic loops. The fast vocals on some of the songs are ideal for fans of hip-hop and rap. Everyone will enjoy the sparkling kora melodies and contemporary beats. Afro-fusion and pop music lovers will find satisfaction in the songs for sure. Faya is a favorite for fans of modern Afro-fusion and inventive world music with a purpose. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Mamady Keita's 'Mandeng Djara'

Mamady Keita
Mandeng Djara
Fonti Musicali

Guinea's Mamady Keita releases a Guinean-recorded album of percussive ingeniousness. The eleven tracks explore severall different, but related Guinean dance rhythms, including Fe, Fartalen, Kelu, Dunun Kura, Su, Koro, Kenya, Zaouli, Kedju, Kalah, and Djara. The music contains the instruments of the djembe, balafon, flute, kora, sangban, dununba, djabara, and kenkeni. The entire album runs nearly seventy-seventy minutes long, so there are no shortage of dance rhythms here. There are also various chants that accompany some of the songs, but they are not particularly overt. Mamady's wife, Monette Marino Keita, an acclaimed and award-winning percussionist in her own right, lends her hands on the drums for a few tracks. Fans of Guinean percussion music will especially enjoy Mandeng Djara. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Monette Marino Keita's 'Coup d'Eclat'

Monette Marino Keita
Coup d'Eclat
Djembefola Productions

Monette Marino Keita engaging Afro-funk-folk album, Coup d'Eclat, which means 'burst of radiance,' is a debut work that is inspired by nearly twenty-years of rhythms and sounds accumulated from Afro-Latin and African regions. The music is contemporary, but lively with bass, keyboards, drums, guitars, flugelhorn, flutes, sax, trumpet, congas, kora, steel drum, and many other instruments. A master percussionist, Monette Marino Keita probably owes some of her talents to her husband--Mamady Keita--an expert percussionist in his own right from Guinea, West Africa. The eleven tracks represent a highly-percussive concoction of danceable tunes steeped in thousands of years of history. This is an ideal album for the African percussion fan, funk, Afro-Latin, and Afro-jazz genres. Not one track is disappointing. Let the rhythm move you today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Various Artists' 'Sembeh Ma Fa Fe Revisits Volume'

Various Artists
Sembeh Ma Fa Fe Revisits Volume
Stronghold Sound

The folks at the San Francisco-based Afrobeat label, Stronghold Sound, brings us a new album dedicated to the music from Guinea, Africa. This new compilation contains the likes of Bom Sone, Important, Tiralleur, Sista Lessa, Ruphert, Balbore, Bongo, Symbole, Prince II Saen, Neuf Six, Besto Besto, and Kati. The album title, which means 'strong sound coming' is appropriately-titled without a doubt. The new sound is rather modern with equal doses of hip hop, reggae, and R&B throughout. The rhythmic diversity is steeped in West African history combined with urban roots. The album is recorded and produced by label founder, Ahmed Khouja. The sixteen tracks are adventurous, lively, and powerful with elements of electronica, dub, funk, and rock. Guinea music fans unite with Stronghold Sound's latest release. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Various Artists - 'Audio Refuge Compilation'

Various Artists

Audio Refuge Compilation

Stronghold Sound

San Francisco-based, Stronghold Sound, releases their latest production of funky, African, and Arabic folk, reggae, dub, hip-hop and cumbia music. The compilation features sixteen tracks and several different musicians from Guinea, Morocco, and Trinidad. The contemporary musical arrangements and killer vocals represent a good variety of styles, sounds, and talents on every track. Some of the musicians include Bongo, Yassir Chadly, Beat Fola, Bondi Blaster, Snakkr, Iggy Mon, Tami, among others. Numerous styles, including gnawa, soul, dub, trance, psychedelica, dance, and folk music round out the list of the most prevalent influences. The diverse rhythms and languages provide a truly global experience on many of the tracks. If you are seeking contemporary Afro-beat music with some pop and folk leanings, then the Audio Refuge Compilation is a must-have. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Guinea's Macire Sylla Releases 'Talitha'

Macire Sylla

Talitha

Djembe Fare

The Afropop beats of Guinean singer, Macire Sylla, are a follow-up to her 2005 release, Massa. The multi-instrumental repertoire includes a host of African instruments, including the kora, balafon, drums, flutes, and more typical piano, bass, guitar, rhodes, trumpet, and congas. The effervescent 'Aidara' shares the life-affirming qualities of anything by Rokia Traore, Oumou Sangare, or Angelique Kidjo. The bubbling percussion, sweet melodies, and iconic voice make Talitha a must-have among Guinean, African, and world music recordings. The cheery 'Tiama,' 'Artiste,' and 'Cetareia' are some of the best songs to come out of Africa. Talitha seems to cram alot of musical intelligence into one place without sacrificing quality. Fans of Macire Sylla will value Talitha in high-regard, while others may be introduced to her with this recording. At any rate, Talitha is a recording with an Afropop beat that is here to stay. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Mali's Bako Dagnon

Bako Dagnon
Sidiba
Discograph

Malian songstress, Bako Dagnon, fuses traditional music with contemporary styles on guitar, drums, and bass. Sidiba is the second release from Bako Dagnon and it does not disappoint. Bako's vocals resemble the music of fellow countrywomen, Oumou Sangare and Rokia Traore. Eleven vocal songs with charismatic back-up vocals and lilting Afro-pop melodies indicative of the contemporary music emanating from Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Guinea. The French influence in West Africa is definitely prominent in contemporary music recordings. Sidiba contains some tracks partly influence by French elements, notably in the guitar playing. The combination of instruments and vocal styles ranging from Biriko to Maninka and Bambara provide a relaxing and satisfying listening experience. Anyone with a passion for West African music should add Sidiba to the collection today. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Kandjha Kora's "La guinee"

Kandjha Kora

La guinee

New Dawn Recordings

Kandjha Kora is kora player, singer, and guitarist, Kandia Kouyate. The 2009 album is rightly titled from his homeland of Guinea, Africa. The compositions and vocals are high quality and very enjoyable. This is largely a contemporary recording of Afro-pop. Though, there are plenty of rich sounds and textures to digest with ease. The electronic programming adds a level of polishing that never interferes with the traditional instrumentation. In fact, the few instruments that are utilized are never over-bearing or misused. The music never really goes into rap, rock or spoken word directions. However, the music tends to skirt ever so closely to the creative edges of the aforementioned genres. Still, La guinee is a favorite and popular release of Guinean and African music. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Ba Cissoko's "Seno"

Ba Cissoko

Seno

Nuits Metis

Guinea's-own kora master, Ba Cissoko, is joined by Sekou Kouyate (kora, vocals), Ibrahima Kouyate (bass), Laurent Rigaud and Ibrahima Bah (percussion), and Abdoulaye Kouyate and Kandia Kouyate (vocals). All the songs on Seno are bright and cheery with groovy rhythms teeming with melody and vivacity. This is not a traditional album, but it does incorporate the kora as a centralized instrument in all of the compositions. The style is rather modernized Afro-pop. At any rate, Ba Cissoko's contemporary song creations are fun to listen to. There is an intimate jazzy and trippy feel to some of the songs. Seno is an indelible album of great significance in the world of kora music. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Guinea's Sia Tolno

Sia Tolno

Eh Sanga

Lusafrica

Guinea's Sia Tolno is a shining star coming out of West Africa. Her vocals are strong, sultry, and distinctly African. Drawing from comparisons to Benin's Angelique Kidjo and the late-Miriam Makeba, Sia incorporates pop rhythms with indigenous instrumentation and jazzy beats and backup singers. The album was recorded in Cuba, Paris, and Conakry. The transglobal recording environments certainly influenced the music, as Latin rhythms, Lusophone cafe sounds, and African pop beats permeate the album. Sia sings in English, French, and a mix of Kissi or Pular languages. The opening track, "African Dreams", sets the stage for the rest of the tracks. Essentially, it is an ode to Mother Africa. Fans of West African music should check out Sia today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: A New Era With 'Obama'

Fula Flute
Mansa America
Mulatta/Completely Nuts

A spirited release from the land of Guinea, Mansa America showcases the music of the most popular ethnic group in Guinea: the Fula. In the same manner, the popular traditional instrument of choice is the tambin, which is a diatonic flute. Though, it's presence is widespread from West Africa to Sudan. A mix of vocal and instrumental arrangements includes a variety of instruments including, kora, guitar, congas, balafon, bass, ngoni, trumpet, trombone, and French horn. The opening track, 'Obama', is a fitting dedication to the new president of the United States of America. Each track is delicately arranged and beautifully executed. The instrumentation mix is varied and rich. If you are looking for a fun release of music to bring in the New Year and celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama, then let Mansa America be the soundtrack for 2009! ~ Matthew Forss