CD Review: Awa Sangho's 'Ala Ta'

Awa Sangho
Ala Ta
Motema

Mali's Awa Sangho is a very talented singer with a passion for music and incorporating traditional instrumentation in a contemporary setting. The music is fresh, catchy, and full of rich textures. The melodies and rhythms are equally-astounding. There are thirteen delicacies on this album and not one of them are identical. In addition to Awa's youthful vocals, the album is graced with guitar, bass, percussion, ngoni, kora, balafon, talking flute, ndjarka, bolon, bass guitar, and djembe. "Tambin Y Tambor" is a perfect blend of international instruments coming together for a relaxing and intriguing tune. "Denko" is a jazzy, Afro-pop tune with stellar vocals and sounds, "Emama" is a gritty, guitar tune with rippling sound effects and a Congolese-like rhythm. All of the songs are easy to listen to and void of anything distracting, disruptive, or unnecessary. Anyone with an interest in contemporary Malian music will love it. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Ibrahima Sarr's 'Danaya Percussion Presents Ibrahima Sarr'

Ibrahima Sarr
Danaya Percussion Presents Ibrahima Sarr
Kanaga System Krush

Ibrahima Sarr is a professional djembe player from Mali that has toured the world over the last few decades. Ibrahima incorporates various djembes, balafons, and vocals on the mostly instrumental and percussive release. The thunderous drums and lighter balafon sounds aptly showcase a dynamic range of sounds that are trance-inducing and memorable. the highly traditional sounds are not bluesy, contemporary, or rock-centered. Instead, the organic arrangements of vocals, drums, and balafons make the album shimmer with a nostalgic and historic presence. The talented group of instrumentalists make the album stand out, along with the various themes revolving around medical issues, ceremonies, and dances. The extensive liner notes illustrate some of the song meanings in English. Fans of Malian drumming and African dance music will love the entrancing melodies and rhythms produced by the drums, balafon, and sporadic vocals. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Atash's 'Everything Is Music'

Atash
Everything Is Music
Ars Mundi

Everything Is Music is titled from a poem by Rumi, a Sufi poet of the 13th century, which combines swirling, Middle Eastern rhythms with hypnotic flamenco, Indian, and Mediterranean influences. The mature vocals are not too boisterous and very akin to Cheb Khaled. The band is spearheaded by Mohammad Firoozi Dashtestani, who hails from Iran. The Farsi singer aids the help of fellow musicians, Roberto Riggio on violin; Dylan Jones on bass; Abou Sylla on balafon, djembe, and conga; Jose Manuel Tejeda on acoustic guitar; Jason McKenzie on drums and tabla; John Moon on violin; and Indrajit Banerjee on sitar. The nine tracks are a global goldmine of infectious sounds and world rhythms. The Austin, Texas-based band finds no trouble getting their music across to the local crowds, as well as an international audience. The music cuts through borders and beliefs by creating organic, yet accessible, music tunes. Rumi would be proud! ~ 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: Mamadou and Vanessa's 'Faso Mali'

Mamadou and Vanessa
Faso Mali
Self-Release

Malian blues are captured on the latest release from the Malian-native and California-based, Mamadou Sidibe, and his wife, Vanessa. The fifteen track release contains richly-textured songs loaded with great instruments indicative of Mali's Wassoulou region, including kamale ngoni, keregne, kousouba, balafon, calabash, djembe, guitar, accordion, and bass. To give listeners an idea of what the songs are about, one need not look any further than the track two: "Ali Farka." Though, the music is not steeped in electric guitar throughout, but it does contain the bluesy lines that made him popular with the world. Vanessa's playful "Beautiful Thing" is an an English song with folksy accordion and Mamadou's Malian vocals. Many of the songs contain bright melodies and heady rhythms that are both traditional and contemporary. In short, this is the best recording of Malian music this side of Timbuktu...literally. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Zita Swoon Group's 'Wait For Me'

Zita Swoon Group
Wait For Me
Crammed

The Belgium-based world-beat group, Zita Swoon, is a cosmopolitan band representing a host of musical styles that cross the wide, Saharan expanse of North Africa and the Western European region of France, Belgium, and England. The engaging rhythms are showcased on a number of instruments, including drums, balafon, guitar, horns, various folk instruments. The wide-ranging vocals and incredible repertoire of Awa Deme, Mamadou Diabate Kibie, and the Paul Simon/Bob Dylan singing-leadership of Stef Kamil Carlens, produces a solid recording of memorable songs. The balafon and horns represent a West African and Ethiopian sound on the same album. The world music created by Zita Swoon Group is a form of fusion, but it almost works too good to be called fusion. Instead, the music is just great--no matter what you call it. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Aly Keita's 'Farafinko'

Aly Keita
Farafinko
Contre-Jour

Hailing from the Ivory Coast, Aly Keita is a professionally-trained balafonist steeped in the ancient Mande traditions of West Africa. Ten tracks feature solo balafon music that is sure to excite the instrumental fan in all of us. The music is entirely void of vocals, which makes it a beautiful recording of balafon bounty. Fellow balafonist, Keletigui Diabate joins Aly on "Lafia." The lack of vocals provides a perfect backdrop for playing along or listening. Nearly forty-minutes of music provides a celebratory gateway into the world of African balafon music. Liner notes provide song details and inspirations. Perfect for African music fans, balafon fans, and West African aficionados of traditional, instrumental music. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Mali's Mamadou Diabate Is Back With 'Courage'

Mamadou Diabate

Courage

World Village

After Mamadou's 2009 Grammy-Award winning release of Douga Mansa, he follows up with an equally engaging and talent-driven release titled Courage. Even though the liner notes claim an innovative musical departure, the music still retains a pleasant, North African vibe of balafon, kora, calabash, acoustic bass, and ngoni. However, the kora is the primary instrument of song on this album. The twinkling strings are as smooth as glass and the other instruments seem to dance around the kora; almost worshipping its dream-like tendencies. Courage is completely void of vocals. In essence, the instruments 'sing' in their own unique ways. The balafon dances around on 'Kita Djely,' while the kora is the focus of the aptly-named 'Kora Journey' and the similarly-appealing 'Bogna.' Perhaps, Courage is named for the relatively new approach to kora music, but that does not make it any less attractive. For instance, the traditional instruments are the sole focus, while modern instruments and electronic arrangements are non-existent. Anyone with a preference for Malian music will love Mamadou's new work, but jazz, folk, classical, and New Age fans will find something special, too. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Mali's Abdoulaye Djoss Diabate

Abdoulaye Djoss Diabate
Sara
Mulatta Records

An ambassador of Malian music, Abdoulaye Diabate looks for musical inspiration from his ancestral lineage. The Griot tradition has been one of the most recognizable exports of African musical commodity. Abdoulaye's vocals and instrumentation resembles the contemporary sounds of Zimbabwean or Central African music. In a way, Abdoulaye's Malian heritage has been passed down from generations, and Abdoulaye respectfully creates a magical, musical idiom. The instrumentation repertoire is quite engaging. The balafon, calabash, flute, kora, and other percussion permeate the celebratory tracks. Lyrically, the songs include tales of love, praise, society, children, and tolerance of working in establishments and clubs that serve alcohol. Sara comes from a song of the same name about a bride that does not want to be in an arranged marriage. Overall, Sara is a strong recording with good vocals, instrumentation, and catchy tunes. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Kora, Balafon, N'goni, and more....

Lanaya
Soun Soun: La Tradition Mandingue
Terp Records

Lanaya, a wholly instrumental trio hailing from Bamako, Mali, play centuries old music for today's generation. All in their 20's, Lanaya forms a talented group of musicians on kora, n'goni, and balafon. The group's familial history is as iconic as the music itself. Djibril Diabate on kora is the nephew of Toumani Diabate. Fassery Diabate on balaphone is the son of Malian musician Keletigui Diabate. Finally, Mohamadou Kamissoko comes from a family of n'goni players. Their musicianship is astounding and far-reaching. The songs do not include vocals, so the instruments carry the spirit of Mandingue culture to the forefront of this release. The instrumental performance is indicative of other ensembles from select regions of the world. Most notably, the music of China and Southeast Asia comes to mind. The energetic and scintillating melodies of the instruments creates a mesmerizing effect on the listener. Fans of instrumental music from around the world and West Africa in particular, will love Soun Soun. ~ Matthew Forss