West African Music

  Mory Kante's SABOU is a mostly acoustic release by the man who brought the kora to the attention of the world with his horn-laden electric dance band. Mory has been getting more and more traditional in the last several years as a producer, guest musician and on his own recordings. Unfortunately we didn't receive the entire cd but a 3-song sampler; but if the rest of SABOU is as good as this - wow!

 Cut #2, 'Mama', kicks with little help from electricity (the bass sounds like a fender bass; the vocal chorus is most impressive throughout).

 Fuji music originated in the northern Muslim areas of Nigeria, but quickly spread south to the bustling capitol of Lagos. Originally similar to juju, the then-predominant style in Lagos and beyond, Fuji put more emphasis on vocals, particularly the choral sound of Muslim religious singing. But now we have a second generation of Fuji stars who are modernizing and internationalizing the music as never before with rock/pop/hiphop/soul/funk influences.

 FUJI SATISFACTION is a collaboration of two artists who had seemed to be going in different directions until now: at times this disc's sounds border on African traditional, then in a few seconds it's the late 20th century or even the early 21st century.

 So many different sounds: exotic percussion, lovely vocal choruses, then solo voice - then rap, then a funk beat, back to traditional and a complete circle is created.

 Many of these changes happen in nearly every song: James Brown's music was never as complicated as this, yet his music is felt throughout FUJI SATISFACTION.

 I'm no fan of rap, but if I have to listen to rap, this is the way to do it - and I should mention, much of the rapping and singing is in English!

  Prince Diabate is one of the most exciting kora players working today. He also sings both traditional Manding music and his own compositions, and is very interested in fusing traditional music with modern ideas without having the modern elements dominate.

 He's assisted in DJERELON by the great and very successful Kante Manfila, who has been getting further back into his roots the last several years.

 Despite occasional electric guitar and western flute, the overall feel of DJERELON is traditional West African. Even the guitars sound like traditional African instruments, perhaps closer to a n'goni than a kora, but mostly they fit right in.  The sound of the balafon (marimba) is most appreciated. 

 Despite as many as ten people on a song, everything is bordering on laid-back. There is a definite groove. Some people could actually dance to DJERELON, but it's too subtle for most people raised on rock or disco to actually get up and dance to... but shake your head, tap feet, rock back and forth - you bet.

 DJERELON holds an infectious sound that will never grow old. It's not radically different from Prince Diabate's earlier cds, but perhaps more realized: his best yet.

  Wow - I had dreamed of this meeting of two of West Africa's musical giants for several years but I'd feared it would never happen; for not only are their musical styles different (although distantly related), but Ali Farka Toure had announced his retirement.  Apparently that retirement was mostly from touring. 

 Toure fans might be disappointed to know that Ali's bluesy, almost-John Lee Hooker-ish style is nowhere to be heard on IN THE HEART OF THE MOON: the sound's closer to the traditional sounds of Southern Mali, Guinea and other neighboring countries.

 Apparently these two have known each other since Toumani's birth as Ali worked with Toumani's father Sidiki Diabate, another great kora player. IN THE HEART OF THE MOON is all acoustic: Ali on guitar and Toumani on Kora.  Ry Cooder and his son Joaquin play on three cuts each: there are twelve songs primarily instrumental. Other musicians appear from time to time for extra flavor, but it's primarily a duet album.  Ali Farka Toure sets the theme with his guitar and Toumani Diabate dances around the melody with his kora.

 All in all it's a surprisingly low-key album, but very beautiful: no egos clashing: just two masters making the best music they know how.

What a great first impression the cover of Masokoloko Explosion conveys! A guitarist playing a hot pink electric guitar on a beach while in the background a lion rests beneath a palm tree: it got my attention right away!

The opening tune "Never Let You Go" is the most pop tune on this cd – so much so that cut #11 is a dub version of the same tune. Like other tunes on Masokoloko Explosion, it highlights the relationship of West Africa (in this case, Sierra Leone) and the Caribbean Islands. It’s sung in English, and English listeners will be reminded of the musics of Trinidad and Jamaica.

Dr. Dynamite calls this music ‘Masokoloko – it’s definitely hip-shaking dance music, but somewhat more gentle than the stereotype of African music.

Hints of South African mbanquanga mixed with a gentle twist can be heard on cut 2, ‘Soul Fever’, as well as few other cuts. So many different influences! Soul, r&b, and rock fuse into the Afro-Caribbean mix on cut #3, ‘Memories’. I hear South Africa and Calypso on ‘Lollipops’.

Although initially known as a lead guitarist, Dr. Dynamite taught himself to play electronic keyboards which he uses to great effect throughout. On some cuts like ‘Baboon’ they completely replace the guitar.

Dr. Dynamite sings in an solid voice but a more exciting singer would add a bit more TNT to this joyful, somewhat danceable music (of course, Paul Simon is hardly an exciting singer – and he seems to be doing well…)