Guitar Fo

Amazon.com
Lovers of West African guitar styles probably already know Sekou Diabate from his dazzling guitar solos that have defined the sound of Guinea's Bembeya Jazz for over four decades now. Somewhat implausibly, though, he has rarely recorded as a leader, which makes his new Guitar Fo even more welcome. Diabate, who garnered the appropriate nickname "Diamond Fingers" in the 1970s, is widely regarded as perhaps the top electric guitar soloist to emerge from West Africa along with Djelimady Tounkara from Mali's Super Rail Band, and "Guitar Fo" does justice to that reputation. Backed by the rock-solid rhythm section from Bembeya Jazz, Diabate's guitar is front and center on the 11 cuts here, which range from gorgeously lyrical ballads like "Bala Koura" and "Wati" to scorchers like the title track and "Diamond Fingers." Diabate and Bembeya Jazz came of age in the 1960s, when Cuban music was sweeping West Africa and influencing everyone from Senegal's Orchestra Baobab to Ghanaian highlife bands like E.T. Mensah. That influence still shines through today on Guitar Fo when Sekou plays montuno-like guitar figures on the title song and on the near cha-cha rhythms of "Ahmed Sekou," and other influences peek through too--like the Salif Keita-like griot singing style of Safiata Conde on two tracks and the Hawaiian slide guitar on "Dianamo." Though it all, the album is a testament to Sekou's range and lyricism, his beautifully ringing guitar tone the sound of a true master in his own home. --Ezra Gale

Guitar Fo,Sékou Bembeya Diabaté,World Village,Int'l & World Music,New Guinean,Pop

Average customer rating: Guitar mastery--nay, wizardry--of the highest order It's a great, already-classic recording

Guitar Fo Sékou Bembeya Diabaté Manufacturer: World Village ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Samba Gaye Sigui Solon Kono New Ancient Strings Boulevard de l'Independance ASIN: B00029RRVE Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

1. Biduman
2. Bala Koura
3. Dabia Baba
4. Ikanam Minala
5. Guitar F
6. Wati
7. Dianamo
8. Ahmed Sekou
9. Diamond Fingers
10. Mangue
11. Mohamed Diabat

Amazon.com

Lovers of West African guitar styles probably already know Sekou Diabate from his dazzling guitar solos that have defined the sound of Guinea's Bembeya Jazz for over four decades now. Somewhat implausibly, though, he has rarely recorded as a leader, which makes his new Guitar Fo even more welcome. Diabate, who garnered the appropriate nickname "Diamond Fingers" in the 1970s, is widely regarded as perhaps the top electric guitar soloist to emerge from West Africa along with Djelimady Tounkara from Mali's Super Rail Band, and "Guitar Fo" does justice to that reputation. Backed by the rock-solid rhythm section from Bembeya Jazz, Diabate's guitar is front and center on the 11 cuts here, which range from gorgeously lyrical ballads like "Bala Koura" and "Wati" to scorchers like the title track and "Diamond Fingers." Diabate and Bembeya Jazz came of age in the 1960s, when Cuban music was sweeping West Africa and influencing everyone from Senegal's Orchestra Baobab to Ghanaian highlife bands like E.T. Mensah. That influence still shines through today on Guitar Fo when Sekou plays montuno-like guitar figures on the title song and on the near cha-cha rhythms of "Ahmed Sekou," and other influences peek through too--like the Salif Keita-like griot singing style of Safiata Conde on two tracks and the Hawaiian slide guitar on "Dianamo." Though it all, the album is a testament to Sekou's range and lyricism, his beautifully ringing guitar tone the sound of a true master in his own home. --Ezra Gale

Customer Reviews:

Guitar mastery--nay, wizardry--of the highest order.......2004-12-23

After listening to this glorious music many times over, I wonder why this man is not an international superstar. The master of a singular guitar style--widely imitated, never duplicated, let alone surpassed--Sekou Diabate still remains a figure of some obscurity. Yes, he has a reputation among cognoscenti of Guinean popular music, most accessibly purveyed through the group Bembaya Jazz, around since 1961 (!). Yet one wonders why a player of his accomplishment nevertheless languishes is relative obscurity.

This self-taught master of acoustic/electric guitar, who has forged a sound uniquely his own, a kind of amalgam of kora and balafon styles adapted to guitar and filtered through West African popular music approaches, surely belongs atop any delineation of guitar herodom. One detects everything from country blues to Bayou to reggae to sui generis Africanisms in his uniquely crafted approach to his instrument.

Pure joy.

It's a great, already-classic recording .......2004-09-02

Most regular listeners of African popular or world music are already familiar with Sekou Diabate as 'Diamond Fingers" Diabate, the leader of Guinea's most popular band Bembaya Jazz National.
 Sekou Diabate's GUITAR FO is a bit different from Bembaya Jazz recordings, as it's not with a full band playing loud electric dance music - in fact, on some tunes the guitar sounds completely acoustic and on others, like a fat-bodied, semi-acoustic electric guitar.

Average customer rating:

Henrik Rung: Works for Solo Guitar, Songs & Chamber Music Manufacturer: Classico ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B00000FYH6 Release Date: 1998-12-02

Average customer rating:

Harp Music from Six Centuries Manufacturer: Globe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Glinka | Glinka, Mikhail | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tallis | Tallis, Thomas | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000044P0 Release Date: 1995-03-28

Average customer rating:

Brotið Manufacturer: The Orchard ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Mussorgsky | Mussorgsky, Modest | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000059T5E Release Date: 2001-02-06

Tracks:

1. Under Strandens Granar
2. Jagargossen
3. Kom Nu Hit Dod
4. Vilse
5. Der Schiffer
6. Nachstuck
7. Erlkonig
8. An Swager Kronos
9. The Seminarist
10. The Goat
11. The Classic
12. Mephistophele's Song Of The Flea
13. Tu Hevur Taer Dyrastu Perlur
14. Utlegd
15. Fjallid I Blunkadi
16. Ordasamleiki
17. Brotid, Id For Vid Einseminum

Average customer rating:

Lately Steve Glotzer Manufacturer: Six String Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B000297PH0 Release Date: 2004-05-14

Tracks:

1. Change Your Mind
2. Samba Says
3. Too Loose
4. Lately
5. Walk Away
6. El Ciudad De Suenos
7. Ocean Ave
8. Song For Jane
9. Mr Phelps I Presume
10. Bailar Conmigo
11. As The Crow Flies
12. Make Up Your Mind
13. Lost In Love

Album Description

On Lately, Steve Glotzer's follow up to his debut release Life Imitates Art, Steve continues his exploration of fo'bop, a folk/jazz melange featuring breezy sambas, jazz influenced sophisticated urban blues, and conga driven wanderlust. Add to the mix a number of tracks highlighting Steve's warm and heartfelt vocals, and as always, his melodic, relaxed and engaging approach to the guitar, the common thread that ties it all together

Rock Music:

1. Gurukul [Live]
2. Highlights from Songs of Faith Concert: Live [Live] [Import]
3. In a Dubwise Style [Enhanced] [Import]
4. Iste [Import]
5. It's Raining [Import]
6. Italian Heartstrings
7. Italian Treasury: Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta
8. Kings of Highlife
9. Ko-Yan [Original recording remastered]
10. Kuhki [CD-single] [Import]

Rock Music

rock music

Recommended Music:

Vespertine [Hybrid SACD] [Import]

Strozzi - Cantates / Susanne Ryden

Schubert: String Quartets, D. 87, 703 & 804

Earth Tones

Stay the Same [CD-single] [Import]

Toxic [Import]

Serenata Portena

The Presidents of the United States of America

Soundtrack [Import]

Surfin' Safari/Surfin' U.S.A.

The George Wallington Trio

Sereno: Edicion Especial Gira [Limited Edition]

Que Nada Nos Separe

Movin' on a Groove: Blues & Soul Situation

Ready for the Storm