Mali Music [Import]

Amazon.com
With Mali Music it's possible at last to see how Damon Albarn's foray into Africa has worked out: most members of what Albarn's friend Michael Nyman has dubbed the "world-music police" would probably be happy to give it a qualified thumbs-up. If some of the "Western" tracks are little more than an undifferentiated blur (no pun intended), the Malian ones are a delight. But it's what lies between that's interesting: what Albarn and his colleagues Afel Bocoum , Toumani Diabate, and Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia have achieved is best described as "the music of place." In "Kela Village" you can almost see the celebrations going on amid the chirruping of birds and the croaking of frogs; "Bamako City" comes with bags of local atmosphere. This CD was constructed in layers--after Albarn had edited down his 40 hours of raw material, he created collages with new melodies and beats and then sent his tapes back to Mali, where extra vocals and instrumental work were added. We thus get music that actually feels layered: a typical track will start with a simple groove on kora or ngoni, then it will acquire a voice, then some electronic effects, and will finally be enveloped in a seductive miasma of local atmosphere. Apart from some nifty Malian balafon and string work, there's nothing here of instrumental note (Albarn's instrument is a battered melodica), but that doesn't matter, because in this game the final effect is the thing. Disregard Albarn's pretentious guff about this representing the "Africanization of Western music" (where does the boy imagine jazz came from?) but do regard this CD as a healthy omen. --Michael Church

Product Description
World music side project for the Blur/Gorillaz frontman, released on his own label Honest John. Featuring Albarn sitting in with some of his most favorite Malian musicians, including guitarist Afel Bocoum & kora player Toumani Diabate. Resulting in one of the coolest & laid-back world/crossover projects to emerge, with Albarn's melodica adding to the chilled, dubby flavor of the record, all the while retaining a distinct African overtone. Standard jewel case size digibook. 2002.

Mali Music,Damon Albarn,Toumani Diabate,Afel Bocoum,Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia,Rock/Pop

Average customer rating: Anjelique Crashes Badly Maybe 4.5 stars, but still stellar Soulful West African soul First Introduction To Angelique Kidjo Not as good as Black Ivory Soul - but still enhoyable

Djin Djin Angelique Kidjo Manufacturer: Razor &Tie ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music Benin | Africa | International | Styles | Music Jamaica | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: CéU Momento Oyaya! Black Ivory Soul Back to Black ASIN: B000MTOWSU Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

1. Ae Ae
2. Djin Djin featuring Alicia Keys and Branford Marsalis
3. Gimme Shelter featuring Joss Stone
4. Salala featuring Peter Gabriel
5. Senamou (C'est L'amour) featuring Amadou and Mariam
6. Pearls featuring Josh Groban and Carlos Santana
7. Sedjedo featuring Ziggy Marley
8. Papa
9. Arouna
10. Awan N'La
11. Emma
12. Mama Golo Papa
13. Lonlon (Ravel's Bolero)

Amazon.com

Angelique Kidjo has four Grammy nominations, a mantel-full of international awards, several dance hits, and notable appearances on film and TV soundtracks to her credit (to say nothing of being a major style icon and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador). So this Benin-born, New York-based singer-composer has long since gotten past having to prove anything to anybody--other than to herself. On Djin Djin (the title refers to a bell that sounds at daybreak in parts of Africa), she is self-indulgent in the best possible sense, shooting for a big, glossy, super-pop sound that nonetheless remains essentially, even devoutly, African in inspiration and execution. Produced by Tony Visconti (The Moody Blues, T. Rex, David Bowie, Boomtown Rats, and Morrissey), the release is a bewitching amalgam, with guest stints from Joss Stone, Carlos Santana, Branford Marsalis, Josh Groban, Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Malian husband-and-wife team Amadou and Mariam, and noted reggae scion Ziggy Marley. Kidjo, her salty-sweet voice in top form, moves confidently from ballad to club track to homespun earthmover. She never for a second relinquishes control of the festivities, even during a hectic, Haitian-rara-influenced cover of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and "Lon Lon," in which she takes on--and takes over--French composer Ravel's "Bolero." --Christina Roden

Album Description

With DJIN DJIN (pronounced "gin gin"), Angelique Kidjo returns to the soul of Benin - and, for the first time, shares it with a cast of all-star guests, in a marriage of cultures that has significance far beyond music alone. Inspired by the traditions and culture of Kidjo's native Benin in West Africa, the title of the album refers to the sound of the bell that greets the beginning of a new day for Africa.

The diversity represented by Alicia Keys, Peter Gabriel, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Joss Stone, Branford Marsalis, producer Tony Visconti, and the others who contribute to DJIN DJIN speaks to the lesson of this project: For all the differences in the music of our time, the river of Africa flows through it all.

The key was to build DJIN DJIN on a Beninese foundation. The heartbeat, then, comes from percussionists Crespin Kpitiki and Benoit Avihoue, both members of Benin's Gangbé Brass Band. Details of their country's rhythmic heritage, specific in some cases to individual villages, feed the rhythms they lay down throughout the album.

To this mix Kidjo welcomes players whose backgrounds complement the idea of DJIN DJIN: drummer Poogie Bell, known for his work with Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan; funk keyboard wizard Amp Fiddler, whose credits include Prince and George Clinton; Larry Campbell, whose multi-instrumental work has adorned the music of Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, and Paul Simon; Senegalese bass giant Habib Faye, a fixture with Youssou N'Dour; guitarists Lionel Loueke, from jazz legend Herbie Hancock's band; Romero Lubambo, a Brazilian wonder whose credits include Diana Krall and Dianne Reeves; Joao Mota, from Guinea-Bissau and kora master Mamadou Diabate.

Produced by Tony Visconti. (David Bowie, T. Rex, Morrissey)

Customer Reviews:

Anjelique Crashes Badly.......2007-07-27

Compared to all her previous releases this is sad. Presumably by duetting with 'name' stars she's trying to break into the American market. All of her native Benin funk and energy has been diluted. Angelique Kidjoe and Josh Groban? No No No. I listened to it three times in case certain tracks improved with repeated listening. Not. I'll give her another chance with her next release but hope that if she decides to hook up with others they are a bit more adventurous. Natacha Atlas if you're listening this is not the way to go.

Maybe 4.5 stars, but still stellar.......2007-07-01

Angelique Kidjo's amazing whether she's covering Hendrix in "VooDoo Child" or singing West African tunes. Her roots are much wider than just her country of origin. It'd be hard for me to name a favorite among these gems. I love the people she's selected to work with. "Gimme Shelter" with Joss Stone may be the kind of duet that's going to propel her right up to the top of the charts where she belongs. Smart move, lady, for sure, but I also love the songs where Angelique sings her own music alone.

Soulful West African soul.......2007-06-22

Angelique Kidjo is one of those rare artists who has the Midas touch. No matter who she's performing with, no matter what she's performing, she makes beautiful music. While "Djin Djin" can be considered one of her more mainstream albums, she still proudly shows her African roots. In a sense,it's not surprising it's sold alongside coffee at Starbucks; "Djin Djin" is as potent as a cup of steaming java.

The opening "Ae Ae" is anthemic;it's a power ballad in which Kidjo calls on her fellow Africans to be self-sufficient. The title track is a jazzy collaboration with Alicia Keys and Branford Marsalis. It's Benin meets the Big Easy. Kidjo does an amazing cover of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" with Joss Stone. The '60s British Invasion gets an African makeover,transforming it into a tribal rave-up. Kidjo and smoky-voiced Peter Gabriel complement each other in "Salala." A thumb piano gives "Senamou" a deeply African flavor. "Sedjedo", a duet with reggae heir Ziggy Marley, doesn't quite work. Marley is relegated to the sidelines. However, Kidjo's rousing singing saves the piece. The same goes for "Pearls." Josh Groban's operatic voice is unsuited to the style of the song. It's Afropop meets Latin rock (since Carlos Santana plays the guitar),not the Three Tenors or Il Divo. Kidjo's amazing singing again saves the song from becoming a novelty song. In "Papa","Arouna","Awan N'La","Emma" and "Mama Golo Papa" Kidjo shows she doesn't need collaborators. She's still going strong since her debut in 1990. She covers difficult issues such as marital conflict and divorce soulfully. Finally, in "Lonlon" Kidjo transforms Ravel's annoying and overplayed "Bolero" into rousing,toe-tapping Afropop. Instead of being filler or a song worth skipping, "Lonlon" serves as a grand finale.

Angelique Kidjo is accomplished,as a person and as an artist. She is a UN Goodwill Ambassador;she has her own charity,Batonga. In Bono's guest-edited issue of "Vanity Fair" about Africa, Harry Belafonte praises her activism. Angelique Kidjo's music is truly angelic. "Djin Djin" is a great introduction to her music, and is a perfect mainstream introduction to African music. It's as rousing and flavorful as a good hot cup of coffee.

First Introduction To Angelique Kidjo.......2007-06-20

This is my first introduction to any of Angelique Kidjo's music. I bought this compact disc for myself as a birthday present based on the reviews it has received and listening to the short musical segments found on Amazon.Com.





After recently listening to "Djin, Djin" on a 4 hour road trip, I feel in love with the music & lyrics! The music is fantastic and varied from song to song.... Angelique Kidjo is phenomenal as an artist. I also enjoyed the musical guests performing on "Djin, Djin" too. This compact disc is perfect as background music while long distance driving, at home relaxing, during dinner parties, etc.

Not as good as Black Ivory Soul - but still enhoyable.......2007-06-11

This is a good release, with many guests on it, but not quite as accessable as the Black Ivory Soul CD. However, it will get you up and moving.

Average customer rating: Atmospheric? Like a stone on your head. Tinari"wonderful" Great Album! Traditional real life in 2007 Hypnotic and enthralling

Aman Iman: Water is Life Tinariwen Manufacturer: World Village ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Amassakoul Radio Tisdas Sessions Watina Vieux Farka Touré Boulevard de l'Independance ASIN: B000MCICRE Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Cler Achel
2. Mano Dayak
3. Matadjem Yinmixan
4. Ahimana
5. Soixante Trois
6. Toumast
7. Imidiwan Winakalin
8. Awa Didjen
9. Ikyadarh Dim
10. Tamatant Tilay
11. Assouf
12. Izarharh Tenere

Amazon.com

When you hear this music clan -- group just doesn't seem to be the right designation for a band of nomad desert musicians/soldiers -- a listener can hear the calm of the desert night air and the serenity of the musicians who live there. The Taureg people truly seem to be of the land and never more so than here on the band's third album, Aman Iman. The loping percussion and the circular guitar lines conjure wide-open desert images evoked in the repetitive grooves. Some may grumble that the members are playing much as they did on the first and second albums, blending Arabic song structures, desert wails, and primordial blues guitar riffs, but for it to be any different would be akin to asking the people in Tinariwen to change who they are. Never have words been truer than those of the title, but this album also appends that sentiment, proving that music is life for the desert Taureg too. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Atmospheric? Like a stone on your head........2007-07-04

Finding Tinariwen made me happy. This group does to rhythm what Anoushka Shankar does to the 8 note scale. These are the strongest rhythms I've ever heard. They are something alive, you want to step aside to let it pass, you want to spin it and ultimately you want to dance with it.

This in NO way fits within my definition of atmospheric music. That genre was done to perfection by Eno 15 years ago. No, this music may invoke trances, it may put you on a plane to Timbuktu it may make you inexplicably desire to wrap your entire head in a sheet. It may cause you to dance your wife out of the living room, down the hall and into the bedroom. But it will not let you ignore it.

If you find yourself thinking this is atmospheric music then you're not listening. Consider it rock music. Turn it way up until plaster falls off lathe and then you will hear what you have missed.

5 stars squared.

Tinari"wonderful".......2007-06-14

A mixture of funky guitar,traditional drums, and an array of upbeat instruments nicely compliments the seriousness and heaviness of the songs lyrics. All songs are translated for you in the "liner notes". Highly recommended.

Great Album!.......2007-05-15

Just like Amassakoul, Aman Iman is some of the best music on the entire planet. A mix of blues and northern African styles that puts you in a trance.

Traditional real life in 2007.......2007-05-14

I like the way he touches the guitar. At first I saw Tiraniwen three years ago and was not so impressed, but little by little I got the feeling for this desert rebel. He is wonderful bluesy and still totally based in his Mali culture. What I like very much is that he feels for all Mali tribes and cultures. He is a good example for harmony and peace. I want to visit the Desert Music Festival in Timbouktou in 2008.

Hypnotic and enthralling.......2007-05-12

Tinariwen has often been described as "John Lee Hooker in the Sahara." While that baseline is a decent enough introduction, it's not nearly enough to embrace this band. This album follows Amassakoul, my first Tinariwen CD, and Aman Iman surpasses Amassakoul in every way. Depending on your mood, the music is soothing, hypnotic, challenging and stirring. The variations worked on repetitive figures reward repeated listening. If you haven't heard Tinariwen, Aman Iman is a great place to start.

Average customer rating: This is the blues Dream Team Cool music AFT at his best Fabulous Music Gorgeous, happy, relaxed music.

Talking Timbuktu Ali Farka Touré , and Ry Cooder Manufacturer: Hannibal ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Fusion & World Fusion | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Hannibal Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Africa | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: In the Heart of the Moon Savane Spiritchaser Ali Farka Toure Niafunke ASIN: B00000062H Release Date: 1994-03-29

Tracks:

1. Bonde
2. Soukora
3. Gomni
4. Sega
5. Amandrai
6. Lasidan
7. Keito
8. Banga
9. Ai Du
10. Diaraby

Amazon.com

Talking Timbuktu is a groundbreaking record that vividly illustrates the Africa-Blues connection in real time. Ali Farka Toure, one of Mali's leading singer-guitarists, has a trance-like, bluesy style that, although deeply rooted in Malian tradition, bears astonishing similarity to that of John Lee Hooker or even Canned Heat. It's a mono-chordal vamp, with repetitive song lines cut with shards of blistering solo runs that shimmer like a desert mirage. Toure may be conversant with some blues artists, but it is unlikely that artists like Hooker or Robert Pete Williams ever heard these Malian roots, which makes the connection so uncanny. Ry Cooder, well versed in domestic and world guitar styles, is the perfect counterpoint in these extended songs/jams, his sinewy slide guitar intertwining with his partner's in a super world summit without barriers or borders. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews:

This is the blues Dream Team.......2007-07-20

"Talking Timbuktu" is one of those CDs where you have an aha moment. Oh yes, you have heard this music before and yet, not quite. Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure play beautifully together and truly bring the Mali's music straight to us. This is an extremely listenable CD and well worth the price.

Cool music.......2007-05-13

This is really good music. A combination of blues, African, something I cannot put a description to. Each person has to experience this to see what it means to him (her).

AFT at his best.......2007-04-03

As usual, this is another spectacular disc, only made better by the addition of Ry Cooder.

Fabulous Music.......2007-03-26

This CD is just fabulous and everyone who hears it wants a copy. Very sophisticated yet original music,
soothing and exciting sound.

Gorgeous, happy, relaxed music........2007-03-25

This will make you want to dance. Standouts for me:


"Lasidan" - Gets in your head. It's possibly my favorite song on the album. Touré's voice resonates in the mind for days.

"Banga" - Ali Farka Touré is incredible here on the njarka. The combination of this beautiful instrument, the congo, and the calabash is breathtaking.

"Diaraby" - A fitting end. Lovely.

It's an all-around beautiful disc.


Side note: If you like this album, you should really check out Ali Farka Touré's son, Vieux Farka Touré.

Average customer rating: Hard core Toure A man at peace with himself Probably His Best Nice album "It's my best album ever. It has the most power and it is the most different".

Savane Ali Farka Touré Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Boulevard de l'Independance In the Heart of the Moon Talking Timbuktu Ys Vieux Farka Touré ASIN: B000G1R3BW Release Date: 2006-07-25

Tracks:

1. Erdi
2. Yer Bounda Fara
3. Beto
4. Savane
5. Soya
6. Penda Yoro
7. Machengoidi
8. Ledi Coumbe
9. Hanana Soko
10. Gambari
11. Banga
12. Njarou

Amazon.com

Savane, the great African guitarist and bluesman Ali Farka Touré's final solo studio album, was recorded in his native Mali toward the end of his life, when the artist knew his days were numbered. He spent his last years in his home village of Niafunké, concentrating on farming and family matters, jamming with local musicians of an evening. This impassioned, roots-drenched, mostly acoustic valedictory finds the Maestro's stalking rhythms and high-noon-at-the-crossroads, dusty desert-to-delta vocals in no less than life-summing form. "Soya" (track 5) seems to stand still in a million directions, while "Hanana Soko" (track 9) features a searing njarka fiddle spinning delirious circles around its throaty accompanying percussion. Pee Wee Ellis (sax) and Little George Sueref (harmonica) each manage to make strong impressions while adhering to the groove at hand. Afel Boucoum, a talented younger musician who has been mentioned as Touré's most likely successor (as if such a thing were possible!), graces "Njarou," the last tune. The other players are also at the top of their game, as fluttering ngoni (a West African spike lute) riffs weave in and out and airy female vocals float like a breeze off the river Niger. There are reports that Touré senior sat in on his son's upcoming album and scads of archival material will undoubtedly materialize. But his unsentimental, voluptuously masculine, spirit-guided magic is captured at its best, for all time, in this magnificent farewell. --Christina Roden

Album Description

Toure recorded Savane in the Malian capital of Bamako, as part of a three-disc project dubbed the Hotel Mande Sessions, after the studio in which the albums were cut. Savane is the last, perhaps most eloquent, installment. In concept and execution, the sessions recall teh magical combination of spontaneity and virtuosity that marked the debut releases from the Buena Vista Social Club. Toure offers reverberating, incantatory vocals to accompany his lean, hypnotically repetitive guitar lines.

Customer Reviews:

Hard core Toure.......2007-05-28

I love the hard cut sound compared to lots of other Malian musicians. Highly recommended if you like the blues. Slaves came from Africa and the region of West Africa in particular...blues came from slaves. Its interesting to see the massive musical similarities between the two styles.

A man at peace with himself.......2007-05-10

Ali Farka Toure looks and sounds like a man at peace with himself on this his final recording. The man who turned his back on the popular Afrobeat rhythms of his day, also turned his back on Western recording studios, returning to his roots in Mali, where he set up his own farm and recording studio, nurturing a village and a new generation of musicians. Savane, like Niafunke before, is a straight forward album, accompanied by local musicians, with a guest appearance by Pee Wee Ellis on two selections, and drawing on a wellspring of traditional Malian rhythms. In his music Ali Farka Toure demonstrated the connection between traditional West African music and the Delta Blues. Numerous comparisons were drawn to artists like John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins, but he had a sound all his own, and at his peak was a towering figure in the world music industry, inspiring numerous Western as well as African musicians, resulting in the annual Festival in the Desert, which was captured in a 2003 recording on CD and DVD. Ali Farka Toure was also featured in Martin Scorsese's The Blues. For those who would like to sample some of his earlier recordings, I would suggest the recently released boxed set Red & Green.

Probably His Best.......2007-04-30

I guess this is the album that makes people draw comparisons between Ali Farka Toure and John Lee Hooker, because he most closely sounds like him on this CD, but with a West African feel to the music. This is just a fantastic recording, and if you were to buy just one Toure CD, I guess this owuld be the one. I like all his music, but this one stands out more than the others.

Nice album.......2007-03-09

This is a very nice album from Ali Farka Tour. Songs are strong and unique. Highly recommended.

"It's my best album ever. It has the most power and it is the most different"........2007-03-06

If ever an artist embodied the struggle between staying true to his roots and musical exploration, it was the late, great Ali Farka Touré. It would have been easy for him to become a fixture on the international stage playing with anyone he chose and the financial rewards would have been considerable. Instead, he turned his attention to expressing his own culture and exploring the links between it and the surrounding cultures. In doing so he became a local hero and a powerful symbol of national unity.
Although we usually think of `fusion' as a mix between something traditional and something Western, one could argue that Ali was permanently engaged in the twin processes of fusing and distillation most of his life -- although his attention rarely wandered far from West Africa.
"Savane" was a work in progress for several years, but it was mainly recorded at the now legendary Hotel Mande sessions in Bamako, which saw the recording of his sensational collaboration with Toumani Diabate "In the Heart of the Moon" as well as Toumani's own "Symmetric Orchestra sessions", which has just been released.
Every note of Ali's guitar and every sung word on "Savane" could come from no other artist. And yet, this is an album unlike any of previous albums.
There is an unusually international ensemble of musicians including JB horn man Pee Wee Ellis (who has been on most World Circuit albums of late) and Fain S. Dueñas of Radio Tarifa plus ngoni musicians Bassekou Kouyate and Mama Sissoko and Dasy Saré.
Now let's be under no illusions, each piece is bent to the will of Ali Farka Touré but under his distinctive canopy all kinds of interesting and surprising things are going on.
The title song has a ska-like backbeat for the distinctive guitars to spring off and the opening track "Ewly" features bold bluesy guitar offset by harmonica making the blues connection even stronger.
Famously, Ali Farka Touré always maintained he was not influenced by American blues musicians, he was just playing his traditional music. Attempts by musicologists to untangle this tale of origins have mostly come unstuck. One could see this album as a way of stating the external influences in his music or even an attempt to reach out but I think both interpretations are wrong and completely out of character.
Carefully, meticulously and imaginatively Ali reclaims the entire African diaspora music for the people of Africa and in doing so he plants his flag on the entire 20th Century music catalogue.
It would be, in short, an enterprise of lunatic megalomania except that it works and can therefore be described as nothing less than genius.

Average customer rating: Music...as good as it can ever get Another classic Good Album very "West African" Refreshing change Beautiful African Mali Masterpiece

In the Heart of the Moon Ali Farka Touré , and Toumani Diabate Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Guinea | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Talking Timbuktu Savane New Ancient Strings Boulevard de l'Independance Dimanche a Bamako ASIN: B000AQ69DG Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

1. Debe
2. Kala
3. Mamadou Boutiquier
4. Monsieur Le Maire De Niafunke
5. Kaira
6. Simbo
7. Ai Ga Bani
8. Soumbou Ya Ya
9. Naweye Toro
10. Kadi Kadi
11. Gomni
12. Hawa Dolo

Amazon.com

Ali Farka Toure fans expecting to hear another fiery electric blues effort from the African John Lee Hooker are in for a big surprise. Toure's first album after a six- year hiatus is mostly an acoustic duo with kora master Toumani Diabate that draws upon Malian and Guinean folk style from the 1950s and '60s called Jamana Kura, which grew out of the Mande griot music tradition. Both musicians were children at the time this music was popularized and a yearning sentimentality flavors many of the songs, particularly "Hawa Dolo," one of three Toure tunes rerecorded here in that older style. Other surprises abound as well: there are only two vocal tracks from the deep-voice Toure, and much of the soloing is actually handled by the flittering Diabate. Minus a few overdubs by guests like Ry Cooder, the music here were first takes from a jam session in which the two musicians would improvising over the basic structures. Nonetheless, this loose approach matched with the stunning beauty of the playing makes it a treasure worth holding on to. --Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

In the Heart of the Moon is a summit meeting between two world music giants, guitarist Ali Farka Toure and master of the kora-the 21-string gourd harp-toumani Diabate. It is the first newly recorded work from either artist in five years and their first album-length collaboration. More an eloquent, in-depth dialogue than a jam session, In The Heart Of the Moon was recorded during three unrehearsed, improvisatory two-hour sessions at the Hotel Mande, on the banks of the Niger river, in Bamako, Mali.

Customer Reviews:

Music...as good as it can ever get.......2007-08-06

I read from one review that not even 5 million stars could rate this album. I agree. If you are a musician, and you know what it gets to play what these 2 wise monsters of music play, you know that what you have in front of you requires technique, inspiration, and lots of wisdom...

I have heard this CD a million times, and every time I listen to it I just stop whatever I am doing and see myself traveling in some magic world of feelings, conversations. Have you heard "Mamadou Boutiquier"? What a perfect masterpiece! How could in the earth someone just get together, play, and create such a beauty? How can two people, without rehearsing, who have only played once together, who play different music traditions, create something like that? How the song evolves, build its momentum through a progressive intensity, cries out so loud the power of music?

And Hawa Dolo? Ali Farka's song, not one of my favorites, reaches a different dimension in this version. The nostalgic power of this song is difficult to equal.

Kala, Debe, and Kadi Kadi's solos... my gosh! I don't know, I listen to this music and I feel overwhelmed with humility, with admiration to how much these two musicians must know about life, about human beings, about the strings inside us, to do what they just did.

Remember that this is not an improvisation, as Ali says in the cover. They both knew what they were playing, even though they had never played together. They understood a language that for most of us is a mystery.

Thank you Ali Farka and Toumani, the beauty of your work is so inspiring!

Another classic.......2007-06-27

Need I say more-this album is a keeper. Might not be as catchy as Talking Timbuktu. Nonetheless, beautiful and powerful.

Good Album very "West African".......2007-05-16

West Africans will not deceive you with their music FROM ANOTHER world Ismael Lo; Toure Kounda.They are one of kind Ali Farka Toure is one of this Musician who will take you somewhere else.This album is good for driving for a quiet night with your friends at your place.You will not be sorry to have it in your collection.

Refreshing change.......2007-05-13

Well chosen selections provide a refreshing change from the ordinary. It doesn't matter that I didn't understand the language, I could understand the music. Bluesy ballads with gutsy rythmns.

Beautiful African Mali Masterpiece.......2007-05-04

I'm really baffled by the few who trashed this CD. It has no "three chord progressions". The truth is worse than that. All the songs are two chord progressions except the last piece which would be a three chord progression if it weren't for a bridge. True Ali Farka Toure's other CD's can get tiring pretty fast, he is on this CD to basically provide a rhythmic background to Toumani Diabate's Kora. So much so, I can't believe it's even considered a Toure album. This is Toumani Diabate's music all the way and he leaves little doubt that he is by far the finest Kora player ever. I found it anything but bland. Maybe their stereo isn't operating properly. Maybe it's critics threw it on and went in another room and lost all that high end flurry of notes that come blazing across the rhythm section. In the end, maybe it's just the different way people listen to music. I have 3 other Farka Toure CD's and this one leaves the others in the dust. An excellent CD for anyone with a taste for the music of Mali.

Average customer rating: Dimanche a Bamako from Boulder A truly inspired collaboration Amadou , Mariam &Manu Great Music Feel Like Dancing?

Dimanche a Bamako Amadou & Mariam Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Je Pense a Toi: The Best of Amadou et Mariam In the Heart of the Moon Amassakoul Wati Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0009K7RL6 Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

1. M'Bife
2. M'Bife Balafon
3. Coulibaly
4. La Realite
5. Senegal Fast Food
6. Artistiya
7. La Fete au Village
8. Camions Sauvages
9. Beaux Dimanches
10. La Paix
11. Djanfa
12. Taxi Bamako
13. Politic Amagni
14. Gnidjougouya
15. M'Bife Blues

Amazon.com

Having issued a handful of excellent Afro-rock albums on small independent labels in the last few years, which have attracted attention within the world music community, Amadou and Miriam are poised to break out with Dimanche A Bamako, arguably the best album of a career that goes back 30 years. Produced by mischievous French/Spanish pop star Manu Chao (who even co-wrote and sings on a few tunes), the album fuses the couple's dynamic grooves with the producer's signature everything-and-the-kitchen sink backgrounds. This is truly a collaboration of like-minded individuals: Chao's own rabid multi-culti mix of styles enhances the blind couple's guitar-driven mix of blues-rock and African percussion, as well as Latin, dance and reggae grooves. Highlights include the impossibly catchy "Senegal Fast Food" and the percolating "Coulibaly," while the couple's political bent comes out on "Politic Amagni." Truly an album with a global perspective, there is something for everyone here, and rather than diluting the stew, it makes it all the more tasty. ­ --Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, a blind married couple whose life story is as remarkable as its music, have long been stars in West Africa. They draw the musical traditions of their natice Mali and the neighboring Ivory Coast, while also embracing the Latin American salsa, Cuban son, reggae, American R&B, and English blues-rock that they discovered via long-distance broadcasts. Dimanche a Bamako, cut in both Paris and Bamako should instantly appeal to fans of Chao's easygoing, dance-oriented, multiethnic mix, as to admirers of Mailan stars Rokia Traore and Ali Farka Toure.

Customer Reviews:

Dimanche a Bamako from Boulder.......2007-08-03

If there were any justice in music popularity, this disc would do for West African music right now what "Getz / Gilberto" did for Brazilian samba in the early 60s. It's that good. Amadou and Mariam fuse infectious rhythms with masterful tunecraft, humor and political commentary and reflections on the sweet sadness of life. There's nothing not to like...

A truly inspired collaboration.......2007-07-20

The influence of Manu Chao has helped produce this incredible cd. The music and lyrics reflect a collage of traditional and contemporary elements that work really well together. Senegal Fast Food is one of the most haunting and beautiful pieces I've heard in a long time. I heard of this cd on an NPR piece and ordered it. I play it often and never get tired of it probably because of the French/African/Spanish elements and how well they play together.

Amadou , Mariam &Manu.......2007-03-27

I saw this Mali blind couple at the Coachella Festival in 2006 and was blown away. When I heard they had recorded a disc that was with one of my favorite artists, Manu Chao I immediately sought it out. I was not dissapointed as the disc is excellent. The influences of Manu are constant and give the album vitality and another world dimension; it lends the world party atmosphere to the otherwise regional(Africa) disc. Take "La Realite" for example, it has that world beat sounding like it could have been on "Proxima Estacion " as Manu lends his talents on guitar, programming and vocals. One of the coolest and best songs on the disc is "Senegal Fast Food" which is highly reminisent of Manu's "King of Bongo." I'm not sure what language Manu is singing(French?)in but it doesn't matter becuase it is all good. All of the songs are excellent especially those that feature Manu Caho contributing on vocals;that is not to say that the others are not good. This is a great world music album that expands the defintion and it's nonexistent boundaries. Recommmended for fans of world muisc sin fronteras(without boundaries).

Great Music.......2007-02-12

If your into world beats, reggae, blues...all that good stuff then this CD let alone this group is for you. I listen to it almost everyday, honestly one of the best albums I've heard in years.

Feel Like Dancing?.......2007-01-26

These beats are infectious. The mixture of French and Mali, provide quite a stirring sound combined with an ultra rythmic techno pop. Sophisticated, yet joyous. The lyrics, at least the French, are deep, and humourous at the same time.

Average customer rating: Pure beauty CELESTIAL MELODIES!!!!! The most unique CD I own. Absolutely Magical! Heavenly ! This should be 5 STARs only

New Ancient Strings Toumani Diabaté Manufacturer: Hannibal ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Hannibal Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Africa | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Kaira In the Heart of the Moon Moffou Boulevard de l'Independance Amassakoul ASIN: B00000JFRU Release Date: 1999-06-22

Tracks:

1. Bi Lambam
2. Salaman
3. Kita Kaira
4. Bafoulabe
5. Cheiknah Demba
6. Kora Bali
7. Kadiatou
8. Yamfa

Amazon.com

Back in the early '70s, a recording by kora masters Sidiki Diabate and Djelimadi Sissoko called Cordes Anciennes first brought this rich acoustic music of Mali to the world. More than 20 years later, their sons, the now world-famous Toumani Diabate and the junior Ballake Sissoko, have come together to pay tribute to their fathers with 1999's New Ancient Strings. While many of the songs come from the original repertoire, the music is all modern Mali. Toumani Diabate has toured the world as a soloist, as a member of fusion groups like Songhai (with flamenco fusionist Ketama), and he has incorporated subtle changes into his music that makes it a living affirmation of the strength of the ancient harp of Africa. Together Diabate and Sissoko explore their fathers' roots while traveling their own new routes. This is the first all-acoustic kora recording Diabate has done since his stunning Kaira, released more than 10 years prior to New Ancient Strings, and it shows a mature and forward-looking artist that would make the elder Diabate proud. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Pure beauty .......2007-03-22

Another reviewer said that this music 'grows on you"- but on me it didn't have to. I think this is the most purely beautiful music I've ever heard (that, and certain pages of Bach and Mozart).

Even though - or because - it's desert music, it conjures up fast-flowing water at night: it's mellow, quiet, deeply relaxing, yet full of energy. I can listen to it before going to bed or while at work. I've never tried to play it when other people are around though, it strikes me as 'private moment' music. Think I might play it at my next dinner party to see whether the conversation stops!

I've been listening to West African music for years now, and it's all beautiful. But if you have to own only one CD of music from the Sahel, make it this one.

CELESTIAL MELODIES!!!!!.......2005-10-02

THIS IS THE KIND OF MUSIC I EXPECT TO LISTEN TO, WHEN I GO TO HEAVEN!!!!....WELL,.......IF I END UP GOING THERE!!!
I DON'T KNOW OF A TUNE MORE HARMONIOUS, ETHEREAL AND DIVINE THAN "KITA KAIRA"......OF ALL THE EARTHLY MUSIC THAT I'VE LISTENED TO, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING TO HEAVENLY MUSIC!!!!
"YAMFA" IS ANOTHER OUTSTANDING MELODY FROM THIS GEM!!!
FROM THE "KAIRA" ALBUM..."ALLA LA KE", "KONKOBA" AND "KAIRA", COMPLEMENT THESE MASTERPIECES OF HARMONY!!!
I JUST HAVE TO THANK GOD FOR ALLOWING ME TO LISTEN TO THIS HEAVENLY MUSIC,.....RIGHT HERE..........ON EARTH!!!
TOUMANI AND BALLAKE THE TALENTED ANGELS ON KORAS!!!

The most unique CD I own. Absolutely Magical!.......2004-06-07

Thank God for Amazon's music samples. It's impossible to describe to someone just what this plucked African string music sounds like. You have to hear it for yourself. It's absolute auditory refreshment.

Heavenly !.......2003-05-17

this is one of my favorites. needless to say, it is beautifully ritualistic in the light of tranquility.

This should be 5 STARs only.......2003-02-12

Only 4.5 stars? What? Come on? This album is one of the most serene, tranquil, and masterful African albums I have heard. And I personally own over 120 albums from the continent. This is one of my favorites. Why? Well, the moment I turn this on, I am instantly transformed underwater to a surging seaweed garden. The seaweed is going back and forth slowly and in unison. I am submerged, weightless and floating. (Yes, I am sober.) The mood created by the instruments and musicians in this album is incredible. Very few albums affect my mood the way this one does. And I can listen over and over and over and it does the same effect everytime. I wouldn't be surprised if the reviewer at Amazon.com gets this album and listens to it while he/she is posting my review. This really is a 5-star work and only that. You will not be disappointed with owning this.

Average customer rating: So Beautiful. No Cigarette PURELY FABULOUS!! Pure joy. actually, plenty of "anglophones" DIG this music !!

Muso Ko Habib Koite & Bamada Manufacturer: World Village ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Africa | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Baro Ma Ya Foly! Live Around the World New Ancient Strings Macire ASIN: B00005OR9O Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

1. Fatma
2. Muso Ko (Woman)
3. Den Ko (Talking of Children)
4. Nanale (The Swallow)
5. I Ka Barra (Your Work)
6. Sira Bulu
7. Nimato (If You Don't Stop)
8. Cigarette a Bana (The Cigarette Is Finished)
9. Din Din Wo (Little Child)
10. Kunfe Ta (The Gutter)
11. Koulandian

Customer Reviews:

So Beautiful........2007-07-08

A couple of Kabib Koite songs came stock with my new computer, and the soothing rhythms, vocals and well, amazing musicality stunned me. He is now one of my favorite artists. His music is so completely human it can be instantly recognized and appreciated by a ear of any nationality.

No Cigarette.......2007-01-26

I first heard of this album whilst in Senegal and what a gem it is.
If you want to dip your toes into African music, this would be a fine starter,Habib has a great voice with great depth and his band Bamada just add to the great sound.

PURELY FABULOUS!!.......2005-06-10

Habib Koite is a modern guitar and vocal virtuoso who uses a mixture of traditional African (Mali) styles of playing and languages to deliver beautiful, moving and pure music. It is a must-buy for any lover of World Beat Music. I saw his music video on Link-TV and had to have much more.

Pure joy. .......2005-03-12

I've worn out my first copy. Language need not be a barrier to anyone. I use this music with my special education pre-school class; it inspires instant bliss, which is preferable to a time out any day. Gorgeous layers of sound and lyrics. See them in concert if you can.

actually, plenty of "anglophones" DIG this music !!.......2005-03-11

J'ecris egalement pour le moment en Francais, mais, ecoutez mois quand je dit tres emphatiquement qu'il y a beaucoup des gens qui parlent Anglais et qui aiment cette musique vraiment ! bien sur !

Anyway, for you English speakers, I was just saying that, to answer a bit what the previous reviewer said in French (that not many English-speaking readers would be interested in this music). NOT SO ! This music is fantastic !! Why, it even manages to *gasp* cross language barriers ! Imagine that !

Seriously, folks, this is is great stuff -- a real find. I listen to music from all over the world all the time, and when this artist rolled around on my random 400-shuffle CD carousel I said "Wow ! What is THAT ?" and proceeded to take it OUT of the carousel player so that I could enjoy it repeatedly in my car.

Est-ce que cela suffit pour l'evidence de l'appreciation de cette musique d'Afrique selon les "anglophones", mon ami ? ;-)

Average customer rating: A Masterpiece Big band sound of West Africa Great new music for an old hippie One of the best albums I've ever owned Glorious and Lush

Boulevard de l'Independance Toumani Diabate Symmetric Orchestra Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Savane In the Heart of the Moon New Ancient Strings Sound Grammar Kaira ASIN: B000FVHKFW Release Date: 2006-07-10

Tracks:

1. Toumani
2. Boulevard de l'Independance
3. Ya Fama
4. Mali Sadio
5. Africa Challenge
6. Wasso
7. Mamadou Diaby
8. Tapha Niang
9. Single

Amazon.com

Toumani Diabate, scion of one of Mali's oldest hereditary musical dynasties, was born into a few-centuries-worth of hard-acts-to-follow. But his output continues his father Sidiki's life-long exploration of the manifold possibilities of the kora, West Africa's glorious 21-string harp-lute. Aside from folklore-based recitals, such as New Ancient Strings with fellow kora virtuoso Ballake Sissoko, he has also released a quiver-full of genre-bursting experiments. The flamenco-infused Songhai albums, Kulanjan, with American roots master Taj Mahal, and 2005's Grammy-winning In The Heart Of The Moon with the late, great Malian guitarist Ali Farka, are only a few highlights. The present project, featuring a 50-member big band hailing from Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte D'Ivoire, and Guinée, can best be described as neo-trad-with-attitude. Local xylophones, plucked instruments, and percussion abut drum kits and electric bass. The string arrangements sometimes recall Zanzibar's Taarab orchestras, while the brass charts have an aggressive yet tasty swagger; you might not imagine that the kora could work as a lead instrument in such company but it does. Further graced by the astounding vocals of Kasse Mady Diabate and a mixed chorale, this is a ground-breaking and soon-to-be-legendary release. --Christina Roden

Album Description

Boulevard de l'Independance is an ambitious , big-band follow-up to In The Heart of the Moon; a bold synthesis of acoustic and electric, elegant and earthy, shimmering melodies and irresistable grooves, recorded in two weeks' worth of all-night sessions in the Malian capital of Bamako. It's a vivid recreation of the group's Friday night residency at Bamako's Hogon nightclub that retains the hot, lookse and live feel of the popular gig.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece.......2007-04-25

I agree with every other reviewer here. This album is uplifting, and inspiring, and a pure delight in every way. I usually shy away from absolutes and realize that musical taste is subjective, but I really believe this is one of the finest pieces of music ever recorded, regardless of genre.

This CD belongs in any serious library of music and will certainly win over the descriminating listener who may not be very familiar with African music. A masterpiece!!!

Big band sound of West Africa.......2007-03-27

Because of the likes of Ry Cooder seeking the orgins of Cuban music you have to go through West Africa and the slave trade. Diabate besides being a skilled musician having with the best of West Africa has brought together a talented group that has the craftmanship to present the music of West Africa that one appreciated the sound and is struck the the beauty of these people and their history as expressed in the album. If you have a yearning for a unique jazz/blues sound give this a try.

Great new music for an old hippie.......2007-03-09

Having been raised on doo wop and the Beatles.... what a joy to find this album at this stage of my life
An absoulutely wonderful piece and it is great for workouts at the gym.

One of the best albums I've ever owned.......2007-02-14

This album is sheer brilliance and I just can't seem to get sick of it. Unlike Toumani Diabate's other albums (all of which are great as well; see especially IN THE HEART OF THE MOON), this album has more of a big-band sound to it. It's significantly more jazzy and less acoustic than his other work. The "Symmetric Orchestra" adds an incredible touch to Diabate's already-amazing musicianship. The vocals in "Wasso," "Mamadou Diaby," and "Boulevard de l'Independence" are breathtakingly gorgeous and provide a calmer, more spiritual sound to the jazzed and high-energy tracks like "Africa Challenge," "Toumani," and "Single."

All in all, a great album: diverse, unique, traditional elements juxtaposed with modern sounds, inspirational, energetic, reflective: perfection. My only complaint is that I wish it had more tracks, but an album this good would never have enough tracks to satiate my ears - it would always keep me wanting more!

Give this album a Grammy!

Glorious and Lush.......2007-01-23

Diabate's distinctive singing and Kora playing (West African lute/harp) is beautifullly enhanced with the backing of the Symmetric Orchestra. With big band arrangements for percussions, horns, guitar and vocals the sound is irresistably lively (sometimes like Nigerian Highlife), but also smooth and urbane (like Youssou N'Dour and Super Etoile's mbalax sound). Helpful liner notes as well put the orchestra and songs into context.

Strangely enough, I'm reminded of the big band treatment Frank Zappa's tunes have gotten recently; creative arrangements of complex material yielding an easy listening experience.

This recording embodies what I love about African music - superb musicianship playing complex rhythms, with contemporary sensibilty and traditional, timeless grounding.

Average customer rating: Worth a listen Funky! A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR WORLD MUSIC COLLECTION AMAZING!!! so cool that I now wish to die

Amassakoul Tinariwen Manufacturer: World Village ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Radio Tisdas Sessions Aman Iman: Water is Life Festival in the Desert Dimanche a Bamako In the Heart of the Moon ASIN: B0006213NU Release Date: 2004-10-12

Tracks:

1. Amassakoul 'N' Tenere
2. Oualahila Ar Tesninam
3. Chatma
4. Arawan
5. Chert Boghassa
6. Amidinin
7. Tenere Dafed Nikchan
8. Aldhechen Manin
9. Alkhar Dessouf
10. Eh Massina Sintadoben
11. Assoul

Amazon.com

It's a long way from the Mississippi Delta to the Sahara Desert. But somehow the snaking blues lines and hypnotic guitar figures of bluesman like John Lee Hooker resonated with the members of Tinariwen, who set aside traditional Touareg instruments two decades ago to play electric guitar. The follow-up to 2000's spellbinding Radio Tisdas, Amassakoul again features galloping rhythms, desert wails and, of course, electric guitar--up to four guitars snarl, burr and howl to create the spacious interlocking desert blues groove that is this group's calling card. Eerie call-and-response vocals draw listeners in as well, conjuring up visions of a night around the campfire in the open desert air. This album also reveals that Tinariwen is more flexible than would be originally thought--the blues riffs are more varied and the music is augmented with more complicated arrangements and better production values. Another stunning effort, Amassakoul finds the band honing its art and spreading its wings musically to great effect. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Worth a listen.......2007-05-26

African musicianship and sincerity leave the rock music world dead and this is no exception. Great guitar playing, good rythmn and I have listened to this regularly on the road in my car for a couple of months ...but. It reminds me of my reaction to Bob Marley and the Wailers, something in their psyche and mine do not quite gel. In Bob Marley's case brain numbness from ganga was starting to set in even on his first album - despite Bob's Rasta beliefs, drugs cut off contact with the holy spirit and keep the music stuck in the world of plants. I know some great albums have been made by musicians on drugs but only in the first few years of their career, sooner or later drugs kill off the creative spark. I don't know what it is about Tinariwen but there is something not quite complete in this music.

Funky!.......2007-01-05

Picture galloping across the desert on horseback. What would be your theme music? Well, this beautiful desert blues CD, of course. My favorite tracks are "Oualahila Ar Teninam", "Chatma", "Tenere Dafeo Nikchan", and "Aldhechen Manin".

A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR WORLD MUSIC COLLECTION.......2006-08-23

Warning: Not listening to this CD may cause you to experience a traumatic loss of musical enlightenment, cultural awareness, and soul.

A little geography and sociology first....Tinariwen is a Tuareg/Berber musical group from Mali, North Africa. You know, Sahara Desert, camels, henna tattoos, and all that. They formed in 1982, and their name means "empty places" in their native tongue. They did a lot of low-tech recording for nearly 20 years; mainly rebel music supporting Tuareg independence from the government of Mali. In 2000 they were "discovered" by the West; they have since played in France, England, and the USA, and have sparked a lot of interest, wherever they play.

Amassakoul ("Traveller"), their second album, is a unique and wonderful fusion CD. Tinariwen has masterfully incorporated 1950's - 1960's era American blues/rock electric guitar with their already formidable Tuareg vocals and percussion. Listening to these tracks, I got the feeling that Bo Diddley, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, and maybe even Jimi Hendrix all took to the Sahara by caravan, and started jamming with their Tuareg hosts. The result is hypnotic, funky, and exhilarating. I count Amassakoul among the best CD's I have heard, in any genre.

AMAZING!!!.......2006-07-28

Man, I thought I heard it all.WRONG. These guys can really rock man, I mean really rock. THis music is so groovy that'll make James Brown blush. It's like Bob Marley , BB King, A group of Traditional African Musicians were making music together. The style, apparently new, since Tinariwen( Tashmarek for "empty places" is the first band ever in their country to use electric guitars, is called Tishoumaren and represents the voice of the Tuareg people.BUY this and you won't be disappointed!!!

so cool that I now wish to die.......2006-03-23

The connection between West African music and American blues has never been as clear or as powerful as it is on Amassakoul. The modal nature of much of the playing reminds you of John Lee Hooker, but there's no doubt that this is the well he was drawing from, not the other way 'round. I think any fan of West African music will absolutely love Amassakoul

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