The Whole Music Experience

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba Speak Fula Next Ambiance/Subpop I love griot music of Mali—the kora, n’goni (West African banjo), calabashes, and soaring vocals. You might have already read numerous reviews on The Whole Music Experience featuring Malian music and no doubt, you’ll read more in the future. I was listening to NPR’s “All Things Considered” one evening and heard a segment on the n’goni player and rising music star, Bassekou Kouyate. I stopped whatever I was doing at the time, sat down and listened to the stunning music rising from my portable stereo. The piece that I heard possessed ambient qualities with Malian female vocals surfing over the top of jagged rhythms and traditional instruments. The vocalist, Amy Sacko that captured my attention is Kouyate's wife. But she’s only one of many stars on this album which also features the son of Ali Farka Toure (Vieux Farka Toure), a singer with a golden throat, Kasse Mady Diabate, kora master Toumani Diabate, and ...

Toumani Diabate in concert (wikipedia) Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate Kulanjan Hannibal Records Released at the tail end of the last century, Kulanjan has already become a classic in my book. Bluesman Taj Mahal had been exploring his griot heritage--could feel it in his genes. The renowned musician teamed up with Malian kora player Toumani Diabate, Malian vocalists Kassemady Diabate and Ramatou Diakite and other Malian musicians. The end result takes us to the crossroads where American (U.S.) blues and West African blues intersect. While it is not the only recording out there that marries these traditions, it is my personal favorite among the West African-American blues recordings. Kulanjan provides one fantastic track after another, with no weak ones in the bunch. It opens with Queen Bee , a duet sung with Taj Mahal and Ramatou Diakite. Taj's gruff vocals gravitate around Ramatou's sweeter one. The following track, Tunkaranke features Kassemady singing soaring gr...