Habib Koite & Bamada – Afriki
Reviewed by Sadie O., 10/22/07
Beautiful Malian singing and finger picking, enhanced by indigenous instruments, notably talking drum. In Bambara (Malian language). The word that keeps occurring to me is “sweet” – pretty and loving and mellow…
Even if you know Bambara, I very much doubt you’ll find any FCCs.
I like 10 best, but it’s all lovely.
1. **gorgeous finger-picked guitars, sweet and mellow love song. Song builds quite a bit, but stays mellow and lovely. Female chorus.
2. *more sweet and lovely guitar, complex but subdued percussion.
3. **pretty and mellow, but with strength. Horn section features Pee Wee Ellis. Fine message of African pride and self-sufficiency. Terrific bit of talking drum.
4. ***midtempo, very swingy groove with thumb piano and cool harmonica, more fine talking drum. Simple love song.
5. ***bouncing midtempo Reggae African style, song of love to his mother. Whistling solo!
6. *midtempo and mellow love song to Mali, harmonica solo. Male chorus.
7. ***swingy, loping groove with traditional violin. Another song of indigenous self-sufficiency.
8. *very mellow and sweet with a bit of orchestrated string, vocal harmonies and female chorus. Very lush, about friendship. The talking drum really shines here.
9. ***very traditional sound, with antelope horns and hand drums. Interesting lyrics, about a man telling marriage brokers not to try to set his daughter up with a worthless man.
10. ****uptempo and not so mellow, nice vocal harmonies, loping beat, and lots of traditional instrumentation. About not spoiling children. Heh! Kids do chorus.
11. *solo guitar. Mellow and beautiful, of course!