Belle Epoque 3: Dioba

Super Rail Band De Bamako | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 2, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Sterns Arc Ltd
• ASIN: B001Y8WAZA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,761 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > World Music > Africa > Mali
  • #81 in Music > World Music > Africa > General AAS
  • #83 in Music > World Music > Africa > General

Editorial Reviews

3rd and final volume in the critically-acclaimed series that tells the 13-year story - from 1970 to 1983 - of Mali's legendary group. In 1970s Africa, the Rail Band was THE band against which all others were measured. Compiled by renowned producer Ibrahim Sylla and carefully remastered from the original tapes, these tracks range from impassioned epic guitar workouts to chugging afrobeat, jaunty adverts for skin cream and arrangements influenced by the Hindi Bollywood films that were so popular throughout Africa at the time. These albums feature seminal performances by such stars as Salif Keita, Mory Kante, Djelimady Tounkara & Djelimady Sissoko.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical, September 28, 2011

By 

Saint Kole (Mt V, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belle Epoque 3: Dioba (Audio CD)

This double disc CD, the third volume of a three volume set, is the best collection of the Mali's infamous Rail Band. It spans the years 1973 to 1983 and contains tracks sung by Salif Keita and Mory Kante among many others. The styles on this album vay from traditional Manding music to Congolese rumba to a take on Afrobeat, Sinsimba. In my opinion , some of the best tracks are the rumba influenced tracks from 1983: Foliba, Talassa, and Bedianomogo. The horns lines as in the best rumba cut a beautiful melody across the complex rythm laid down below them. It is on these track that Djelimady Tounkara's guitar work really shines. While Franco, another amazing guitarist, always played within the confines of the rumba formula keeping his solos restrained, Tounkara's solo's absolutely dazzle as they play with the rhythm track beneath them, fluttering around then soaring above with Tounkara's amazingly fast appegios.