Customer Reviews

Boulevard De I'Independance

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the finest albums in an Afro World genre that I have ever heard. The liveness of this recording jumps out of your speakers with an energy similar to that from Orchestra Baobab except Diabate has gone big -- a great big band sound. The spirit reminded me a bit of what Van Morrison was able to achieve with the New Caledonia Band (back in the day.) When I heard the horns I thought of Van's arrangments when Pee Wee Ellis was in the band and was pleasantly surprised to find Mr. Ellis' name among the credits on this album. Of course Diabate's wonderful kora playing sweeps in and out of the songs, but it is clear that the conductor is more interested in seeing that everyone in the band has the chance to shine. Truly superb performances by everyone involved. Wish I could give it 10 stars.

Please bring this wonderful music from Mali to concert halls or dance halls or churches--this is the kind of music that transforms and makes our higher nature emerge into the world.

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.

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!

The last album that had this kind of quality and energy was Orchestra Baobab's Specialist in all Styles. The difference here comes from the way the producers and musicians have been able to compress a music with so much dynamism while retaining the live essence of the recording session.

Prior to releasing Boulevard de L'Independance, Toumani Diabate teamed up with the late Ali Farka Toure on "In the Heat of the Moon", where the two of them jammed and improvised from some of Ali Farka Toure's own repertoire.

By contrast this album has a completely different sound. It is at times street music, and at times a calling or love song. The sleeve notes that go with the CD explain the meaning of the songs in English and French.

Additionally as Toumani explains on the accompanying DVD, he sees music as a river from which a listener can quench only as much thirst they have. A lake that will still remain to be drunk from in the future.

His wish is to rebuild the Mande Empire by uniting musicians from different parts of West African disapora. Band members are from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Guinea among others. What it means for the listener is they get to hear a music with influences taken across an area Africa rarely found on a single CD. The musical arrangements are contemporary and traditional creating visual soundscapes from this wide range of influences.

All in all this is one of the finest World Music CDs of 2006 and for someone looking for an introduction into one of the most dynamic musical forms currently on the planet, it is a recommended purchase.

Three principles that make up the philosophy of the music created by the symmetric orchestra. The mix of Boulevard is the definition of symmetry, no instrument out weighs the other, perfect balance is achieved. It is strange that Toumani Diabate has the ability to create original music, whether it is traditional or modern. Boulevard de L'Independance is one of the most unique original music creations this world will ever hear. Check out the songs Tapha Niang, Mali Sadio and Mamadou Diaby,,, GROOVES, GROOVES and MORE Grooves... If you are the kind of music collector that searches for original material YOU MUST LISTEN TO 'THE SYMMETRIC'. The songs Single and Toumani are also great songs which combine modern and traditional. While many of Diabate's other collaborations are also creative genius, (Songhai 1&2, New Ancient Strings, Kulanjan, In The Heart of The Moon & Mali Cool.) Boulevard de l'Independance reaches musical nirvana, due in part to the efforts of the over 40 musicians that participated on the CD. Boulevard should be considered for the GRAMMY AWARD 2007, listen to it and tell me I am wrong..

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.

For those uninitiated in the music of Mali, it's hard to know where to start. For those who are, there's not much more to say. This album draws musicians from a wide variety of countries and backgrounds while keeping a Malian feel to much of what happens. Maybe one of the truest examples of "World Music" out there. Where the traditionalists will complain that it is not indigenous enough and the yuppies will complain that it isn't in English, those who appreciate the brilliance required to seamlessly blend traditions from all over the globe will be astonished at this "pop" record. World pop with pounding beats and universal melodies. If you've ever read Salman Rushdie's "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" this is somehow just like you imagined VTO might have sounded.

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!!!

The first song I heard from this album was Tapha Niang. I was highly anticipating the game LittleBigPlanet for the Playstation 3 when I heard that the game was delayed due to a song that some Muslim found offensive. Curious as to what this offensive song was, I searched and found that it was Tapha Niang. When I listened to it I was just amazed by what a great song it was. So I went out and found a store who sold me the un-edited version of LittleBigPlanet with the song in it.

Well they updated a patch and I was upset that they were removing the song, however I found that they were just removed the words so a lot of the greatness of the song still remained. However, I love all sorts of music and had to get the whole album and it is amazing.

Toumani goes large. Sweet and subtle melodies inside an algorithm of complex musical exchange. This is a cd that will make your body want to dance and dance, while your ears will still for study.