Customer Reviews

Bowmboi

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have'nt heard an album this good in a long time, I saw Roika featured on a documentry but didnt pay attention to her music.She is an extraordinary artist who despite living in the western world has not traded in her roots.

The album has a spiritual atmosphere,I didnt find it dark ,it has an almost ancient feel about it.I loved its bare sound it gave her vocals room to move whilst still having some truly original and experimental beats and noises.

It was very well produced, I was hard pressed to find one song I didnt like, my favourites were M'bifo,Manian,Deli,Deli is one of the most incredible songs on the album.

Most african albums I was raised on are jovial and upbeat this was a wonderful change,I dont think you even have to like african music to love this.

If you want to dance about, this album wont be to your liking but if you like a bare original acoustic sound with amazing vocals you will love this.

That's how I view this recording -- I respectfully differ with one of the reviewers below. It seems to me that Rokia is holding firmly to the traditions on which her music is based -- the experimentation that is present on this disc is a natural product of her growth as an artist. The instrumentation that marked her first two albums is intact, dominated by the balofon, n'goni, acoustic guitar and percussion -- the 'stretching out' that she does by adding some vocal complexities here and there, as well as the incredible talents of the Kronos Quartet on two tracks, serves the music well. The strings are surprisingly effective and unobtrusive -- partly because of the abilities of the players (The Kronos Quartet has built quite a reputation over the years) and partly because of the arrangements (by Stephen Prutsman).

As far as the 'unusual rhythms' present, one of the things that drew me to African music in the first place was the amazing polyrhythms -- rather than playing against each other, they combine and build into a whole that is truly 'greater than the sum of the parts'.

Rokia's voice is in fine form -- that instrument and her songwriting ability have been the foundation of her success. I can't see this album doing anything to erode that reputation.

I've only had this for 24 hours -- but I've been listening to it almost constantly during that time. It's that good. If you enjoyed her previous efforts, PLEASE give this a listen -- it's not as far removed from those works as the other review seemed to indicate.

Most westerners who respond to African music are drawn by the infectious, joyful, hooky percussion. If that is the case, I would suggest looking elsewhere first. Make no mistake, those fabulous polyrhythms are part of this project. But this is not your standard "let's party" African disc. It is a mature work by a mature artist, running the gamut of the emotional spectrum. While it is often joyous, it is just as frequently dark, moody, and atmospheric, as likely to make you pause in melancholic nostalgia for a lost love as move your hips with exultation.

I am not sufficiently knowledgable of Malian music to state how traditional it actually is. (She actually brought Laurie Anderson to mind upon occasion.) The instrumentation, other than the tasteful, sparse introduction of a string quartet on some songs, is wholly of traditional regional instruments. She sings in her native tongue about things that are obviously of importance to her. While her voice is occasionally imperfect from a technical standpoint, it is laden with passion, and her vocals, especially the divine harmonies, are human and moving. Coupled with the unpredictable cadence and placement of her melodies, she fuses wonderfully with the music. I can't remember the last time I played a disc repeatedly as I have this one. It is a wonderful reminder to those of us in the west who have grown jaded by the sounds of teenagers pounding out predictable progressions with bar chords that there really are approaches to music that are entirely unexplored by us.

I have no reservations about recommending this disc. But make sure you know what you're getting into. If you're looking for a purely feel-good project, I would look elsewhere. But if you're looking for something with pathos and emotional range, I would give this a listen.

As someone who grew up in Africa, I find this CD one of the best in a long time. I also have "Wanita" by the same artist, but I have not been able to stop listening to "Bowmboi" since I got it. The first track "M'Bifo" is beautiful, but the last track "Bowmboi" is exquisite. Now I have to admit that I ordered the current CD after reading about it on th Kronos Quartet website, but hey, African music does not belong in a museum. It has to evolve, like any genre of music.

This woman has an amazing voice. I do not speak her language but do not need to. Her music speaks for itself. Deeply spiritual.

A mix of haunting, sad music with some faster, upbeat compositions. Some will find the album a lot different in style from Rokia's earlier two, although it is just the emphasis that has changed, as there was some hauntingly beautiful tracks on the Mouneissa album with even more on Wanita (Souba and Wanita)- the trend culminating in Bowmboi. The mix of traditional musical instruments of the region together with the Kronos Quartet gives the listener a sense of yearning or longing. Not the 'normal' Malian music - but more a thought-provoking collection of compositions. I would strongly suggest that you take the time to read the words of the songs when you listen to the music, as it is the mix of the two that makes the real impact. Rokia is not afraid to question traditional standards, the words adding substance to the music. For a more 'traditional' sound, there is an extra track at the end of the album - a bonus! The tracks are sung in Bamanan. I've already put an order in for her next album - I hope I don't have to wait too long! Merci Rokia.

Rokia Traore is, among many other things, perhaps the epitome of female beauty, both inside and out. She's gentle, funny, graceful and breathtakingly beautiful, and her music is the same. This record is sensual and mature, pulling on her musical roots but pushing on musical boundaries. Fans of African music will not be displeased, and fans of American songstresses (from Ella Fitzgerald to Norah Jones) will be enchanted. Rokia is a true heroine of modern world music, and, with this album, takes her place as a queen of the genre, breaking down a path that some of her male compatriots haven't even dared to tread.

I come to Traore's music as a fan of world music in general, and African music in particular.

I highly recommend Traore's Bowmboi to fans of world music. It is hypnotic and yet accessible, true to its traditional roots and yet it sounds individual, unique, and of-this-moment. It is professionally produced.

It is, too, simply beautiful. Traore has a rich, powerful and yet vulnerable voice that transcends the language barrier between her and this listener. I feel as if she is giving voice to concerns and life experiences I share.

It's not easy, given how few do it, to make music that is true to its roots and yet grabs you by the lapels and makes you want to listen to it *right now.* Traore's "Bowmboi" manages that. I love this CD.

Brava, Traore.

Take Ali Farka Toure's style, add a healthy dose of vocals on every song, then rock up the results and you have Roika Traore's BOWMBOI: a hard-hitting, sensual explosion of Malian roots blending the elements of traditional Mali sound with folk and even rock roots.

Okay, I've been a big fan of this woman's music up till now. On listening to "BOWMBOI", though, I'm not sure what to think. Even after several months of trying (I got an import copy), I can't say that I really like this CD, at least not yet. It has its moments, of course: the duet with Ousmane Sacko, for example, highlights that griot's searing voice, and the title cut has lots of energy.

But overall, "BOWMBOI" lacks the kind of rootsy appeal that marked Traore's first 2 recordings. She experiments here with string quartets, odd percussion and mysterious sounds; there's very little to dance to on this CD. One can imagine her putting together the final mix in a darkened control room instead of a lively jam session.

I'll keep listening to it, and perhaps one day a melody from it will stick out in my memory. Right now, it's mostly a dim sonic blur.