In The Heart of the Moon

Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabate | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000AQ69DG
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,006 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > World Music > Africa > Guinea
  • #3 in Music > World Music > Africa > Mali
  • #11 in Music > World Music > Africa > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

88 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mellow Melodies of Musical Masters, September 23, 2005

By 

Friederike Knabe (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In The Heart of the Moon (Audio CD)

This is a rare feast! Two of Mali's finest musicians getting together for a couple of jamming sessions! There were no rehearsals, just immediate harmony, understanding of the music and each musician exhibiting appreciation of the other. Both artists brought their rich repertoire with them, one leading the other into a melody they both knew and off they went... creative improvisation combined with virtuosity of their two instruments, guitar and kora. The backup team included no other than famous American guitarist Ry Cooder and his son Joachim.

IN THE HEART OF THE MOON may have taken a few hours to record, but the build up to this first musical encounter of Mali's musical giants took many years. Listening to them play, you wouldn't believe either time span. Having met and heard them both play in informal settings, I can imagine the sessions, the wordless intuitive exchange through eye contact and gestures. The result is, as they say, magic! According to the accompanying notes, they themselves were surprised how well each understood the musical culture of the other. Both could adapt their playing style to the other's requirements. It demanded completely new harmonies on Toumani's kora - it softened the voice of Ali's guitar. Toumani's comment: "This is a record of music that did not exist before!" It melds the different musical traditions of two distinct Malian cultures.

Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté have both been household names of Mali music for a long time. One is famous as Mr. Blues and the other admired as Mr. Kora. Their styles are rooted in their respective ethnic cultures: Ali comes from the northern Songraï and Toumani from a long line of (southern) Mandé griot tradition. They are also from two generations. Toumani admired Ali's music as a child. "Toumani is a child born in my hands" says Ali in the notes. He played with Toumani's father, Sidiki Diabaté, also a famous kora virtuoso.

This album features by and large traditional compositions, most of them instrumental, some adapted by Ali for guitar, and one composed by Toumani dedicated to Ali on his election to Mayor of his hometown Niafunké. Those familiar with Malian music will recognize many of the tunes and enjoy the beauty of their interpretations. Those unfamiliar with its rich repertoire will find this album and excellent introduction. Just one warning - you will want to buy more recordings of both artists. [Friederike Knabe]

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb album, delicate and unaffected music, unhurried, enjoyable to the last echoing note, March 5, 2006

By 

D. B. Spalding (Korova Multimedia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In The Heart of the Moon (Audio CD)

Having experienced Toumani Diabaté's music before, I instantly recognized it on a local "Bonjour Africa" radio show this afternoon. Racing to my local music seller to buy this disc, I found the last copy. You'll have no such trouble here, lucky you. This music is amazing ... the entrancing, rhythmic interplay between Touré's gentle guitar and Diabaté's lilting kora are like two string instrument spirits filling the room with their joy. Despite being recorded with a mobile setup in a hotel room on the banks of a river, the sound is lush and full-bodied; the bass response needs no subwoofer to penetrate to your bones. A few very deft overdubs by Ry Cooder and his son Joachim, and others, don't intrude.

This album is world music the way that non-world music fans probably prefer it: accessible, gentle, amazing, and worth repeated playings, either out loud or quietly in the background. Dare I say it's even good "date music." Play the samples here and judge for yourself.

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good pairing, October 1, 2005

By 

Kenneth Stuart (Northern California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In The Heart of the Moon (Audio CD)

My favorite African music album is Diabate's previous album with his relative, Ballake Sissoko, "New Ancient Strings".

However, this album is probably more accessible to the listener who has little experience with non-Western music. This is because the familiar tonality of the guitar gives the new listener something to fasten onto.

The music is quite excellent in its own right, and will be refreshing to the listen who is dismayed at the recent tendency of pop Western music to dispense with melody altogether.