Customer Reviews

Jali Kunda: Griots of West Africa & Beyond

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Lovers of the African Kora, the 21-string traditional African harp, will enjoy the gentle sounds of this CD. This is mostly string music (kora, nyanyer, electric kora) supplemented by the balafon and drums of the area.

The music originates in West Africa - in the countries of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mali, and showcases the Griots (or Jalis) of West Africa. Because it is the place where many of America's slaves come from, West African culture has strongly impacted life in the USA.

For 800 years - since the beginning of the great Malian empire - Griots have preserved their region's history and lore, passing them down orally through arduous apprenticeships, providing cultural cohesion that endured both colonialisation and its aftermath.

The names of the musicians on the album read like a who's who of the musicians caste of West Africa: Kuyateh, Suso, Jobarteh, and others. Featured on the album is Foday Musa Suso, who is well known in the West. To this, add some of the best Western names in the business, like 20th Century minimalist composer Philip Glass, Jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and the production skills of Bill Laswell, and you end up with a very professional cross-over product, and certainly a very interesting mix.

Ellipsis Arts has a history of making beautiful music box sets. Like most of their products, Jali Kunda comes with a mid-format full-colour book of 96 pages, about the music, the people, the history, and the countries. Highly Recommended.