Customer Reviews

Mansa of Mali: Retrospective

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Salif Keita is one of the most renowned World artists.This album is a wonderful collection of his best works and represents a fantastic introduction to his music and to music of the region in general ( Baba Maal, Youssou N'Dour etc ). Track 4 "Nyanafin" is a sublime piece of music and will wear out your repeat button. It will make you want to buy all his other works.

This Best Of collection opens with Keita's great hit Sina from his masterful Soro album, an ebullient piece where his soaring voice is framed by soulful female vocals and polyrhythmic beats.

The more laid-back Mandjou has a jazzy structure, skittering beat and yearning vocals. One of my favorite songs is the catchy Nyanafin (from the album Amen) with its tinkling hand-piano sounds, wailing backing vocals and rolling rhythms - a stunner!

The up-tempo Ignadjidje is a gentle pop song whilst Nou Pas Bouger is a funky, brassy number. Djembe is a subdued, soulful affair, the spacious Souareba an evocative mix of Western and African sounds and Tenin is a light, dance friendly track with engaging keyboard and drum patterns.

The atmospheric track Sanni Kegniba starts out with eerie muffled vocals and a solitary drum sound before developing into one of Keita's powerful ballads. The album closes with the lilting pop tune Dalimansa.

My only complaint is the omission of Yele n Na and Karifa from the Amen album. These amazing songs also deserved a second hearing, but overall The Mansa Of Mali is a superb introduction to this popular Malian musician.

This is one of the most beautiful and interesting albums I own. My husband and I traveled to Mali several years ago and became interested in the music there. This album took all the good parts of the music of Mali and added world music to it. While listening to it you can almost see the women picking okra in a field and smell the scents coming from the outdoor markets. I would recommend this to anyone. You don't have to speak Salif Keita's language to appreciate the beauty of this album.

I've had this CD since the 1990s and I still love it dearly. I'm writing because the "official" review on this page is lukewarm, which boggles my mind - This musical collection is worthy of only the highest praises. I write as well because others list their favorite songs, but not mine! There is so much feeling in the song Souareba that it gives me goosebumps. Then there's Nyanafin, a song that begins softly, and then builds and builds until there's just no staying still. I hope you buy this CD and agree!

This man is a dedicated musician to his culture. His music is permeated with the sense of his surroundings, his people, their feelings and situations. It's like being there without going through the airport security. Great.

If I had to live on a deserted island, this is definately one of the albums I will take with me. Track # 2 kicks a-s-s !!

since i bhought it i am listening it everyday.