The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali and Guinea: Kora Kings and Griot Minstrels [Enhanced]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 20, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: World Music Network
• ASIN: B00004TA69
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,867 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #26 in Music > World Music > Africa > Guinea

Track Listings

1. Alasidi - Afel Bocoum

2. Balani - Abdoulaye Diabate

3. Atlanta Kaira - Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabate

4. Lan Naya - Bembeya Jazz National

5. Bassa - Momo Wandel Soumah

6. Fanadugule - Nahawa Doumbia

7. Allah Uya - Ali Farka Toure

8. Sara 70 - Balla Et Ses Balladins

9. Haidara - Jali Moussa Jawara

10. Duga - Rail Band

11. Sounafi - Mah Damba

12. Mali Twist - Boubacar Traore

13. Damensena - Sekouba Bambino

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Sounds from the land less travelled, November 6, 2003

By 

MR WT MAKHATHINI "thando" (Durban, South Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali and Guinea: Kora Kings and Griot Minstrels (Audio CD)

I received this cd from Amazon last week & I can't get enough of it.I bought it not knowing what to expect & i was not disappointed.I listened to it all, having determined that it's good I was captured by Sekouba Bambino's "Damensena"this song is beautiful, haunting my mind, the piano, guitar & Bambino's vocals melts one's heart as a result I have ordered full disk.Bambino also features on "La naya" by Bembeya Jazz National another great track."Atlanta" by Taj mahal & Toumani Diabate is very good the kora is magnificent, the guitar by Taj is good & one of the greatest griots, Kasse Mady Diabate features on vocals."kaira" means peace.Another very unusual track is "Bassa" by Momo wandel Soumah, here there's kora, belafone(slated strings)drums, a wonderful flute that gets a very visible playing accompanied by a melow saxophone by Soumah. I think it's a very beautiful song with a male backing vocalist chorus.Ali Farka Toure famous song "Allah Uya-God is Unique" never fails to impress, good song from the veteran Malian guitarist& Vocalist. Mah Damba's "Sounafi" sounds very good I like her accent.Jali Mousa Jawara's "Hadara' starts with a kora followed by a balaphone, guitar& lush female chorus.He is a half brother to (Mory Kante(-ex Rail Band).One track that also impressed me is "Alasidi"by Afel Bocoum-very traditional & he has been dubbed the next Ali Farka Toure, u will notice the similarity in style.Boubacar Traore'"Mali Twist" what can i say a great song from a wonderful guitarist.Others Rail Band, Abdoulaye, Nahawa Doumbia, are all good. This cd is the real deal for African traditional music. I read one review on Rough guide Senegal stating its the best RG, well I tend to disagree & say that this is the best Rough Guide by far.The music from Guinea is very much essential I have been underlooking it for Mali one but after hearing Sekouba Bambino's "Damensena"I have changed my one sided perceptions of this beautiful land. So go on & thrill yourself with something unique.I played this cd in my friend's car who drives a very sleek French car & when we passed by the taxi rank & market, people could not help but look at us but most of all i think they were made curious by the music emanating/ buzzing from the car & seeing that we are South Africans definately left thinking or must I say dumb founded.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes you want to fly to Bamako, February 8, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali and Guinea: Kora Kings and Griot Minstrels (Audio CD)

This is a superb compilation of music from the heart of West Africa. This is not Paris-style world music (good though that is) - this is the real thing.

The tracks range across more than 20 years of Mali/Guinea music, with acoustic and electric sounds from well known (eg Ali Farka Toure) to more obsure (eg Momo Wandel Soumah) artists. There are some really classic songs here: Haidara by Jali Moussa Jawara and his kora, Sara 70 by Balla et ses Balladins, and Lan Naya from Bembeya Jazz National. Other big names represented are Mali's Rail Band and Ali Farka Toure. Taj Mahal even gets a look in, on a wonderful track dominated by the kora playing of Toumani Diabete.

(Missing is the most famous Malian musician of all: Salif Keita. But that's ok, as his music is easy to get hold of (the Mansa of Mali is a wonderful Keita 'best of').)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars warm, rich and lovely, January 4, 2006

By 

valli (edwards, colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali and Guinea: Kora Kings and Griot Minstrels (Audio CD)

I bought this one without hearing it first, based on the reviews. If you like the simpler Mali sound, not the harder blues and pop, you will love this album like I do. Many earlier artists are included that are not on Putumayo's compilation. Maybe I was African in another life, but this music just makes me happy. There are choruses and much native sound. Enjoy.