Customer Reviews

Wonders of the African World

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

 

 

I must have listened to this CD a dozen times the first day I got it. The entire CD is an amazing collection of African music, an outstanding introduction for newcomers to music of this continent. "Into Africa", "Drive", "Soundiata", and "Sou" have such powerful rhythms, they will not leave you. And the musicians are superstars: Angelique Kidjo, Boubacar Traore, Ali Farka Toure and Hamza El Din. I only wish that "Into Africa" were four minutes longer, and that there were some tracks from Salif Keita or Geoffrey Oryema, my personal favorites. Definitely buy this album, and fall in love with the music of Africa.

I can see where Paul Simon got his inspiration for Graceland. This is modern African music, and is very listenable. If you have seen the Lion King or listened to Graceland then you know what to expect. The album starts off very strong, but lags a little at the end. The mix of styles could be a little better distributed, making it a better experience. Overall a great sampling of modern African music.

The PBS series was nothing to write home about *yawn*. However, these recordings are beautiful and say more about the depth, majesty and beauty of african culture than a wandering journalist could in thousands of words. Wonderful rhythms from the south to the north from deep native beats to arabic hip-gyrators. Great fun because it is not country specific and has a lot of variety. Everyone I give it to has to buy their own copy!

I must have listened to this CD a dozen times the first day I got it. The entire CD is an amazing collection of African music, an outstanding introduction for newcomers to music of this continent. "Into Africa", "Drive", "Soundiata", and "Sou" have such powerful rhythms, they will not leave you. And the musicians are superstars: Angelique Kidjo, Boubacar Traore, Ali Farka Toure and Hamza El Din. I only wish that "Into Africa" were four minutes longer, and that there were some tracks from Salif Keita or Geoffrey Oryema, my personal favorites. Definitely buy this album, and fall in love with the music of Africa.

I accidently came across this CD in a local library. This was my first exposure to African music and since then I have gotten hooked up to the genre.
The tracks are soothing and brings me back to basics.If you like graceland by Paul Simon you will not be disappointed by the CD tracks.

I like the artists and the selections on this soundtrack to the PBS series, if only Mr. Gates would have shut his mouth when he was there. I rated it 4**** because of his stupidity and believe that you, the buyer, should support the artists on this soundtrack and buy their albums, all of which are excellent. Jeffrey Oreyema, Salif Keita, Ali Farka Toure are my personal favorites. Africa is a beautiful place with great musicians, all of which do not need to be watered down with insipid questions by a man who thought he knew all about Africa before he got there. If PBS makes any more series like this one, I won't watch PBS again...