Worotan

Oumou Sangare | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000005J51
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,837 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #94 in Music > World Music > Africa > Mali

Track Listings

1. Kun Fè Ko

2. N'Guatu

3. Baba

4. Worotan

5. Denw

6. N'Diya Ni

7. Tièbaw

8. Sabu

9. Fantan Ni Mônè

10. Djôrôlen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Precious kola nuts indeed!, March 31, 2001

By 

Friederike Knabe (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Worotan (Audio CD)

Oumou Sangare's WOROTAN follows the rich tradition of Malian `griot', story-teller, music. She sings mainly about social issues, addressing traditional values as well as injustices in a very personal way. The griots have been famous throughout West African cultures as the entertainers at festivals and major family occasions, as well as the recorders of family history and the social conscience of a whole ethnic group. The griots are a special `caste' and only people from selected families are allowed to assume the role. Griots move outside the mainstream of the class society. There are any number of famous griots in the Malian music scene.

Some of the songs might seem somewhat monotonous or repetitive and it is worth reading the text of the songs to understand what she is conveying to her audience. Oumou's beautiful voice is not in the forefront in all songs; she is accompanied by a women's chorus that is typical for Malian music but not necessarily the most melodious for the non-accustomed ear. Her voice though, is powerful, varying with the theme she addresses. It is particularly beautiful in the last track, a haunting song about her anguish about the world around her.

A mix of traditional instruments, such as the ngoni, a one-string guitar-like instrument, the Peul flute and, of course, the essential djembe, the Malian drum, are combined with modern instruments resulting in a good variety of accompaniments.

WOROTAN means `10 kola nuts', a traditional bride price. Kola nuts are in general regarded as a precious gift that is offered on many occasions. Likewise, this CD is a treasure that can be offered and enjoyed by many. For newcomers to Malian music it should be listened to a few times so that the increasing familiarity with the music allows an increase in listening pleasure.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome singing and playing, February 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Worotan (Audio CD)

Oumou Sangare is one of the planet's superstars. She is wildly popular in West Africa. Worotan is an excellent and innovative collection of her work. It may not be as raw and immediate as her first collection "Mousoulou," but it is still essential. Recorded with session musicians (James Brown's horn amongst others) and her regular band, Oumou explores new musical ground. While the collection is experimental it does not suffer from synthesizers and get bogged down looking for a crossover hit (ala Baaba Maal's Nomad Soul). THe cd is Oumou. If you haven't fallen in love with Oumou Sangare I urge you to, her work is wonderful!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars, but one hundred are few, April 26, 2000

By 

Giulio Mario Rampelli - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worotan (Audio CD)

I love Oumou Sangare. Every time her Wassoulou music come out from my CD player I begin a travel inside the African universe, across the Mali region. Everything is beautiful: the sharp sound of kamelngoni, the soft support to melodie of violin, the counterpoint of the choir, the delicate strenght of percussions. But nothing can be compared to the Oumou's voice. To listen her is to love her. In that voice there is all the deep charm, the fresh sensuality, the strong soul of african women.

This CD is a miracle, born from the encounter between Oumou and the genius of Nick Gold's World Circuit label (who of you knows Nick only for Buena Vista Social Club?). Is the third Oumou's CD, the same intensity of others with some news: the horns of Pee Wee Ellis, the flute of Yacouba Mamouni (Mamar Kassey), the spanish guitar of Nitin Sawhney (hear the sweet ballad Djorolen). Five stars, but one hundred are few.