Soro

Salif Keita

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 5, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1987
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Stern's Africa
• ASIN: B00003G9Q1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #321,991 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wamba

2. Soro (Afriki)

3. Souareba

4. Sina (Soumbouya)

5. Cono

6. Sanni Kegniba

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Soro is the album that brought Salif Keita international stardom though he was already well-known in West Africa from his work with The Rail Band and Les Ambassadeurs. Keita's voice is in peak form, soaring and swooping with awe-inspiring power. For these sessions, Keita has gathered an all-star band that is innovative, solid, and turn-on-a-dime tight. The production, state of the art in 1987, sounds just as bright and fresh today. This CD draws its strength from the rich traditions of Malian culture, melded with cutting edge musical technology, and a global outlook. All of the tracks on Soro are crucial, though the bittersweet "Cono" and the intricate and epic title track "Soro" (Afriki) are standouts. --Jeff Grubb

Product Description

Known throughout the world as the golden voice of Mali, Salif Keita was already a star in world music circles before the release of his debut solo album SORO shot him to international stardom. Keita's personal and musical history is long and fascinating. Born a visually impaired albino, he is descended from a great warrior king of the Manding Empire and risked familial disgrace by becoming a musician, a job traditionally seen as for the lower classes. After achieving some success with West African bands like Les Ambassadeurs, Keita moved toward a harder-rock sound tempered by his glorious soaring tenor voice. Produced by the legendary Ibrahima Sylla, SORO broke new ground by blending the traditional griot music of Mali with Euro-Pop sounds and top-flight Western production. The track "Wamba" burns hot with a funky big-band sound that uses a synthesizer to keep the beat and a choir of earthy back-up singers to keep it real. The title track "Soro"also gets the heavy synth treatment, but a chorus of handclaps and Keita's vocal make this track the most moving and effective. The album's explosive energy paired with Keita's vocal sound and phrasing results in a remarkable album.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love at first bar, June 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Soro (Audio CD)

The first time I heard the music of Salif Keita was in Senegal in 1993. I found SORO on tape in a market in Dakar. I fell in love with his music the first time I listened to him. There is something almost spiritual that moved me when I heard his voice. When I saw him in concert in Washington, DC in 1994, I was not disappointed. His concerts are definitely an experience. I took a couple of friends with me and they were truly impressed with his performance.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece of Malian Music, May 16, 2004

By	Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Soro (Audio CD)

Soro turned into a great hit for Salif Keita in the late 1980s and was the album that established him on the international scene. Keita's music is a successful blend of the traditional griot style with influences from Latin America and other West African pop styles. The female backup singers play a prominent role in the arrangements, at least equal to Keita's own searing vocals.

The music is a happy mix of percussion, bass, guitar, congas, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and keyboards. Soro (Afriki) is a long piece in three parts with different percussive tempos and instrumental breaks. Souareba is a particularly moving song with a spiritual undertone, orchestral arrangement and soaring vocals.

Sina (Soumbouya) is a more traditional piece with a bubbling rhythm, flashes of trumpet and the intricate vocal interplay. With its slower pace and gently lilting rhythm, Cono is a soulful ballad with a lovely melody, whilst the mournful Sanni Kegniba is more traditional with intense soaring vocals.

Soro from 1987 is considered his masterpiece but I like Keita's albums Amen and The Mansah Of Mali even more for their greater variety. This however remains a classic of African crossover music.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I haven't stopped playing this album for 3 years, December 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Soro (Audio CD)

Complex, rythmic, melodic, and wonderfully unique. I still get shivers everytime "Cono" (sample track 5) plays.