The Music of Senegal

Morikeba Kouyate

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 1997)
• Original Release Date: September 9, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Trad. Crossroads
• ASIN: B0000031GL
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #121,129 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #42 in	Music > World Music > Africa > Senegal & Gambia
  #98 in	Music > Indie Music > World Music > Africa

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent traditional Senegalese music, December 4, 2001

By	Robert Burke (England) - See all my reviews

Once your ears become accustomed to the combination of Kora and Balo tunings, this recording will really grow on you. The interaction between these instruments and Djembe is astounding.

Check out track 13 - a duet between Balo (xylophone) and Djembe (drum), and the instrumental section on track 3.

Brilliant

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Senegal's most noteworthy traditional musicians gives us a sample of the griot's art, October 4, 2008

By	Christopher Culver - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Morikeba Kouyate is a Senegalese musician who performs on the kora, a massive 20-stringed indigenous harp. Kouyate is trained in the tradition of the griot, the oral storyteller who held genealogical and historic lore in West African society. On this disc, Kouyate offers us 11 tracks that faithfully represent this intriguing musical genre.

Except for a few varied bits on the kora at the start of several tracks, I found each song to be fairly simple, the handful of notes repeated again and again. However, the interaction of the kora with drums create exciting rhythms that make repeated listening worthwhile. Plus, the Senegalese tuning is different than the Western standard, making harmonies a bit spicy.

It's a pity that the song texts aren't included in the Wolof original and in English translation--if Kouyate is an oral storyteller, it would be nice to know what stories exactly he's telling. Nonetheless, this is a fun release and recommended for anyone looking for a more traditional Senegalese music experience than, say, Youssou N'Dour.