Posts Tagged ‘ba cissoko’
Top of the World Review: Ba Cissoko – Nimissa
Posted on June 22nd, 2012 in Recent Posts, Reviews by Alexandra Petropoulos.
Words by Rose Skelton
Proof that harps can rock
This brave and original kora rock band from Guinea have made both startlingly extraordinary and some plainly nondescript albums, but at their very best have proved to be the masters of hair-raising forays into electric rock and funk, blended with reggae and traditional Mandinka melodies. Lead kora (harp-lute) player Ba is a talented songwriter of tradition and vision, with a great voice. This is the band’s fourth international album.
Nimissa grows stronger at every listen. It is rich in melody, rhythm and meaning and riven with funk and groove, leading the listener repeatedly in and out of the comfort zone. ‘Politiki’, railing against Guinean politicians who destroy unity, sets off at a fast ska beat and heralds the trademark electric kora riffs of young player Seckou Kouyaté. At a different pace, ‘Loumo’ tells in delicate tones a charming story about the West African weekly market. The song, based on an acoustic guitar melody from Abdoulaye Kouyaté, paints a picture of the rhythms of one of these events and is washed with a delicious nostalgia.
A new sound in the band is Ba’s eight-stringed kamalengoni harp which, alongside acoustic guitar, weaves a rocking bluesy tune on ‘N’goni Ba’. After this musical whirlwind, ‘Djeli Fatouma’, a tribute to Ba’s griot grandmother, is like sinking into a warm bath. It’s a straight traditional Mandinka song, but features snippets of young Seckou’s mesmerising voice which pops up all too rarely on the band’s albums. Nimissa is mellow and mature, another high-quality adventurous leap into the world of modern Mandinka music.
Actor Roger Lloyd Pack’s playlist and the 10 best new releases in the July issue of Songlines (#85)
Posted on June 7th, 2012 in News, Recent Posts by Songlines.
The July 2012 issue of Songlines – on sale June 8 – features a free covermount CD packed full of the best new sounds from around the world, plus 5 tracks selected by actor Roger Lloyd Pack.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Britpop renaissance man Damon Albarn; Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar; Brazilian soundtrack favourite Seu Jorge; Gaelic singers The Campbells; Guinean kora rock from Ba Cissoko; and the latest Cuban-Malian collaboration from Arnaldo Antunes, Edgard Scandurra & Toumani Diabaté, among others.
Pick up your copy here on the website, at selected WHSmith’s and at all good record retailers. Feast your ears on these all-new tracks:
* Seu Jorge ‘Vizinha’ on Wrasse Records
* Burkina Electric ‘Sankar Yaaré’ on Cantaloupe Music
* Arnaldo Antunes, Edgard Scandurra & Toumani Diabaté ‘Kaira’ on Mais Um Discos
* Damon Albarn ‘Cathedrals’ on Parlophone
* Ravi Shankar ‘Raga Kedara’ on East Meets West Music
* The Campbells ‘Sios Dhan an Abhainn’ on Watercolour Music
* Ba Cissoko ‘Djeli Fatouma’ on Cristal Records
* Fay Hield ‘The Weavers Daughter’ on Topic Records
* Nazaket Teymurova ‘Dastgah Kharidj Segah’ on Felmay
* Malawi Mouse Boys ‘Ndinasangalala’ on IRL
Plus Roger Lloyd Pack’s playlist:
* Ibrahim Ferrer ‘Dos Almas’ on World Circuit
* The Unthanks ‘Gan To The Kye’ on EMI
* The Secret Sisters ‘The One I Love Is Gone’ on Decca
* Rig-a-Jig-Jig and Friends ‘Wayford Bridge and Hindringham Long Dance Tunes’
* The Tsinandali Choir ‘Makruli’ on Real World
The new July 2012 issue of Songlines (#85) is on sale in the UK from June 8
Posted on June 6th, 2012 in News, Recent Posts by Songlines.
The new July 2012 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from June 8 and includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet.
The Top of the World CD also includes five tracks selected by actor Roger Lloyd Pack.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from Britpop renaissance man Damon Albarn; Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar; Brazilian soundtrack favourite Seu Jorge; Gaelic singers The Campbells; Guinean kora rock from Ba Cissoko; and the latest Cuban-Malian collaboration from Arnaldo Antunes, Edgard Scandurra & Toumani Diabaté, among others.
The main editorial features include:
Features
• Cajun Country – Garth Cartwright tours around the bayous and dance halls of the Acadian parishes of Louisiana and discovers a wealth of music.
• Israeli Boycotts – Two musicians – Reem Kelani and Koby Israelite – voice their thoughts on this controversial subject.
• BT River of Music – The stories behind three very different musical acts who are preparing to take part in London’s 2012 Cultural Olympiad extravaganza.
• Pansori – Songlines editor-in-chief on the music he loved to hate, a unique form of Korean singing. Here he tells us why he’s changed his mind…
Regulars
• Sounding Out Buenos Aires – all the best places to see and hear music in the Argentinian capital.
• Beginner’s Guide to Alison Krauss.
• Postcard from Uruguay.
• Festival Profile: Petronio Álvarez, Colombia.
• Backpage from Western Sahara.
• My World – actor Roger Lloyd Pack.
• Grooves – Scottish multi-instrumentalist Ewen Henderson, GRAMMY-winning producer Ian Brennan and Le Vent du Nord’s Nicolas Boulerice.
• News, including Damon Albarn’s latest operatic offering and Cerys Matthews.
• Reviews of the latest CD, DVD and World Cinema releases.
