Baba Toulenga

I'd wager that very few musicians under scrutiny in these pages, in this issue or any other, have graced the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest. Diom De Kossa has – back in 1990 as part of the Norwegian entry. His drumming contribution, on an era-specific song about the Brandenberg Gate, couldn't help his adopted country improve its legendarily poor showing. The song did receive more than the customary nil points, but still shared last place with near-neighbours Finland. Since then, De Kossa, originally from the Ivory Coast's northern forests, has fared a little better. After ten globetrotting years as lead drummer with the Ivory Coast National Ballet, he settled in Scandinavia where his popularity as one of the region's leading African musicians remains undented. On the evidence of Baba Toulenga, it's obvious why: this latest offering of largely pan-African styles deserves to reach beyond the ears of the burghers of Bergen. The liquid guitars on ‘Yadoh Goua’ make for a freewheeling slab of soukous, while the point, two-thirds into the song, at which ‘Mangahi’ transforms into a white-hot, horn-heavy Afro-beat jam is exhilarating. Throughout, everything's busy but nothing's overcrowded. De Kossa's largely European band clearly know their African music and the very occasional awkward moment of jazz-funk noodle aside, they enhance this impressively focused set that's both authentic and propulsive.

Baba Toulenga might translate as ‘In My Father's Shadow’, but Diom De Kossa is very much his own man, rightfully claiming some of the sunlight for himself.