Rough Guide African Blues

An exploration of African blues that extends beyond the genre’s West African roots. It’s blues, so guitar is a given. All good. No FCCs detected. My picks: 8,9,10,11,14--but really ALL GOOD.
~eme o.

1. Yer Mali Gakoyoyo - Ali Farka Toure, Mali (4:48) Finger-plucked electric guitar. Loping rhythm. Calm, thoughtful. Almost nasal vocal.

2. Jef Jel - Amadou Diagne, Senegal (4:42) Cool, late night, head-nodding rhythm. Guitar, strings, soothing m vox.

3. Dani Dou - Samba Toure, Mali (6:08) Chorus alternating with solo voice. Can almost hear this as a 70s era bongo-tinged peaceful protest song. But it also has the feel of storytelling. M vox.

4. Niang Balo - Nuru Kane, Senegal (3:44) Heel-tapping country blues sound. Solo voice, backing chorus. M vox.

5.Tamiditin - Tamikrest, Mali (3:35) Guitars, percussion, ululation, hand claps, a marching energy. Bluesy rock. M vox.

6. Lalumbe - West African Blues Project, Senegal (4:24) Honky-tonk guitar, a meeting of southeast and west, collaboration between Modou Toure and English guitarist Ramon Goose. M vox.

7. Adounia - Bombino, Niger (5:02) Desert feel, slow, heat-baked, moving into loping then dancing rhythm. Drums, M vox.

8. Miraisahina - Nogabe Randriaharimalala, Madagascar (5:38) Previously unreleased track. Slow, wistful tone, plea for unity. Hints of classic rock, maybe a tinge of Flamenco feeling. Guitar, maracas(?), M vox.

9. Blues Song - Lala Njava, Madagascar (5:39) Gentle, lovely, swaying rhythm. Guitar, deep Drum sound, F vox. Another story, talk-sung. Sounds like love (literally, that’s the one word I can make out)

10. Gueza Tabiya - Dominic Kakolobango, Zambia (4:10) Raised in Zaire (now Congo). Song title means ‘change your habits.’ Cheerful island or maybe highlife rhythm, harmonica accompaniment. Lilting voice. M vox, Elijah Wald on second guitar.

11. Sofala - Dilon Djindji, Mozambique (4:20) Marrabenta artist, released debut album at 75. Mid-slow song tells the story of meeting a woman who resembled his wife. Guitar, harmonica, M vox, gorgeous backing choral harmony of m and f voices. Moves into call-and-response. Sounds a bit South African, moreso than bluesy, to my ear. Ends abruptly.

12. Tezeta - Menelik Wesnatchew, Ethiopia (4:27) Song title means ‘memory’ or ‘nostalgia.’ Strummed guitar, lullaby rhythm, weathered yet soothing M vox, saxophone.

13. Ahel Allel - Amira Kheir, Sudan (4:27) F vox, a capella to start then slow guitar enters, rhythm picks up. Oud, Percussion.

14. Naile - Danyel Waro, Ile de la Reunion/Madagascar (5:32) M vox, a capella, in French. Voice soars gently, floats. Ends abruptly, mid-word(!?)