Various Artists / Rough Guide African Blues
Album: Rough Guide African Blues   Collection:World
Artist:Various Artists   Added:Apr 2014
Label:World Music Network  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2014-06-27 Pull Date: 2014-08-29 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Aug 24 Aug 17 Aug 10 Aug 3 Jul 27 Jul 20 Jul 13 Jul 6
Airplays: 3 7 4 3 2 2 4 3

Recent Airplay
1. Mar 18, 2023: Music Casserole
Jef Jel
4. Jul 18, 2021: No Cover, No Minimum: Monday Edition (rebroadcast from Jul 2, 2018)
Dani Dou
2. Jan 22, 2022: Music Casserole
Ahel Allel
5. Jan 17, 2019: Hanging in the Bone Yard
Niang Balo
3. Jul 24, 2021: Hanging in the bone yard
Niang Balo
6. Nov 17, 2018: Hanging in the bone yard
Niang Balo

Album Review
Eme O
Reviewed 2014-06-24
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(!?)

Track Listing
 ArtistTrack Name
1. Ali Farka Touré Yer Mali Gakoyoyo
2. Amadou Diagne Jef Jel
3. Samba Touré Dani Dou
4. Nuru Kane Niang Balo
5. Tamikrest Tamiditin
6. West African Blues Project Lalumbe
7. Bombino Adounia (Life)
8. Nogabe Randriaharimalala Miraisahina (Unity)
9. Lala Njava Blues Song
10. Dominic Kakolobango Gueza Tabiya
11. Dilon Djindji Sofala
12. Menelik Wesnatchew Tezeta
13. Amira Kheir Ahel Allel
14. Danyèl Waro Nailé