Amazing sound... Love how distortion guitar play the kora parts!

Toumani Diabate on Kora,Kasse Mady Diabate on vocals and Sidiki Camara on calabash.

Sidiki Camara - Sontala (feat Toumani Diabate Kora and Kasse Mady Diabate vocals).

All of the artists featured on this unique Rough Guide present distinctive, original sounds emanating from Africa, selected exclusively from groups entering World Music Network’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition. Check out Tani Diakite’s brand of Afro-funk, Simo Lagwani’s Moroccan gnawa grooves and Wayo’s South Sudanese trance percussion.

For more information, visit www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1312

This compilation presents a grassroots approach to the music of the moment emanating from Africa and its Diasporas. Gaining recognition through World Music Network’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition – an exciting and revolutionary competition for up and coming world music acts – all of the artists featured on this album present new, original sounds, most of which you are unlikely to have ever heard before. This album gives you a true snap-shot of African music today, taken straight from the source, maybe even presenting some of Africa’s music stars of tomorrow! Unlike most other African compilations, which focus on the usual suspects and established royalty of African music, this fresh approach allows you to delve deeper into the musical treasure chest of African music. Several of the featured artists have gone on to release albums on World Music Network’s award winning artist label, Riverboat Records, to much critical acclaim, including Krar Collective, Monoswezi,Wayo and Annansy Cissé. In keeping with the theme of music from the source we have included an incredible bonus disc by Sotho Sounds from Lesotho, who quite literally are turning junk into funk.

Annane Sy Cisse rolls the album open with his track ‘Bala’. Here he is joined by Zoumana Tereta whose sonorous sokou (mono-chord violin) solos enter into a riffing question and answer session with Cisse’s electric guitar. Zoumana’s sokou is also heard on Djama Djigui’s track ‘Djimé Foly’.

Simo Lagwani is a Moroccan musician whose involvement in an eclectic mix of projects has seen him become a regular on the UK’s live circuit. His track ‘Baniyorkoy’ is anchored by the rich, resonant tones of the guembri (a plucked lute) decorated by vocals, handclaps and krakeb hand cymbals.

Noumoucounda Cissoko is a Sengalese griot who plays his kora viviciaously on ‘Nomou Koradioulou’. Illuminating the string vibrations of another kora master, the track ‘Cora’ features guitarist Giuliano Modarelli alongside Sura Susso’s intimate playing.

Ethiopian minimalist rockers, Krar Collective contribute their swirling, heady mix on track ‘Ambassel’. Lead-singer Asseda’s spine-tingling voice soars atop the bluesy tones of the krar lyre, kebero drums and a one-string masenqo fiddle.

ANerGy Afrobeat contribute their spacious ‘vaudoo-jazz soul-funk’. The big band line-up spotlights their brass section on this track who take freeform solos before the vocals refrain for their ‘Great King Fela’. Later we hear from another big band, Mozambican Sigauque’s live track ‘Alertos Da Vida’ is an unstoppably positive song with pan-African inspirations. 

‘Yaye Boye’ was presented to World Music Network by Teranga Beat, a label working to bring back the life of the 1970s Senegalese super band Le Sahel. This laid-back track features Cheikh Tidiane Tall, Idrissa Diop and Thierno Koite. Also hailing from Senegal is the Batch Gueye Band whose Baye Fall religious beliefs inform his evocative track ‘M’beugel’.

Party tracks from Sudanese collective Wayo and kamale ngoni troubadour Tani Diakite raise the heat in the final few tracks of this Rough Guide, before Monoswezi’s mbira-led ‘Ndinwe’ gently closes the album.

Anansy Cisse: Baala (taken from The Rough Guide To The Best African Music You've Never Heard)

Africa '99  Marocco / Algeria .. sulla rotta di timtubi in moto

07 - Wassiyé - Habib Koité

In the Heart of the Moon

Learn More

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - Kaira, from In the Heart of the Moon (2005)

traditional west-African kora music with personal touch

Toumani Diabaté Kora Competition Kora: Albert Distelbrink - Massane Cisse

"Les Enfantes de Pierette" by Boubacar Traoré (KarKar)

Dubbed from a 1995 tape, hence the poor quality. Also on the Revue Noire No.17 CD ex 1995. Track No. 3 fom https://www.discogs.com/de/Boubacar-Traor%C3%A9-Les-Enfants-De-Pierrette/release/14606368 but the tape version.

Les Enfantes de Pierette by Boubacar Traoré (Kar Kar), 1995 version

As part of the Pan African Space Station program in 2009, Toumani Diabate appears live in concert for his first run of South African performances in Cape Town. The king of the kora offers an incredible solo set in the equally beautiful setting of St. Georges Catherdral. 

Recorded live at St. Georges Cathedral, Cape Town, RSA on the 2nd October 2009. 

Toumani Diabate - kora

www.toumani-diabate.com

Toumani Diabate - St. Georges Cathedral, Cape Town, 2nd October 2009

Congo Mboka Kitoko

Voix Juslin Likaka et Patricia Mvumbi Bakezy
Guitares: Alexandre Bellando
Percu: Thibaud Rancoeur / Antoine Villette

Enregistrement/Arrangement Antoine Villette 

Red Room Records / Baklawa music 2016

Congo Mboka Kitoko

Five Great Guitars - African Blues Tour
Live recording 2011

Special guest: Habib Koité
Zoumana Diarra: guitar, kora, balafon, n'goni
Mousse Pathe M'Baye: percussion
Dramane Diarra: percussion

Sound: Neil Denholm

Five Great Guitars - Wassiye

Album Ma Ya
World Music
Mali 
West-Afrika

Habib Koite & Bamada - Sarayama

Dorygui-Ba

WMN is one of the leading forces on the world music scene & consists of 4 labels – Music Rough Guides, Think Global, Riverboat Records & Introducing.

Anansy Cisse: Baala (taken from The Rough Guide To The Best African Music You've Never Heard)

World Music Network

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