Bassekou
Kouyate & Ngoni Ba – Ba Power (Glitterbeat Records)
LP/CD/DL
Out Now
Esteemed Afro-rocker
releases his latest album.
There can be
no doubt that Bassekou Kouyate means business on his new album. Moving on from Afro-funk to Afro-rock, Ba
Power (literally meaning Great Power) is by his own admission the hardest sounding
album he’s made.
His playing
seems to have taken on new forces, new meaning and opening track Siran Fen is a
powerhouse of a track from the opening seconds.
The almost manic playing is controlled yet frenzied and really does take
the man up to a new level. Already one
of Africa’s premier global artists his CV is impressive to say the least with
award upon award being bestowed his way.
His last album, Jama Ko was named Best World Music album of 2013 and Ba
Power can do little but threaten to emulate the success.
With guest
appearances from Samba Toure (who plays lead guitar on Fama Magni), Dave Smith
(current drummer with Robert Plant) and avant-garde jazz legend Jon Hassell,
Kouyate seems to have extracted the finest musicianship from not only himself
but everyone involved.
Amy Sacko
provides some quite stunning vocals, not least on Abe Sumaya where her tones
are as commanding as any other instrument that plays alongside. Often grasping the song by the scruffs and
forcing it to reach even higher. Aye
Sira Bla beautifully exhibits the sound of the ngoni as it skips then screeches
through a traditional sounding song, and Borongoli Ma Kununban slowly ascends
from a subtle intro to a gargantuan cacophony of guitar sounds mainstream and
habitual.
Waati
features Adama Yalomba on lead vocals. A
prolific name on the Bamako club circuit he is best known for his forays into
Afro-pop and provides a more recognisable sound before Fama Magni provides a
hypnotic interlude.
Recorded in
late 2014, Ba Power is a true family affair featuring entirely Sons, Brothers,
Nephews and spouses at the original sessions.
Kouyate has this time looked beyond Mali for musicians and influence
where trumpet, drum kit and electric guitar are used extensively for the first
time.
On album
closer Bassekouni we are treated to three and a half minutes of instrumental
Blues which seems to perfectly end the collection of rock, jazz and Afro. Ba Power is a great album and probably
Kouyate’s finest to date deserving all the accolade that it will surely
attract.
8/10
Links
Glitterbeat Records
Bassekou Kouyate website
Bassekou Kouyate on Twitter
Bassekou Kouyate on Facebook
Bassekou Kouyate on hiapop Blog
Jama Ko album review
Samba Toure on hiapop Blog
John Hassell on hiapop Blog
Published on Louder Than War 3/05/15 - here
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