Youssou N'Dour

Anybody got the last album - 'Nothing's in Vain'?

Just got it recently. Great stuff. Splendid easy listening material in the non derogatory fashion. Dead easy to get into on a first listen, and addictive thereafter. This is leagues better than the days of Neneh Cherry and seven seconds - a highly accomplished work, and consistent throughout which is the most appealing aspect.

I get the impression many commentators think this is the same old stuff, but i have to disagree at least from the aspect of enjoying it more than other material of his i have listened to in the past. So it may be 'westernised' and not entirely traditional to his roots. I don't really care about that personally. Good music is good music, whatever its origins or manifesto. Talented singing and straightforward 'traditional' acoustic backing.

Any comments? I like it anyway.:MILD:

 

Got it a couple of months ago. Big thumbs up - I've only got his 'best of' to compare with (bought at same time), but Nothing is played regular and often in comparison.

 

Youssour

The Youssour is good. A relaxed, mature album that goes somewhat back to acoustic roots but still mixing the various flavours of (especially) Latin American and Soukous that made him famous - perhaps a little too packaged "World" to be totally satisfying, but very good.

Another album released last year, and one I think is better, is Salif Keita's album Mouffou. This has all the beauty of Youssour's album, but with added kick, too.

These two singers began (or became famous) singing for two of Africas (nay, the world's) greatest bands of the 70s and 80s - Youssou was in the Super Etoile de Dakar and Salif was for a few years singer with the extraordinary and quite brilliant Rail Band de Bamako. If you find any albums by these two bands (with or without Youssour or Salif) buy them.
I've been fan of Rail Band since I first heard them (pronbably on Alexis Korner's show) in the early 80. Their music was a revelation.

 

I've got my ticket for King Sunny Ade at the RFH later this month. A very different style, but funkin' good stuff all the same.

 

King Sunny Ade, ahh such sweet memories... I remember being blown away by how fresh and alive the music was, and also by the way it combined simplicity with complexity (the guitar lines are mind-bending). Wonderful stuff and a great live performer - at least he was back in the day.
First heard him on Alexis Korner's show, too.
Sadly, none of the BBC "World" music crowd are a patch on Alexis. He's still missed.

BTW, it seems the Rail Band is following in the tracks of Bembaya Jazz around Europe this Summer. If anyone gets a chance, do go and see the Rail Band.