release date: 1991
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Joe Zawinul
label: Mango Records - nationality: Mali
Track highlights: 1. "Yele N Na" (4 / 5) - 2. "Waraya" - 3. "Tono" - 4. "Kuma" - 5 . "Nyanafin" - 6. "Karifa" - 7. "N B'I Fe" - 8. "Lony"
Studio album by Salif Keita following the album Ko-Yan (1989) also on Mango. The album is by many regarded Keita's first commercial breakthrough, and it's really nicely produced by 'old' Weather Report member Joe Zawinul, who has help creating a classic world fusion album.
What's really great about the album is Keita's enigmatic vocal, his composer skills and the abstinence from making Westernised African pop. Yes, it plays with more traditional jazz pop strengths but it doesn't compromise the Malian rootsm, and then I also enjoy the fact that these eight compositions aren't just 3 minutes songs - they vary from 4:09 to 7:56 and are in that way miles from obvious Radio selections. Aside from Zawinul, the album also welcomes backa reunion of the Keita's former band guitarist Kante Manfila from the days when they both played in Les Amassadeurs back in the capital of Mali: Bamako.
The album is completely without fillers and it's no less than one of the absolute best by Salif Keita.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
