Search - Djeli Moussa Diawara :: Sobindo

This mid-'90s prize from kora innovator Djeli Moussa Diawara is one of his best, with a wealth of acoustic guitars, bright voices, and his trademark kora tramping around the globe for inspiration. This is an album of contemporary pop music, but unlike the work of his infamous brother, Mory Kante, he leans solidly on the acoustic side for his tools. Flutes, ngoni, and real-live carbon-based percussion rule supreme. Latin music is a major influence on this album, with Diawara's rocking "Salsa-Kora" the prime track--a solid rocker, a dance-floor hit that is unrelenting. He can also turn out a moving ballad, and his earthy, slightly raw voice is used to great emotional effect on songs like "Fatim." If you have encountered his more recent works like Flamenkora, then you already know how good it can sound. --Louis Gibson