Search - Dembo Konte, Kausu Kuyateh :: Jali Roll

Timeless classic from Senegambia, West Africa

L. Wassermann | Miami, FL United States | 11/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh are masters of the kora, of the Mandinka griot tradition. Stylistically their kora playing and singing is similar to a number of other great musicians from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali. The addition of a drum kit, bass guitar, trumpet, and other instruments create more variety of texture than you would find on a straight-up kora duet recording, but what really stands out on this album are the melodic arrangements. Like most kora releases, the melodies are utterly beautiful, sometimes energizing, sometimes meloncholy, always timeless. It's the arrangments that make this record unique. The contribution of the British musicians on slide guitar and button accordeon are subtle and blend well, rather than intrusive like Ry Cooder. And EXPEN$IVE MU$TAPHA's trumpet riff (with a nice artificial reverb) on my favorite track, "British," never fails to bring me to tears. There are no musical egos on this record, no ostentatious solos. Just absolutely wonderful songs."