Search - Kasse Mady Diabate :: Kassi Kasse

In his native Mali, Kasse Mady is universally esteemed as one of the greatest jelis (hereditary musician-historians) and a living treasure of the Mande people. His recordings with National Badema, a brace of solo albums (Fode and Kela Tradition,) and star turns with Ketama (Songhai and Taj Mahal (Kulanjan) all did well by his vast, sinuous baritone-to-tenor, but this scrumptious acoustic set is a revelation. It was recorded studio-live in his home village, with his brother and other longtime collaborators sitting in. The 14 tunes are a lexicon of styles the region is famous for, but a couple of playful, Latin-tinged confections also turn up. Kasse Mady's vocals are heard at their robust, sensitive best, sparring with rippling plucked strings, exuberant wooden flutes, mixed choirs, and battalions of handclaps and earth-shaking, woodsy percussion. The session is further graced by the ardent, unassuming bass of Buena Vista Social Club's Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez. --Christina Roden