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The one I think many people have been looking forward to, and damn what a week. Deadline is midnight February 5th.
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
Unfortunately we have two songs with Cesaria Evora in the same week, but since I tried to keep countries and artists separate and she is only featuring in the previous bracket this was the best random.org/lists could come up with without me manually arranging all the songs (something which I'm hesitant to do, impartiality and all).
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single
I really dig both of these songs, but Toumani's is a little more swinging.
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Ugh, I only just discovered Rokia and love the album but she's up against Keita and Evora, meaning she'll most likely be eliminated. Still, she has my vote.
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
One of the greatest things I took away from my stay in Brazil is the ability to at least partially understand the lyrics to the Brazilian and Cape Verdian classics; this may have been the thing that swung the vote in favor of Evora.
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
Arguably the best is saved for last; another one of those brackets that I had to listen to repeatedly to find the winner. In the end the cowbell won me over. I really have to check out some more stuff by these two; Oisibisa is very Kutiesque.
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Bracket 1.2.2
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Bracket 1.2.3
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
Bracket 1.2.4
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
"Tindo Quando" is different from "Tindo", the song i nominated, though it's from the same album. i couldn't find a youtube video for it unfortunately but it seems to be on spotify.
Oh, damn. I compared a live performance of Tindo to Tindo Quando and it was the same song, but I guess that was mistagged then. Do you have the song? If so, I can upload it.
sure, i'll send it to your dropbox in a few hours when i get home. thanks.
The correct song by Baaba Maal in bracket 1.2.3 can be downloaded here
Miguel, please vote again in bracket 1.2.3. Sorry for the inconvenience.
I confirm my vote for Cesaria Evora, although this song by Baaba Maal is indeed better.
I feel the same.
Bracket 1.2.3
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
The Spotify playlist
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani (Niger, 2007)
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single (Mali, 2006)
I like a lot touareg blues (in fact I nominated Tinariwen that it will show next week) but the groove on "Single" is simply too incredible, with a understated arrangement of Toumani's kora giving space to the rest of the musicians of his awesome Symmetric Orchestra.
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia (Mali, 2008)
Salif Keita feat. Cesária Évora - Yamore[/b] (Mali, 2002)
Why, oh, why? Why these two songs on the same bracket? My two ever favourite songs from Western Africa facing each other. The two songs based in electric guitar riffs, darker in "Dounia" and more luminous in "Yamore" (but if you want to listen to it you need to go to the Spotify playlist, the beautiful guitar intro is edited in the video clip). The songs, mostly Western sounding, incorporates also some ethnic touches like the impressive n'goni (African lute) that appears on "Dounia" at 2:37 or the accordion on "Yamore". And, of course, those three amazing voices, the warm voice of Cesaria, the wise voice of Salif and the versatile voice of Rokia. This amazing range from whisper to cry showcased at the final crescendo on "Dounia" wins my vote for Rokia (and it's the first time in this game that I vote against my own choice).
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo (Senegal, 2009)
Cesária Évora - Sodade (Cape Verde, 1992)
Excellent Afro-electro number from Baaba Maal with some verses sung in Spanish and Italian by Sabina Sciubba from Brazilian Girls. But the song by the Barefoot Diva is simply majestic, the opening track of "Miss Perfumado", probably her best album.
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata (Mali, 1988)
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong (Ghana, 1971)
But we're talking about Africa, please welcome… the rhythm!! Both songs are rhythmically outstanding (listen to the percussion solo on the Osibisa song from 3:15), and so it's the guitar playing in the first one. But I opt for the 70s groove on the second one.
Bracket 1.2.1
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single
Bracket 1.2.2
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo
Bracket 1.2.4
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
No, sorry why? You are doing a fantastic job with the pairings. It was by chance that my two favourites face each other.
Heh, thanks. I just feel like it's sometimes a shame these brackets work out to have two very strong nominations against eachother.
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani 3.75
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single 4+
The more i hear the Inerane song, the less I like it. Toumane is one of my favorite musicians ever. I prefer his solo albums (just the cora) but what he achives on this track is both brilliant and swinging
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia 4+
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore 4+
This is very very close (same rating), but Salif & Cesaria's great vocals are more in phase with my mood of the day (I need the solace of their vocals, Cesaria's voice has a soothing power on me in this stressful times). Sorry Henrik (this time I really loved your pick)
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando 3.5+
Cesaria Evora - Sodade 4.5
The lady perfumado makes my heart melt
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata 4
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong4+
Osibisa is proof that Fela was the visible part of the iceberg
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Group Inerane - Kuni majagani 8
Toumani Diabates Symmettric Orchestra - Single 7
Rokia Traore - Dounia 8
Salif Keita - Yamore 7
Baaba Mall - Tindo Quando 8
Cesaria Evora - Sodade 6
I love the smoothness and mysteriousness of the groove in Tindo Quando. Song of the week for me.
Zani Diabate - Super Djata 6
Osibia - Music For Gong Gong 7
This seems like a pretty average week. Everything good, nothing super-special.
BillAdama, the Babaa Maal song is Tindo not Tindo Quando
See corrections above
What a week! And what a great game for expanding your musical horizons (I think that every week). Stephan, thanks again for running this.
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single
As with a lot of good Tuareg music, there’s something about the driving bassline of the Goup Inerane song that makes me think of Saharan sand slowly being ground by wind and sun. I love the sense of location and timelessness that sound creates. But the groovy Toumani Diabate song has more staying power and sounds more accomplished.
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Two beautiful songs, but Yamore never fails to tug all the right heartstrings for me.
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
Sodade has just made an entry into to my all-time favourite songs list.
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
A close call, but the percussion solo on the Osibisa song that (as Honorio mentions) starts at 3:15 into the song wins it for me.
Well, I like Tindo even better than Tindo Quando, so vote for it!
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong
The fourth bracket was the hardest choice by far.
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia
Bracket 1.2.3
Cesaria Evora - Sodade
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata
Bracket 1.2.1
Group Inerane - Kuni Majagani - 5 (0)
Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Single - 5 (4)
Bracket 1.2.2
Rokia Traoré - Dounia - 6
Salif Keita feat. Cesarea Evora - Yamore - 4
Bracket 1.2.3
Baaba Maal - Tindo Quando - 3
Cesaria Evora - Sodade - 7
Bracket 1.2.4
Zani Diabaté & the Super Djata Band - Super Djata - 3
Osibisa - Music for Gong Gong - 7