Put a Pin on the Map View my Forum Guestmap
Free Guestmaps by Bravenet.com

The Old Acclaimed Music Forum

Go to the NEW FORUM

Music, music, music...
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

Stephan
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

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

Honorio
Why, oh, why? Why these two songs on the same bracket? My two ever favourite songs from Western Africa facing each other.
. Sorry.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

Stephan
Honorio
Why, oh, why? Why these two songs on the same bracket? My two ever favourite songs from Western Africa facing each other.
. Sorry.

No, sorry why? You are doing a fantastic job with the pairings. It was by chance that my two favourites face each other.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

Heh, thanks. I just feel like it's sometimes a shame these brackets work out to have two very strong nominations against eachother.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

BillAdama, the Babaa Maal song is Tindo not Tindo Quando
See corrections above

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

Well, I like Tindo even better than Tindo Quando, so vote for it!

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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.

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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

Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Western Africa (Part 1)

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