Various Bambara Mystic Soul 2lp

2lp
2011/1974-79
new
Another fascinating episode in the record collecting adventures of Samy Ben Redjeb, and this time he travels to the wide, hot, sandy streets of Ouaga. Help came from Craig Taylor, who compiled 'Ouaga Affair' a while back- one of the dirtiest sounding African sets to be released in the last several years. Sound quality is flat out amazing, especially considering that there were no recording studios or pressing plants in Burkina Faso. A few musicians were able to sneak the use of a reel to reel machine from a radio station, but most had to travel outside the country to do any recording at all. Slowly over the course of 20 or 30 years, there were visits from far-off musicians, nightclubs populated by soldiers, record shops that promoted the local scene & labels that sprung up. And it all came due in the rich baritone of singer Amadou Ballake, who whispers & bellows by turns over the trim electric jazz guitar of Mangue Konde. Always funky, but also undeniably luscious on a cut like 'Baden Djougou'- certainly one that earns the 'mystic soul' description in the title. Tracklisting: Amadou Ballake et Super Volta-Bar Konou Moussou, Abdoulaye Cisse-Kodjougou, Compaore Issouf-Dambakale, Amadou Ballade et Les 5 Consuls-Renouveau, Afro Soul System-Tink Tank, Mamo Lagbema-Love Music and Dance, Amadou Ballake et Les 5 Consuls-Baden Djougou, Amadou Ballake et Super Volta-Johnny, Coulibaly Tidani-Sie Koumgolo, Konde Mangue-Kabendo, Orchestre CVD-Rog Mik Africa, Amadou Ballake et Super Volta-Sali, Mamo Lagberna-Zambo Zambo, Richard Seydou Traore-Katougou, Amadou Ballake et Super Volta-Oye Ka Bara Kignan, Sandwidi Pierre et L'Harmonie Voltaique-Tond Yabramba.