Recording information: Studio Bogolan, Bamako (09/02/2004-09/09/2004).
Photographers: Michel Baulot; Jacques Sarasin.
Like fellow Malian Ali Farka Toure, Boubacar Traore plays music that is spare, moody, and redolent of gritty, American country blues. Yet Traore's albums, especially KONGO MAGNI, remain distinctly West African. Backed by marimba, accordion, gourd, harmonica, and a kameli nogoni (a sort of scaled -own harp), Traore favors circular, pentatonic structures in his compositions and guitar playing, and sings with a cool, relaxed air.
While the ensemble is all acoustic, it fleshes out Traore's sound marvelously, and maintains the feel of a singer/songwriter album. Traore's voice and guitar are front and center throughout, and his lovely, floating melodies emerge from the instrumentation like ghosts. The combination of intriguing sounds, strong songs, and haunting atmospheres make KONGO MAGNI one of the artist's finest efforts.
Professional Reviews
The Wire (p.72) - "The repertoire is decidedly more uptempo throughout the latest collection, with new colouration added by a balaphon's mallet percussion, brushed snare drum and sprightly harmonica..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.99) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his is primarily an album of laidback acoustic picking with low, mournful tenor....Ah, but what picking: perfect understatement..."
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