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Boubacar Traore - The Best of the Bluesmen from Mali (Wrasse Records) He was "rediscovered" in 1987 and since that time a steady stream of recordings has cemented his reputation as the pre-eminent West African troubadour. While smouldering with an intensity that rivals the best African singers, Kar Kar, as Boubacar is affectionately known, has a very distinctive folksy style. His melancholy-tinged voice and intricate guitar style are not easily forgotten. "The Best Of The Bluesman From Mali" (Wrasse Records) gathers some of the best songs from his third and fourth albums as well as a couple of previously unreleased tracks. Songs range from the deeply introspective to rootsy expositions of the influence of 60's American funk on the Malian sound such as 'Kar Kar Tradition" and 'Mali Twist". The whirring calabash rhythms and shamanistic power of Boubacar's singing on "Soundiata" elevate the song to a scant repository of desert island treasures. I'll leave it to fight it out with the plaintiff, Spanish-tinged eloquence of the lovely "Dounia". "Mancipera" is another winner, pulsing with ngoni, balafon and the disarming purity of Rokia Traore's dulcet tones in duet with Kar Kar. It was lifted from Rokia's critically acclaimed album "Wanita". For those unfamiliar with the music of Boubacar Traore there is no better introduction. The selections can't be faulted. Tracklisting 1. Bebe Bo Nadero |
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