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CD Review
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Dr Rhythm, CD Review >>
BEMBEYA JAZZ
BEMBEYA
(World Village; US distribution by Harmonia Mundi)
The much-heralded return of Bembeya Jazz is as thrilling as that of Orchestre Baobab not so long ago. The band is mostly intact, with the notable exception of original singer Aboubacar Demba Camara who died in a car crash in 1973. While their big band style of music was in disfavour, the lead guitarist Sekou Diabaté Bembeya continued to make solo albums and tour. It's great he got the old guys back together and they still have the punch. The only weak link is band-leader Mohamed Achken Kaba whose trumpet playing is consistently flat (But wasn't it always, you ask). If they had a new trumpeter and tracked down their trombonist, it could be all we wished for from this fine orchestra. All the hits are here, and they swing into one gem after another. On"Sabou," a churning groove from the 80s, Doumbouya Alseny adds echo to his voice by repeating the ends of words. The three guitars weave in and out of each other in a complex dance. Slack key side guitar, which comes from Diabaté's love of Docteur Nico rather than Hawaii, appears on "Gbapie." It starts out a haunting ballad in the Kono language, then two minutes in, goes into high gear. There's more slide guitar on "Yelema Yelemaso," a favourite from 1987 that has the same "relaxing then cooking" structure. Congolese stars of the 70s are namechecked, including Nico, as the chorus asks "Where are they now?" The world changes, is the message. "A Koukou we," like many of their other tunes, is adapted from folklore but then goes off into there alms of virtuoso pop with blistering guitar work, tight turns and tempo changes, and solid percussion. Again the tentative trumpets are the only weak link in the machine. Back when people were making three minute songs with two verses and a chorus, the Bembeyans were already into the seven-minute jam where everyone takes a turn soloing. A major change is in the production, which is better miked and balanced but loses some of the charm of the originals. The earlier recordings of these songs had overwhelming Echoplex on the guitar and that big room sound is a key part of the early Bembeya albums that I miss. If you've been eyeing in the storesbut put off by the $20 import price, the good news is it's coming out domestically this month. 04/01/03
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