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CD Review
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Murder Dog Magazine, CD Review >>
BAS S EKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA I SPEAK FULA Out/Here In 2007, Bassekou Kouyate caused a major sensation with the release of his debut album, Segu Blue. Kouyate plays the ngoni, a small stringed instrument, made with a the shell of a the shell of calabash, which is normally used for rhythmic accompaniment somewhere along the way Bassekou decided to sling his ngoni over his shoulder, guitar-style, and turn it into a lead instrument with stunning results. He now leads the group Ngoni Ba, which has four ngoni players, spurred on a by a bit of percussion, and Bassekou’s wife, the delightful Amy Sacko, on lead vocals. In a live setting, Ngoni Ba really rock, and in Bassekou’s hands, the ngoni becomes a marvellous instrument, capable of many intricate expressions. The group’s new album, I Speak Fula, is a real treat. Songs like the title track are full-speed-ahead numbers of wild abandonment; others, like the closing “Moustapha,” are quietly introspective numbers that slowly build up their tension. This is a fi ne set of songs from a major new talent that is helped by the presence of Ali Farka Toure’s son Vieux on lead guitar and Toumani Diabate on kora. If you have not yet had the pleasure of seeing Ngoni Ba in action, make sure to catch them when they reach your area. –Dave Katz 11/23/09 >> go there
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