In Griot Time: String Music From Mali

This CD conveys the aural tale of American musician and journalist Banning Eyre's African odyssey, chronicled in his book In Griot Time: An American Guitarist in Mail. And seven months spent studying guitar with Djelimady Tounkara, the leader and guitarist of the Super Rail Band, have resulted in a sparkling CD which ably captures the essence of African music. Some of Mali's biggest names feature among the 19 collected artists here (such as Salif Keita and Oumou Sangare, who perform highly polished studio pieces), as well as a host of newer talents, many recorded by Eyre while on the road. His live recording of Lobi Traore's histrionic guitar work on "Maby Djoudon Don" is an excellent example, evoking images of Hendrix or Frampton in their prime. Basekou Kouyate's playful bluegrass duet with banjoist Dirck Westervelt is another highlight, as is Toumani Diabate's "Sema" -- seven and a half minutes of spontaneous creativity recorded in Diabate's home. The album captures both acoustic and electric-driven performances; however, the best experience can be obtained by listening to the CD while reading the book to paint a full and vivid picture of Malian culture -- unless listeners can travel to Mali and undertake a guitar apprenticeship themselves, of course. ~ Brendan Swift|