right on... it is a great album. i want to go to mali.

Now that we're onto November, reviews for this month have started to come in too. We're kicking off this month with Maryjane's joyful review of Amadou & Mariam's amazing new CD, ‘Dimanche a Bamako.’ If you are buying one world music album this year, this one's to go with ...


Amadou & Mariam – ‘Dimanche a Bamako’ (Nonesuch)

Amadou & Mariam’s beaming blind faces beautifully reflect the radiantly joyful music that is ‘Dimanche a Bamako’ (Sunday in Bamako). The married duo have been a singing sensation in their native Mali for decades yet their 10th album might just catapult them onto the wider world stage. My jaded American ears were certainly delighted to meet them!

Their talents coupled with the production skills of avant-latin rocker Manu Chao have created a recording of extraordinary dimensions. They’ve culled rhythms and melodies from around the world that are all-at-once folky, funky, pop-rocky, reggaed and soukous-ed to perfection.

There are several danceable tracks that I would certainly spin at my next conscious party. “M’Bife Balafon“ builds nicely with exotic stringed instruments and a steady thumping bass. “Artistiya” with its soca-like rhythm demanded I grind and wind my hips, while the sweet little disco ditty “La Realitie” has the spirit of Donna Summer subtly guiding it along.

Other tracks are just plain great to listen to like “Coulibaly” which features *outstanding* acoustic guitar work and “Senegal Fast Food” with its quirky almost country/reggae flavor. Possibly the queerest track on the album is “Gnidjougouya,” a song with definite Asian/Indian influences yet has a bad-a$$ rock side to it too. Very erotic and primal feel about it. Not sure if I love it yet, but it does have my attention!

While most of the album is in French or a West African dialect, the smattering of English lyrics in Politic Amagni tell us that “Politics is violence//politics needs force//politics needs cries//politics needs ignorance//politics needs lies//politics is violence” wOw…they’re conscious too!! Right on!

So is there anything wrong with ‘Dimanche a Bamako’? Well, it’s certainly not an album for every day listening, but when you want to take a quick happy trip around the “world” (or around Bamako, Mali on a Sunday) this album will do that and bring you back refreshed.


Reviewed by Giant Step contributor Jill Sealee (Maryjane)
November 2005
View Maryjane’s profile: www.giantstep.net