Ears of the People: Ekonting Songs from Senegal and Gambia

It has long been recognised that the banjo's history can be traced back to West Africa, though until recently it was thought that source could be traced to the xalam or ngoni. Then, in 2000, Gambian ethnomusicologist Daniel Laemouahuma Jatta argued that it was more likely to have stemmed from the three-stringed lute of the Jola people of Senegal and Gambia, the akonting (also spelled ekonting).

On this new release from Smithsonian, said to be the first album of akonting music, it's easy to hear the family resemblance, both in the sound (the muted strings echoing early banjos before the introduction of steel strings) and in technique (the akonting uses what is known in banjo technique as clawhammer strumming).

This is living folk music, played for local wrestling matches or for telling stories, which explains why it's taken so long for an album to be released. These recordings were captured in 2019 in southern Senegal by ethnomusicologist Scott Linford and in his extensive liner notes we are introduced to the musicians here. Jeandum Djibalen, one of the first players to professionalise the instrument, contributes ‘Elenbeja’ and ‘Madu’, the latter featuring his gravelly voice speaking over the churning plucking. There are also contributions from ethnomusicologist Elisa Diedhiou, one of the few female players. Her playing is particularly upbeat on ‘Adiatta Ubonketom’ (Adiatta Pray for Me). It all makes for a fabulous introduction to the versatility of the banjo's grand-daddy.