Rail Band

Of all the dance bands to come out of West Africa in the first, fertile flush of post-colonialism in the 1960s and 1970s, Mali’s Rail Band rank among the very finest. Formed in 1970 as ‘the official orchestra of the Malian State Railway,’ the Rail Band played most nights of the week until the early hours of the morning at the Buffet Hotel de la Gare at Bamako’s central railway station. The group’s self-titled 1973 album, which now gets a welcome remastered re-release on the enterprising Mississippi label (although they operate out of Oregon), is an all-time classic of its kind. Led by trumpeter and sax player Tidiani Koné, the horn section sizzles and the reverb-drenched guitar lines of Djelimady Tounkara soar over a simmering blend of jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms and Mandé tradition. As for vocalists, we’re spoilt for choice with Salif Keita, Mory Kanté and Magan Ganessy all singing on the only album on which they appeared together. There are no extras or bonus tracks – just 45 minutes of timeless music that still sounds as glorious as ever more than 40 years on.