Souleymane

Debademba consists of singer Mohamed Diaby, who comes from a Malian griot family and was raised in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, and guitarist Abdoulaye Traoré from Burkina Faso. They teamed up in Paris a few years ago and released a very good album in 2011. They describe their music as a modern and explosive fusion of West African styles with blues and rock influences. Their first album was certainly broad and eclectic. However this second release is far more focused, mature and quite brilliantly executed. Yes, it’s a modern production, but at the same time it is very organic and cleanly recorded. Any additional instrumentation is tastefully complementary. Keyboards, for example, sound like a real piano rather than swathes of synthesizer.

Abdoulaye Traoré’s guitar work is at times breathtaking – flamenco influences, funky Afrobeat rhythms, jazz improvisations, Mande electric guitar – performed at the same level of accomplishment as guitar maestros from Orchestre Baobab, Bembeya Jazz or the Rail Band, all of whom are clear influences. And Mohamed Diaby’s voice has the spirituality of Salif Keita combined with the joyous but controlled versatility of Sekouba ‘Bambino’ Diabate. This is an absolutely magnificent achievement.