The Rough Guide To Acoustic Africa

Those who read the recent debate in Songlines about global hip-hop and share a fear that the ubiquity of rap is threatening the rich diversity of African music will find much to lift their spirits here. Sixteen acoustic tracks drawn from across the continent, without a shouty rapper or a sledgehammer beat to be found, prove that traditional music is alive and well across Africa, from Mali to Madagascar and from Sudan to Senegal. Guinea’s Mory Kante is the best-known name here, heard on a stately Mande anthem, but there’s not a single track that disappoints. The sequencing is bold and works exquisitely as we move from the rich desert blues of Niger’s Etran Finatawa to the soothing Madagascan lullabies of Lala Njava, and on to the joyous, accordion-led Congolese rumba of Syran Mbenza and the dark and deep Zulu guitar of Shiyani Ngcobo. And that’s just the four opening tracks.

The compilation album is augmented by a second single-artist CD. In this instance, it introduces the Senegalese griot and kora-player Noumoucounda Cissoko, who weaves together traditional kora pieces of classical precision and beauty with elements of jazz, blues and rock, courtesy of the Swiss band Phat 4. It’s not all strictly acoustic, but the electric guitars and bass fit tastefully enough and on ‘Begg Ci Yow’ they essay a delightful West African take on the ‘Chan Chan’ theme from Buena Vista Social Club, with Cissoko’s kora taking the place of Compay Segundo’s tres (guitar). The track wouldn’t have sounded out of place on World Circuit’s AfroCubism project, and there can be no higher praise than that.