The Rough Guide to African Guitar Legends

After a recent spate of successes in the Indian department (the revisited Rough Guides to Bhangra, Bollywood and Music of India), the Rough Guide series fumbles on this outing. The name African Guitar Legends conjures up stars like Tino Barozo, Franco, Bongo Wende, Sekou Diabaté of Bembeya Jazz, Lobi Traoré, Djelimady Tounkara of Rail Band, and especially Barthélémy Atisso of Orchestra Baobab among those still living, and Docteur Nico among those who had an enduring influence. I am not sure what the idea behind this was, but it doesn't begin to approach a set of great guitar music.

The much-anthologised Franco track heard here is a joke: you can't even hear Luambo's magic fingers on here. Only one track, Djelimady's ‘Fanta Bourama’, which opens the disc, shows any sign of virtuosity. But all is not lost. If you don't have it already, the bonus album is a reissue of the Riverboat CD Immortal Franco by Syran Mbenza & Ensemble Rumba Kongo. This truly shows what African guitar is all about and is a wonderful, coherent tribute to the music of OK Jazz.