Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Baaba Maal - Taara (1990)

Baaba Maal has moved well beyond the role of innovative musician on the world stage. Recently he was named Oxfam's Global Ambassador to bring global attention to the food crisis in Africa. He has a unique voice to lend to a cause, one that was consistently awesome through decades of many recordings. While I became increasingly dismayed by the homogenized, transglobal sound of his later records, not able to listen to Television at all, his early recordings still resonate with complex rhythms and an authentic vision.

Taara sits on the edge of Baaba's move towards global stardom, retaining the tough Dande Lenol sound of the wonderful preceding recording, Wango, while pointing towards the ever more electronic future. A typically strong Ibrahima Sylla production, Taara layers European horns and keyboards on the core guitar/percussion/voice that made Dande Lenol such a potent band. Massamba Diop's tama is killer, like always, but it is Baaba Maal's voice that sails above all and keeps it together.

9 comments:

Mouhamadou Falilou Mbacke Ndiaye said...

Nice LP. I'm still waiting for Le Pouvoir D'Un Coeur Pur.

Apurva Bahadur said...

Thank you for sharing this lovely music. Apurva from Pune, India.

Anonymous said...

glad I found your blog-a great selection of music that is hard to find, at least in these parts. I love music from Angola, it would be great to see more of it.
So a big thank you from down under!

Anonymous said...

Great stuff - no doubt. Still fresh and exciting.

I was looking for 'Wango' - can't find it. Any chance to post that one? Would be appreciated!

Thanks, dan-the-man

Rhythm Connection said...

Thanks for all your comments. Wango, my all time favorite Dande Lenol album, is coming up. Le Pouvoir is next. Peace.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your announcement ... sounds good to me! Thanks also for Thione Seck.

Cheers, dan-the-man

Mouhamadou Falilou Mbacke Ndiaye said...

I remember as a little kid (4 at that time), my dad playing this album. The last track Mayo Waady Dyam will still be my favorite. I'm hooked up to that song.

Mouhamadou Falilou Mbacke Ndiaye said...

Actually, you should post for a month the best Senegalese LPs from the 80's. That'll be awesome to remember some of them

swamielmo said...

thank you Rhythm Cnx. I was afraid you wouldn't return with your wonderful magical gifts. peace