专辑简介

by Adam Greenberg

Lamine Konte of Senegal performs here on the kora (or some close relative thereof), in more or less traditional works. Simply from the title of the album, one could presuppose that he is of a griot lineage, and one would most likely be correct at that. The music is somewhat more instrumental than a purely traditional set would be, as catering to Western audiences means cutting out some portion of the foreign vocals and relying more on the virtuosity of the instruments. The playing of Konte is actually quite good, predating the current kings of kora (for example, Toumani Diabate) by a few years. As well, what vocals are left in the music are quite capable as well, using a style common to many Senegalese artists, but also from beyond. The recording quality is clear and unimpeded by other factors, as many other earlier-range CDs tend to be. If possible, one should pick up this album as a fan of the kora. If just striking out in the genre, though, one may be better off digging up a Toumani Diabate album (New Ancient Strings with Ballake Sissoko is highly recommended), for the virtuosity of playing, the collaborative works, and for simple ease of finding them.