Aduna

A series of guitar albums from the 1990s introduced a Western audience to the many guitar virtuosos from Africa, and while many of those virtuosos were from Mali, a country which really is statistically overrepresented given its population, the scene went beyond Mali. After Ali Farka Toure, Djelimady Tounkara, Boubacar Traore and the other Malian virtuosos came to American attention, it was important to note how many other styles and how many other players one could enjoy. The neighboring country of Guinea had its own scene, with clear musical similarities, but some distinctions as well, and Alpha Yaya Diallo made a case for inclusion in any such list. This 1998 album was an impressive entry into the catalog of 1990s albums for the expansion of the Western musical ear.Diallo's guitar technique here is, if anything, even more impressive than Toure's, and while perhaps not quite on the order of Tounkara, Diallo could astound. Where Toure made a clear connection to a lot of audiences with his bluesy sound, though, Diallo had more of an Afro-pop sound that, while not dissimilar to the Malian griot tradition, shows both poppier tunes and warmer production that actually had more potential to reach wider audiences. From the perspective of someone looking for a troubadour of the griot style, or something more minimalist, some of the production elements on Aduna can come across as dated, but they are also inherent to the form, and your mileage may vary. The production sometimes buries Diallo's guitar in the mix rather than putting it up front, the way that a lot of the Malian albums do with their guitar stars. Nevertheless, it is a different sound, and a satisfying sound built around top notch musicianship, distinctive rhythms, and a tradition worth exploring from the Guinean-turned-Canadian, Diallo.Is it the best African guitar album ever made? Perhaps not, but that's such a high bar. Anyone interested in an expanded understanding should know Diallo, and hear the similarities and differences between the Guinean style and Malian styles. Not just out of some scholarly impulse, but because this is groovin' music.

When I saw Alpha Yaya in concert, I decided I had to buy his CD. I did and I'm very glad with this release. The tracks provide the listener with a pleasing blend of traditional and modern West African melodies. Get ready to hit the replay button on this title.