Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Toumani
2. Boulevard De L'Independance
3. Ya Fama
4. Mali Sadio
5. African Challenge
6. Wasso
7. Mamadou Diaby
8. Tapha Niang
9. Single

Disc 2:

1. Documentary (DVD)
2. Interview (DVD)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12738 in Music
• Released on: 2006-03-27
• Number of discs: 2

The Observer Music Monthly, (Peter Culshaw), March 19, 2006
(5 stars) A record of mysterious beauty and grandeur, and funky as hell.

The Observer Music Monthly, 50 Essential CDs from Around the World, June 2008
Suddenly it wasn't just the likes of Ali Farka Toure or even Taj Mahal who wanted to work with...

The Observer Music Monthly, 50 Essential CDs from Around the World, June 2008
...the Malian kora virtuoso but Damon Albarn and Bjork, too. This spectacular recording is just one of the reasons why.

Customer Reviews

Simply brilliant!
Approach this from the Cuban end of the World Circuit catalogue, via Orchestra Baobab, and you slide into a heady melting pot of swirling rhythms and styles that'll put a big grin on your face and set your feet tapping. "Africa Challenge" is a salsa to end all salsas, and you can only imagine the atmosphere in Bamako's Hogon Club when the Symmetric Orchestra end their set with it.

All World Circuit releases are special - this one just a bit extra special!

C'est Fantastique !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what an amazing piece of work from the kora maestro ! great album. have his other albums including kulanjan with taj mahal and in the heart of the moon with ali farka toure, and this is up there with them !! i had the very good fortue of seeing him live in dublin last night in the iveagh gardens, and it lived up to all my expectations and beyond! he also stayed back after the gig to chat to the fans and signed autographs and posed for photos - so friendly and humble and so likeable. but back to the music - if u have it, u know how good it is ; if u don't - what r u waiting for ???? GET IT !!

Upbeat Malian delight
You might not think the delicate strains of the Kora would fit into a modern african dance-band style, but you'd be wrong.

The Symmetric Orchestra (so-called according to the rather nice accompanying DVD because it combines old and new styles) start the album with a burst of jazzy trumpets, and kick off into a lilting beat that features drums, electric guitars as well as Diabate's virtuoso kora playing and some traditional percussion. The vocals are great, the songs flow along and the sheer enjoyment of the performances seeps out of the speakers. The overall mood is constantly upbeat and the final track is a real peach but just fades out a bit too suddenly when it sounds as if they could carry on all night.

Great for fans of West African music, a must for those who enjoy Orchestre Baobab and Cheik Lo, even the East African styles of Thomas Mapfumo and others.