Spirit & Music

Music is one of the ways that we can feel contact with the divine. So many great musicians are out there, who have the talent of expressing the "cosmic conciousness" through their own cultutal heritage... or some new bit of culture never heard before!

Here's a review of Mamadou Diabate's new album Tunga, from Spirit-21's contributing musician!

Mamadou Diabate - Tunga
Released Feb, 2000.

Mamadou's first album on Alula records is a refreshing and uplifting recording. His approach to the Kora (African harp) keeps with the tradition of his Malian ancestors, but his creativity and spontaneity touch musical realms like blues and other African music. Rather than analyze the playing between his group, kora, bass, balafon (type of marimba), ngoni (type of lute) and djembe, I have to say that being a person who needs to let down my hair more often (so to speak) and just enjoy the experience of listening (even dancing!) to such positive, upbeat energy is simply wonderful. Not to say that there are not elements of calmness on the album. This is one of those recordings that speaks to me, "Heh! get out of your head for a little while." The last but not least thing to say about Mamadou, is that he is only 24, and has a long way ahead.

Visit Mamadou's web site.

Let me know if you have questions, or want to know about more recordings like this, or really anything at all.

Aaron

Until next time!