Samba Touré – Wande (Glitterbeat, 2018)
Wande showcases the talent and innovation of Malian guitarist and vocalist Samba Touré. On Wande, Touré to return to a more traditional, acoustic sound. It’s a delight for guitar fans and lovers of what has been called desert blues, the music of northern Mali, Niger, Mauritania and the Western Sahara.
What sets Touré’s music a part is his use of traditional instruments such as the tama, the talking drum that plays a leading role throughout the album. Touré dedicated a love song to his wife in the title cut and also celebrates the late Zoumana Tereta, the musician that participated in many of his recordings playing the soku, a Wasulu fiddle. Zouman appears in the form of some samples of his performances.
Although the focus is on a more acoustic sound, the album still has fine examples of electric guitar, including ventures into blues rock, with few overdubs. Overall, Wande has a trance-like feel with repetitive laid back sections, superb solos and fiery electric guitar parts.
Buy Wande
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
