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Lobi Traore Group
Lobi Traore
Lobi Traore Group
Genres: International Music, Jazz
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1


     
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CD Details

All Artists: Lobi Traore
Title: Lobi Traore Group
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Astralwerks
Original Release Date: 9/20/2005
Release Date: 9/20/2005
Album Type: Import
Genres: International Music, Jazz
Style: Africa
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 724347442124

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CD Reviews

Truly Brilliant
Storm Lee Holloway | Los Angeles | 04/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll be the first to review this wonderful music. The guitar is crunchy, a la early Santana. The beat is tribal. Since it's so unlike anything I've ever heard, it's difficult to explain it. It is some of the best music I've picked up in a long time. I randomly grabbed it off the shelf at Waterlood Records in Austin and I couldn't be more pleased. I think you'll feel the same."
Awesome!
Edenmarc | Oakland, CA | 09/25/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fierce, feral and ferocious. The energy and spontaneity of a live performance (no overdubbing or second takes), but the arrangements are deceptively sophisticated. I'm a huge African music fan, and this is some the very best around. You NEED to have this!"
Another easily overlooked gem from Mali, a fertile land of a
almosthappy | San Diego, CA, California | 09/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"In term of the amount of musical exports, Mali is serious world power. Artists like Ali Farka Toure, Oumou Sangare, Karkar Traore, Afel Bocoum, and the current/past affiliates of the fabulous Super Rail Band have put Mali squarely on the world map and contributed an amazing amount of wealth to world's collective musical conscious. An impressive feat for an otherwise struggling poor nation.



For fans of Malian music, and those who are versed with the styles and traditions, Lobi Traore Group's music should not be that new or exotic. Lobi Traore's music is intensely modern and traditional at the same time. Modernization of various regional Malian styles can be tricky. For example, some of Salif Keita's early French studio albums are not easy on the ears. But Lobi Traore, an one time protege of the late Ali Farka Torue has pulled it off. From a narrow Western perspective, Lobi Traore's music would be labeled with the hateful label of "world fusion", with heavy elements of blues, hypnotic jam riffs and licks, electronica, and free-form vocals. But take my words for it, this ain't your daddy's post-Disco, polyester fusion. For those who are familiar than other Malian artists, Lobi Tranore Group calls to mind a mixture of the primal blues (in the style of Ali Farka Toure), and the studio wizardry of Issa Bagayogo. For me, even though the instrumentation and studio tweakings are characteristically modern and plugged in, the underlying elements are decidedly African. The vocal and the droning guitar lines clearly evoke the Mande griot traditions. I am sure there are some re-africanization of New World African music styles going on in this album, such as the African interpretations of blues and jazz and rock 'n roll, but to me, the decidedly bluesy tones and colors are purely traditional - highlighting the musical traditions the New World afro-music styles are built upon. Don't let me ranting ethnomusicological pontifications mislead you in to thinking this is some stuffy old academia music. Like many Afropop, this record is vibrant, coloful, and playful, great for both headphone listening or to be deconstructed into dance hall remixes.



If you dig this album and wish to expand deeper into Malian music, definitely check out anything by Ali Farka Toure for the bluesy essence from which this record draws its soul, a griot-influenced lo-fi release called "Pekos/Yoro Diallo" for the similar vocal style and song forms, or stuff by Issa Bagayogo for a somewhat similar instrumentation style. Peace!"