| Descrizione | Leni Stern - Africa (2007) [FLAC]
Category Rock/Pop, World, Jazz Instrument, Guitar, Jazz
Label MRI Associated Labels
Orig Year 2007
All Time Sales Rank 286769
Discs 1
Release Date Oct 30, 2007
Studio/Live Studio
Mono/Stereo Stereo
Engineer Dick Kondas; Jean Lamoot
Recording Time 65 minutes
.: Tracklist :
In recent years, Western artists such as Corey Harris and Markus James have traveled to the West African nation of Mali to make records, and Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Robert Plant, and Taj Mahal are among those who've collaborated with Malian ... Full Descriptionmusicians or at least been fascinated and influenced by Mali's role as a source of the blues. To that list add Leni Stern, whose simply titled Africa is the result of two years of getting to know and finding common ground with Malian artists on their home turf. Stern, a guitarist and singer whose artistic restlessness over two decades of recording has thankfully kept her output consistently fresh, unpredictable, and invigorating, cut Africa at Salif Keita's studio in Bamako, Mali, using a large cast of local musicians and singers alongside Western players -- including her husband, guitarist Michael Stern, and the late jazz saxophonist Michael Brecker. It's a stirring mix in which Leni Stern's crisp, bell-toned electric guitar runs and the sharp horns and melodious keyboards integrate fluidly with talking drums, n'gonis, and ouds, and Stern's impassioned vocals receive a dynamic boost from the battery of Malian vocalists giving voice to her words in their native language. Africa, to its great credit, has absorbed not only the sounds but the feel of native African music. It's a stunning, respectful tribute to Mali's artistry, and to Stern's diligence in making it happen. ~ Jeff Tamarkin
Leni Stern's 'AFRICA,' two years in the making, integrates African and Western music forms with such authenticity that it may come to be regarded as an 'Audio Documentary' of African musical life. Recorded in Africa, playing with local musicians at the pace of life in Africa, Stern invites listeners to immerse themselves in African culture as she experienced it, first-hand. She comments: "I want people to hear what Africa sounds like. Africa deserves our respect, not just our mercy. And out of respect for the music, I felt compelled to record the album in Africa."
With its robust percussion and asymmetrical song structure, 'Africa' showcases the indigenous sounds of brilliant African instrumentalists and singers, as well as Stern's acclaimed electric guitar chops and vocals. Stern recalls: "As a white woman in a Muslim country, playing an electric guitar, my presence had an powerful impact." In fact, her African colleagues gave Stern a name of honor: 'MOUSSA GUITAR FOE' - and she is the only one. "My gold Strat became popular," Stern recalls. "Guitar Dechire, they'd say in Mali - distorted guitar. The women liked to see me play -- 'she is talking back to the men, she doesn't stop, she is making them work hard' -- they'd laugh. I think Salif Keita enjoyed the controversy about his toubabou - his white woman on lead guitar."
'Africa', set for October 30th release, is a passionate turn for Stern, notable for its musicianship as well as for the simple fact that it got made. "Few have attempted such an undertaking and pulled it off," she says. A listen to the track 'Dakkan (What is Written)' captures the dynamic quality of the new album -- sounding simultaneously Western and distinctly African -- from the instrumentation to the vocals to the mix of languages -- this track is a centerpiece of 'Africa' and conveys the uplifting spirit of the project.
The 13-song CD 'Africa' grew out of the Stern EP 'Alu Maye (Have You Heard),' which was recorded in Mali, at Salif Keita's Bamako Studios. The EP was the latest step in Stern's evolution as a musician's musician, without boundaries. In a recent, rave review in JAZZIZ Magazine, critic Philip Booth praised: "As an artist, she has become practically unclassifiable. To everyone but the bean counters, that's a strength...Stern effectively allies her throaty vocals and thoughtful six-string playing with the hypnotic rhythms, percussive textures and singsong choruses of West African music. The kaleidoscopic flickering of multi-stringed instruments makes an entirelyDown Beat (p.81) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Throughout it all, Stern fingerpicks gorgeous, subtle guitar solos that blur the lines between blues, jazz and African sounds."
Tracks:
1. Bamake
2. 1000 Stars
3. Keita
4. Simbo
5. Ahinin Be al Allah
6. Saya
7. Aman Iman
8. Ousmane
9. Alu Maye
10. Ami
11. Dakkan
12. Childsoldier
13. Forest Song
PLEASE GIVE AT LEAST WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN
STAY IN SEED PLEASE
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