COMPOSERS: Mamadou Doumbia
LABELS: JVC
PERFORMER: Mamadou Doumbia, Mandinka
CATALOGUE NO: 9013-2
Mandinka is an Afro-Japanese band, recorded at studios near Mount Fuji and in Paris, and led by Malian guitarist and singer Mamadou Doumbia.
The songs are his own, with their message to African expats who won’t come home, or people who think religion solves all their problems. But the highlight is his sparky playing, extended in ‘Diina’ and imaginative in ‘Faso’.
More complex than his previous dance album, this one still gets you on the move with its athletic bass and lively brass riffs, but it is buzzing with musical currents.