World Song Review: Tunga by Mamadou Diabaté [5/5]
08 Dec 2006 08:56 AM / Filed in: Music
[World] Tunga, Mamadou Diabaté
From the album Tunga. Available from eMusic
Tunga is the reason why I decided to post something about the Kora yesterday. Mamadou Diabaté plays this complex instrument masterfully. No doubt about that. I feel like crying out of joy when hearing this heavenly piece of Music. Truth is sometimes I do cry to let lose the emotions that are created by the beauty of Music. There are bad songs, average songs, good songs and songs that are so good that sometimes I have a hard time believing that a human just like you and me is capable of creating. Mamadou is one of those. And Tunga makes my eyes full of tears. To appreciate this kind (or any other) of Music, you need to be in a quiet environment or work around the ambient noise that besieges us with a very good, sound isolating, headphones. And then you are ready for a wonderful travel into the land of pure, great emotions.
When I first began to listen to songs featuring the Kora, I believed that in many songs there were two Kora players. But it was a mistake. With its 21+ strings, the Kora is capable of creating a wide range of sounds that give you the impression that there are two instruments being played. In fact, the player uses his right hand for accompaniment. I discovered that about 10 months ago when I bought Boulevard De l'Indépendance by Toumani Diabaté which featured a video sequence in which Toumani gives some hints about how wonderful the Kora is. Then I saw the guy playing live at Cabaret Sauvage and I was taken aback by the sounds that can be produced by a single Kora.
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From the album Tunga. Available from eMusic
Tunga is the reason why I decided to post something about the Kora yesterday. Mamadou Diabaté plays this complex instrument masterfully. No doubt about that. I feel like crying out of joy when hearing this heavenly piece of Music. Truth is sometimes I do cry to let lose the emotions that are created by the beauty of Music. There are bad songs, average songs, good songs and songs that are so good that sometimes I have a hard time believing that a human just like you and me is capable of creating. Mamadou is one of those. And Tunga makes my eyes full of tears. To appreciate this kind (or any other) of Music, you need to be in a quiet environment or work around the ambient noise that besieges us with a very good, sound isolating, headphones. And then you are ready for a wonderful travel into the land of pure, great emotions.
When I first began to listen to songs featuring the Kora, I believed that in many songs there were two Kora players. But it was a mistake. With its 21+ strings, the Kora is capable of creating a wide range of sounds that give you the impression that there are two instruments being played. In fact, the player uses his right hand for accompaniment. I discovered that about 10 months ago when I bought Boulevard De l'Indépendance by Toumani Diabaté which featured a video sequence in which Toumani gives some hints about how wonderful the Kora is. Then I saw the guy playing live at Cabaret Sauvage and I was taken aback by the sounds that can be produced by a single Kora.
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- Rating: 5/5
- Label: Alula Records
- Release year: 2000
- Related Artists: Ablaye Cissoko, Toumani Diabaté, Ballaké Sissoko, Kaouding Cissoko
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