Boulevard de l'Independance | 
| Artist: Toumani Diabate Symmetric Orchestra
Label: Nonesuch
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $10.00
You Save: $8.98 (47%)
New (30) Used (12) from $8.44
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 12966
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 79953
UPC: 075597995329
EAN: 0075597995329
Release Date: July 10, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: still wrapped
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| Tracks:
| • | Toumani | | • | Boulevard de l'Independance | | • | Ya Fama | | • | Mali Sadio | | • | Africa Challenge | | • | Wasso | | • | Mamadou Diaby | | • | Tapha Niang | | • | Single |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Toumani Diabate, scion of one of Mali's oldest hereditary musical dynasties, was born into a few-centuries-worth of hard-acts-to-follow. But his output continues his father Sidiki's life-long exploration of the manifold possibilities of the kora, West Africa's glorious 21-string harp-lute. Aside from folklore-based recitals, such as New Ancient Strings with fellow kora virtuoso Ballake Sissoko, he has also released a quiver-full of genre-bursting experiments. The flamenco-infused Songhai albums, Kulanjan, with American roots master Taj Mahal, and 2005's Grammy-winning In The Heart Of The Moon with the late, great Malian guitarist Ali Farka, are only a few highlights. The present project, featuring a 50-member big band hailing from Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, and Guinee, can best be described as neo-trad-with-attitude. Local xylophones, plucked instruments, and percussion abut drum kits and electric bass. The string arrangements sometimes recall Zanzibar's Taarab orchestras, while the brass charts have an aggressive yet tasty swagger; you might not imagine that the kora could work as a lead instrument in such company but it does. Further graced by the astounding vocals of Kasse Mady Diabate and a mixed chorale, this is a ground-breaking and soon-to-be-legendary release. --Christina Roden
Album Description
Boulevard de l'Independance is an ambitious , big-band follow-up to In The Heart of the Moon; a bold synthesis of acoustic and electric, elegant and earthy, shimmering melodies and irresistable grooves, recorded in two weeks' worth of all-night sessions in the Malian capital of Bamako. It's a vivid recreation of the group's Friday night residency at Bamako's Hogon nightclub that retains the hot, lookse and live feel of the popular gig.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
World Music Must Have July 6, 2008
Toumani goes large. Sweet and subtle melodies inside an algorithm of complex musical exchange. This is a cd that will make your body want to dance and dance, while your ears will still for study.
Looking for World Music? Start Here. May 4, 2008
This is the best African music I've ever heard. The koro playing is unbelievable and the mixture of old with new and cultural elements from music around the world is remarkably well-done. This CD has everything from jazz elements to Latin flare to big band to tribal African drumming/singing to reggae. And it is all done seamlessly in a natural way. The CD is just amazing and is the best CD I've purchased in years.
I play this thing daily and every time it puts a smile on my face and makes me want to dance or share it with friends. Do yourself a favor and buy this. And then do the world a favor and buy it for a friend, you can't help but smile and dance upon hearing these sounds!
MODERN SOUNDS FROM ANCIENT November 29, 2007
I WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE MUSIC OF TOUMANI DIABETE ON HIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH THE LATE, GREAT ALI FARKA TOURE ON THE ALBUM "IN THE HEART OF THE MOON", WHICH WAS A FANTASTIC EFFORT OF TWO FANTASTIC MUSICIANS. DIABETE PLAYS THE KORA, A 21 STRINGED INSTRUMENT THAT SOUNDS SOMETIMES LIKE A GUITAR, SOMETIMES, LIKE A HARP (FODAY MUSA SUSO IS ANOTHER GREAT KORA PLAYER). APPARENTLY, DIABETE COMES FROM A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED LINE OF KORA PLAYERS. THIS CD FEATURES HIM PLAYING AND SINGING WITH THE SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA, A 50 PIECE BIG BAND OF WEST AFRICAN MUSICIANS. THIS MUSIC JUST COMES RIGHT UP AND HITS YOU RIGHT IN THE FACE LIKE A SLEDGEHAMMER. YOU WOULDN'T THINK AT FIRST THAT THIS WOULD WORK, BUT THE RESULTS ARE UNBELIEVABLE. THIS IS A FANTASTIC CD, AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERY OTHER REVIEWER GAVE THIS ONE FIVE STARS AS WELL. BUY THIS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ENJOY WORLD MUSIC. VERY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.
A Masterpiece April 24, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I agree with every other reviewer here. This album is uplifting, and inspiring, and a pure delight in every way. I usually shy away from absolutes and realize that musical taste is subjective, but I really believe this is one of the finest pieces of music ever recorded, regardless of genre.
This CD belongs in any serious library of music and will certainly win over the descriminating listener who may not be very familiar with African music. A masterpiece!!!
Big band sound of West Africa March 26, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Because of the likes of Ry Cooder seeking the orgins of Cuban music you have to go through West Africa and the slave trade. Diabate besides being a skilled musician having with the best of West Africa has brought together a talented group that has the craftmanship to present the music of West Africa that one appreciated the sound and is struck the the beauty of these people and their history as expressed in the album. If you have a yearning for a unique jazz/blues sound give this a try.
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