Percussions et chants du Mali: Laïla ilala

This was Soungalo Coulibaly's (1954-2003) first album. It is a fantastic debut for an artist who would continue to take such great strides throughout his career. While the instrumentation on this disc (Jembe, Dunun, Balafon, Guitar and Singing) is typically Malian, Soungalo managed to arrange them in a unique and creative way. By combining popular, Wassoulou-style with traditional rhythms cleverly arranged for a small group, Soungalo created a style called Flez Musique. Soungalo uses his virtuosity on the Jembe with such restraint, allowing each musician to take his or her place in the spotlight. While the Wassoulou-style singing may be foreign to Western ears, it provides a perfect complement to the voices of the drums. The Balafola (or xylophone player) brings a Jazz influence to the group while the Guitarist brings the music back home with his Malian-blues flatpicking style.