Samba Touré: Gandadiko | Album Review

The African origins of the blues have been researched by US artists such as Taj Mahal and Corey Harris. Recently the waves of influence have flowed back across the Atlantic, so that Malian guitarist Samba Touré, and indeed his late mentor Ali Farka Touré would be well aware of their American counterparts. Thus the deep undulations of Malè Bano on Samba Touré's impressive fourth album, embellished with sparky ngoni and resonant njarka fiddle, would draw appreciative nods from John Lee Hooker, while Su Wililé is pure Bo Diddley on a bed of African percussion. Ali Farka's influence is alive and well – the lyrics dispense social advice in the Malian tradition, reference the hardships of the land, and even aim to pacify djinns! glitterbeat.com