Kicking things off is Mabulu's "Soul Marrabenta" (Riverboat Records/World Music Network TUGCD1024; www.worldmusic.net). Marrabenta is the traditional music of Mozambique, and the group Mabulu sees the coming together of two of Marrabenta's elder statesmen (63-year old Lisboa Matavel, and 73-year old Dilon Djindji) with some of the new stars of Mozambique hip hop to create a fusion called Soul Marrabenta. On this, the band's second album, they also take on board other influences such as South African Kwela, and Zimbabwe's Chimurenga. The songs tackle a wide range of subjects, including AIDS (which is still a major concern in many African countries), and the floods of 2000; the latter is on a song called "Rosita" named after the baby that was born in a tree which appeared on newscasts throughout the western world.

I had the great pleasure of catching Mabulu playing live, and "Soul Marrabenta" goes some way to capturing the energy that the band create on stage. Like a lot of African music, it is guaranteed to make you want to move.

The Tuareg live in five African states, and are traditionally a nomadic farming people, although many of them have now become more settled and cultivate the land. Tartit are Malian Tuareg, and comprise five women and four men, supplemented here by several guest musicians. The music on "Ichichila" (World Network 36.584; www.netwprkmedien.de) is sometimes categorized as Desert Blues, and it is not hard to see why. There is a basic level of emotion and intensity to it, which in places calls to mind Ali Farka Touré. Tartit's music is an expression of identity, and tradition. It is not taught to the children, but they are encouraged to learn by listening if they show any interest.

Tartit use the traditional instruments of Imzad (fiddle), Tindé (drum) and Tehadent (lute) supplemented by electric guitar and percussive handclapping. These are combined in various ways to great effect, and among my many personal favorite tracks are the opening "Aïtma", which features just electric guitar and vocals in a song about peace and the return of sons to their native soil, and the call for peace and reconciliation of "Aï Hele Dumahele" which is a vocal chant with only hand claps for accompaniment.

There is something very uplifting about "Ichichila." It is probably helped by the fact that many of the songs are expressions of hope: the fight against the lack of development that causes famine, war, and drought, and the hope for peace. Most of the songs are beautifully simple in their construction, and will have you joining in the chorus lines, even though you will not know the meaning of the words!

A lot of the greatest music to come out of Africa is actually a hybrid of sounds from various countries within and across continents. Cheikh N'Digël Lô's "Bambay Gueej" (World Circuit WCD 0057; www.worldcircuit.co.uk) is another example. Although Lô is based in Dakar, Senegal, he was born in Burkina Faso. His musical style combines mbalax dance music from Senegal with other African styles, and jazz and salsa. There has been a relatively long Cuban influence on West African music, and this is evident here right from the lilting opening track ("M'beddeni"), which features celebrated Cuban flautist, Richard Egües. The band also includes a horn section led by Pee Wee Ellis (of James Brown fame). Lô has close ties with Youssou N'Dour, whose influence can be heard in a few places. The title track is a particular favorite that you could quite easily imagine would fill the dance floors across the world, given reasonable airplay. It is only when you get to the closing track, the guitar accompanied vocal chant of "Zikr," that Lô reverts to the more traditional Senegalese style.

The last CD in this roundup, "Baro" (Putumayo P-192-A; www.putumayo.com) comes from Habib Koité & Bamada, who, like Tartit are also from Mali, although Koité is originally from Burkina Faso too. Koité formed Bamada in 1988, and "Baro" is their third album, and they have been steadily building a reputation which now means that they spend about half of their time outside of their Malian base. Koité prefers the sound of an amplified acoustic guitar to an electric, and this lends some of the songs an almost Spanish flamenco-like feel. The styles are very much Malian, however, albeit with subtle Western influences to make them more instantly accessible to a wider audience. Koité adheres to his musical traditions, however, using the relevant musical scales for each of the different styles and he sings in all the main languages of Mali (Bambara, Songhai, Peul, Bobo and Khassonke).

There is much to admire here, from the opening Cuban-influenced "Batoumambe" through the Latin-style revamp of his first hit "Cigarette A Bana" to the closing "Sinama Denw." Everything about the band slots perfectly in place, which at least partly reflects their musical relationships: Koité and fellow guitarist have played together for 28 years, and balofon (similar to the marimba) player Kélétigui Diabaté, who is now into his 70's recorded with Lionel Hampton back in the 1960's. There is very nice relaxed feel pervading "Baro" which makes it ideal to help chase those winter blues away.

This review is copyright © 2001 by Gordon Baxter, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.