Edito de Bambay GueejThe follow up to Cheikh Lô s acclaimed debut Ne La Thiass sees many of the West African singer s influences come full circle. Born in Burkina Faso of Senegalese parents, Cheikh Lô has lived in Mali, Senegal and Paris and cut his musical teeth playing the Cuban music that was in vogue during his youth. The cosmopolitan feel of Lô s music encompasses Senegalese m blax, Zairean soukous inflections, Fela Kuti s Nigerian Afro-Beat. Cuban guajira, reggae and Malian Bambara music. Cheikh Lô s own Dakar-based unit of drums (played by Lô), tama (talking drum), percussion, guitars, bass and saxophone is augmented by a horn section led and arranged by Pee Wee Ellis. Like many youths in Africa, Lô grew up listening to James Brown and the arrival of Pee Wee in Dakar was almost like a homecoming. Ellis, who currently works with Van Morrison and arranged for the Godfather of Soul the deep funk period of Cold Sweat , was inspired during the week of all-night recording sessions. His soulful swing gives an added dimension to many of the tracks and his funky arrangements on the title track perfectly melds the Afro Beat and James Brown styles. Cuban music has been extremely popular in West Africa since before the 1950 s and Cheikh Lô names Richard Egües, the legendary Cuban flautist and founder of Orchestra Aragón, as his favourite musican. Lô s dream comes true with Egües contribution (played on the first take with no rehearsal) to the adapted Cuban guajira M Beddemi . Another guest on the album who is rapidly attaining legendary status is the young Malian singer Oumou Sangare. She joins Cheikh on the Bambara language mystical tribute to Cheikh s place of birth Bobo Dioulasso . A deep spirituality pervades Cheikh Lô s music. His dreads and patchwork clothing are the livery of a follower of the Baye Fall, the Islamic sect founded in Senegal by the prophet Cheikh Amadou Bamba, to whom the title track is dedicated. To Cheikh, his faith, his life and his music are all inextricably linked and the traditional vocal chant which closes the album possesses a powerful simplicity, a fitting return to deepest roots after a journey through Lô s very personal musical landscape. Lire la suite