AfroCubism

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AfroCubism

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This music is not the Afro-Cuban we are familiar from mid 20th century. Cuba and the concave region of Nigeria to the Congo are closely related in music, as the Afro- in Afro-Cuban historically refers to the percussive influences of West Central African slaves. The rumba, for instance, stems from Congo, Cameroon and it neighbors. Further north and west, Mali, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast, on the other hand, have a different, more lyrical musical tradition, which when brought by slaves to Colonial America, contributed to the blues. Thus, the meeting of a host of Cuban and Malian musicians is a unique exchange of musical ideas and timbre. Kora, balafon, ngoni, acoustic and electric guitar, maracas, congas, bongos, double bass, trumpets, violin, and vocals played by such renown stars as Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouate, Baba Sissoko, Djelimady Tounkara, Eliades Ochoa, José Angel Martinez, and Alain A. Dragoni, among others, provide a joyous musical experience. This is happy music, melodic and strongly rhythmic. A Malian or Cuban sound dominate particular tracks, but others are more balanced in interpretation. Such a combination of traditions produces an unusual but delightful style that deserves to be expanded and not remain just a one-time experiment. Bravo! Bravissimo! Encore!