Oumou Sangaré

Jennifer Merin, About.com's Guide to Documentaries, recently reviewed the new Bela Fleck flick, Throw Down Your Heart. In the film, bluegrass-fusion superstar Bela Fleck heads to Africa to uncover the African roots of the banjo and to record a new CD. I've seen the film as well, and reading Jennifer's review, I was happy to discover that I wasn't entirely alone in my opinion of it. I should disclose that I'm not a huge Fleck-ophile. I think he's inarguably one of the world's finest technical musicians - any instrument, any genre - but I really don't like hearing him play anything other than relatively straight-ahead bluegrass, as his fusion work leaves me nonplussed... it's just a little bit too cerebral for my taste. I like genres of music that make you dance, that serve to aid in celebrations or assist in mourning, or pass forward ancient stories. Thus, my love for African music, both traditional and modern. So when I see a documentary about a musician going to Africa, learning about African music, I want to see and hear the darned African music! I want to know why that particular village was chosen on the quest, and what the motivations and histories of the musicians in that village are, and, at the simplest level, what their names are. Basically, I want the goofy American dude to step aside, so we can see the good stuff. That said, I thought Fleck was reasonably humble (or at least figured out how to be at some point on his quest), is always talented and interesting to watch from a musical standpoint, and that the moments of Flecklessness alone are worth watching the movie for, especially the part with Oumou Sangare, because she's 100% awesome and no one can tell me different. Overall, reasonably entertaining, from my perspective, just not quite meaty enough. If you're looking for a movie about African music, you might find yourself frustrated, because this one really is about Fleck, and the African musicians are background players. If you're interested in the musical process, in how fusion happens, or you're mad about the banjo, then I think you might have a new favorite. Have you seen Throw Down Your Heart? What did you think? Leave a comment and let us know! Image (c) Argot Films, 2009

It only took me about a month and a half to review Seya, the first CD in six years from Wassoulou singer Oumou Sangare. Usually, my (boring) process for writing a review is to play a CD a few times while I'm doing normal stuff (dishes, driving, etc.), and then sit down a final time and write the review while listening to the CD. The problem with Seya was that, even after listening to it a dozen times, I'd sit down to write, and end up just reading the liner notes and listening to it, over and over and over. Finally, I had to do something I never do: take notes (with a pen! Remember pens? They still exist!) and then turn the music off. Moral of the story? Seya is distractingly good, with outstanding replay value and really, really great liner notes. Have you heard it? What did you think? Leave a comment and let us know!

Critic Robert Christgau is impressed by the new album from the Malian vocalist, whom he calls Africa's most important female singer. Seya is her first release after a 12-year absence from recording, spent raising a son and running a hotel, farm and other businesses.

Malian singer Oumou Sangare promotes her new album, Seya , with a free concert this Thursday in the Pritzker Pavilion at 8 PM.

June 25, 2009 - Oumou Sangare began singing at weddings and on the streets more than 25 years ago in Mali's musical metropolis, Bamako. Now, with the release of her sixth album, ,

Oumou Sangare's new album Seya is the artists first album in six years. June 25, 2009 - Oumou Sangare began singing at weddings and on the streets more than 25 years ago in Mali's musical metropolis, Bamako.

With the release of her sixth album Seya, Oumou Sangare has gone from an outsider who sang about taboo subjects like polygamy and forced marriage to a major national celebrity.

Oumou Sangare Malian singer Oumou Sangare 's first album in six years, Seya , will be released by World Circuit/Nonesuch Records on June 9. This summer, Sangare tours major festivals in support of the new record.

Before European-derived concepts of career management became widespread among African recording artists, following the emergence of the world music movement in the late 1980s and 1990s, a musician's stature ...