Bolokada taught Djaa last night with a little arrangement.

interesting tidbit...Bolo told us that he loves Djaa because it's the rhythm/occasion that made him famous in his region. he is a folkloric specialist for all types occasions: weddings, safinamalos, dembadon, baptisms, circumcision, dennabos, kassa, mendiani, kawa etc...but the Djalaban is where it all started.

he explained there are two basic occasions for djaa: the first being the fete/party for young people and the second being the Djalaban - the last "dance" or "fete" for a young woman about to be wed. Djalaban is the first fete in the wedding sequence. the second is the safinamalo(i also got to play a safina...another blog for another time), third is dembadon, and the fourth is the actual marriage. the woman to be married doesn't even get to dance at her own party. she's not even really present until they process her out and her friends and family (all female) dance and sing around her. at the...

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Mandeng Djara is Mamady's last recorded album on Fonti Musicali. a lot of the rhythms are Mamady compositions with song, kora, balaphon and of course dunun. the songs themselves are traditional songs sung by the women and children in the villages near balandougou. listen to Balandougou Kan track 1 disc 2 and you'll hear some of the same songs.

i had a Mamady moment last weekend driving home from a concert in my altered state, i decided to put on this album for the 70 minute drive after calling my wife to tell her i'm on my way and after inhaling a turkey sandwich.

now i know there are Mamady detractors, but you simply cannot deny the tastefulness of some of those intro arrangements. it's a fine balance b/w precise percussion work without being over the top in regards to the overall melodies of the rhythms....especially when playing off the bala and kora. that's the main thing that blows me away about this album...

...you can also add the telepathic conversation b/w mamady and...

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