The Silimbo Passage

Album Review

Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita has assembled a multi-national ensemble to work with him on this release. There's his sister on vocals, his Gambian brother on percussion, as well as an Italian bassist and an Egyptian violinist. It's exciting and lovely, very much based in his tradition, but also so much more. Violinist Samy Bishai makes his presence known immediately on the opening track "Bimo," where his flourishes bring a completely different, exotic atmosphere to the piece. Keita uses a number of tunings, and his secret weapon is a double neck kora that gets an impressive airing on "Chelima." Bassist Davide Mantovani gets to show his chops on "Dingba Don," but the album is very much a group effort. For all that she's featured as a vocalist, Binta Suso isn't as good a singer as her brother, who has an unassuming but convincing voice. It's a superb disc that offers plenty of variety with touches of jazz, African funk, as well as Afro-pop. There's plenty to cheer about here, for this band doesn't just show potential — it delivers.