Ndigal (Sangomar, Thiès 1984)

Ndigal (Sangomar, Thiès 1984)

Bai Janha was the pre-eminent guitarist and bandleader of tiny Gambia throughout the ‘70s and ’80s, and live collection Ndigal finds him conjuring rough-hewn, endlessly rhythmic West African soul with a scrappy young backing group. The influence of regional contemporaries like Youssou N’Dour shows through with the powerful sabar drums and strident vocals of “Sama Yai” and “Gamo Jigimar”, and the band really stretches out for “Satay Muso”, layering on percussion, vocals, trumpet and more over a two-chord guitar vamp.

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