Back To Africa [Audio CD] Mor Thiam

Thiam moves between Dakar, Senegal and Atlanta, Georgia, gigging mostly within a jazz context in the 30 years since he first visited the States, working with Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake and Don Pullen. Thiam sings and plays West African djembe and sabar drums, this debut solo disc adopting a more traditionally Senegalese approach. Its chief tactic is to alternate heavy skin-beating with lighter band tunes, using keyboards, guitar and tenor saxophone, co-vocalists N'Diaye Samb Mboup and Fatou Talla N'Diaye helping Thiam create an invigorating chorus of high-vaulting harmony. The opening drum statement of "Worosodon" leads straight into "Yaral Sa Doom", with keyboardist Cheikh Tidiane Tall playing a dominant role. He arranges all the parts on the band numbers. The next track is named after the guesting "Doudou N'Diaye Rose", his drum duet pointing up the album's slightly brittle percussion sound. The djembe has a naturally ringing tone, but this production could do with some softening reverb. "Xamleen Xamme" and "Meeting In Dakar" make plenty of space for Baboulaye Sissokho's kora, "Modou Modou" skips on funky tiptoe, pushing forward Thierno Koite's tenor saxophone, then "Tassu" provides a feast of wild tama (talking drum) beating. --Martin Longley