Robin Denselow 

Bamba Wassoulou Groove: Farima review – triple-guitar fusions from Mali

The music and style of pioneering Malian guitarist Zani Diabaté, who died in 2011, are impressively revived by an all-star band led by Bamba Dembélé
  
  

Bamba Wassoulou Groove.
Mellow workout … Bamba Wassoulou Groove Photograph: Picasa/pr

Zani Diabaté, who died in 2011, was one of the great Malian guitar heroes who never quite made it in the west, despite his adventurous fusion of traditional styles and rock energy; he was compared to Hendrix when the exuberant album Zani Diabaté & The Super Djata Band was released here in 1988. But now his music and style are being resurrected, thanks to percussionist Bamba Dembélé, who played with him in Super Djata before joining the legendary Super Rail Band De Bamako, alongside drummer Maguett Diop and guitarist Moussa Diabaté – who now reappear alongside Dembélé in Bamba Wassoulou Groove. This is a band dominated by three guitarists, with Moussa taking the lead on new songs and old Super Djata favourites. On Farima he switches from a cool, drifting introduction to a driving solo, while Bina is a mellow workout featuring inter-twining guitars. Impressive – but check out Diabaté’s originals.

 

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