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The Mande Variations | 
| Artist: Toumani Diabate
Label: World Circuit
Category: Music
List Price: £14.99
Buy New: £9.78
You Save: £5.21 (35%)
New (14) Used (1) from £8.79
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 1388
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 769233007926
EAN: 0769233007926
ASIN: B0011OJPT6
Release Date: February 25, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Si Naani | | • | Elyne Road | | • | Ali Farka Toure | | • | Kaunding Cissoko | | • | Ismael Drame | | • | Djourou Kara Nany | | • | El Nabiyouna | | • | Cantelowes |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
Brilliant, just brilliant October 10, 2008
If you do not want the hair on your neck to stand up and goosebumps to appear on your arm then don't buy it, because this CD is truly brilliant. It's different to his others but that is the greatness of this guy. Some of the tunes relate to his experiences in the UK and he even plays with us in Cantelowes when you hear the start of the sound track for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Hey this guy has humour as well as brilliance.
With the world falling about our ears and all the talk of greed and corruption just buy this and take your mind to some calm and peaceful place. This can really contribute to your sanity. I'm off to chill out with this CD. I have all his CDs but this is really set apart, perhaps it stands out becasue it is less traditional, please buy it and you will not be disappointed, trust me
a master at work August 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this as part of the run up to the 2008 WOMAD and I am so glad that I did. This is a work of great virtuosity that transports me to another world. I feel humbled by the presence of Diabate's playing genius and simultaneously soothed by music of great beauty. Oh and by the way he was as good live as he is on disc. I can highly recommend this CD to anyone wanting to experience superb music and a living African legend.
A gentle bolt from heaven July 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was a complete newcomer to this man and his music until, when sat watching all the latest Arcade Fire soundalikes on Jools' 'Later' one night found myself completely transfixed by his single performance in the middle of it all. This CD has continued to captivate me with it's joyful tunes and resonances, captured perfectly by a most sympathetic engineer. Toumani makes his instrument 'sing' throughout in much the same way to my ear as Abdullah Ibrahim does with a piano, or Ornette Coleman with an alto sax. Profoundly beautiful music !
 Very good, but not his best July 29, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Unlike New Ancient Strings and Kaira, on which every track is superb, this latest album has a couple of less strong, meandering improvisations that really demonstrate nimbleness of fingers rather than great musicianship. If you are already a fan, definitely buy it, but if this is your first, I'd recommend New Ancient Strings or Kaira.
Warning - highly addictive June 14, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Toumani Diabaté, the kora guru of Africa, has outdone himself with this collection of solo instrumental pieces. The virtuosity in fingering the kora, the richness of the rhythms and range of melodies is unmatched by anything this Malian musician has done previously. I enjoyed his earlier solo collection, "Kaira", produced twenty years ago and his "New Ancient Strings" (1999), with which he and the younger Ballake Sissoko paid homage to their fathers' musical genius. Yet now, with this CD he has reached a level of maturity, depth and musicality not previously achieved. For fans of the West African kora, this is a must in their collection; for the "newbies", this is a great introduction into a mesmerizing aspect of Malian music and treat to enjoy over and over again. It will very likely become addictive. This is music to lose yourself in, over and over again.
Toumani Diabaté comes from a long line of Malian musicians. His father was the most famous kora player of his time and Toumani often pays credit to him through his music. Nonetheless, the younger Diabaté has refined the abilities of the instrument and enriched the playing techniques over the years. Elements of these could already be detected in the award winning In The Heart of the Moon, a collaboration with the legendary guitarist, the late Ali Farka Touré. Toumani, being largely self-taught, has been open to experimenting with this traditional instrument, without abandoning its unique sound and complex harmonies. As he traveled the world, he absorbed and learned from other musical cultures, such as Indian classical music, flamenco and blues. The compositions on this CD harmoniously integrate such influences with melodies and rhythms of the past. All are his, or presented in his adaptation. Soft melodies that seem to tell gentle stories alternate with more vivacious and energetic pieces. Not surprisingly, a special homage is included for Ali Farka that he would have treasured. Toumani's extraordinary technical skill lets him expand the fingering to incorporate the bass line as an accompaniment creating the impression that two koras are playing. Furthermore, recently Toumani has been experimenting, successfully as the pieces here exemplify, with two differently strung koras, one for the traditional melodies and harmonies, the other for his more "modern" compositions. The photos in the included booklet show the details of the finger settings. The explanations of the background to the two kora stringings and insights into the stories behind each piece are written by the musician himself. A beautiful gift to yourself or for people you care deeply about. [Friederike Knabe]
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