Mamadou Kelly: Les Bateaux (The Boats) - VINYL LP

Mamadou Kelly: Les Bateaux (The Boats) - VINYL LPTitle: Les Bateaux (The Boats) Artist: Mamadou Kelly Label: Clermont Music Product Type: VINYL LP UPC: 711574893010 Genre: International Release Date: 2020 01 10 Number of Discs: 1 LP version. In the early 1970s, a devastating drought brought famine to the West African Sahel. This environmental disaster destroyed the region's agricultural and livestock economy. Millions of people were affected. International relief efforts tried to send emergency aid.

Title: Les Bateaux (The Boats)
Artist: Mamadou Kelly
Label: Clermont Music
Product Type: VINYL LP
UPC: 711574893010
Genre: International
Release Date: 2020-01-10
Number of Discs: 1

LP version. In the early 1970s, a devastating drought brought famine to the West African Sahel. This environmental disaster destroyed the region's agricultural and livestock economy. Millions of people were affected. International relief efforts tried to send emergency aid. "Les Bateaux", the title track of this album, recalls those hard years. It paints a scene of Malian villagers standing on the banks of the Niger River anxiously awaiting the boats carrying food. Mamadou Kelly remembers those years as he calls out the name of each boat's longed for appearance over the horizon. Kelly sings about life. He praises and thanks those who do admirable things. He evokes the spirits of collective memory. Seemingly simple, upon listening, his songs reveal multi-layered complexity. He is a master of the desert blues. His group on this album includes longtime colleague Aly Magassa (electric guitar), Kande Sissoko (ngoni), and Hamadoun "Afo" Guindo (percussion). They are joined on tracks by Malian musicians Adama Sidibe (balafon(, Madou Diabate (violin), and Hama Sangho (backup vocal), as well as American friends Jacob Silver (bass), Cindy Cashdollar (lap steel guitar), and David Rothenberg (clarinets). Les Bateaux was recorded live in Bamako and New York. The tracks were mixed in New York and Los Angeles, and mastered in New York.

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