Ballake Sissoko - At Peace.

                                  

Ballake Sissoko

Amid the recent political turmoil that has attempted to stagnate Malian society and culture, comes a beautifully dreamy album by Ballake Sissako called 'For Peace'.

French cellist Vincent Segal who collaborated with Sissako two years ago on an album called 'Chamber Music' takes on the role of producer for this album, however he does play on a handful of tracks here too.
A master of the complex native African string instrument the kora, Ballake Sissako blends his playing elegantly with the accompaniment of 12 string guitar, cello and balafon (a wooden percussion instrument).
This track entitled 'N'tomikorobougou' is one of the stand out pieces of this collection, recorded in the courtyard of his home in Bamako, Mali's capital in January 2011.
'At Peace' is available now on Six Degrees Records.

Stranded Horse - Transmission.

I have always been of the opinion that a cover version of a song should be completely taken over by the artiste in question, remodelling it into something all of their own.

Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's 'All Along The Watchtower' comes to mind as somewhat a prime example. Incidentally Dylan was so impressed with Hendrick's more geared up electrifying adaptation of his song, he was later to emulate it in his live shows.
A much more recent example of an extraordinary take of a song would have to be this one.
Who would have thought that one day we would hear a version of a 1980's post-punk song played on West African string instruments. The latest 7" offering from Yann Tambour aka Stranded Horse includes let's say a rather original version of Joy Division's 'Transmission'.
Available on Talitres Records it also includes a self penned track called 'A Faint Light'.Tambour is accompanied on both tracks by Boubacar Cissokho, Poulo K and Bakoutoubo Dambakhate from Senegal where this recording was made. News of a forthcoming album release will be available later in the year.