It's a mystery indeed why this CD (and a lot of other Baaba Maal CDs) isn't knocking the music world on its sleepy ass. Baaba Maal is one of the great African music innovators, but often gets overlooked because (I suspect) he doesn't usually conform to our idea of what African music should sound like. He's brilliant, get used to it. This CD is nothing short of incredible. I expect in about 10 years from now people will say "Hey, who is this guy?"
I don't know why this album hasn't gotten more press, more attention, more raves. It's one of Baaba Maal's finest cds, right up there with Djaam Leeli and Missing You, though more adventurous. Guided by guitarist & producer Barry Reynolds and with Sabina Sciubba from The Brazilian Girls adding vocals, TELEVISION takes Baaba into new & unexplored territory while staying true to his roots & his vision (no easy task!). A pleasure!
As always with Baaba Maal - high quality stuff. With 'Miracle' there is evidence of musical travels/exchanges with his colleagues in South Africa. Actually, the whole album shows how globally aware Maal is, and how unwilling he is to be stuck in a single definition. This is "good music", stuff you won't regret checking out.
Two women sitting in front of me murmured in increasing exasperation as Senegalese singer Baaba Maal discussed women's rights, the promise of Africa's youth and his circuitous path to music with British music journalist Chris Salewicz during the New York stop of Maal's mostly acoustic "Tales of the Sahel" tour. Attired in an elegantly understated gray-and-white striped boubou, Maal began the evening with a transcendent solo rendition of "Baayo" (The Orphan), a song he wrote more… more »
