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desertcart.com After its release to wide acclaim in 1984, first on Rogue Records in the United Kingdom, and then worldwide by Mango the following year, the record slipped into oblivion. Now Djam Leelii is available again, this time with some newly mastered tracks from the original 1982 sessions. It is the soul of West Africa, a model of brilliant guitar music and as sublime an example of Senegalese musical art as ever was made. Mansour Seck and Baaba Maal have been partners in music for a long time, always experimenting, always surprising, whether it's bold pop or subtle acoustics. This is one of the latter. Primarily two guitars and two voices, Djam Leelii insinuates rather than insists. There is a slight backing of electric guitars, a hint of balafon and a variety of small percussion, just enough to prod the music along, never rushing it. Even the excess of reverb seems to be in service of the surreal atmosphere they create here. For those who love West African acoustic music, and for those who love excellent musicianship in any form, this recording is a classic. Even if you already have an earlier release of the record, these three long tracks still make a second purchase worthwhile. Mixed in a drier ambiance, they feature grittier guitar sounds, a more urgent vocal combination, and some wonderful kora and balafon work by Mamad Kouyate and Jombo Kouyate. The closing track, "Taara," is one of the most gorgeous tracks of modern acoustic Hapulaar (Fulani) music available on disc. Djam Leelii has stood the test of time, and it sustains the listener year after year. --Louis Gibson Review: A GIFT FOR ALL THE HUMANITY - DJAM LEELI is a landark recording in the fields of world ethnic jazz .It is not only BAABA MAALs MASTERPIECE but also MANSOUR SECKs too , his blind friend and co-patriot since childhood,also a singer, gifted from GOD to play gracefully classical guitar .It is not so the wonderful north senegalese folk african music played here along with great musicianship, but mainly the fact that the STRENTH OF SOUL wins and celebrates against all oddities ,armed with will and determination to prove it .DJAM LEELI is more traditional than BAAYO but of the same impact and value .IT IS A GIFT FOR ALL THE HUMANITY .Check also mansour secks personal work which is fine too. Review: Two Stars - Can be monotonous...
| ASIN | B00000DGYK |
| Best Sellers Rank | #91,658 in CDs & Vinyl ( See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl ) #5 in Music of Senegal & Gambia #140 in World Dance (CDs & Vinyl) #38,476 in Pop (CDs & Vinyl) |
| Customer Reviews | 3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars (22) |
| Date First Available | December 7, 2006 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Label | Palm Pictures |
| Language | English |
| Manufacturer | Palm Pictures |
| Number of discs | 1 |
| Original Release Date | 1998 |
| Product Dimensions | 5.6 x 0.4 x 4.9 inches; 3.2 ounces |
B**H
A GIFT FOR ALL THE HUMANITY
DJAM LEELI is a landark recording in the fields of world ethnic jazz .It is not only BAABA MAALs MASTERPIECE but also MANSOUR SECKs too , his blind friend and co-patriot since childhood,also a singer, gifted from GOD to play gracefully classical guitar .It is not so the wonderful north senegalese folk african music played here along with great musicianship, but mainly the fact that the STRENTH OF SOUL wins and celebrates against all oddities ,armed with will and determination to prove it .DJAM LEELI is more traditional than BAAYO but of the same impact and value .IT IS A GIFT FOR ALL THE HUMANITY .Check also mansour secks personal work which is fine too.
G**N
Two Stars
Can be monotonous...
H**E
Great listening
Good music
L**A
Vibrant African music!
Great for background ambiance; very positive and lyrical. This is a lovely example of Africa's gorgeous eclectic music which is always diverse and inspiring!
M**R
Great Sounds
Great African music ... Great Sounds
D**T
Excellent music and musicianship, questionable presentation
This album reissue seems to have everything going for it: restrained yet stylish design courtesy of Intro, warm remastering, and of course the music itself, expanded with "non-produced" bonus cuts. Judging from the brief liner notes, the album follows a concept of sorts, the movement of Pulaar males from village life to metropolitan life and all the anomie, wonder, and disruption of community this entails. But what is missing is a description or translation of the lyrics, since this IS an album not of pounding drums but of intricate melodies and words. Full translations tend to be financially unfeasible, but Palm Pictures could have used RealWorld's method of offering brief descriptions of each song text, with a quote from each song. This release leaves the listener wondering about the meaning of the music, and ultimately does a disservice to Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck, whose words are lost to those of us who do not speak Pulaar, which is most of us. Presentation blunders like this may even have a negative impact on the reception of African music: that the lyrics are not important, they're just chanting and anyway, it's the drums that matter, right?...
R**Y
Incredible album.
This album is really incredible. I've never heard anything else like it, and everyone I've ever played it for has also thought it was incredible.
J**Y
A sense of "otherness" that unites rather than divides.
This is a great album of Senegalese music, and one of my favorites. I love Maacina Tooro, song #5. I just wish I had a translation of the songs. They are beautiful. I recommend this for anyone who likes music with unusual rhythm and a strong sense of "otherness" that unites rather than divides. As you can see, the other reviewers found this album well worth while.
J**G
Baaba Maal est un grand orchestrateur et arrangeur quand il fait de l'électro et de la musique "occidentale", qu'on appelle "world". Il révèle un vrai sens de la trouvaille sonore. Mais c'est un grand musicien simplement, et quand il s'allie à Mansour Seck, de la génération précédente, Seck qui est pour lui un maître, il atteint des sommets de beauté dénudé, dépouillée, il n'y a que les harmonie, la cora, la guitare, et la voie joueuse de Baaba, nasillarde et aérienne en même temps. Baaba s'impose comme le passeur de la culture du Fouta, région centrale du Sénégal. Très bel album, de la même veine que tout ce qu'il a fait avec Mansour Seck : honnête et réussi.
P**O
L’enregistrement sur le CD est très mauvais. Le son est rayé en parti. ça n'a pas l'air d'un CD originale mais plustôt un enregistrement d'un autre CD. bref, je suis assez dessus.
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