Lamine Konte
Chant Du Negre… Chant Du Monde
Arion (Italy) 1977
ARN 33 395 (LP)
sleeve : EX(some wear on edge and corner.)
media : EX/EX(some slightly noise.)
An album released in 1977 by Senegalese kora player Lamine Konte, a hereditary musician of the West African griot tradition who is also known for his collaborations with Midori Takada. The album features Jean-Claude Yebga (sax) and Alpha Konate (percussion). Track A1 poetically speaks of Negritude over the groovy beat of the balafon, while A2, A3, and B1 draw inspiration from the poems of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal’s first president and an esteemed poet. The interplay of the kora, balafon, and guitar—imbued with a natural warmth—and Konte’s expressively rich chants are truly captivating. Track B1, featuring the saxophone, stands out as a rare and beautiful fusion of Afro-folk and jazz.
A1: Negritude
A4: La Legende Baoule