Vieux Diop

Subject: Vieux Diop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 12:32 PM

Review by Alex Henderson, All Music Guide:

From Mozambique to Nigeria to Ethiopia, many African pop artists use Western instruments exclusively. They're still embracing African rhythms, but they use western instruments to play them and exclude traditional African instruments like the kora (a string instrument with a harp-like sound), the mbira (one of Africa's various thumb pianos), and the kalimba. Vieux Diop, however, is among the African pop vocalists who favors a combination of African and Western instruments. On 2000's Afrika Wassa, the kora and other traditional African instruments interact with the drums, bass, and guitar. A native of Senegal who has lived in the U.S. since 1984, Diop is no stranger to multiculturalism -- on Afrika Wassa, he sings in Senegalese languages as well as English and French. His style of African pop isn't hyper and ultra-exuberant a la soukous, makossa, and zouk -- nor is it moody, smoky and jazz-influenced like a lot of Ethiopian and Sudanese pop. Rather, Diop goes for a gentle, relaxed, reflective approach and sometimes incorporates elements of American folk. Afrika Wassa isn't for dancing; it's best to sit down and listen to this charming, heartfelt CD.

I was infected with this lovely, evocative music by my brother in law wh owe saw over vacation-- I was looking for aquatic workout music. This CD swept me away! It's so pretty, so simple, so complex, so melodically and rhythmically inviting.... A soft but powerful voice, a lovely blend of languages, and simply wonderful ideas in the lyrics.

Listen here: CLICK

~S~

Subject: RE: Vieux Diop
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 12:40 PM

Vieux Diop (pronounced "Via Jo") is a master of the kora, a 21-stringed instrument indigenous to West Africa. A former member of Youssou N'Dour's band, Diop has toured with African percussionist Babatunde Olatunji and jazz musicians Jean Paul Borelli and Roy Brooks. Since emigrating to the U.S. in 1984, Diop has lectured and performed at colleges and universities including the Julliard School of Music in New York, which was the site of a weekly series, West African Journey, that he hosted in 1996. Diop serves as host of a biweekly radio show on world music, Musical Conversations, broadcast by New York radio station, WBAI-FM. While his music remains rooted in the traditions of West Africa, Diop has increasingly incorporated contemporary roots music influences. Cash Box observed that Diop "...serves up bobbing, weaving, grooves that are undeniable to the human pulse." In addition to creating heartfelt melodies on the kora, Diop plays the dissunguni (bass kora) and djembe, and sings in a mixture of traditional African languages (Wolof, Mandigo and Bambara), French and English. He has released albums to the US, starting with his self-titled 1995 debut and continuing into the next decade.

— Craig Harris, All Music Guide   

~S~