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Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms

07 Sep 18 - 06:35 PM (#3948877)
Subject: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: Senoufou

Anyone watching this? Absolutely magical. Brings back lots of excellent memories of my visits to Senegal (Casamance and Dakar)
The dancer is brilliant.
But apart from Youssou himself, it's the instrumentalists who are stealing the show. They really are the best.
Feel a bit emotional. Wish I was back in W Africa!


07 Sep 18 - 07:18 PM (#3948881)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: Steve Shaw

I'm watching. Brilliant.


07 Sep 18 - 10:35 PM (#3948900)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: robomatic

Can it be linked to? Love that stuff!


07 Sep 18 - 10:53 PM (#3948903)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: robomatic

Viewer only works in the UK. I'll keep my eye peeled in case there's a podcast.


08 Sep 18 - 03:17 AM (#3948909)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: Senoufou

The 'donno' player (small drum played under the arm and squeezed to change its tone, player uses a hooked stick to beat it)
and the 'djembe' chap (bigger free-standing drum, narrow in the middle) were the best I've ever seen. I used to watch Senegal musicians on TV in Dakar, but none were as good as these.

One of the guitars was played in such a way as to imitate the sound of the 'cora' (stringed free-standing instrument made from an enormous gourd-shaped object) Wonderful how they'd improvised that!

Youssou certainly knows how to engage his audience.

Only downer was he chose a Bob Marley song (Redemption) near the end. Now Bob Marley is very popular in W Africa, especially among the Djola, many of whom are Rastafarians. But I imagine the audience at the Prom were wanting to hear traditional Senegal music, not Caribbean stuff.

Also, I wish the lady singer had chosen to wear one of the magnificent Senegal dresses worn by nearly all the women out there. They're loose and flowing, brightly coloured and gorgeous. I didn't like her more Western top and skirt!

It was lovely to hear the Wolof language again in most of the songs.
Great evening!


08 Sep 18 - 04:39 AM (#3948930)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: GUEST,Joe G

I heard it on the iPlayer radio and hope to watch it on iPlayer TV. Great concert and I'm not a huge fan of Youssou


08 Sep 18 - 04:56 AM (#3948936)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: Will Fly

Saw him when he came to Brighton some years ago - absolutely brilliant. I shall catch up last night's performance on the iPlayer.

The other great African musicians I've seen in Brighton have been Toumani Diabate and Ladysmith Black Mambazo - absolutely superb!


08 Sep 18 - 05:52 AM (#3948946)
Subject: RE: Youssou N'Dour BBC 4 Proms
From: Senoufou

Oh Will, you lucky lucky thing! Love Toumani (Malian cora player) My husband's tribe, (Senoufo) are more Malian than Ivorian in origin.
I love cora music.

As for LBM, absolutely adore them! I love 'Homeless' and 'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes', plus that song about the wise men and the star 'Inkanyezi Nezazi'.

Trouble is I get all choked up and my heart is full to bursting when I listen to authentic African music. I'm sure I must have been an African in a past life or something.
Husband prefers more modern African stuff - the traitor!