Tuesday, November 30, 2004  

Bembeya Jazz
"Guantanamera Seyni"

Even if you don't recognize the name of this tune (or thought it was called "One Ton Tomato"), you'll know the song because the Sandpipers had a massive hit with it in 1966 and tons of folks have played it before & after. "Guantanamera" is usually played all peppery, and sweaty, and Latiny (natch), but I love the way Guinea's Bembeya Jazz slows it down, reverbs it up, and gives it that West African swing. The guitar is just plain tite. If you like the low-intensity, Senegalese'd rumbas of Orchestra Baobab....

The MP3 is a direct download from Stern's Music, which posted it to promote the comp The Syliphone Years---even though "Guantanamera" isn't even on the CD.

-Buy The Syliphone Years from Stern's Music
-BBC on Bembeya
-AfroPop interviews guitarist-leader Sekou "Bembeya" Diabate aka "Diamond Fingers," which is remarkably similar to what I was called back in my indie-pop, guitar-playing days. (Actually, it was "One-Finger Willie," but man I could squeeze gems out of that string.)

Posted by CP | Link |

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