This area of Africa is probably the poorest on the entire continent, but it’s also probably the richest in poly-culture, as it sits more or less on the crossroads between the Arabs from the north and the Africans from the south. In more recent history, it’s an area from where many musicians and musical groups have made, or at least attempted to make, their jump onto the World Music scene. A few have made it even farther, landing performances and collaborations with blues luminaries such as Ben Harper, Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, and others.

This CD contains 16 cuts, and totals out at over 64 minutes. Excellent value for the price. It’s some excellent, easygoing Central African music, mostly guitar and acoustic with vocals. It’s the type of music that you sit and listen to intently, or just use as background when you’re working or driving. It fits in anywhere, and it’s both soothing and invigorating simultaneously. It all depends on how you listen!

There’s no denying that the guitar work you hear on this CD could, with some English words rather than native African, become modern blues standards. On the other hand, overall the music is unmistakably Central African. It would be a loss to the world if no current prominent blues performer made an overture toward them.

If you like the music of Etran Finatawa, look into Tinariwen and Tartit, two other groups that came out of sub-Saharan Africa, and who’ve also made a splash in the World Music Scene.