In the literature, it's often unclear what is meant when music is attributed to the new "World Music" genre. If any music exemplifies this genre, it's the music on this release. While the language of the vocals is sometimes the African language of Cameroon, the lyrics often contain elements of English and French and sometimes seem to be a sort of Creole, mixing two or more of these languages in a new configuration. While at root African, the music is just as diversified, often incorporating very European sounds that bring to mind French or Spanish music with the rhythms sliding between purely Afro beats, something like Ska, and a more complex style that sounds more like Jamaican Rock-Steady or Reggae music.
The musicians appear to be playing a mix of European and traditional African instruments, bringing to the music a varied and rich sound that often defies being tied down to any specific locale. The result is that the arrangements have a depth and fullness that enriches the experience of the listener.
Even the vocals on several of the songs seem to belong less to Africa than to French popular music. What sounds most African to me in the vocals is the backing chants and choruses and the call and response that fills the space behind the lead singers. In a number of the songs, there are also powerful drum rhythms that, at least to the North American ear, evoke the sound of Africa.
I may not know much about African music, but I know what I like. I like the music on this compilation very much. Sally Nyolo and the artists who worked with her have created a delightful anthology to represent the music of Cameroon to the world. This is a release of which they should rightfully be proud.
To learn more about Sally Nyolo, go to the RFI Musique website. Unfortunately, there appear to be no clips available online at this time to give a sense of this wonderful music.
Studio Cameroon
Sally Nyolo and the Original Bands of Yaoundé
Riverboat Records/World Music Network
2006
14 tracks
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
the clips at amazon are very interesting. i'm gonna have to pick up a cd of hers because i just loved Zap Mama.
2 - Bob MacKenzie
A reader writes to tell me that: "...the fact of Sally recording in "a modest tin-roofed building" is no promotional tale, it's the truth! I saw video footage of her recording and that's exactly what it is. There was nothing in it except four walls, the tin roof, some mics and some rudimentary recording gear."
This just makes the high quality and clarity of these recordings all that more amazing.