Lobi Traore – Bamako Nights: Live at Bar Bozo 1995 (Glitterbeat)

With Mali very much in the spotlight, musically and politically speaking, it makes sense to revisit some of the acts and recordings that didn’t make such an impression first time around, including this, a live recording of Lobi Traore and his band, recorded at Bar Bozo nightclub in Bamako. Kicking off with just the guitar and voice of Traore on Ni Tugula mogo mi ko, the template of repetitive, almost trance like desert blues is firmly established, before he and the bassist, drummer and djembe player take the crowd on an ecstatic journey, the recording capturing the rawness, and intimacy of this nightspot which closed down shortly afterwards. Equally influenced by guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and many African guitarists such as Zani Diabate, and with judicious use of a flanger, Traore lets fly on many occasions, ably backed by a band that finds its own groove which even harks back to the experimental nature of such groups as PiL.

For a sample check out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nIGO01xIgg&feature=youtu.be

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