Salif Keita -- otherwise known as the Golden Voice of Mali -- has taken some jabs from world music purists in recent years for straying from his traditional African roots in collaborations with the likes of Vernon Reid of Living Color and the keyboardist Joe Zawinal. With "Moffou," Keita has dropped all pretenses and returned to music that is entirely African in inspiration.
"Moffou" ranges from gently rollicking arrangements featuring a large band to stark pieces that find Keita singing alone, accompanying himself on guitar. At its fullest, the band is 18-strong with churning African percussion, twinkling string instruments and a tantalizing chorus, as well as acoustic and electric guitars, electric bass, a droning accordion and, hovering on top of it all, a playful flute.
The opening song, "Yamore," is a duet with Cesaria Evora that beautifully captures the Cape Verdean diva's bittersweet vibe. "Madan" features the entire band with both Keita and the chorus roaring at full throttle. "Baba" is the one tune where the hand of the studio production is directly felt -- and the flourishes are made to great effect, opening with the wind evoking the vast emptiness of the Sahel and a well-timed delay on the n'goni (a Malian lute) causing the plucked notes to echo across the sands.