As I was brushing up on Youssou N'Dour's extensive bio, I was reminded why he is such an important artist: equally as devoted to his music as to his religion (Islam), Youssou N'Dour has established himself as one of the top international musical artists by producing outstanding music for more than three decades, and by doing everything in his power to help his home country of Senegal, and the African continent at large. Whether performing on his own or with musical collaborators like Neneh Cherry or Bono, Youssou N'Dour has used his music to help support causes ranging from the elimination of debt to the elimination of Malaria across the African continent.
But once onstage, it is the music which connects with the audience. Youssou N'Dour brings an incredible energy to each performance, and his soaring voice is as effective in a traditional Senegalese setting as it is when singing Western pop music with collaborators like Wyclef Jean or Peter Gabriel. His is a unique musicality, finding the passion in every tune. Here he is singing about Cheikh Ibra Fall - check out this voice:
For his newest project, Dakar-Kingston, Youssou N'Dour turns his musical focus to Jamaica (thus the Kingston in the title) and the sounds of Reggae. But this is more than a tribute to Bob Marley; this is an exploration of the black diaspora and of the ideology of Rastafarianism, an exploration of how Reggae music has effected Youssou as a person and as a musician, and an exploration of the connection between Africa and the Caribbean - between Drakar in Senegal and Kingston in Jamaica. Here's a short "behind the scenes" video about the album:
When Youssou N'Dour steps on stage - along with the other 17 (!) musicians in the band - he'll be bringing the energy of Senegal, the groove of Jamaica, and the myriad musical influences he's experienced in between. I can't wait! Here's a final taste - the official video to "Marley", one of the tracks off of the new album:
Email this page to a friend