HEADS UP!! ICONIC SINGER SALIF KEITA MAKES A RARE APPEARANCE IN LA AT THE CONGA ROOM WED, APRIL 6. FOR TICKETS CALL 213-745-0162 OR WWW.CONGAROOM.COM

Salif Keita
La Difference
Nonesuch Records
www.nonesuch.com
By George W. Harris

I got hooked on the lilting guitars of Malian music way back when I
visited the country in 1981. Less aggressive than the Nigerian style, it
has a gentle sway that feels like the spaciousness of the Sahel desert.
Famed singer Salif Keita returns to that original gel on this
attractive session, which includes guitarist Bill Frisell on the bluesy
“Folon.” His voice, as chestnut as the clay in Bandiagara, floats over
the gentle “Papa” as well as the lyrical remake of “Seydou.” Every
song as a melody that glides into your heart, and the musicians, which
range from oud to Hammond B3, deliver a traditional feel but without
the primitive dryness of the Dogon Cliffs. Music has the ability to
take you to a variety of places, and on this one, Keita takes you to
his heart as he sings about living in the world as an albino, and he
takes you to the exotic sounds of the land of Timbuktu. A real beaut.