Label: ARGILE 06942
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TOTO MITALA: Kalindula Music from Zambia - Distro Kuomboka. This 8 member mixed group presents the popular music of Zambia called, Kalindula. This name actually comes from the one-string barrel bass instrument used so prominently in the music tradition. This group can trance its roots back to 1977 and due to government regulated radio making the airwaves 90% Zambian music inside the country, this group has a huge local following

Label: ARGILE 09262
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BUSH TAXI from BAMAKO to ACCRA - Ashitey Nsotse & Kassoum Traore - The premise for this recording is a two day bus trip between the capitals of Mali and Ghana. Two African drummers board along with the other passengers. One drummer is from Mali and speaks French and Bambara, the other from Ghana speaks Ga, English and German ...but they let their drums do the conversing. Sit back, listen to some master drumming by these two accomplished musicians and enjoy the ride!

Label: ARGILE 2393
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WORLD MUSIC/AFRICA - ALI HEJA - Jobarteh Kunda. Tracks: Mo sama fu; Ali heja; A benna; Ramatou; Kuma be na folon; Falan be; Chi-Chi; Shukpana; Gambia bajschio; N'dagna; Artist; BONUS TRACK: Kaira - The band's co-founder, Tormenta Jobarteh, grew up in Munich and studied drums at the local Dante Augustini Institute. He toured Europe, Asia and the US with various musical ensembles until 1987 when he made the acquaintance of musicians from Gambia. They invited him for a visit to their small West African country, which is virtually enveloped by Senegal. Their new CD "Ali Heja" is a further development of the band's music. By omitting keyboards and sampler, Jobarteh Kunda have created a modern and compact sound fueled only by the power of acoustic instrumentation.

Label: ARGILE 3051
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Tracks: Ouasolo; Mariam; Djarabi; Koko; Kamelimba; Steps For Two; Bootstrap; Bolo

Artists: Dieter Weberpals, flute; Barry Sangare, vocal, n‘goni, djembe; Gert Kilian, djembe, congas, balaphon; Robert Hofman, guitar, bass; Werner Treiber, vibes, traps
Rec. 1990, at Volksparkstudio, Hamburg, Germany
The music on Koko is a fascinating blend, with the dominant root being traditional Mande djembe and griot style compositions. Within a given tune the flow can seamlessly transition from a total “roots” feeling through deep FUNK and onward into soaring flights of jazz. There’s a sense of Herbie Mann meets Mamady Keita, with the rest of the musicians also fully participating as soloists in an on-going musical conversation. The group has formed around flutist Dieter Weberpals who evidently has a fascination with the music of West Africa, South America, India and the Orient. He is a very lyrical, inventive and accomplished player. Barry Sangare from Mali provides vocals, n‘goni and some very tasty djembe playing. A former member of Adama Drame‘s performing ensemble and he is also the leader of his own group playing festivals and dances in Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. Gert Kilian, in addition to playing both djembes and congas, is also a fine balaphon player. Robert Hofman is the guitarist/ bass player whose bass lines clearly indicate an interest in traditional dunun patterns. Werner Treiber rounds out the group on traps and vibes. The music on Koko is a fascinating blend, with the dominant root being traditional Mande djembe and griot style compo-sitions. Within a given tune the flow can seamlessly transition from a total “roots” feeling through deep FUNK and onward into soaring flights of jazz. There‘s a sense of Herbie Mann meets Mamady Keita, with the rest of the musicians also fully participating as soloists in an on-going musical conversation. Dieter Weberpals’ flute has a unique voice of it‘s own, without ever burying the deep African groove. Sangare‘s djembe playing is the best example I have heard of the instrument being used with great effect in a more “western” style band. He‘s got all the technical chops, a very clean hand and plays with plenty of space. His accents around the other players are out of this world! Gert Kilian‘s balaphon plays a constant crucial role in maintaining the West African vibe. The compositions are consistently diverse, interesting and very well executed! Dieter Weberpals seems to have the knack of finding great musicians AND creating a context where they ALL shine. I highly recommend this disc to anyone interested in West African music blended with other non-traditional elements. The music is bright, happy and consistently stimulating! (Michael Wall – Djembe & Mande Music Page / USA)

Label: ARGILE 3052
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Tracks: Kinkeliba; Ouasolo/Saluts à Barry; Kebendo; Bau Bau; Kuskus; Soul Makossa/Flute Makossa; Kamelimba; African Bells

Artist: Dieter Weberpals
The group surrounding the German bandleader and flutist Dieter Weberpals plays intoxicating folk music for cosmopolitans. Between Trance-Grooves, West African poly-rhythms, Zagazougou-accordion, Oriental ballads and Balkan-dance all flavored with a dash of Jazz, Argile establishes ties within the difficult cultural environment stretching between Africa, the Orient, and Europe. The German daily Nürnberger Nachrichten describes the strength of Argile as being, on the one hand, its good musicians and on the other the concept of the music itself. It doesn’t turn European and African elements into a tasteless pablum – it preserves the distinctiveness of both. In the USA, ethnomusic-specialist Michael Wall describes Argile in simple terms: Herbie Mann meets Mamady Keita. And sure enough, Filefola (Bamana-language means in English “flute-player”) flutist Weberpals’ music is reminiscent of this great American flutist’s work. But with Kinkeliba even Jethro Tull fans can find a song on the current album they are sure to like and is a potential hit - Locomotive Breath with an African touch. Track 2 Ouasolo / Saluts à Barry is dedicated to our friend and former band member - Barry Sangare - who was a major contributor on Argile’s first three albums. Following a major brain hemorrhage in 2001, Barry remains partially paralyzed and can no longer play his fine djembe grooves and n’goni melodies. Dieter has composed his flute and djembe playing around a sample of Barry’s voice for a new interpretation of an ancient recording of Ouasolo. Ten percent of all sales of this CD will help Barry by giving him the freedom to travel outside the bounds of his care center to visit family and friends.

Label: ARGILE 3054
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Tracks: sanja; sunun; suku (+ farabaka); numu-dòn; fura; bòbò-fòli; dansa; bara; sogolo; kirin (= wasulunka); jina-fòli; tansole; nyagwan; manjanin; garanke-dòn; sumalen; niare bon ka lajè; degu-degu

Artists: Jeli Madi Kuyate, Drisa Kone, Jaraba Jakite, jenbe; Madu Jakite, dunun
Recorded between 1995 and 2006 in Bamako (Mali)
Three masters of traditional jenbe dance drumming present the clear beauty and explosive power of their music. Of course, the music of a jenbe dance celebration cannot be adequately documented because it is part of a dynamic event that can only be fully grasped by witnessing all its interlocking elements. A sound recording of a celebration would lack the movement of the dancers, as well as the colors, the smells, the enthusiasm. The recordings presented on this CD, moreover, were made not in the context of a celebration at all, but in school yards and the home compounds of some drummers in the Badialan quarter of Bamako. The drummers performed for the microphone, without rehearsals, without arrangements, and without an underlying notion on how to convey celebration music without a celebration. They spontaneously presented rather simple alternations, or cycles, of some basic traditional patterns for each rhythm, which they embellished with playful improvisations typical of each players’ personal style. The original live tracks were neither cut nor overdubbed. Note that all three jenbe players come from the same stylistic tradition and musical lineage, and that all were accompanied by the same dunun player. The differences you hear, therefore, are clearly comparable as differences in personal style.

Label: ARGILE 3055
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IDJO - Barry Sangare; B. B. Thompson; Beate Sampson; Dieter Weberpals; Charles Blackledge; Louis Gabler; Stefan Mack; Ramesh Shotham. This recording is an intercultural meeting with the focus on then'goni", a traditional West-African hunter's bow-harp, performed by Barry Sangere form Mali. Sangere learned the instrument from his father. Here the n'goni-songs-and-rhythms meet with musicians from India, Europe and the US. Tracks: Anitakam - Welcome; Dja Kai Suni; Idjo; Sunggudubani; Ay Ma Donbal Ishmael; Nale Nalena

Label: ARGILE 85642
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ARGILE: LIVE IN AFRICA & EUROPE - Sona Diabate; Ramata Conde; Kaba Kouyate; Stefan Hergenroder; Dieter Weberpals; Charles Blackledge; Barry Sangare; Fiadelia King; Fadjimba Sacko; Dramane; Kabine; Djibril - Another great disc to introduce you to the artists that make up this exciting new African music label. The star here is, undoubtedly, Sona Diabate. The tracks are compiled from festival/concerts in Togo; Germany and Italy. Selections: Back to Helsinki; Ay Ma Donba; Mbore; Kamelimba; Mammy Wata; So Hot; Dundumba; Bass-Flute-Bass/Ismael.

Label: ARGILE 9034
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Jobarteh-Kunda - Tracks: Adama; Dounya Felle; Ah, Munkera Duniya; Sorri; Africa; Lev Me Bambo; Allahlake; Aiyo Aiyo; Jarabi; Fanta - Jobarteh-Kunda means “members of the Jobarteh Family”. They are one of the few West African families who give birth to the so called “Griots”. Since the beginning of the kingdom Mali under Sunjata Keita 800 years ago, the Griots (or “Jali” in the language of the Mandingo people) rank as keepers of the regional history and mythology, which they pass on from generation to generation. Griots are storytellers, historians, minstrels, entertainers, mediators, and advisors – united in one person. This, of course, also applies to Jobarteh-Kinda, whose music is a mixture of traditional Griot and modern ethno pop music. The band combines the pulsating rhythms and beautiful melodies of West Africa with the summertime felling of the Caribbean and South America. So, Jobarteh-Kund is a personal and musical connection of different cultures in various languages. Griots know no boundaries. You who listen to these songs, let yourselves be touched by the love and the power of this music. Let your hearts beat higher and let your souls dance!

Label: ARGILE 97092
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MANDINGO FESTIVAL - Sona Diabate; Famadou Konate; Aicha Kouyate; Fiadelia King Sockuh; Charles Blackledge.This recording offers a fine opportunity to meet and hear some famous artists of the Mandingo/Mande culture. To start, the amazing voice of one of Africa's greatest singers, Sona Diabate. Also featured is the fine guitar work of Guinean Lenke Conde. Famoudou Konate is both a soloist and teacher and one of the finest djembe drummers around today. Aicha Kouyate, like Sona Diabate, is a Guinean griot singer but in a very different style.

Label: ARGILE 97642
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BALLAKE - Kora Music from Mali - Jeli Moussa Sissoko. The Kora belongs to the family of West African bridge harps with calabash resonators that are found in the savannah belt extending from the Atlantic Ocean to Mali. Many of these instruments are hunter's harps. In Mali, people say that the sound of the Koracarries one's thoughts far away." The feeling lies at the heart of Jeliya, the music of the jeli (griots). There is no better exponent of this instrument than Jeli Moussa Sissoko.