Egypt: Youssou N'Dour: Amazon.co.uk: Music

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After countless forays into the western world, Youssou N'Dour chose Dakar as a base from which to lead his geopolitical campaign in music. His strategy is pan-African: "What all of us Africans share is much more important than what we don't share," says this elegant, fifty-year old youngster, who grew up in the Medina in Senegal's capital city, Dakar. Bringing unity to the African continent has… Read more in Amazon's Youssou N'Dour Store

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Product details

Audio CD (7 Jun 2004)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Nonesuch
ASIN: B00024BHCO
Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 83,742 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

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Song Title Time Price

1. Allah 6:10 �0.69

2. Shukran Bamba 5:30 �0.69

3. Mahdiyu Laye 4:58 �0.69

4. Tijaniyya 5:44 �0.69

5. Baay Niasse 5:18 �0.69

6. Bamba the Poet 3:51 �0.69

7. Cheikh Ibra Fall 3:34 �0.69

8. Touba - Daru Salaam 5:49 �0.69

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Released five years after it was recorded, and quite possibly delayed as a result of the war on terror, Egypt is Youssou N'Dour's long overdue homage to Senegal's mystical (and moderate) Sufi take on Islam. It's his first internationally released album in two decades without a word of English and a breath of fresh air as such. Cairo's Fathy Salama Orchestra add the textures and tonalities of the Arab world to Youssou N'Dour's small group of Senegalese musicians and singers with often thrilling results.

It's not an immediate album by any means, and some may miss the major chords and frenetic mbalax rhythms of his other work, which only surface in restrained form on "Cheikh Ibra Fall". In their place are loping North African grooves, trilling flutes, the buzzing drones of various Egyptian reed instruments and big sweeping string arrangements all skilfully combined with the tinkle of kora and the woody tones of the balafon. Youssou N'Dour's distinctive tenor is unusually subdued in most places and often complemented by fine call-and-response chorus vocals. The consistency of tone and mood--generally one of reverent but restrained ecstasy--might initially seem monochromatic, but Egypt handsomely repays repeated listens. --Jon Lusk

Review

Youssou N'Dour has been the leading ambassador for Senegalese music ever since his association with Peter Gabriel in the mid 1980s. His crossover success peaked at "Seven Seconds", the mega-selling 1994 hit with Neneh Cherry. But for many hardcore fans of African music, his solo career has been a bit of a disappointment, characterised by lacklustre internationally released albums which seemed to pander too heavily to a western pop sensibility quite distinct from his more rootsy, locally produced cassettes. The fast and furious mbalax rhythms he unleashed on the world with his spellbinding 1983 breakthrough album Immigrés were often watered down on subsequent releases, although his 2002 album Nothings In Vain (Coono du Réér) seemed to signal a return to form.

But even in this light, Egypt comes as a surprise. And a breath of fresh air. Only the coda of the opening track "Allah" betrays any European or American pop influences, with its echoes of (I kid you not!) Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore". Or maybe that's just a coincidence, because Egypt is steeped in the textures and tonalities of the Arab world.

Combining the thrilling sounds of Cairo's Fathy Salama Orchestra with a small group of Senegalese musicians and singers, the album is a homage to various saints and sages of Senegal's mystical (and moderate) Sufi take on Islam. It was apparently recorded before the infamous events of September 11, 2001, and probably delayed because of them, but its release now seems very pertinent.

Its not an immediate album by any means, and some may miss the major chords and frenetic mbalax rhythms of his other work, which only surface in restrained form on "Cheikh Ibra Fall". In their place are loping North African grooves, trilling flutes, the buzzing drones of various Egyptian reed instruments and big sweeping string arrangements. Youssou's distinctive tenor is unusually subdued in most places and often complemented by fine call-and-response chorus vocals. And the tinkle of kora and the woody tones of the balafon xylophone are skillfully combined with the sounds of an Egyptian orchestra.

For those who have tired of Youssou's chop-and-change approach to styles on recent albums, the consistency of tone and mood-generally one of reverent but restrained ecstasy -is very welcome. That and the fact that he doesn't sing a word of English on the entire disc. --Jon Lusk

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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

A beautiful and spiritual set of songs by a brilliant singer 12 Jun 2004

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

This album is quite simply stunning, on more hearings it grows inside your mind. It is a much more appropriate way of accessing the beautiful religion of Islam. Buy it, on any level, it is wonderful.

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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Best Album of 2004 31 Dec 2004

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

I came warily to 'World' music. But after hearing this my perceptions have changed.Few artists in any genre have made devotion seem this intense yet melodic.A work of genius.

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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Likely to be a firm fixture in the car CD player 1 Sep 2005

By Joanne K. Pilsworth VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Been an on-off listener of Youssou N'Dour over time. The thought of his style combined with Egyptian themes sounded fantastic. This album is great, and it is likely to be become a long-term, if not permanent fixture in the car CD multichanger!

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