Album Review: Rokia Traoré—Tchamantché

Album Review: Rokia Traoré—Tchamantché
John Smithies
8/31/2008
Updated:
9/29/2015
<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/rokia_medium.jpg"><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/rokia_medium.jpg" alt="" title="" width="300" class="size-medium wp-image-63920"/></a>

It doesn’t get more international than this from Malian Rokia Traoré, which showcases her intimate voice with uncluttered, repetitive Gretsch guitar and simple percussion.

Daughter of a diplomat who travelled the US, Europe and Middle East, and schooled in Brussels, Traoré brings a West African sensibility to her eclecticism, but western harp and steel drums also make surprising contributions (‘Kounandi’, ‘A Ou Ni Sou’).

It’s sparse in the bravest way only a truly confident musician can achieve, allowing Traoré’s voice to breathe—something it’s more than welcome to do.

Traditional African music is given an invigorating lift.

[etRating value=“ 4”]

A journalist for The EpochTimes based in London. These views are firmly my own.
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