Amadou & Mariam - Dimanche a Bamako

African rhythms, reggae-infused groove, old-fashioned, blues-inspired guitar, and world-beat sensibility define the catchy music of husband and wife team Amadou and Mariam. The duo may be one of the most influential world-beat groups since the invention of the Buena Vista Social Club. At the end of the 1960s, Amadou Bagyoko was working as a guitarist for Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, one of West Africa’s most influential bands. Amadou and Mariam met at The Institute for Young Blind People in Bamako, the capitol of Mali, where they sang together in the Institute’s Eclipse Orchestra. Working their way through Africa as Amadou et Mariam, Le Couple Aveugle du Mali, the blind vocalists gained a local popularity that spread worldwide when they were featured performers on the 2000 Putumayo collection Memphis to Mali. The band combines everything from African and Indian rhythms to reggae percussion, American blues, and French folk. Diamche a Bamako, produced by World Beat giant Manu Chao, has a clean, light feeling. Although the lyrics are sung in French, the meanings and emotions of Dimanche a Bamako can be felt in the rhythms--in the rich chanting of Amadou, and the soulful voice of Mariam. The songs range from up-tempo, feel-good tracks, to the melancholic "La Fête au Village" (The Festival at the Village), and the danceable rhythms of "Camions Sauvages" (Wild Trucks). A good addition to any eclectic collection. An excellent addition to any world-beat collection. [www.amadou-mariam.com]