Worotan

On Worotan, Oumou Sangare took her spectaarly expressive voice and the more traditional instrumentation of her previous albums and introduced musicians and influences from across the world. The acclaimed session players include former James Brown horn arranger and sax man Pee Wee Ellis, London-based bass player Michael Mondesir and Nitin Sawhney who brings some beautiful guitar work to the profound and moving tune "Djorolen" ["Anguish"). The lyrics look at the African woman and African society in its specifics and all its complications. The material transcends mere protest singing, though: we're talking swooning and passionate celebration and praise, even when the subject matter and the tone would seem to be dark. There's even a bit of super-tight organic funk going on on Worotan at times, recalling the likes of the Ethopian star Aster Aweke, who is perhaps the closest comparison anyone can draw to Oumou Sangare: powerful, passionate and utterly unforgettable. --Neil Bennun