Henri Dikongué
C’est la vie
Tinder
The liner notes tell us that this is the new breed of African music – “African artists who emphasize fragile melodies and poetic lyrics rather than super-produced floor burners.” In some ways, it works well – Dikongué (from Cameroon) does have a fine sense of melody, and though I don’t understand the lyrics, they seem to be lacking in repetition, so he’s probably saying a lot. The playing is on the Brazilian jazz side of acoustic. At his best, Dikongué sparkles and is quite enjoyable, at his worst, he could blend in with soft jazz. In a way, I miss the energy of the floor burners. Am I world beat old school? Tinder Records, 619 Martin Ave., Unit 1, Rohnert Park, CA 94928; http://worldmusic.com/tinder
