Youssou N'Dour Rokku Mi Rokka CD

With a title that means "give and take" in Youssou N'Dour's native language, Senegalese, ROKKU MI ROKKA presents a vibrant set of traditionally rooted North African songs. The follow-up to the worldbeat superstar's Grammy-winning EGYPT, this 2007 album, issued on the respected Nonesuch label, is carried along by light, frenetic percussion and lilting melodies that allow N'Dour's emotive vocals to shine brightly, as on the shimmering opening track, "4-4-44," and the rolling "Tukki." For those unfamiliar with N'Dour's revered brand of Afropop, this organic, uplifting outing is a wonderful point of departure.

Personnel: Youssou N'Dour (vocals); N'Deye Marie "Gawlo" N'Diaye (vocals); Pape Oumar Ngom, Mamadou Jimi Mbaye (guitar); Omar Sow, Guy Kaye (guitars, acoustic guitar); Mody Ba (guitars); Ibrahima Konate, Theirno Koite (trumpet); Wilfrid Zinsou (trombone); Prince Ibrahima N'Dour (keyboards, programming); Ibrahima Cisse (keyboard bass); Habib Faye (bass guitar); Abdoulaye Lo (drums, percussion); Alaine Berge, Alain Berge (drums); Babacar Faye, Thio M'Baye, Steve Shehan (percussion); Balla Sidibe, Ousmane Gangue, Penda Sarr, Assane Mboup, Rudolph Gomis (background vocals); Bassekou Kouyate, Assane Thaim, Massire Drame, Cirkus.

Rolling Stone (p.85) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[W]ith N'Dour, the prime attraction is always musical, radiating out from a voice whose skylike clarity and beseeching high end would catch you short in a singer half his age..."
Rolling Stone (p.113) - Included in Rolling Stone's "50 Top Albums of the Year 2007" -- "[T]his supremely dedicated artist is just about guaranteed to satisfy completely and excite enough."
Uncut (p.115) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Singing in the Wolof dialect has liberated him to emote like an African Otis Redding, while his Senegalese band combine traditional instrumentation with rock guitars to thrilling effect."
Down Beat (p.70) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he focus is on the singer, who delivers one transcendent performance after another, blending muscle and nuance like few else can."
Dirty Linen (p.88) - "Throughout the recording, N'Dour and his band use electric instruments and percussion to add power, but rely prominently on mixed traditional acoustic instruments to add texture and depth, a musical alchemy that succeeds very nicely."
Q (Magazine) (p.123) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "The rippling 'Pullo Ardo' and 'Baay Faal,' all handclaps, ululating and North African strings, are compelling in any language..."