Digital Version Lossless High Definition
 
Mokthar Samba is undoubtedly a pillar of the cross-cultural music scene. An exceptional drummer and percussionist, he has been sought after by some of the greatest artists: Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Joe Zawinul, Alpha Blondy, Jean-Luc Ponty, Jaco Pastorius, Manu Dibango, Carlinhos Brown, Carlos Santana, Eddy Louiss, Mory Kanté, and many others.
 
Despite such a rich career, the Senegalese-Moroccan artist still feels he is only halfway across the river, and his restless mind is brewing yet another musical adventure.He first began collaborating with Habib Faye, Youssou N’Dour’s musical director, whom he met during the 1998 tour. Upon returning to Paris, he sought the creative partnership of Celia Reggiani, a talented pianist and arranger with whom he shares a deep friendship. Mokthar also called upon leading figures of the new generation of musicians with multicultural roots, such as Jean-Philippe Rykiel; vocalists Tom Diakite, Mama Keïta, Moussa Diouf, and Camel from Sout-el-Atlas; as well as a lineup of gifted bass players — Michel Alibo, Sylvain Marc, Linley, Étienne Mbappé, and Guy N’Sangué, among others. With them, Mokthar sought to explore, within the privileged dialogue between drums and bass, all the subtle shades of breath that provide the essential pulse to his sophisticated yet widely accessible musical architectures.
The presence of Malem Abdeslam, a great Gnawa master, and the evocation of his paternal Senegal through the fiery rhythms of traditional drums mark the album, which also carries a strong Mandingo inspiration — a reminiscence of his experiences with Salif Keita, Kanté Manfila, Ousmane Kouyaté, and Cheick Tidiane — leaving an indelible trace of his cultural heritage.
The luminous arpeggios of the kora, the haunting spirals of Sahelian bards, and the arabesques of the voices — interwoven with jazz improvisations and classical echoes — situate the repertoire of this “drummer of the greats” at the meeting point between the white Africa of Berber nomads and the black Africa of the great empires nourished by the Niger River.