Tama

Malian harp prodigy and vocalist Tom Diakite joined forces with Guinea Bissau's Djanuno Dabo and England's Sam Mills on guitar to form the group Tama (which means to walk). Ballads dominate here and for good reason, as Diakite's lyrical virtuosity on the harp and vibrant singing establish sublime grooves in the call and response patterns of "Ta'aba," "Tama," "Dambe," "Soninke" and "Att." The choral ecstasy at the heart of this music confirms its communal spirit while Mehdi Haddab's oud animates the atmospheric "Soninke" with a sublime flair that emphasises the enduring magic of Tama's music.