Tiken Jah Fakoly - Non A L'Excision

Bullock, Djenne, Mali. Sorry about the bad scan!

Non A L'Excision by Tiken Jah Fakoly.

Like Armee Malienne, this is a song in the griot tradition, but takes that background in a very different direction. The griots are a hereditary caste of West African singer-storytellers; both of Super Rail Band's most famed vocalists, Salif Keita and Mory Kante, are griot singers.

Though brought up in a griot family (in Cote D'Ivoire, though he now apparently spends most of his time in Bamako right near SRB), Tiken Jah Fakoly takes this in a different direction, gleefully ripping off whatever influences from reggae to folk to other African styles he can. (The compelling guitar hook in this track is lifted straight from Geoffrey Oryema's Ye Ye Ye.) Still, this is probably Mayur's favorite track this year, so maybe derivative's not all bad. Plus the album cover is awesome.