Jazz Articles about Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour: Fatteliku

by James Nadal
November 18, 2015

The mysterious rhythms and melodies which constitute the music of Africa, has been, and continues to be, a vital source of influence and inspiration to the rest of the world. Though African artists have always been active and recognized in their homelands, it was through the phenomenon of what is termed “world music" in the 1980's, that African music reached a global audience. In the forefront of this movement was Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour, who transformed the native resonances of ...

Youssou N'Dour: Egypt

by AAJ Staff
August 5, 2004

Youssou N'Dour Egypt Nonesuch Records 2004

Youssou N'Dour is as close to an international megastar as African musicians get, having earned first a massive fan base in his home of Senegal and then a worldwide following on the heels of his work with Peter Gabriel and others. His music (termed mbalax, after the Wolof word for rhythm) incorporates the traditions of West Africa within a truly global sound, often drawing from the ...

Youssou N: 7 Seconds: The Best Of Youssou N

by Jim Santella
March 19, 2004

All recorded in the 1990s, the pieces on this compilation include several items not previously available, as well as memorable performances already released on Youssou N’Dour’s albums. His arrangement of “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” available previously on a Sony/Japan single issue, is sung in English. This happy tune brings the “universal language” theory to life with its world music ensemble and the singer’s carefree spirit.

Elsewhere, N’Dour creates contemporary reflections that are surrounded by the rhythmic and harmonic machinations ...

Youssou N'Dour: Joko (The Link)

by AAJ Staff
December 9, 2002

If there is one icon in the fertile ground of Senegalese popular music, it is Youssou N'Dour. His career exploded from early tapes circulated throughout his home country to beautifully produced CDs snapped up all over the world. It's a tribute to his originality, his keen marketing sense, and the still-growing affinity of Americans and Europeans for so-called “World Music." Best of all, N'Dour has sparked and fertilized the careers of several innovative younger musicians. His 2000 record Joko represents ...