DJENNÉ

After XII Alfonso released their delightful 3-CD exploration of the life and work of Charles Darwin, their longtime drummer and friend Thierry Moreno passed away. Rather than give up, they honored his memory by embarking on a musical adventure replete with a variety of African percussion sounds. This new CD, Djenne, is a step outside the box, a progressive folk album that relates the legend of how Islam came to the city of Djenne in Mali and how the mud mosque there is maintained by people of all faiths to this day. By drawing on the talents of French, Malian, Senegalese, and English musicians and songwriters, XII Alfonso demonstrate that tolerance, understanding, and a desire to find common ground can be very fruitful and invigorating - healing, even.

The first thing I noticed about this album was that it was predominantly in French, the official language of Mali. The liner notes are also in French, but there are English translations/summaries in the back. The music is markedly African instrumentally (e.g. xalam, djembe, bougarabou, balafon, African flute, oud, masinko), melodically, vocally, and rhythmically and comes across, at first, as an African folk album rather than a progressive rock album. However, by track 3, there are subtle hints of rock instrumentation that peek through. The rock element is supportive and respectful and does not overwhelm the folk nature of the music. Genre mixing becomes obvious in Track 5, which has an almost country flavor to it. By the middle of the album, pop rock influences and instrumentation have intermingled significantly with the folk aspect. An obvious example of this is Track 11, which takes material from "Hotel California" by The Eagles and slowly transforms it into an African song. Similar genre-bending continues to occur throughout the album. The great delight is hearing the alien transform into the familiar and then back again or commingle with the familiar to make something wonderfully different. By the end, we reach "Mali blues," a beautiful, reflective piece that boasts restless drums - saying goodbye to a beloved place with worry in your heart.

I have never heard a progressive rock album like this before. Although it brings world music from Mali to mind, it is serenely not that. Although it feels very much like folk music, the genre-bending makes it something else. Like most folk songs, none of the songs are particularly long, but they do boast the complexity inherent in African music, plus the lapidary stylings and genre transformations common to some progressive rock music. Perhaps this is something new.

Djenne is a glass of lemonade on a hot day, shade from a blistering sun, and a balm to the frantic soul. After listening to Tiles (a lot), Burst, Nemo, Green Carnation, The Dear Hunter, and the like, this is a breath of fresh air. The tunes are engaging and memorable. I can't fault the musicianship - it's amazing stuff. My command of French is poor, so I cannot comment on the lyrics, but I can say that they are delivered with honesty, emotional depth, wit, and, dare I say, some ham acting in spots with great effect. If prog folk is your thing, you might find this to be a five star album. If you enjoy the Middle Eastern stylings of Orphaned Land and Myrath, you will be intrigued by the very different sounds of Mali, as long as you aren't expecting anything remotely like metal. If you are expecting another Charles Darwin, you will be shocked and disappointed. I like it, and, given it's unique and perhaps seminal nature, I'm tempted to rate it five stars. Time will tell if that rating is merited. For now, I'm granting it 4 stars. Here's hoping that other prog bands delve into this region of Africa for inspiration with the same respect shown by XII Alfonso. It's a wonderful, loving postcard, and I wish them well. Thierry Moreno would be proud.

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