In this weekend's Telegraph (UK), Youssou N'Dour speaks with writer Peter Culshaw about the challenges of trying to bridge the sometimes conflicting musical tastes of the West, which often expects music from Africa to be more traditional, and those of his fellow countrymen, who tend to prefer a more modern sound. This can be seen in the title of his new record, Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take). Youssou also has kind words for his experience at Nonesuch. Writes Culshaw: "On Nonesuch, he feels that he is competing with fellow label artists such as the composer John Adams or the jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, artists who have 'integrity and respect,' like the label."
In this weekend's Telegraph (UK), Youssou N'Dour speaks with writer Peter Culshaw about the challenges of trying to bridge the sometimes conflicting musical tastes of the West, which often expects music from Africa to be more traditional, and those of his fellow countrymen, who tend to prefer a more modern sound.
This can be seen in the title of his new record, Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take), which, Youssou explains, means "'You give me something, I give you something', and that's the message of the album: we have received a lot from the developed world, but remember that we brought a lot, too."
In the article, Youssou also has kind words for his experience at Nonesuch. Writes Culshaw: "On Nonesuch, he feels that he is competing with fellow label artists such as the composer John Adams or the jazz
guitarist Pat Metheny, artists who have 'integrity and respect,' like the label."
To read the article, visit telegraph.co.uk.
On November 16, Youssou and his Super Étoile Band will perform at Miami's Gusman Theater in support of the For Darfur organization. For more information, visit fordarfur.org. For information on all of Youssou's US tour dates, click here.
