Youssou N'Dour and the Super Étoile band join the festivities at Glasgow's annual Celtic Connections when they headline a concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Auditorium tonight. Scotland's Sunday Herald recently profiled Youssou, calling him "one of the world's most soulful singers," possessing "a fluttering, virtuoso voice of extraordinary power," and standing out as "one of world music's few genuine superstars." Scotland's STV asserts that, of all the scores of artists performing at the two-week festival, "Youssou N'Dour will without doubt prove to be one of the main draws."
Youssou N'Dour and the Super Étoile join the festivities at Glasgow's annual Celtic Connections (which, the Nonesuch Journal reported, label mate Allen Toussaint played with such success at the start of the week), when Youssou and the band headline a concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Auditorium tonight.
In advance of tonight's event, Scotland's Sunday Herald recently profiled Youssou, whom writer Barry Didcock calls "one of the world's most soulful singers," possessing "a fluttering, virtuoso voice of extraordinary power."
Didcock acknowledges the impact Youssou, "one of world music's few genuine superstars," is able to make, both musically and, increasingly, as an emissary and advocate for the many causes he holds dear: "Having one of the most famous singing voices in the world would generally be considered a boon, but for Senegal's Youssou N'Dour such a gift brings responsibilities too."
On that note, the writer hopes Youssou's Celtic Connections set will include songs from his 2004 album of Sufi-inspired music, Egypt—the subject of the recent documentary I Bring What I Love—and which, says the writer, "deservedly won him a Grammy."
Given the diverse repertoire of music to choose for the set from Youssou's career and the excellence with which Youssou and the band are sure perform them, Didcock enthuses, "It's quite a package."
Read the complete profile at sundayherald.com.
---
Scotland's STV asserts that, of all the scores of artists performing at the two-week festival, "Youssou N'Dour will without doubt prove to be one of the main draws at Celtic Connections 2009."
The article explains: "N’Dour is endowed with sublime range and poise, and with a sharp musical intellect that, as composer, bandleader and producer, has remained intact over the years."
It praises Youssou's latest album, 2007's Rokku Mi Rokka, for seeing "his beseeching, fluid vocal lines dripped over hypnotic melodies and a broader pop palette" and concludes that, after a brief appearance with Neneh Cherry at Live 8 in Edinburgh in 2005, Youssou's "return to Scotland for a full show should be something worth savouring."
Read more at stv.tv.
For more on tonight's performance, with openers Old Blind Dogs, visit celticconnections.com.
- Log in to post comments