‘I feel great,’ says Senegalese singer-songwriter Baaba Maal, when I ask how he’s feeling about turning 70 this year. ‘I get to do something I love in my heart. Music gave me the gift to see the world, and to also be connected to my community, family, home town and culture. This balance has made me in tune with myself. It makes me happy.’
Maal doesn’t look or sound like a man readying to hit 70. His spirited new album (reviewed in ), mixing traditional and with modern electronic production techniques, also doesn’t sound like the music of a late sexagenarian. ‘With the West African guitar players, playing the ngoni, I asked them to play not just classical songs, but to get more crazy, to be in tune with the power of the percussion and wild vocals.’
