Psychedelic guitars, hypnotic grooves and desert sand that grinds in between the bluesy chords: with two guitarists and an energetic rhythm section, Bamba Wassoulou Groove brings all of the elements that make Malian funk and blues so appealing. The band from Bamako is continuing in the tradition of the legendary Super Djata Band from the 1970s and 80s, but brings it into modern times through a blend of funk, rock and even reggae. One guitarist, Moussa Diabaté, is rooted in the custom of the griots, the centuries-old family lines of Malian music, and masters the melodic, inventive blues sound. The other, Mamadou Diabaté, utilises the styles of traditional trances, while rocking like his role models Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. The husky voice of the young singer Ousmane Diakité resembles Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett to a degree. Bamba Wassoulou Groove manages to combine the best of multiple worlds.
