Track Listing
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- Thursday, December 4, 2008
Nonesuch Artists Grab 13 Grammy Nominations
The Grammy nominations are in, and a big congratulations goes out to the many Nonesuch artists whose work has been recognized by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the awards. Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Ry Cooder, Emmylou Harris, Toumani Diabaté, Youssou N'Dour, Stephen Sondheim, Jonny Greenwood, and Isabel Bayrakdarian were all recognized for their recent Nonesuch releases, as were producers Danger Mouse and Judith Sherman for their work on Nonesuch albums this year.
- Wednesday, November 26, 2008
NY Times: Youssou N'Dour's Great African Ball "Likely to Be One of the Year’s Great Musical Events"
"Exuberance and wisdom find equal expression in the music of Youssou N'Dour, the Senegalese singer, songwriter and ambassador," writes the New York Times in its recommendation of the Great African Ball, Youssou's all-night musical celebration in New York City. It runs tonight and tomorrow night and, says the Times, "is likely to be one of the year’s great musical events." The Village Voice also recommends this "mbalax marathon" for the ecstatic live set from "the continent's most inventive and internationally renowned musician."
About this Album
“The world's greatest pop vocalist …" —Robert Christgau, The Village Voice
The newest release of Youssou N’Dour’s Nothing’s in Vain (Coono du réér) not only marks the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Nonesuch debut Joko (The Link), it also began Youssou's worldwide deal with Nonesuch Records.
Named "African Artist of the Century" by the British publication Folk Roots, N'Dour created with Nothing’s in Vain the product of 18 months of work in his own studio in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The recording emphasizes traditional colors and rhythms culled from diverse traditions in Senegalese popular music—a particularly affecting setting for N'Dour's supple and inimitable tenor voice.
Youssou, in speaking about the album, which he produced himself along with longtime Super Étoile musical director and bassist, Habib Faye, says, “One of the things I set out to do was to surround my singing with very traditional Senegalese instrumentation, but played in non-traditional arrangements. It was great to pull the traditional players—xalam players Thiama Sy and Barou Sall, kora player Edouard Manga, riti player Mbaye Ndiaye and, on balafon, Al-Seyni Camara—into the studio with Habib and my usual unit. Nothing’s in Vain is, for me, a reflective album. But I think it is as many parts hopeful, and even cheerful, as it is somber. Like love itself.”
Credits
MUSICIANS
Youssou N’Dour, vocals (1-10, 12, 13), duet vocals (11)
Habib Faye, guitar (1-7, 9, 10), bass (2-6, 8-10, 12), keyboards (6-9, 12)
Edouard Manga, kora (1-3, 5, 9)
Thiama Sy, xalam (1, 2)
Barou Sall, xalam (1, 3-5, 9)
Mbaye Ndiaye, riti (1, 4)
Al-Seyni Camara, balafon (1-3, 5, 9)
Jean-Philippe Rykiel, keyboards (1-5, 7)
Babacar “Mbaye Dieye” Faye, Senegalese percussion (1-6, 8-10, 12)
Jaco Largent, Senegalese percussion (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 12)
Alain Bergé, drums (2-5, 9)
Assane Thiam, tama (2-6, 8-10, 12)
Ngoundo Cissoko, Sokhna Cissoko, Mbantan Cissoko, Mamy Kanoute, backing vocals (2, 3, 5)
Max Calo, programming and keyboards (3, 9)
Issa Dioula, Senegalese wooden flute (4)
Baboulaye Cissoko, kora (4)
Crescendo, backing vocals (4)
Hélène Faussart, Celia Faussart (Les Nubians), backing vocals (5)
Jimi Mbale, Papa Oumar Ngom, guitars (6)
Ibrahima Cissé, keyboards (6, 8, 10, 12)
El-Hadji Omar Faye, Senegalese percussion (6, 8, 10)
Youssoupha Camara: drums
Viviane Chidid N’Dour: backing vocals (6, 8, 9
Régis Gizavo, accordion (7)
Doudou Ndiaye Rose and his troupe, Senegalese percussion (7)
Jimi Mbaye, Papa Oumar Ngom, guitars (8, 10, 12)
Abdoulaye Lô: drums (8, 10, 12)
Pascal Obispo, duet vocals, guitar (11)
Pierre Jaconelli, Benjamin Rafaelli, guitars (11)
Laurent Verneret, bass (11, 13)
Manu Katché, drums (11)
Matthew Vaughan, programming (11)
Ndeye Marie Ndiaye, Ndikou Thioune, Ndeye Fatou Ndiaye, Lat Ndiaye, Ouzin Ndiaye: backing vocals (12)
Pierre Jaconelli, guitar (13)
Christophe Voisin, programming (13)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Youssou N’Dour and Habib Faye
Recorded by Philippe Brun and mixed by Ben Findlay, each assisted by Segui Niang, at Xippi Studios (Dakar)
Except:
Tracks 3 & 9 produced by Max Calo, Youssou N’Dour, Habib Faye and Mbacké Dioum; recorded by Michel Sauvage at B5 Atomic (New York City) and Philippe Brun at Xippi Studios; mixed by Ben Findlay at Xippi Studios
Track 5 recorded by Philippe Brun at Studio Twin (Paris); mixed by Ben Findlay at Xippi Studios
Track 6 recorded by Philippe Brun and Ndiaga N’Dour at Studio de la Seine (Paris); mixed by Ndiaga N’Dour at Xippi Studios
Track 10 recorded and mixed by Ndiaga N’Dour, assisted by Segui Niang and Abdou Kaba, at Xippi Studios
Tracks 11 & 13 produced by Pascal Obispo; recorded and mixed by Volodia (assisted by Elise Chamberon) at Studio Mega (Paris)
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound (New York City)
Pascal Obispo appears through the courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment France and Epic Records.
Tracks 1-6, 8-13 by Youssou N’Dour, and Kabou Guèye, Habib Faye (1, 2, 4, 6, 8); Kabou Guèye, Habib Faye, Max Calo (3); Kabou Guèye, Habib Faye, Lionel Florence (5); Habib Faye, Max Calo (9);
Kabou Guèye, Pape Dieng, Habib Faye (10); Pascal Obispo (11, 13). Track 7 by Louis Aragon / Georges Brassens.
Design by John Gall
Executive Producers: David Bither, Thomas Rome and Michelle Lahana
