The Restless and Real praises Kakande's Dununya in their post Dununya transports Guinean Mande out west:
Listening to the eleven tracks on Dununya – which means ‘the world’
–cellos, saxophones and electric bass guitars can be heard interweaving
with the traditional textures of the balafon and wooden flutes. The
fusion of Western and African styles is never jarring as the respect
that each musician has for his fellow players is easily heard. There is
a lot of space in the music and each musician’s part fits seamlessly
into the lilting grooves that Diabate’s balafon creates. It is
difficult to pick a standout track on the disc as each composition
flows into the next, making for a relaxing listening experience. The
tunes on Dununya aren’t likely to get anyone on their feet and starting
a revolution, but that’s not what Kakande are trying to do. The music
is restorative and quietly uplifting. Much cheaper than a night out at
the bar -it’s a perfect album to listen to after a hard day at work.
Put it on. Before the first song is finished, you’ll feel like a new
person.
So, listening to Dununya will save you money— you don't need to spend as much money at your local bar... but we encourage you to support your local businesses, whatever they are.
"It looks very promising," says Terry Herald, a composer who also
teaches film music history at Oakland University. Much of Herald's work
has been with local projects, including the soundtrack for the
documentary, Journey to Justice, produced locally by Steve Palackdharry and distributed in Europe.
