As a light, jazzy trip through world music,
Bayuba Cante, fronted by three glowing female voices, is hard to beat. Skilled musicianship in any number of styles, interesting arrangements, and some excellent writing all combine for something that's satisfying to hear, with "Bembé Afrique" and the Indian-inflected "La Topa Saray" particular standouts. The versatility of everyone involved is a testament to their abilities, and the fact that there's plenty of depth (even in the occasional moments of jazz fusion that pop up) shows that this is more a project of the heart than commercial design (although no one in their right mind would actually make world music for commercial purposes, anyway). However, the downside of the range here is that it can sometimes seem like world music lite by the way no one area is fully explored. But if you can live with that, then this is an album that can be played and enjoyed often. ~ Chris Nickson