They formed in 1969 at the behest of the station master in Bamako Mali in order to vibe up the bar of a prestigious hotel where high society gathered. Government sponsored, they were one of the first West African bands to reinterpret traditional African music within Western styles and instrumentation, the first to electrify the traditions. They have this incredible Cuban African fusion, with brass, African rhythms, electric guitars, keyboards, and these incredible vocal melodies. Their music draws upon Afro-beat, yet in a much more lacsidasical manner, yet also funk, jazz, even pop music. Mory Kante joined the Rail Band in 1971, primarily as a guitarist, however there were rumored tensions with their leader and singer Salif Keita, who left the band in 1973 to join their rivals the Ambassadors. The tunes here are sprawling, many 10 minutes plus, and Kante’ vocal melodies are simply sublime. There’ a piece here, 11 minute plus Dugu Kamelemba which is a tribute to Fela Kuti, a tune that just sprawls out effortlessly, in which Kante intermittedly appears and drops out, perhaps playing the Kora or Bafalon whilst away from the mic. These pieces are drawn from the six years Kante played with the band, leaving in 1979 to a solo career in which achieved a European number one and one of Africa’ biggest selling singles Yeke Yeke. Yet this collection is nothing short of sublime, these incredible stretched out jams, beautiful melodies, hypnotic use of instrumentation, the only complaint that the liner notes don’ list when the tunes were recorded or what albums they have been taken from. In this sense it is a general introduction, or idiots guide to the Rail Band during the Mory Kante period. Normally that’s not a good thing, yet with music this good you shouldn’ be afraid to be an idiot.
Bob Baker Fish
