“Fatou”, The Debut Album From Fatoumata Diawara, Mali’s new star

The new album, Fatou , out today, in the week of Mali’s independence, was recorded both in London and Paris, and follows on the heels of the EP Kanou  she released in May to give us a taste of what was to come. She got some great musicians for this album: Hilaire Penda , a brilliant bass player from Cameroon who, when not leading his own band, is usually to be found playing with some of the best jazz musicians from the continent; Moh Kouyate, Guinean guitarist and  Mandingo Blues Teacher ; afrobeat co-creator Tony Allen (who needs no further introduction); the ludicrously inventive  Seb Rochford   on drums;  Toumani Diabaté on kora; and Nigerian Sola Akingbola    on percussions (if you’ve listened to any  Jamiroquai in the last 15 years you’ve heard Sola at work).