Cheikh Lô: Jamm | CD review

The splash made by the Senegalese singer's 1996 debut was followed by two less impressive offerings, but here he hits form, applying his sweet, semi-acoustic style to a pan-African palette. Numbers like the stately "Seyni" and the lilting "Il N'est Jamais Trop Tard" draw on the the Cuban influence that dominated West Africa in the 1960s. "Bourama" borrows its supple Afrobeat from Nigeria, while "Conia" uses Senegal's talking drum mbalax rhythm. There are quiet, meditative songs, reflecting Lo's sufi mysticism, but the album never loses its groove. Classy stuff.