On
Nandipo, a collaboration with Brazilian percussionist
Nana Vasconcelos,
Akendengue shows that he is not only a gifted musician and poet but also proves his theatrical instincts. Rather than presenting a loose set of songs, he offers a mini-play where each track on the album represents a scene. The interplay between instruments and voices is full of exciting tension from beginning to end. For
Akendengue,
Nandipo was a masterly debut which laid the foundations of his status as one of the giants of African music. ~ Frank Eisenhuth