Radio Africa

African classics
Reviews of classic African recordings

Rail Band
"Soundiata"

The Rail Band recorded five LPs in Nigeria in 1975, when the group were at their creative peak. The above album was the first release (later re-released with a yellow background) and featured a version of the classic Manding epic of Soundiata.  The Rail Band's version extends over both sides of the LP, and Djelimady Tounkara's lead guitar work throughout is exemplary. This stellar recording was re-released later on Syllart 8357, and also appears on other releases. The Rail Band's RCAM LPs are very rare, and surely warrant re-release on CD format. A few tracks are available on the Musiques du Mali double CD sets, and reveal a tantalising glimpse of this seminal band.

The RCAM label ("Rail Culture Authentique du Mali", not "RCA Mali", as some discographies list) co-released the Rail Band LPs with the  much larger companies of EMI / HMV. For a discography and family tree of The Rail Band see the links below.

*** UPDATE***
As part of a 3 volume series called "La belle epoque", Sterns are re-releasing virtually all of the Rail Band's RCAM recordings.
Click here for more details.