On April 5, Mississippi Records delivers an absolute gem to seekers of prime African heat as they reissue the eponymous 1973 album by Mali’s Rail Band. Spiked with Afro-Cuban richness and relentlessly funky, the record sells for hundreds of dollars in original form when a copy miraculously becomes available. Mississippi’s edition, on black or transparent blue vinyl, is far more affordable and is no less moving a listen.
As detailed on the cover, the Rail Band was the house act at the Buffet Hotel de la Gare in Bamako, the capital of Mali. Formed through sponsorships by the country’s Ministry of Information and Railway Administration, the bandstand was in the bar of the Buffet, a station hotel, located near the railway, hence the group’s name. The five gigs a week were long (reportedly 2pm until late), but that much playing led to the striking ensemble cohesion heard on this record.
The first Rail Band album, Orchestre Rail-Band de Bamako was released in 1970 on Mali Music, a label directly funded by the Ministry of Information. It was reissued on vinyl by Mississippi back in 2011. That set documents a band that was already sharp. Rich with jazzy horn wiggle, the sound glides as much as it grooves, though there is no shortage of rhythmic potency throughout.
By 1973, the Rail Band was a well-oiled engine of funk combustion. Initially issued by RCAM (stands for Rail Culture Authentique Mali), this self-titled second LP stands amongst the finest African sounds of its decade. Yes, that’s a bold statement given the diversity of the continent’s output in those ten years, but the Rail Band’s stylistic hybridization elevates them to top tier.
In short, while clearly impacted by the progressions of late ’60s-early ’70s James Brown, the contents of this set steadfastly avoid merely copying the Godfather of Soul’s massive Polydor run. As Mississippi’s release description explains, part of the band’s mission (but not exclusively so) was to work out how to effectively play traditional Malian music on modern instruments. With the Afro-Cuban influence and additional jazzy elements, the Rail Band’s output retains its freshness right up to the current moment.
Understand that Rail Band is an immediate grabber with a few tracks that are especially powerful. “Marabayasa” offers vocals (including a few wickedly intense screams) in a cyclical flow with saxophone, unrelenting rhythms and flourishes of guitar. The roots of side two’s opener “Duga” span back to the 13th century, and yet the thrust is quite contemporary, clearly infused with emotion (transcending the language barrier) and furthermore a guitar showcase.
Instead of winding down for the finale, “Moko Jolo” dishes one of the record’s most infectious grooves. Obviously the byproduct of a dance band, the album is engaging from start to finish from a standpoint of pure listening. “Tidiani Koné” is a gorgeous spotlight for the titular saxophonist. Following it, “Nantan” sounds positively avant-garde; nothing in the track’s numerous layers is remotely close to simple.
Picturing the Rail Band throwing down “Nantan” or any of this album’s eight selections in a crowded hotel bar in the early ’70s is just glorious. This is only the second vinyl reissue for this LP (licensed from Syllart Records and Rail Band guitarist Djelimady Tounkara), but the group has been compiled many times. Demand will definitely exceed supply, so don’t sleep on this one.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
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