Today's DailyOM Offerings...
November 10, 2009
The Lost Album
Salif Keita & Kante Manfila
2006
Two longtime collaborators, vocalist Salif Keita and guitarist Kante Manfila have their art practically down to a science-and no wonder since both are such experts in their crafts and so experienced at playing together; the result seems effortless. Salif Keita’s personal history combined with his remarkable talent and dedication have made him one of the major members of Malian music. An albino and a member of the Malian dynasty, Keita was disowned by his father after expressing his initial desires to play music. He moved to Bamako in 1967 to play the local club scene, and eventually joined a government-sponsored band called the Rail Band. There he played alongside Kante Manfila, a guitarist born into a jali (wandering musician family), who was drawn to the big city appeal of Mali. In the ’70s, both moved on to the group Les Ambassadeurs Internationeaux before pursuing solo careers in the ’80s.
The Lost Album is a series of songs recorded by the two in 1980, with a homespun sound that moves away from the Afropop of Les Ambassadeurs Internationeaux, toward the more traditional sounds the two would pursue in the decades that followed. Despite the recording quality, Keita’s voice is unmistakable and the simplicity of the recording and quality of the sparse musical ingredients really shine through, making it a perfect album for a quietly productive morning. The album opens with "I Djo Famâ," a more experimental track on Manfila’s part, using half-speed guitar. The effect is intimate to the point where you find yourself leaning in to hear the different layers of complex finger picking on kora and guitar. The trumpet plays thinly over them, until Keita’s rich, wavering voice takes the stage for a song that shines with the promise of beginning rays of sunrise.
"Toura Makan," is a heady tune, long and unhurried. The kalimba, an instrument in the same family as the xylophone, skips through the pleasant fog of guitar and female chorus, with Keita’s voice slicing cleanly through. The background loops hypnotically giving the feeling of a lullaby of sorts. The remainder of the album is relatively mellow though it closes with "Wara," a more celebratory tune that sticks closely to the traditions of Malian music, creating a slow but danceable groove. The guitars’ hypnotic looping is still present but more in the background, with the trumpets taking the foreground (along with Keita’s voice), adding a flavor of Afro-Cubanism.
November 10, 2009
Confidence in Our Dreams
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Your belief in your visions may be strong today, and you may find yourself wanting to share your dreams and goals with others. You also may feel like spending time building the strength of your convictions, instead of always needing for others to believe in you. If you can focus on creating an unshakable belief in your dreams, you will be able to confidently manifest them. Simply take some time to be alone today and visualize the outcome of your dreams. Allow yourself to feel the joy and fulfillment you will experience when you achieve your goals, and this will fuel your motivation and give you the confidence to proceed even when others don’t respond the way you would like.
Building a strong belief in our dreams infuses us with the confidence to know we can achieve them, regardless of the response we receive from others. While positive feedback from others can be validating, we might not always receive the responses that we are hoping for. If we instead choose to lend our energy to building a strong conviction about our dreams, we can then become our own support system and encourage ourselves toward the success we know we can achieve. Believe today in your ability to accomplish your goals, and you will welcome-but won’t need-the support of others to succeed.
November 10, 2009
Transitioning through Life’s Phases
Midlife Crisis
In our youth-oriented culture, the process of aging is not honored as it once was. There have been societies that looked to those who were older for leadership, understanding that their life experiences must have brought some wisdom with them. Our society tends to put more value on looking youthful, so when the time comes that we don’t look, move, or feel the way we once did, this causes a sudden jolt to our perception of ourselves. We can look at this shift as a crisis and fight against change, or we can take the opportunity to transition smoothly to a new phase of life.
We spend our youth learning who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. As we set and reach our goals, it is easy to identify ourselves by our roles. At some point we may feel very comfortable in the idea that we have a complete understanding of ourselves. This is, inevitably, when things change and we get to see ourselves from a new perspective. Those who have reached their goals may wonder where to go from there, feeling uncomfortable with the new choice of parts to play. Others may have to let go of an identity that was built around a goal that was not reached and decide from what foundation to rebuild. Although it can be challenging to shift into a new expression of self, we may find that we’re better suited for this fresh path of self-discovery and the new perspective it brings.
Whether we find ourselves facing a midlife crisis or any life transition, we can take the time to get in touch with our inner selves. From the unchanging spirit within us, we can accept and embrace the changes that come with the human experience. Examining where we’ve been and what we’ve learned can point in the direction of all that we would like to do now and in the future. When we anchor our identity in our spiritual nature, we understand that physical change does not change who we are, but only offers another perspective from which to experience, understand, and celebrate life.
The Lost Album
Salif Keita & Kante Manfila
2006
Two longtime collaborators, vocalist Salif Keita and guitarist Kante Manfila have their art practically down to a science-and no wonder since both are such experts in their crafts and so experienced at playing together; the result seems effortless. Salif Keita’s personal history combined with his remarkable talent and dedication have made him one of the major members of Malian music. An albino and a member of the Malian dynasty, Keita was disowned by his father after expressing his initial desires to play music. He moved to Bamako in 1967 to play the local club scene, and eventually joined a government-sponsored band called the Rail Band. There he played alongside Kante Manfila, a guitarist born into a jali (wandering musician family), who was drawn to the big city appeal of Mali. In the ’70s, both moved on to the group Les Ambassadeurs Internationeaux before pursuing solo careers in the ’80s.
The Lost Album is a series of songs recorded by the two in 1980, with a homespun sound that moves away from the Afropop of Les Ambassadeurs Internationeaux, toward the more traditional sounds the two would pursue in the decades that followed. Despite the recording quality, Keita’s voice is unmistakable and the simplicity of the recording and quality of the sparse musical ingredients really shine through, making it a perfect album for a quietly productive morning. The album opens with "I Djo Famâ," a more experimental track on Manfila’s part, using half-speed guitar. The effect is intimate to the point where you find yourself leaning in to hear the different layers of complex finger picking on kora and guitar. The trumpet plays thinly over them, until Keita’s rich, wavering voice takes the stage for a song that shines with the promise of beginning rays of sunrise.
"Toura Makan," is a heady tune, long and unhurried. The kalimba, an instrument in the same family as the xylophone, skips through the pleasant fog of guitar and female chorus, with Keita’s voice slicing cleanly through. The background loops hypnotically giving the feeling of a lullaby of sorts. The remainder of the album is relatively mellow though it closes with "Wara," a more celebratory tune that sticks closely to the traditions of Malian music, creating a slow but danceable groove. The guitars’ hypnotic looping is still present but more in the background, with the trumpets taking the foreground (along with Keita’s voice), adding a flavor of Afro-Cubanism.
November 10, 2009
Confidence in Our Dreams
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
Your belief in your visions may be strong today, and you may find yourself wanting to share your dreams and goals with others. You also may feel like spending time building the strength of your convictions, instead of always needing for others to believe in you. If you can focus on creating an unshakable belief in your dreams, you will be able to confidently manifest them. Simply take some time to be alone today and visualize the outcome of your dreams. Allow yourself to feel the joy and fulfillment you will experience when you achieve your goals, and this will fuel your motivation and give you the confidence to proceed even when others don’t respond the way you would like.
Building a strong belief in our dreams infuses us with the confidence to know we can achieve them, regardless of the response we receive from others. While positive feedback from others can be validating, we might not always receive the responses that we are hoping for. If we instead choose to lend our energy to building a strong conviction about our dreams, we can then become our own support system and encourage ourselves toward the success we know we can achieve. Believe today in your ability to accomplish your goals, and you will welcome-but won’t need-the support of others to succeed.
November 10, 2009
Transitioning through Life’s Phases
Midlife Crisis
In our youth-oriented culture, the process of aging is not honored as it once was. There have been societies that looked to those who were older for leadership, understanding that their life experiences must have brought some wisdom with them. Our society tends to put more value on looking youthful, so when the time comes that we don’t look, move, or feel the way we once did, this causes a sudden jolt to our perception of ourselves. We can look at this shift as a crisis and fight against change, or we can take the opportunity to transition smoothly to a new phase of life.
We spend our youth learning who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. As we set and reach our goals, it is easy to identify ourselves by our roles. At some point we may feel very comfortable in the idea that we have a complete understanding of ourselves. This is, inevitably, when things change and we get to see ourselves from a new perspective. Those who have reached their goals may wonder where to go from there, feeling uncomfortable with the new choice of parts to play. Others may have to let go of an identity that was built around a goal that was not reached and decide from what foundation to rebuild. Although it can be challenging to shift into a new expression of self, we may find that we’re better suited for this fresh path of self-discovery and the new perspective it brings.
Whether we find ourselves facing a midlife crisis or any life transition, we can take the time to get in touch with our inner selves. From the unchanging spirit within us, we can accept and embrace the changes that come with the human experience. Examining where we’ve been and what we’ve learned can point in the direction of all that we would like to do now and in the future. When we anchor our identity in our spiritual nature, we understand that physical change does not change who we are, but only offers another perspective from which to experience, understand, and celebrate life.