Egypt

1	Allah 6:12
2	Shukran Bamba 5:32
3	Mahdiyu Laye 4:59
4	Tijaniyya 5:47
5	Baay Niasse 5:20
6	Bamba the Poet 3:53
7	Cheikh Ibra Fall 3:38
8	Touba -- Daru Salaam 5:49

Barnes & Noble

Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour was so incensed with the invasion of Iraq in 2003 that he canceled his American tour. The experience was a galvanizing one for the singer, however, and his empathy for his Islamic brethren spilled over into a work that's no less beautiful for being profoundly political. N'Dour aimed to stress the beauty and openness of his faith and does so by setting the devotional prayers of Senegal's Muslims to classical Egyptian film music. It's a surprising move all around, but one that bears unexpected fruit. Musically, Egypt is glorious: Where, in the past, N'Dour's crossover sensibilities have often led him to inflated global pop, this bridge leads to lushly recorded strings and Oriental rhythms, lit up by a voice regarded as one of the world's finest. Fans of Arab music from the likes of Umm Kulthoum will certainly be intrigued by N'Dour's take, delivered in Wolof and other Senegalese languages. Egypt is also rewarding for the light it sheds on African Islam. Few are familiar with the parade of saints, caliphs, and martyrs that are praised on these songs. Cheikh Amadou Bamba is one figure familiar to fans of the Orchestra Baobab and Cheikh Lo, who have praised him in hit songs. Cheikh Ibra Fall, a follower of Bamba, is another subject; he was the founder of the Mouride sect (Lo is one), the dreadlocked Africans whose patchwork clothing is a sign of their mystical beliefs. The sharp focus and impeccable performances of Egypt make it a standout in N'Dour's catalog, although longtime fans will likely be mystified by this atypical offering. Be warned that the driving mbalax rhythms of N'Dour's Afropop are nowhere on this album, instead, Egypt is a humble showcase for a gifted vocalist's devotion. Mark Schwartz

All Music Guide

Youssou N'Dour's Egypt is a radical change of pace for the Senegalese singer/songwriter. Throughout his career, N'Dour has adapted his indigenous musical heritage to the pop sounds of world music. On Egypt, N'Dour and his quartet have created rhythmic and melodic arrangements for material from the Arabic world. Joining N'Dour's quartet for this recording is the renowned Fathy Salama Orchestra, a 14-piece traditional music ensemble. The material is traditional Sufi music, and N'Dour has applied, via the score's director, Hassan Khaleel, Senegalese rhythms and folk melodies to exist in concert with the time-honored originals. The effect is nothing less than startling. N'Dour goes deep into the heart of Senegalese Sufism, tracing the lines where terrains, spiritual practices, and of course musical ideas meet, meld, and change. Unlike his previous recordings, the organic and sacred character of this music seems to stand outside of time and space; it wails and warbles, croons and groans. It is the music of joy and reverence and, as it bridges the various aspects of Islamic cultural traditions, one hopes it can create, via the sheer beauty of its sound and the translation of its lyrics, a portrait of a world that is far different from the one portrayed by Western media constructs. Thom Jurek