Victor Démé

Recorded at the age of 46 in a basic improvised studio in his native Burkina Faso, Victor Démé is the self-titled debut album from the singer/songwriter who fuses Manding music with Latin American rhythms and folk-blues. Steeped in the West African griot tradition, the 2008 release features an interlude recorded by Afro-beat musician Tim Winsey and 14 self-penned tracks based on lyrical themes of national solidarity ("Peuple Burkinabè"), tolerance ("Djôn'maya"), and the role of women in his country ("Burkina Mousso"). ~ Jon O'Brien