Description
After over 45 years of career, Gold Records for the album containing the unforgettable “7 seconds”(200M streams),a Grammy Award for “Egypt”, an honorary doctorate from the prestigious Yale University in 2011, and another from Berklee Valencia in 2024 for sharing Senegal’s musical heritage with the world, Youssou N’Dour restores world music to its place of honor.
Eclairer le monde (light the world) is a highly musical album where each instrument was meticulously crafted before being recorded. The kora, flute, sokou, ngoni, percussion, balafons each sound was carefully studied and used in the most modern way by American producer Michael League (co-founder of Snarky Puppy). He is responsible for all the bass on the album, as well as some guitars, ukulele, and keyboards on certain tracks. With Michael, I discovered a beautiful person, a great artist, an exceptional musician who’s used to gathering the best around him. The drummer, Munir Zakee, came from Atlanta, pianist Frank Locrasto from New York, kora Player Momi Maiga from Madrid and of course, my long - time partners: Mbaye Dieye Faye and Thio Mbaye on percussion, Asane Thiam on the tama, and my guitarist Tapha Gaye.
His co-producer, Weedie Braimah, born in Ghana but coming from Cleveland, started playing the djembe at the age of two. He descends from a line of Jazz percussionists, has studied percussion all his life, and teaches it in workshops and masterclasses worldwide. Youssou N’Dour found himself surrounded by performers who dedicated their talents to his extraordinary melodies.
It was in a small village in Catalonia, El Prats de Rei, that everyone gathered to create this album, in Michael’s small stone house, with a recording studio on the top floor, in a diligent, family-like, and gourmet atmosphere since Michael is as skilled with a bass as he is with cooking local produce. I enjoyed myself for three weeks, both in the studio and at the table! Youssou says with a laugh.
