Bamako By Bus

Bamako By Bus is drummer and composer Daniel Freedman's second album as a leader, drawing on jazz, African and Cuban music, funk and pop. Its working title was NY Nation: the influences come from all over the world, but Freedman felt the music could only have come together in New York. He built it around a core band of bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, keyboardist Jason Lindner and trumpeter Avishai Cohen, and wrote each piece with specific guests in mind.

Mark Turner takes the ballad "Alona." Lionel Loueke brings guitar and voice to "All Brothers." Pedrito Martinez and Abraham Rodriguez lead "Rumba Pa' NYC," a guaguancó Freedman wrote in Spanish, and Joshua Levitt's ney colors "Darfur/Oasis." Yoruba prayer chant, Gnawa and Brazilian grooves figure in, and the title track goes back to a 30-hour bus ride Freedman took through Mali. There are no drum solos. The drumming lives inside the ensemble.