Album: Juju, In Trance (Realworld)

Juju is Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara, supported by a rhythm section of drummer Dave Smith and bassist Billy Fuller, the quartet recording the seven tracks of In Trance live in single-take sessions.

Opener "Nightwalk" is typical, Adams's dirty, abrupt electric guitar riff anchored by brisk, skittish drumming while Camara's riti one-string violin skirls around, with chanted responses to his lead vocal, in North African style. The parched desert-blues vibrato of the guitar on the loping "Waide Nayde" recalls Ali Farka Touré, while the ingenious cyclical layering of riti loops and drums in (I think) 5/6 time on the lengthy "Djanfa Moja" brings to mind one of Can's celebrated Ethnological Forgeries. But the most pungent aroma rising from Juju's avant-jazz dub-trance grooves is that of a funkier Mahavishnu Orchestra.

DOWNLOAD THIS Nightwalk; Djanfa Moja; Deep Sahara; Waide Nayde