Nâo – Aminata Fall & Xâlis, 1987

In 1987, Nâo, a UFO between afrofunk and afrojazz, was released by Senegalese keyboardist Aminata Fall (not to be confused with the famous singer of the same name). With her group Xâlis, she sails between ethereal jazz and funky beats, singing and making the landscapes of West Africa unfold between our ears. The almost dreamlike illustration on the album cover is not to be outdone. Behind it, we find a high-flying Cameroonian rhythm section, with Brice Wassy and Raymond Doumbé, and the brass of Finn Martin and Patrick Artéro. An album virtually impossible to find today…