World music explorer Justin Adams and Gambian griot Juldeh Camara have combined their considerable talents to devise an electrifying fusion of rock and West Africa. Camara sings and performs on ritti (a one-stringed African fiddle) and kologo (a two-stringed African banjo), while Adams plays acoustic and electric guitars. Partnering with a small group of choice sidemen, Camara and Adams tracked 11 tunes that constitute what is sure to be noted as one of the most imaginative world music albums of '09. "Fulani Coochie Man" is a cleverly styled meeting of Gambia and Muddy Waters, while "Madam Mariama" offers more of a purely West African rhythmic feel. "Gainako" spins out at a more measured pace than most of the other tracks, and in its elegance suggests Camara's griot sensibility. —Philip Van Vleck