London does not have an abundance of intimate venues for world music performers, so there is extra reason to hope that the Half the World season in Knightsbridge continues to attract a crowd. This venue is more accustomed to hosting discreet shows by the more sophisticated New York cabaret artists. Under new management, it has broadened its booking policy, although cabaret diehards should not despair since there is the promise, later in the autumn, of visits by the likes of the American singer-pianist Daryl Sherman.
For this week, however, the basement is taking on the trappings of a metropolitan Womad, in the form of a mini-festival held under the auspices of the magazine fRoots. The journal’s editor, Ian Anderson, played master of ceremonies on an opening night devoted to a genial display by Daby Baldé, the Senegalese singer whose recent album, Introducing Daby Baldé, has been attracting some handsome reviews.
True, Senegal is the one corner of West Africa that has not exactly suffered from critical neglect in the past decade or so, thanks to Youssou N’Dour and Baaba Maal. But while Baldé may not be as charismatic a presence, his seven-piece backing band blended traditional and European influences, notably in the impassioned fiddle-playing of Wouter Vandenabeele.
Subtle electric guitar phrases skimmed across the surface as acoustic guitar and kora intertwined beside two unusually restrained percussionists. Baldé’s high-pitched vocals cut a forceful path through the ensemble. It was a genuine pity, though, that he chose to make so few changes to the ambling, medium-tempo repertoire. A little more variation would have made all the difference. There are lots of unexploited permutations here, and the raucous finale to the first set showed just how much energy the band can draw on. Next time, perhaps.
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