JAZZ REVIEWS : ‘JAZZ AFRICA’

The “Jazz Africa” concert of the “Jazzvisions” series at the Wiltern Theatre slanted towards the African end Wednesday afternoon. Herbie Hancock may have had top billing on the marquee but the musical focus was on Gambian musician Foday Musa Suso.

Hancock and Suso met at a New York recording session in 1983 and subsequently collaborated on the 1984 “Village Life” album for Columbia. The set opened with “Early Warning” as Hancock took the melodic lead on a Yamaha DX-1 synthesizer before slipping into a prominent but supporting role for the remaining 90 minutes.

Suso’s chief instrument was the kora , a 21-stringed instrument with a large sound gourd and a neck resembling a broom handle. According to Suso, a family ancestor invented the instrument 700 years ago and its full, cascading lines split the tonal difference between a harp and a banjo.

African music’s emphasis on ensemble empathy made fitting into the arrangements Hancock’s main priority. He effectively anchored “Jimbasing,” a trio piece with Senegalese percussionist Aiyb Dieng, with gospel-rooted bass chords. Hancock was initially stymied on “Kumbasora” before hitting on a percussive woodblock sound to punctuate the mellow continuum created by Suso and Dieng.

The trio was then joined by Suso’s Chicago-based quartet Mandingo and guest conga player Armando Peraza (Senegalese vocalist Youssou N’Dour did not appear due to scheduling problems). The full band’s three lengthy pieces settled into lightly textured African grooves flavored with frequent Caribbean touches and the occasional dash of disco dancefloor ambiance.

Suso sang in a pleasing, high-pitched voice and switched from kora to the balofon (a West African marimba) on “Starting Point” and African violin on the concluding “Debo.” Hancock took strong solos on both that noticeably lifted the ensemble’s performance in energy and emotional verve.