Pop Music Review : Youssou N’Dour Pulls It All Together

Youssou N’Dour’s two-hour performance at House of Blues on Sunday was a total package that simply lacked flaws on any level--visually, musically or theatrically. The Senegalese vocalist’s powerful, high-pitched singing was comparable to that of Salif Keita, and the 10-piece Super Etoile de Dakar band was a well-oiled machine with a loose, jammin’ feel.

N’Dour’s mbalax style had enough repetition for the melodic hooks to take hold over a pervasive rhythm undertow. The arrangements flowed unpredictably--from sweet alto sax to spidery, bluesy lead guitar line, keyboards to hand percussion, talking drum to dance turns that were every bit as much “solos” as any instrumental passage.

Stevie Wonder traded wailing Islamic vocal lines with N’Dour on a traditional Senegalese piece, with the band members seated on the stage in white robes. But N’Dour had already transfixed the full house with canny audience participation routines that had everyone eagerly joining in.

Ideally, that audience connection would give the lie to record industry notions that American audiences can’t relate to African or any other non-English language music. Super Etoile de Dakar translates as “Superstar of Dakar” (Senegal’s capital), and on the strength of his performance Sunday, using that much-abused term isn’t wishful thinking on N’Dour’s part--it’s fact.