Released to coincide with their historic reunion shows, this is an exquisite double-album reminder of the early days of one of Africa's greatest bands. Les Ambassadeurs were assembled in the early 1970s by a senior member of the Mali's military junta to entertain VIPs at a Bamako motel, and included great musicians from across west Africa, including the late Kanté Manfila on guitar, keyboard player Idrissa Soumaoro and guitarist Amadou Bagayoko (now a star with Amadou and Mariam). They even persuaded the young Salif Keita to leave their rivals, the Rail Band, to join them, and it's Salif who dominates here. Backed by a band that also includes brass and balafon, he is on soaring form on songs that range from Manfila's cheerfully upbeat Mana Mani to his own lengthy, stately and powerful praise song, Djandio. Glorious.