Another piece of South African music history not to be missed is the Best of the Manhattan Brothers (Stern's). Using the best technology, the music formerly recorded for 78 rpm in the 1940s and 1950s is carefully re-mastered to expose the silky voices of the first African jiving superstars: Nathan Mdledle, Joe Mogotsi, Ronnie Majola and Rufus Khosa.

"Thaba Tseu"

Considering that this was the time when apartheid was at its most oppressive, and Africans were denied any kind of voice, it's incredible to listen to the joyful, stylish and elegant sound of the Manhattan Brothers ( who were not blood brothers). The ecstasy spills out in song like "Malayisha" (1951), "Thaba Tseu" (1954) and "Ntylo Ntylo" (later recorded by Hugh Masekela). The quartet is joined by a young beautiful skylark named Miriam Makeba who is heard on the tracks "Tula Ndivile," "Baby Ntsoare," and "Ntylo Ntylo."

There is a timeless element to these recordings; sweet, funny, sad, hopeful and just plain wholesome fun. They stay with you long after the music has stopped playing. The impeccable liner notes are the icing on this very delicious cake.

His name is Fallou Dieng, and he is the perfect protege for Youssou N'dour. First heard on Streets of Dakar (Stern's), Dieng debuts with the stunning Medina (Stern's). Dieng's richly-layered voice displays an expansive range of deep emotion and bright colours. It is as soulful and suave as it is heart-stirring. Listen to the opening of the track "Jog Leen," where the voice beckons you to discover everything good in Senegalese music. What word can describe that?

"Walo walo"

The strong vocal display is backed by the crack mbalax ensemble of Le DLC featuring the indomitable Siam Thiam on tama and Aziz Faye on Sabar. For sheer energy where the sabar crackles like thunder in the savanna, try the tracks "Walo Walo," "Koleure," and "Withiaxou." But, cerebrally, the most satisfying pieces are those on which Dieng's voice rolls out like sweet honey in the tracks "Biri Biri" and "Beusseum-Bi." These laid-back songs are few because Dieng packs the rest with everything he has got in his percussive arsenal, forcing you to jump up to do the jig rather than listen.

Banning Eyre, the American music writer, broadcaster and African music aficionado, has compiled In Griot Time - The String Music from Mali (Stern's). This impressive CD brings to life the characters and music that fills the pages of his recent book, "In Griot Time: An American Guitarist in Mali" (Temple University Press).

"Kouyate/Diouara"

Eyre's refined ears pulls together the best music by famous Malian griots like Kandia Kouyate, Lobi Traore, Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabate, Oumou Sangare, Habib Koite and Salif Keita. But the central protagonist around which the book (and the CD) revolves is the charismatic guitar maestro Djelimady Tounkara, lead guitar of the legendary Super Rail Band of Bamako. In Tounkara's hands, hugging closely the timeless sounds of the kora and ngoni, the acoustic guitar weaves the most confounding and beautiful music. Characteristically, like a painter with the finest touch, Tounkara opens with a single stroke and then adds layers upon layers of pure joy. Hear the track "Kouyate" on which Tounkara is accompanied by his nephew Adama Tounkara on the ngoni. It is poetry in motion.

The only serious shortcoming of In Griot Time, is not what is included, but rather what is excluded. Eyre incorrectly assumes that the listener would not be interested in the live recordings he made in the streets of Mali while taking guitar lessons from Tounkara and others. As a result, he teases with snippets like the tracks Sunjata (0:38 secs), Diguisse (1:19 secs), Toubaka (0:42 secs) and Lanaya (1:28 secs), thus denying us, the listeners, some of the best, most authentic and spontaneous music ever to come out of Mali. Who would not want to hear the extended version of "Diguisse" which opens with a French conversation between Eyre and his teachers? Could we possibly have the rest of this rare stuff later in another album? One would certainly hope so.

But Eyre is forgiven this omission when one realizes that he has distilled of the creme de la creme of Malian griot music into this exceptional compilation.