ibringwhatilove

Saw a really beautiful film last night: Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love. I go to about 2 movies a year in the theater: with prices what they are, it's so rare to feel like I got my money's worth. But I'd have paid more for this one. And would recommend it, as any of several stories. It's an inspiring poor-kid-makes-it-big bio. It's a well-paced musical documentary. It's a gorgeously filmed window onto the people, culture and religion of Senegal, West Africa. And it's a balm for all the open hearts who still believe that boundaries can be transcended, acceptance made a reality, understanding be the river on which human beings travel together.

Ndour was already an international success two decades ago. He won Africa's first platinum record. Not just for Senegal. For Africa. He sang with other big names at G8. I was impressed with his music already, but didn't realize his was the soaring voice that joined Peter Gabriel on the live version, long ago, of "In Your Eyes". And for those activists I've known whose vision limited them to denying that music can help change the world, or that beauty and politics can mix: Youssou's success brought him to Washington to testify before Congress on work to end malaria in Africa, and inspired a grassroots "urban ecological movement" by youth in Senegal's inner cities. And the website says he launched his international career with the help of Senegalese taxi drivers' fraternal organizations in France and Italy.

But the heart of the movie is the record called "Egypt", his project, with Arabic musicians, about the beauty and the history of his Muslim faith. Senegal, I learn from the movie, is 94% Sufi Muslim. And the songs, stories, and glimpses of religious life woven around the story of this controversial recording -- and its long and difficult road to success -- are as real and from-the-heart as I would've expected from a Sufi context. Truly inspiring.

The movie's here in Albuquerque for 3 more nights. Looks like it might tour the West Coast after that. You can watch a preview at http://www.ibringwhatilove.com/.