V.A. - MALI BLUES (CD)

"Mali, situated in the heart of West Africa, is the cradle of today's Blues and Jazz. It is believed that slaves brought their traditional African rhythms and sounds to the North American cotton fields. For centuries music has strengthened Mali's cultural identity, with musicians holding strong positions in society. Following Fatoumata Diawara, shooting star of the global pop scene, MALI BLUES is a musical journey, in which we explore the country's rich musical culture and its threat by radical movements. On our way we meet other committed musicians, who are fighting for unity and the freedom to express themselves through their music. The MALI BLUES soundtrack takes us further on this musical journey and introduces us to unique artists such as Tuareg musician Ahmed Ag Kaedi, famous Ngoni player and traditional Griot Bassekou Kouyaté, Malian Rapper Master Soumy and of course Fatoumata Diawara." (label info)