Track Listing

1. MARIEM HASSAN - La Tumchi Anni
2. NURU KANE - Goree
3. COREY HARRIS - Special Rider Blues
4. BOUBACAR TRAORE - Mariama Kaba
5. OUMOU SANGARE - Mogo Ti Diya Bee Ya
6. ETRAN FINATAWA - Iriarer
7. AFEL BOKOUM - Jaman Moro
8. ROKIA TRAORE - Kele Mandi
9. AYALEW MESFIN & BLACK LION BAND - Feqer Aydelem Wey
10. DJELIMADY TOUNKARA - Sigui
11. BOB BROZMAN & DJELI MOUSSA DIAWARA - Maloyan Devil
12. RASHA - Azara Alhai
13. DABY BALDE - Waino Blues
14. BAABA MAAL & MANSOUR SECK - Bibbe Leydy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #136966 in Music
• Released on: 2007-05-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
Nowadays it is almost universally accepted that the DNA of the blues can be traced back to Africa. Featuring significant collaborations which explore this link - including Corey Harris and Ali Farka Toure - alongside pivotal artists such as Afel Bocoum, Oumou Sangare and Boubacar Traore, The Rough Guide to African Blues examines this complex and fascinating musical connection.

Artists include- Mariem Hassan, Nuru Kane, Corey Harris with Ali Farka Touré, Boubacar Traoré, Oumou Sangare, Etran Finatawa, Afel Bocoum, Rokia Traoré, Ayaléw Mèsfin & Black Lion Band, Djelimady Tounkara, Bob Brozman & Djeli Moussa Diawara, Rasha, Daby Balde, Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck

Customer Reviews

The Source of the Blues from the Heart of the Desert
With the popularity of artists like Tinariwen and the late Ali Farka Toure, theres been a great deal of interest in West Africa as the 'birthplace' of the Blues. If you travel to the Sahel, that hot, dry, dusty region south of the Sahara desert, you'll find strong similarities between the music of the Mande, Fulani and others and the American Delta Blues. But thats not the point of this CD. The point is to showcase some of the great names of African 'desert Blues,' and this compilation delivers. Here you'll find the Ethio-jazz orchestra of Ayalew Mesfin and the Black Lion Band, Senegalese pop star Baaba Maal (with long-time collaborator Mansour Seck), the beautiful voice of Sudan's Rasha, legendary Sahraoui igawen (griot) Mariem Hassan, and the Gnawa-inspired sound of Nuru Kane. But the real focus here is Mali, that great powerhouse of West African music. Of course, the late Ali Farka Toure is included, doing a collaboration with Corey Harris, as is his protege, Afel Bocoum. Other important Malian artists on this CD include wassoulou diva Oumou Sangare, Rokia Traore, Djelimady Tounkara, and Taureg/Wodaabe group Etran Finatawa. This is music from the heart of the desert here, and well worth buying. If you like it, there are increasingly more albums of 'desert blues' and 'Sahel pop' available in the west, including 'Festival in the Desert,' 'Putumayo Presents: Mali,' and the deluxe two-CD and booklet 'Ambiances du Sahara.' Any of these albums are great places to start your journey of 'African Desert Blues,' and who knows, maybe one day you'll even find yourself traveling to Essakane for the Festival in the Desert.