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Baaba Maal, Kalaajo

In the Heart of the Moon

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Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - Kaira, from In the Heart of the Moon (2005)

Mali is a fabled land of musical giants and this Rough Guide features the towering figures of Oumou Sangare, Ali Farka Touré and Basekou Kouyate. However the music of Mali is now under threat as never before. In the words of singer Fatoumata Diawara, ‘music has always brought hope in Mali. Music has always been strong and spiritual.’

For more information, visit http://www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1311

Before the March 2012 coup d’etat of President Amadou Toumani Touré, very few outside of West Africa knew much about Mali (except for perhaps a group of historians and world music devotees). Much of Mali is encompassed by the Sahara desert, which, despite its often scorching temperatures, has been aptly described as an ‘inland sea’, connecting the Arab and Berber cultures of the north, with the Fulani, Bambara, Mandinka and others in the south. After Muammar Gaddafi fell in the Libyan civil war, huge caches of heavy weapons were left unguarded – many ended up crossing that ‘desert sea’ and arrived in Mali. Fueled by outside groups, Al Qaeda gained a stronghold in northern Mali, installing Sharia law, closing schools, and banning so-called ‘Satan’s music’. Tragically, the region that had long been known for its ancient manuscripts, magnificent mud-architectural mosques, and captivating folk music was engulfed in conflict.

Mali’s musicians have never shied away from mixing politics and song. Vocalist Oumou Sangare (who is also a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador) has been outspoken on issues including women’s rights and polygamy since the 1990s. In 2013, when the conflict made it impossible for Mali to host its renowned Festival in the Desert, Sangare helped to take the show on the road, headlining the Caravan For Peace, performing in Tuareg refugee camps in Burkina Faso. Similarly, Khaira Arby (cousin of legendary guitarist Ali Farka Touré) has taken on issues such as female circumcision in her music. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when war threatened to engulf Mali, its leading musicians banded together. Fatoumata Diawara gathered the nation’s leading musicians together to produce a video calling for a peaceful end to the conflict, most of whom are featured on this compilation, including Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabate, Vieux Farka Touré, Nahawa Doumbia and Khaira Arby.

The role of these musicians cannot be underestimated, as it both galvanized the Malian public, and the international community into action, leading to military involvement by France as well as United Nations peacekeepers that quickly restored calm to most of Mali. Musically and ethnically, Mali is an incredibly diverse country. This album reflects that diversity, featuring driving Tuareg grooves rooted in a nomadic Saharan past, generations-old ‘social advice’ songs, Wassoulou music from the south, and of course there are a host of songs from Mali’s next generation of stars.

Samba Touré: Koye Ma (taken from the Rough Guide To Mali)

Seven songs in Seven Languages for UNICEF Hand washing with soap. 

SANUYA HABIB

YOUSSOU NDOUR 2FANGA MIX

This song was recorded at Studio Mali for the memorial service of long time BBC radio host Charlie Gillette. 

Bassekou Kouyate and N'goni Ba "Saya be tama"

Sikafe by Aminata Kouyate

FANTA BOURAMA/TU ALMA CONGELA LA NOCHE

Baaba Maal - Baayo (Live)

Savane

Ali Farka Toure - "Soya"

Eneida Marta - Na bu mons

In this short show, we will look at a broad cross section of work from the amazing and influential Malian musician Ali Farka Toure. Enjoy.

Sounds of Ali Farka Toure

Baaba Maal: Koni

Djelimady Tounkara - Nima Diyala

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba return with a new single, new album and live dates

Mali's ngoni ace returns. After his celebrated debut album Segu Blue and the Grammy nominated follow up I speak fula, hundreds of concerts all over the globe, an appearance headlining the AfroCubism project and, just a few months ago, stunning appearances at the latest Africa Express events performing with Sir Paul McCartney, Damon Albarn and many others, Bassekou Kouyate is back with his new album.

Jama ko means 'a big gathering of people'.  It is the first song to be released from the forthcoming album of the same title. It is a call for unity, peace and tolerance in a time of crisis: no matter who you are, let us come together and enjoy life, and celebrate the true spirit of Mali.

“Jama ko, c’est pour tout le monde”, says Bassekou Kouyate, the celebrated ngoni player, explaining the title of his third album, “There are over 90% Muslims in Mali, but our form of Islam here has nothing to do with a radical form of Sharia: that is not our culture. We have been singing praise songs for the Prophet for hundreds of years. If the Islamists stop people music making they will rip the heart out of Mali.”

The recording of Jama ko took place in March 2012 in Mali's capital Bamako. It was recorded with an entirely new line-up including Bassekou's two sons Madou and Moustafa Kouyate, ngoni ace Abou Sissoko and a number of other young talented musicians from Bamako. It became political by accident. In the afternoon of the first day in the studio the military overthrew the president Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT).  It was a shock for Bassekou as the former president was a great supporter of his music. Somewhere between power cuts, fuel shortages and the uncertainty of daily curfews the recording went on. Meanwhile the situation in the north of Mali was getting worse and worse by the day. In the studio a musical answer started taking shape: Instead of keeping quiet Bassekou plugged in his wah wah pedal, cranked up his amp and let loose: Ne me fatigue pas: don't wear me out. You can hear the heartbeat of Malian music pulsing in this music.

Kasse Mady Diabate is featured on the Latin-flavoured Sinaly singing about Sinaly Diarra, a Bamana king famous for resisting forced Islamisation in the 19th century. Kele Magni is a duet between Amy Sacko and Khaira Arby from Timbuktu, calling for peace in Mali. Zoumana Tereta praises the cotton farmers of Mali in Mali Koori with a voice that takes you back into the time of the great Bambara warriors. Jama ko also features an incredible duet between Bassekou and Taj Mahal (vocals / electric guitar) and ends with the touching song Moustafa by Bassekou’s son Moustafa dedicated to his parents thanking them for all they have done for him.

Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Hotel 2 Tango) recorded the album in Mali and ended up mixing and co-producing most of it back home in Montreal. Andrew Barr (Barr Brothers) and Max Weissenfeldt (Poets of Rhythm) added drums. Mocky Salole (Feist, Jamie Lidell) contributed to the production and played organ and drums.

Jama ko digital single out now 19 November 2012
Jama ko album out in the UK on 28 January 2013
Live in the UK: 26 January 2013 - Barbican, London + 27 January - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections (Sahara Soul triple bill with Tamikrest and Sidi Touré)


Watch preview video:
http://youtu.be/lfU4rxQL4Dw


Jama Ko
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/outhererecords/bassekou-kouyate-ngoni-ba-jama
YouTube: http://youtu.be/lfU4rxQL4Dw

Bassekou Kouyate online:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bassekoukouyate
Twitter: @Bassekou http://twitter.com/Bassekou
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bassekoukouyate

Out Here Records online:
http://www.outhere.de
http://www.outhere.de/jamako

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba - Jama ko (Single - Song for Peace)

Full length version of Unbreakable by Yadi featuring Baaba Maal and The Very Best.

Yadi - Unbreakable (ft. Baaba Maal and The Very Best)

Ali & Toumani

Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate - "Sabu Yerkoy"

This track is from the album Mogoya and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chechedrame

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