Dounia

Here is a song by Rokia Traoré called Dounia (from the 2009 album Tchamantché) that I absolutely love. It's beautifuly delicate but also a very complex piece of music. Her voice just floats above it. 

My introduction to Malian music was through the blues of the late Ali Farka Touré, and I loved his whole approach. I'm not a student of it in any way, but it's a music I would love to play – Lately on this blog, I've featured some collaborations between with Damon Albarn and Afel Bocoum, who played with Ali, and with Rokia, as well as with Fatoumata Diawara. There's always a lot going on, so you really have to pay attention, but unlike Congolese music, for instance, it tends to be very gentle, too. The riffs are very melodic and it's very soulful, very subtle. I find the Rokia song particularly uplifting.

The music of Mali is particularly unique with a synthesis of traditional Tuareg, Arab, African with a surprising mix of American blues styles and instruments. Part of the worlds great cultural heritage, lately another endangered specie.....