The heart of Africa is also the rightful birthplace of the blues; there's something distinctly African about the blues which some folks tend to overlook. I mean, the blues didn't start at the turn of the century in the United States: it truly began hundreds of years ago, right here in Africa.It didn't start with three chords and the simple truth. To be honest, it began by word of mouth. Of course, this also involved re-articulation, re-interpretation, putting one's own stamp of approval on folk tales, stories, songs, chants, etc. In who knows how many places, especially in the west African nation of Mali, that's exactly how the musical traditions of that region were (& still are) based.
The late Ali Farka Toure (1939-2006) serves as proof that the blues indeed did come from Africa. Dubbed as the "African John Lee Hooker" or "King of the African Blues," Toure took traditional Malian music & the American blues form & combined them to create something unique: music which is wholeheartedly African through & through. Toure brought us music which is truly hypnotic & mesmerizing, music which is just plain beautiful, & moreover, music which is genuine, authentic, pure Mali all the way.
Ali sang in several African languages which were spoken in his region - e.g. Songhai, Peul, Bambara, used traditional rhythms to get us hooked into his songs...definitely one of Africa's best known musicians as well as one of world music's best known performers.
His whole discography, to put it in one word alone, is awesome. Just to name a few must-haves:
The Source
Talking Timbuktu (with Ry Cooder)
Niafunke
Savane
Oh, & don't overlook Radio Mali and Red & Green.
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