Mali Lolo! Stars of Mali

Washington, D.C., USA – This year’s Smithsonian Folklife festival will be dedicated to Mali. To celebrate the event, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has released a compilation of music from Mali.

Mali Lolo! Stars of Mali (Smithsonian Folkways 40508) showcases the preeminent musicians on the forefront of Mali’s modern musical renaissance. It features the Super Rail Band – Mali’s headliner group for 30 years – Grammy winner Ali Farka Toure, kora masters Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko, Wassulu diva Oumou Sangare, guitarist and singer Habib Koite with his Bamada group, and more of Mali’s best talent.

This collection exemplifies each artist’s exploration of the rich ground between revered musical traditions and the innovations of modern Mali that draw upon a myriad of Western influences. Modern Mali, a powerhouse of African musical tradition, reverberates far beyond its geographic boundaries, harnessing its rich culture and history to create unique contemporary sounds.

Track listing:

1. Kasse Mady Diabate “Eh Ya Ye” 4:20
2. Kandia Kouyate “San Barana” 6:19
3. Habib Koite and Bamada “Nimato” 4:05

4. Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia “Ko Kan Ko Sata Doumbia On River” 1:03

5. Yoro Sidibe “Noumou Koulouba” 5:55
6. Oumou Sangare “Ya La” 4:07
7. Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko “Cheikhna Demba” 4:26
8. Abdoulaye Diabate and Super Manden “Fakoli” 6:03
9. Tinariwen “Tessalit” 3:56

10. Tartit “Iya Heniya” 3:35
11. Lobi Traore “Duga” 5:23
12. Ali Farka Toure with Afel Bocoum “Hilly Yoro” 3:36
13. Neba Solo “Vaccination” 3:18
14. Rokia Traore “Yere Uolo” 4:12
15. Les Escrocs “Pirates” 4:50
16. Super Rail Band “Mansa” 6:31

Buy Mali Lolo! Stars of Mali