Du Mali

In Mali, like many of its neighboring countries, the post-colonial period was one of nation building, and music and the arts were central to the formation of new identities. Mali was a swirl of different sounds, like the Bambara, Fula, and Dogon traditions, highlife from neighboring Ghana, a strong Cuban influence, and the psychedelic rock and funk that arrived over the airwaves. You can hear all of these influences in the music of Sorry Bamba, a young bandleader, singer, and flutist from a central region of Mali. What he does so well on this record — originally released by Sonafric in 1977 and then reissued by Africa Seven — is to not letting the modern instrumentation overwhelm the traditional side of things, using the organs and reverby guitars only to enhance the hypnotic qualities of Malian music.