Mali Serenades

Recently, Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate released an album titled, In the Heart of the Moon. You may not have heard of either one, unless you're into world music (as I was once upon a time). Both are musicians from Mali, but play different styles of music.

Toure has been compared to bluesman John Lee Hooker, and plays a bluesy blues that I prefer over real blues, mainly because I prefer listening to whatever they speak in (the official language of Mali is French, but I recognize French, so it is most likely Bambara).

Diabate plays the kora, which is a harp-like instrument, considered something more elegant.

Their duet would be akin to a classical musician pairing up with a banjo player. I've been a fan of Toure a while, but was never able to get into Diabate's music. But whoever thought of pairing them together (Ry Cooder, of course) could only have dreamed of the magic that would come of it.

I've heard the album several times, but if you're in a certain mood, wanting to be transported away, you have to listen to In the Heart of the Moon. The two really complement one another. For Toure, his songs almost always sound the same, although uniformly excellent. For Diabate, the bluesy Toure tunes create a likable tune which he overlays his kora mastery.

Toure is the older of the two, having played with Diabate's father before. He's supposed to be a legend in Mali with Diabate a kora prodigy.

Check out In the Heart of the Moon. You won't regret it.