Alafia

Mali has long been considered a jewel of the African music scene, thanks to the country's ability to produce an endless stream of talented artists. Hailing from the town of Gao in northern Mali's Sanghaï region, singer/guitarist Sidi Touré plays his original compositions in the mostly acoustic styles of abarbarba, holley, and takamba, which feature call-and-response vocals, guitar and ngoni string grooves, and percolating rhythms on calabash. Recorded in late 2012 and early 2013, Alafia (which means “peace”) is weighed down with the sadness and frustration from the recent civil war that engulfed many parts of the country, including Touré’s hometown. The call-and-response of “Ay Hora” kicks things off on an uplifting note thanks to a taut melody and choir. Sharp solos on electric guitar and ngoni punctuate “Ay Takamba” and other songs, but it’s really the message of postwar songs like “La Paix,” “Ir Wangarey,” and “Boro Ganda” that linger longest, making this Touré’s most personal and powerful musical statement yet.