AFRICAN BLUES

Putumayo World Music

Blues music was born in the southern United States, but With a DNA that indicated African roots. This album chronicles the return of the blues to its African mother- land. Listen to the cross- cultural collaborations that result in gems as the guitar/ organ blend, “Ni Koh Bedy” (Mali Latino), “Dyamakoyo” (Adama Yalombaì, “Totoumo” (Diabel Cissokho & Ramon Goose), the funky “Camel Shuffle” (Amar Sundy) and hit the halfway mark with the basslines and subtle samples of “Djigui” (Issa Bagayogo). In recent years it had become common for American and European musicians to record and perform with the African musicians - this album gives a good accounting of its progress. The legendary Taj Mahal and the Culture Mu- sical Club of Zanzibar join forces for “Dhow Countries,” trailed by “Mali” (Kalaban Coural, the finger-snapping (Koudede), While Playing for Change serves up the rhythmic “Groove In G” featuring Tinariwen, and the cultural blending ends with Muntu Va1do’s “TiInba.”