The set opens with a jittery, dry string melody, then the tug of calabash percussion in a subtly different rhythm, a shout, and all at once, the distinct musical character of the West African desert seizes you. This selection comes from the blowout takamba (sensuous Songhai dance) performance by Super Onze of Gao on the last night of the festival, just before Ali Farka Touré went on stage. The set, featuring Touré's favorite music, was designed to put him in the mood. It's also as good as any way to start this collection, for the graceful waving arms of takamba dancing accompanied virtually every performance at the festival, whether or not the 3-stringed, Songhai kurubu and calabash were sounding.

There's more takamba in store as well. The queen of Wassoulou music, Oumou Sangaré calls Ali Farka Touré to the stage for her own take on the trademark Songhai takamba, "Wayena." Then we get a rousing moment from Touré's own festival-closing set on the song "Karaw." The song's wavy rhythms and intonation start out raucous and driving, but eventually settle into a slow, mystic takamba, Ali style. Touré's protégé Afel Bocoum played a spectacular set--balanced, polished, easy and masterful--and on "Buri Baalal," we hear the group in full, ecstatic flower.

There's a great mix of modern and traditional music here, including four tracks of purely traditional Tuareg music. Most notably, Tartit weigh in with tinde drums and women singing in the growling, throaty manner that mimics the sound of camels, although a good deal more rhythmically. Tuareg people and culture are the focal point of this festival, and we hear more contemporary Tuareg sounds as well, the chugging "Aldachan Manin" from the world's most popular Tuareg folk rock band, Tinariwen, and an equally mesmerizing electric guitar track from that group's spiritual cousins in Niger, Tidawt.

Seydoum Ehl Aïda of Nouakchott is credited with introducing the electric guitar into Mauritanean music, and his set was a knockout. His track on the compilation, "Ya Moulana," captures the group's trancey vocal, and Aïda's unique, watery guitar sound. Also from Mauritania, Aïcha Bint Chighaly contributes a gorgeous, hook-laden number. These two items alone are worth the price of this CD, as very little music from Mauritania has made it to CD so far.

There are, of course, tracks by outsiders in this mix, and outsiders in this case includes artists from Bamako, like Adama Yalomba who performs his own brand of neo-traditional pop, here featuring an unusual, self-styled string instrument and a moody, desert-inspired vocal. The French world music band Lo'Jo, who provided the inspiration and much of the leg work for this festival, contribute a beautiful collaboration with Malian singer/songwriter Django; "Jah Kas Cool Boy," makes a pleasing blend of African and European folk sensibilities. And Robert Plant, backed by Justin Adams on guitar, more than holds his own with a slow, soulful rendition of his song "Win My Train Fare Home."

Perhaps the weakest tracks musically come from kora player Ballaké Sissoko, who performs a somewhat sleepy duet with Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi, and the Navajo rock band Blackfire. Blackfire's participation at the festival was deeply moving, and the Tuareg response to their rather retro metal sound was a hoot, but the magic doesn't quite translate to CD. Not to worry; the CD is a classic.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org