National Geographic Live! will be presenting two evenings of world music in the Los Angeles area on Friday, August 10th and Friday August 17th. Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Touré—son of the late, great Ali Farka Touré—will perform at 9 pm at Temple Bar in Santa Monica, CA. While Persian-inspired ensemble In the Path of Rumi will present the first cycle in a symphonic project dedicated to the memory of the legendary Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Rumi at the Walt Disney Concert Hall In Los Angeles at 8 pm, August 17th.

Living in the long shadow of Africa's greatest bluesman, Ali Farka Touré, can't be easy. Yet son Vieux Farka Touré has managed to prevail, developing his precocious talents on the guitar in spite of his father's initial opposition and awesome body of work. Vieux adds elements of rock and reggae to the Sahara blues pioneered by Ali, making for a spirited and exciting evening for all.

In the Path of Rumi showcases the poetry of its namesake, set to music and sung by renowned Persian Kurdish vocalist Shahram Nazeri, accompanied by the composer, his son Hafez Nazeri, and an ensemble of Arabic and Western instrumentalists, including musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The New York Times has praised Nazeri's performance for its "...impassioned singing and meticulous improvisation." The innovative and moving sound of these works reflects the deep and emotional effect found in the poetry of Rumi: a message of love, peace and unity.