The Case of the Next Desert Passage

Today we return to Mali for one of my favorite show themes:  folk-influenced sounds from the edges of the Sahara.

Perhaps this music has such resonance because it has such ancient roots. Much of the Malian songbook is, in fact, songs that may be centuries old. In a Manding Empire society without written language, songs became the primary vehicle to retain local histories. These societies supported a caste of citizens whose sole responsibility was to learn and perform these songs... in fact, the so-called "griot" class did not learn to hunt or farm, so they were a sort of ennobled beggar class within Manding societies. Fathers taught their sons to play the instruments, but more importantly to memorize the ancient songs (and write new songs).

When the modern revolution of recorded music really became accessible to Malians in the 1970s, much of the early recorded material was modernized versions of these ancient songs (often tales of legendary leaders and hunters). Beyond that, there does seem to be a unique unspoken reverence for music in Malian society, a characteristic that is often reflected in these rootsy but regal sounds.

First hour today is another tribute to the great acoustic guitarist Ali Farka Toure. The show goes electric in the second hour with some of the classic orchestras of the 1970s, including Rail Band of Bamako, Super Biton of Segou, and Bida de la Capitale.