A World of Music: Amadou & Mariam

Often referred to simply as "the blind couple from Mali," Amadou & Mariam are currently among the world's most well-loved African artists. Having constantly expanded their sphere of influence beyond Mali's border since meeting at the Bamako Institute for the Young Blind, the duo finally saw their breakthrough release 25 years later in 2005 with the Manu Chao-produced Dimanche à Bamako. Chao's influence is heard loud and clear on the infectious "Senegal Fast Food", which will have you singing nonsense at the top of your lungs, because, even though you don't have any idea what they're saying, you just can't help but sing along.


Last fall saw the release of Welcome to Mali, which continued the musical explorations and embrace of contemporary sounds of Dimanche, weaving hip-hop and electronic elements into their music while hewing a bit closer to their Malian roots. The superstar producer's heavy yet skillful hand this time belongs to Blur/Gorillaz' Damon Albarn, whose work on "Sabali" results in one of Amadou and Mariam's most gorgeously haunting, if wholly untraditional, tracks to date.



Let us not forget, however, the decades of music that predated the duo's breakout success. The more traditionally African "Nangaraba", in particular, gets the head a bobbin' and the feet a tappin' with it's relentlessly propulsive beat, punchy brass, and agile, muscular bass.