Guided Search: Arts and Culture, Malian

Songhaï blues from northern Mali, “A worthy successor to Ali Farka Touré. Sidi Toure has all the talent. It’s incredible.” – Bassekou Kouyaté

West African music featuring singer, balafon (xylophone) and ngoni (plucked stringed instrument) “Trio Da Kali purveyed a lovely blend of griot music plus something close to jazz, led by singer Hawa Kasse Mady Diabate whose sound has been aptly compared with that of the American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.” – The Independent

“Evocative melodies, intricate arabesques, and sparkling cascades over the mystical-spiritual aura of the ney flute. Contemplative or rhythmic, the trio produces a unique magic.”
– Frankfurt Journal

"The absolutely spellbinding vocalist Noura Mint Seymali from Mauritania is ready to claim the role of her famous stepmother the late Dimi Mint Abba... With her strong charisma and appeal to the audience she will become a major star... Noura is incredible!" - Afropop Worldwide Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally beloved star and one of Mauritania's foremost musical emissaries.

Djiby, Cheik and Aliou Guissé originate from Fouta Tooro, a northern region of Senegal that is also the birthplace of the singer and guitarist Baaba Maal. Based on different rhythms of the Toucouleur people, the Guissé brothers' music isThis music is beautiful, sensitive, and well rooted in the traditions of West Africa. Djiby’s and Cheikh’s poetic lyrics, close harmony singing, and melodic acoustic guitars are joined by Aliou’s gentle percussion and harmonica notes drifting in the wind.

"A worthy successor to Ali Farka Toure. Sidi Toure has all the talent. It's incredible." - Bassekou Kouyate

"To propel the Louisiana culture into the future seems to be quite a task, but if one lives for the music as Cedric does, the path seems effortless. These songs may well be early brushstrokes of a life's worth of possibilities, not only for himself, but also for the identity survival of a culture." - Michael Doucet

The Center for Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Annenberg School for Communication at The University of Pennsylvania present a film screening of Da Monzon, The Conquest of Samanyana: The Discovery of the History of Mali. Screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker, Sidy Diabaté.