News, reviews and commentary on afrobeat and related music from Africa, The Caribbean and The Americas

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Global Rhythms Podcast Features Ali Farka Toure and Taj Mahal

By Robert Fox

The world music magazine Global Rhythms has an informative website that includes choice monthly podcasts available for free downloads. This month’s Global Rhythms podcast includes selections by Lobi Traore, Cesaria Evora as well as an assortment of new music from Cuba, Mexico, Sicily and more.

However, the highlight of this month’s podcast is a tribute to recently deceased Malian bluesman Ali Farka Toure, including an exclusive interview with the American blues musician Taj Mahal. In the interview, Taj Mahal discusses his own discovery of Ali Farka Toure, and his joy at having the opportunity to record and perform with Toure.

Taj Mahal also reflects on Ali Farka Toure’s pattern of spending half of each year farming in rural Mali, then the rest of the year touring the world’s top music venues. He also points out that Ali Farka Toure was fluent in Bulgarian, apparently from having lived in Bulgaria briefly in the late 1960s, where he is said to have purchased his first guitar.

Also included in the tribute are selections of Toure performing with artists such as Toumani Diabate and Ry Cooder.

Check out the Global Rhythms podcasts—you can listen to them as a streaming audio on this website, or download for playing on your computer or portable music device.

The Afropop Worldwide website also offers free regular podcast feed that includes some well-chosed selections.

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