From Ali Farka Touré to Tinariwen, the music of Mali is as diverse as that of the US. This summer, one of the country’s finest combos, the rock/electronic/blues duo Amadou & Mariam, return to the states for a series of shows. For this month’s column in Tourworthy, I capsulize their history and speak to some of their collaborations with alternative musicians around the world. I also talk to noted disability scholar, Leroy Moore Jr. about the realities of musicians from Africa touring with disabilities (Amadou & Mariam are both legally blind). Take a look and listen to the couple’s new single, “Bofou Safou,” and link to the full story here.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Blues, column, cross cultural musical experimentation, Mali, video, ablism, Amadou & Mariam, disability activism
Denise Sullivan 