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cd Big String Theory
(Globe Style, UK)
Lilting cadences derived from the kora and ngoni and mellow vocals make for a stunning set.

Afel Bocoum
An associate and protégé of Ali Farka Touré, Afel Bocoum (born 1955) has worked with the river-blues guitarist since he was a young teenager. The magical song, "Dofana", on Ali's The Source is his composition.

cd Alkibar
(World Circuit, UK)
Recorded locally, at the same time as Ali's ±·¾±²¹´Ú³Ü²Ô°ìé album, this comes from a smaller, understated mould, but the inflections and swirling rhythms are similar and the deeply spiritual nature of the music is unmistakeable.

Les Ambassadeurs du Motel
Formed as a resident band at a small Bamako hotel, the Ambassadeurs recruited Salif Keita and Kanté Manfila, to become one of the greatest African bands of all time.

v Les Ambassadeurs du Motel
(Sonafric, France)
Dating from the mid-1970s before their departure for Abidjan, this includes three great classic tracks with Salif Keita: "Diandjon", "Wara" and "Kibaru".

Fanta Damba
Maitresse of the austere Bamana style of praise singing, Fanta Damba was a national symbol in the post-independence era.

v Bahamadou Simogo
(Celluloid, France)
Magisterial vocals and double-tracked ngoni create a powerful impact.

Abdoulaye Diabaté and Kene Star
Abdoulaye Diabaté is a top Bamana singer with his Kene Star band from Sikasso.

cd Kassikoun
(Syllart Productions, France)
Rousing electric music, including the didadi dance rhythm (from Wassoulou). Recorded in Abidjan, with arrangements by Boncana Maiga.

Adama Diabaté
Griotte Adama Diabaté's name is perhaps the least known on her first solo CD. She and Makan Tounkara were married in their teens and have worked together for many years.

CD Jako Baye
(Stern's UK)
Swing-along-a-Mali: a disc that brings rootsy Adama and her husband Makan Tounkara together with international Malian popsters - including the phenomenally talented ex-Rail Band man Zoumana Djarra - in a perfect blend.

Kasse Mady Diabaté
Arguably the best contemporary Mande voice, Kasse Mady Diabaté rivals Salif Keita for beauty and lyricism, but is absolutely rooted in the jeli tradition.

cd Fode
(Stern's, UK)
This hi-tech Paris production, directed by Boncana Maiga, is overproduced in places, but saved by Kasse Mady's spectacular improvisations. Includes his big hits "Fode" and "Laban Djoro".

CD Kela Tradition
(Stern's, UK)
An almost entirely acoustic studio-produced album, featuring ngoni and balafon as well as guitars, and Jean-Philippe Rykiel on keyboards. Long, expansive and gorgeous versions of Mande classics like "Koulandjan" and "Kaira". Essential.

Nainy Diabaté
Nainy Diabaté is a popular Bamako-based jelimuso, born in 1963, who made her first public appearance with the Rail Band and was one of the first Malian griottes to use television in her career rise.

cd Nafa
(Stern's, UK)
As a follower of the modernising tendency from the Diabaté griots, Nainy's songs have won her a mass audience at home for their mixing of traditional themes with upbeat arrangements and contemporary instrumentation. Nafa is her debut international release, and displays plenty of examples of Zouk-Mande and Congolese-style Mandé. Roots fans may bridle, but this is the dominant groove of Bamako's streets and airwaves today.

Sidiki Diabaté, Batourou Kouyate & Djelimadi Sissoko
Mali's three greatest kora players of the older generation.

v Cordes Anciennes
(Barenreiter Musicaphon, Germany)
Classic 1970 recording, featuring rippling instrumental duets by these legendary figures. A privileged view into the past.

Sira Mory Diabaté
The late first lady of Mali's female jelis.

t Sira Mori
(Syllart, Paris/Mali)
The only published solo recording by this legendary figure. Includes her famous love song "Sara". A historic recording; very poor technical quality, but worth acquiring nonethless for the music and voice.

Toumani Diabaté
Mali's brilliant kora virtuoso, Toumani Diabate is an ambitious and highly creative artist and probably the best young player around at the present time.

cd Kaira
(Hannibal, UK)
. Instrumental solo kora in the classic style. Exquisite melodies like "Alla l'aa ke" and "Jarabi" and superb musicianship. Could hardly be better within its genre.

CD Djelika
(Hannibal, UK)
On this 1998 release Toumani teamed up with some ace contributors - Danny Thompson on bass, Keletigui Diabat on balafon and Ba Sekou Kouyatè on ngoni - to produce one of the essential instrumental albums from West Africa. A super-good CD.

with Ballake Sissoko

cd New Ancient strings
(Hannibal, UK)
. Instrumental kora duets recorded in Mali on state-of-the-art equipment, showing the extraordinary artistry of these two young cousins following in their legendary fathers' footsteps.

with Ketama and others

CD Songhai 1 and Songhai 2
(Hannibal, UK)
. Two extraordinary collaborations between Toumani and new flamenco group Ketama. Songhai 1 (with delicate bass from Danny Thompson) created a huge impact on the World Music scene in 1987. Songhai 2 is equally worthy of attention and includes guest artist Keletigui Diabaté on balafon and wizard ngoni player Ba Sekou Kouyaté, with Kasse Mady doing solo vocals on two tracks, and the lush choruses of Djanka Diabaté and Diaw Kouyate. Mali fusion at its finest.

Zoumana Diarra
Diarra is an exceptionally gifted guitarist, composer, instrument-maker who has paid his dues with Alpha Blondy's band Dafrastar and then with the Super Rail Band, Super Biton and Super Djata.

cd Ballad of Manding
(Stern's, UK)
. Super-sweet guitar - an all-instrumental album from Mali via Holland and Paris.

Mamadou Doumbia with Mandinka
Mamadou Doumbia is another former member of the Rail Band, who has for some time now forged a career in Japan.

cd Independence
(JVC, Japan)
A mix of hot guitar and kora with Japanese singers. This is different, wake-up music and experimental in the best sense. It doesn't always work but the kora and Okinawan voices blend, heaven-like, more than once. If you're hooked, check out its successor, cd Jafa (also JVC, Japan).

Nahawa Doumbia
A Bamana singer with a pure fresh voice, Nahawa Doumbia was one of the first Wassoulou artists to gain international release.

cd Nyama Toutou
(Stern's, UK)
Paris-produced electric Bambara and Wassoulou music. Slick, but pleasing.

cd Yankaw
(Cobalt, France)
Similar material in a more acoustic vein. Recorded entirely in Bamako, with superb solos on balafon and djembe, plus a moving a cappella solo song.

Alou Fane's Fote Mocoba
Acoustic trio led by the late Super Djata Band vocalist, exploring hunters' rhythms of the Bamana and Wassoulou.

cd Alou Fane's Fote Mocoba
(Dakar Sound, Holland)
. Buzzing harp, spiralling balafon and singing that makes you jump out of your seat. Wild and compelling stuff.

Salif Keita
Mali's golden voice and principal musical moderniser, Salif Keita remains totally inimitable. It's hard to narrow the recommendations down, as almost every one of his records remains interesting and enjoyable, as he has traded production ideas with collaborators from Carlos Santana to Steve Hillage.

cd Inedits 1969-1980
(Celluloid, France)
An essential collection of early material, including the epic praise song "Mandjou" and the incendiary guitar work-out "N'Toman".

CD Soro
(Stern's UK; Mango US)
. These breathtaking and seamless hi-tech arrangements of Mande music provided Keita with one of the biggest-selling African recordings ever - and a place on the World Music stage. Guitarist Ousmane Kouyaté and French keyboard player Jean-Philippe Rykiel provided the perfect backdrop to some extraordinary vocals.

cd Folon: The Past
(Mango, UK)
More spontaneous and funky than anything he'd done since Ambassadeurs days, this went back to Salif's roots in Mande culture with stunning melodies and vocals. Plus a new more jazzy version of "Mandjou".

cd L'enfant Lion
(Mango, UK)
. Gorgeous soundtrack to the film (starring the man himself), co-written by Steve Hillage. Highlights include Salif's stunning acoustic version of the love song "Cherie" accompanied on the Maninka simbin (ten-string hunters' harp).

cd The Mansa of Mali... a Retrospective
(Mango, UK)
This includes highlights from the Mango releases, plus Salif's all-time hit from 1978 with Les Ambassadeurs: "Mandjou". And it's worth getting the album just for this - one of the finest Mande praise songs ever, with remarkable guitar solos from Ousmane Kouyate and soaring, passionate vocals.

cd Papa
(Metro Blue/Blue Note, France)
The 1999 album, recorded in Paris, New York and Keita's own Studio Wanda in Bamako, holds few surprises in its hi-tech production values and diverse credits. A deep strand of melancholy runs through this album, even on the bright "Tolon Willy" (The Party's On) where Grace Jones adds a dark tone. The title track is a requiem to his father, who died in 1995.

Ami Koita
One of Mali's top female singers, Koita combines a feisty attitude with a strong melodic sense.

cd Tata Sira
(Bolibana, Paris)
Semi-acoustic music in the Maninka jeli tradition, with some powerful and inspiring renditions of classic tunes plus some of her own compositions, for example, "Simba".

cd Songs of Praise
(Stern's, UK)
A late 1980s release of semi-acoustic music from two local cassettes. Slightly more hi-tech than Tata Sira, but with some belting tunes.

Habib Koité and Bamada
Habib Koité is a fast-rising singer-songwriter jeli who goes well beyond Bamana praise songs to include traditions from across Mali.

CD Maya
(Putumayo, US)
Koité's first international release puts his acoustic guitar to the fore and uses no synths. While there are traces of folksiness ("I like technology but fear for our forest") the musicians deliver a subtle and intriguing set of songs with a folkloric sensitivity to subject matter and roots. Fans of the Senegalese singer and guitarist Ismael Lô will like this a lot.

Babani Koné
Babani Koné is a Bamako-based jelimuso. Born in 1968 in Ségou (home of the classical Bamana style), she combines, like many of her generation of griottes, a large measure of respect for the old traditions (she was trained by Fanta Damba), with a full-on acceptance of Congolese, Antillean and other popular local influences.

cd Sanou Djala
(Stern's, UK)
By the measure of this album (first released on cassette in Bamako), Babani is one of the most forward exponents of Mande-pop. Drum machine plugged in, synth set to "strings", she steams through a set of souped-up praise songs and ballads, including a lovely tribute to women on the title track.

Kandia Kouyaté
Kandia Kouyaté - "La dangéreuse" - has been Mali's top jelimuso for the past two decades. Her forceful voice and choral arrangements (it was Kandia, in the 1980s, who initiated the use of those dreamlike female choruses which are now the hallmark of much of the best-known Mande music) are in a similar vein to Salif Keita's, and her working of traditional social and court music has earned her huge wealth, including a personal jet, and a status unequalled by any other female artist from Mali.

CD Kita Kan
(Stern's, UK)
This, astonishingly, is Kandia's first international release (and first CD). The kora, ngoni, guitars and balafon xylophones just keep on rolling and there are enough lush studio effects - and even full orchestral backing - to qualify Kita Kan for any number of radio playlists.

Tata Bambo Kouyaté
Raw-voiced diva of the Bamako wedding circuit.

cd Jatigui
(Globe Style, UK)
Stunning 1985 album of Mande jeli praise song by one of its most dynamic female singers. Acoustic accompaniment from the full range of Mande instruments plus Fulani flute.

Le (Super) Rail Band du Bamako
The Rail Band were the buffet band at Bamako railway station, and have served as a school for many of Mali's finest singers and musicians since 1969, including Mory Kanté and Salif Keita.

Le Rail Band du Bamako

cd Mali Stars: Mory Kanté
(Syllart, France)
The sound of the Rail Band in the mid-1970s, pre-Abidjan, featuring inspired and relaxed vocals from Mory Kanté, with one track, "Tie diuguya", by a lesser known but superb singer, Jalimadi Sissoko.

Le Super Rail Band du Bamako

cd New dimensions in Rail Culture
(Globe Style, UK)
The legendary band at a peak of mellowness, featuring the rich, warm voice of Lafia Diabaté and the rocking guitar of Djelimady Tounkara. Recorded in Abidjan circa 1981.

CD Mansa
(Indigo, France)
Immaculately produced French studio set from 1996 that beautifully captures the Rail Band's effortless, floating style of Mande dance music. The title track, taking traditional guitar into psychedlic realms - a kind of Dire Straits injected with African passion - is already a classic.

Fanta Sacko
Fanta Sacko's preference for personal and emotional themes over standard praise-singing, and her kora-inflected accoustic guitar backing were revolutionary and highly influential at the beginning of the 1970s.

v Fanta Sacko
(Barenreiter Musicaphon, Germany)
The first album (1970) of bajourou music, featuring love and praise songs. The unaffected emotional singing and simple, but effective, guitar backing are deeply touching.

Oumou Sangaré Charisma, outspoken views and a stunning voice have made Oumou Sangaré the biggest star of Wassoulou music, while a World Circuit contract has deservedly helped to propel her onto the World Music stage.

cd Moussolou
(World Circuit, UK)
This first album sold 200,000 copies in West Africa and drew worldwide attention to Wassoulou music. Hard-driving semi-acoustic music recorded in Abidjan.

CD Worotan
(World Circuit, UK)
On her most ambitious album yet, Sangaré defies tradition with her lyrics ("marry you? why?!"), custom with her musical arrangements (Pee Wee Ellis and others adding funky horn grooves) and stereotyping with her range (funky dance numbers to moody ballads). There are also two tracks in straight acoustic hunters' style, as well as the lyrical ballad with acoustic guitar, "Djorolen" (Anguish). A pretty good CD in other words.

Coumba Sidibé
The queen mother of Wassoulou, Coumba Sidibé was an early moderniser of the music.

cd Djanjoba
(Camara Productions, France)
Her third solo CD on the Paris-based Malian label Camara. Based mainly on the hunters' repertoire with rocking rhythms and her inimitable powerful vocals.

Sali Sidibé
Sali Sidibé is Oumou Sangaré's principal rival as the leading wassoulou singer. She is a slightly older artist, with a wonderfully earthy and emotive voice.

cd Wassoulou Foli
(Stern's, UK)
A medium-tech, but enjoyable outing.

Super Biton de Ségou
This was a pioneering 1980s roots band in the rocking Bamana tradition of Ségou.

cd Afro-Jazz du Mali
(Bolibana, France)
Hard-driving dances rhythms powerfully translated onto guitars and horns create an exciting departure from the more stately Maninka tradition. Early 1980s recordings.

Ali Farka Touré
While Ali Farka Touré's spiritual life plays the major inspirational role in his music, his distinctive guitar style and rough nasal vocals have led to him being dubbed the John Lee Hooker - or simply "the Bluesman" - of Africa. He has collaborated with some big names from the West, notably Ry Cooder, but always on his own terms.

cd Radio Mali
(World Circuit, UK)
A beautifully produced compilation of radio recordings in Ali's swinging, bluesy style, made from 1970-1978, a decade or more before he achieved international recognition, and at a time when, as he says, "I was an absolute fool for the guitar". The World Circuit team painstakingly trawled Bamako's radio archive and, considering the antiquity of the source material, the results here are little short of miraculous.

cd Ali Farka Touré
(World Circuit, UK)
Ten all-acoustic songs from 1987, coinciding with the first rush of Ali Farka fever. Dig the big blues sound on "Amandrai". Essential.

cd The Source
(World Circuit, UK)
Perhaps almost as essential, this sees Ali link up with Taj Mahal, Nana Tsiboe, and British-Asian Nitin Sawney on tabla. The best of another ten great tracks are "Hawa Dolo" and the upbeat loping river sound of "Mahini Me".

CD ±·¾±²¹´Ú³Ü²Ô°ìé
(World Circuit, UK)
Recorded in Ali's home town by the label with the Midas touch, this is a determined return to roots in every sense, allowing the world to hear Ali doing his wonderful stuff in his own backyard. Says producer Nick Gold: "It was done very organically and very fast - Ali's a one-take man. And he's a farmer first and foremost. He'd go off to see if a water pump was working. The crops always had to come first". The relaxed, but impromptu nature of every track bursts out. "I don't feel as good anywhere else as I do at home" is Ali's explanation. The result is a formidable work.

Ale Farka Touré and RY Cooder

CD Talking Timbuktu
(World Circuit, UK)
Topping many indie charts within days of release in 1994, this Grammy Award winner was a World Music CD out of left field. With Ali in seamless slide-blues collaboration with Ry Cooder, it hits with a rawness and conviction underlining the sense that here is simply a group of great musicians listening hard to one another and playing together in a room.

Sidi Touré
Sidi Touré is a songhai singer and guitarist from the medieval city of Gao, on the fringes of the Sahara.

cd Hoga
(Stern's, UK)
Devotees of Ali Farka should not delay in acquiring this from another Touré - most of the songs sound like Ali on speed. They also sound as if a lot of sand was blowing around the studio in Bamako. Atmosphere? Il y en a beaucoup!

Boubacar Traoré
Boubacar Traoré is a veteran Malian music entrepreneur, singer and guitarist from the western city of Kayes.

cd Kar kar
(Stern's, UK)
Traoré creates his own unique non-jeli style of wistful acoustic love songs on this album.

Rokia Traoré
Born in 1973, Rokia Traoré is an innovative young singer-songwriter-guitarist who has made a huge impact wherever she has performed abroad, though she is still relatively unknown at home in Mali. She has forged unusual combinations, for example the balaba balafon of her home region in southern Mali and the dry ngoni of the Bamana jeli.

CD Mouneissa
(Label Bleu/Indigo, France)
Dulcet-voiced and gently lyrical, nine songs to calm the troubled spirit, with the big liquid sound of the balafon and the insect-strum of the ngoni creating a delightful fusion.