The Siren Song of Mali - New York Times

Malian music has always been a favorite of mine. Specifically, I would recommend Rokia Traoré, Ali Farka Touré, and Habib Koité and Bamada. Check the link for more information on the music of this small West African country...

The Siren Song of Mali - New York Times: "We were walking down a dirt road in a neighborhood of Bamako with the mellifluous name of Badalabougou, following the rhythmic beating of a bongo drum. Then we saw it: down an alley lined with dusty neem trees and flowering jacarandas, a few hundred wedding celebrants had gathered under a canopy made from scraps of United Nations-issue sheeting, intently watching a local percussion band play a rousing music known as deedadee."